SEAT Leon ST Cupra 300 4Drive

Further investigation into the Cupra’s worrying vibration reveals the cause of the problem

IMENTIONED IN MY LAST report on the Leon that it had dropped a wheel into a roadside hollow in Wales. The massive thump and subsequent wobble suggested an instant puncture, but a quick inspection showed that the tyre was still up. However, there was mud in the rim. With this cleared, the death wobble went away but ever since then there has been a mild shimmy through the steering wheel at speeds over 50mph. Although mild, I didn’t want to travel too far with it because I always fear such vibrations will eventually loosen some important fixing, or jigger the damper by overheating the fluid, or result in something equally unexpected.

So I got a trolley jack under it and had the wheel off to see if there was anything obvious. As you can see from the picture, there certainly is. The tyre rim protector of the P Zero has done its best but clearly couldn’t protect the alloy from such a big hit, so the rim is significantly dented. I expect both wheel and tyre will need replacing. Looking at the amount the alloy has deformed, I’m amazed that the vibration isn’t greater.

It’s always interesting to imagine how easy it would be to change a wheel on a dark, rainy night. I was a bit confused by the Leon because it has the optional ten-speaker stereo with an additional subwoofer that sits inside the well of the space-saver spare. Having undone the large plastic nut that holds it and the spare in place, I was expecting to find the tools beneath in a polystyrene carrier. But no. A scan of the side panels showed no hidden cubbies where they might be lurking and the handbook stated that they’d be with the spare wheel. So I had another look and found they were there, underneath the spare, in what would be the cellar if this was a house.

‘Tweezers’ for the caps on the bolt heads, an extra bolt for the locking wheel nut, and then surprise at how little force it takes to loosen the bolts on alloy wheels. But the hardest part is always offering up the replacement wheel and getting the first bolt in and started. It’s no wonder you see so many wheel changes being left to the likes of the RAC and AA…