{"id":16320,"date":"2020-09-16T19:24:02","date_gmt":"2020-09-17T02:24:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogv2prod.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/?p=16320"},"modified":"2025-05-19T23:56:22","modified_gmt":"2025-05-20T06:56:22","slug":"symptoms-of-a-bad-harmonic-balancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/symptoms-of-a-bad-harmonic-balancer\/","title":{"rendered":"Symptoms of a Bad Harmonic Balancer"},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 3<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><style>.kadence-column16320_8f5049-81 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column16320_8f5049-81 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column16320_8f5049-81 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column16320_8f5049-81 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column16320_8f5049-81 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column16320_8f5049-81 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column16320_8f5049-81{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column16320_8f5049-81 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column16320_8f5049-81 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column16320_8f5049-81 inner-column-1 qk-look-widget\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-row ultp-block-5515f9  qk-main-wrap\"><div class=\"ultp-row-wrapper\"><div class=\"ultp-row-content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-column ultp-block-165e42\"><div class=\"ultp-column-wrapper\"><style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading16320_58a6f4-e2, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading16320_58a6f4-e2[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading16320_58a6f4-e2\"]{text-align:center;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading16320_58a6f4-e2 mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading16320_58a6f4-e2[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading16320_58a6f4-e2\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-family:Inter;font-weight:500;font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading16320_58a6f4-e2 img.kb-inline-image, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading16320_58a6f4-e2[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading16320_58a6f4-e2\"] img.kb-inline-image{width:150px;vertical-align:baseline;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"kt-adv-heading16320_58a6f4-e2 summary-title wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading16320_58a6f4-e2\"><span>Summary<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The harmonic balancer is a component that absorbs vibrations applied to the engine&rsquo;s crankshaft.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bad harmonic balancer symptoms include engine vibrations, unusual noises, an illuminated check engine light, and a noticeable wobble while the engine is running.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You should always replace a faulty harmonic balancer right away because it can cause serious damage to the serpentine belt and engine-driven accessories.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>One automotive part that frequently gets overlooked is the harmonic balancer (also known as a vibration damper or crankshaft damper). Although the component is often forgotten, when it fails, it can cause major problems&mdash;including severe engine damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you have a sinking feeling that you might have a bad <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/search?q=harmonic_balancer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"harmonic balancer\">harmonic balancer<\/a>? If you&rsquo;re experiencing one or more of the symptoms below, you may be right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bad Harmonic Balancer: Signs to Watch Out For<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When this component fails, it can cause a range of issues. The most common symptoms of a bad harmonic balancer include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Engine Vibrations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The harmonic balancer&rsquo;s job is to dampen vibrations applied to the crankshaft. As a result, when the balancer fails, you may feel a significant vibration from the engine compartment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Noticeable Harmonic Balancer Wobble<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When the rubber isolator begins to deteriorate, the balancer usually begins to separate, creating a noticeable wobble when the engine is running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Unusual Noises<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A faulty balancer can result in a knocking, rattling, or squeaking sound that corresponds with engine speed. In some cases, the noise is bad enough to be mistaken for an internal engine problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, a balancer that&rsquo;s beginning to fail can cause abnormal movement from the drive belt or automatic drive belt tensioner, resulting in clicking or squealing noises when the engine is running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Illuminated Check Engine Light<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Your car&rsquo;s primary computer, which is often referred to as the powertrain control module (PCM), relies on a crankshaft position (CKP) sensor signal to determine crankshaft position and speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The CKP sensor reads a toothed or notched wheel that&rsquo;s usually located on the crankshaft or harmonic balancer. If the harmonic balancer fails, it can cause the sensor to create an abnormal signal, prompting the PCM to turn on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/why-is-my-check-engine-light-on\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"the check engine light\">the check engine light<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Visible Wear or Damage<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you take a look at the harmonic balancer, you might be able to see visible wear or damage. For example, the rubber insulator may have deteriorated, resulting in a separation between the hub and outer portion of the balancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/mechanic-checking-harmonic-balancer-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"mechanic checking harmonic balancer\" class=\"wp-image-16323\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/mechanic-checking-harmonic-balancer-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/mechanic-checking-harmonic-balancer-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/mechanic-checking-harmonic-balancer-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/mechanic-checking-harmonic-balancer-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/mechanic-checking-harmonic-balancer-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/mechanic-checking-harmonic-balancer-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/mechanic-checking-harmonic-balancer.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">If you take a look at the harmonic balancer, you might be able to see visible wear or damage.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is a Harmonic Balancer?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>So what does a harmonic balancer do? The primary purpose of the balancer is to absorb vibrations applied to the engine&rsquo;s crankshaft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With a four-stroke engine, each piston completes four separate strokes&mdash;intake, compression, power, and exhaust&mdash;while turning the crankshaft. When a piston moves downward during the power stroke, it causes the crankshaft to speed up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the same time, another piston is moving upward during the compression stroke, forcing the crankshaft to slow down. As a result, opposing forces are applied to the crankshaft, creating a dangerous resonance phenomenon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The harmonic balancer moderates the high-frequency vibrations acting on the crankshaft. A typical balancer has a center hub, an inertia ring, and a rubber insulator (some designs use viscous fluid rather than rubber). The center hub is bolted to the end of the crankshaft. As the crankshaft twists and turns, the inertia ring and rubber ring absorb some of the resulting vibrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, the harmonic balancer has a pulley (either integral or bolted on) that connects to the engine&rsquo;s drive belt. When the engine is running, the pulley turns the belt, which, in turn, causes the engine-driven accessories (alternator, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/where-is-the-a-c-compressor-located\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"A\/C compressor\">A\/C compressor<\/a>, etc.) to rotate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Happens When a Harmonic Balancer Fails<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Although the harmonic balancer may seem simple enough, if it fails, it can cause major problems. Without the balancer dampening unwanted crankshaft vibrations, engine failures, such as worn rod bearings and a broken crankshaft, may result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A faulty balancer can damage the belt and engine-driven accessories as well. It&rsquo;s also possible for the balancer to fly apart, resulting in the destruction of a variety of underhood components.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Without a doubt, you should always replace a faulty harmonic balancer right away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n    <div class=\"perspective-widget\">\n        <div class=\"pt-child-wrap\">\n\n            <div class=\"pt-col-item1\">\n                <figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\">\n                        <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cld.partsimg.com\/image\/upload\/dpr_auto,f_auto,q_auto\/carparts\/blog\/plugins\/amp\/avatar-comments\" class=\"com-thumb\" alt=\"Avatar of CarParts.com Research Team\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\">\n                <\/figure>\n                <p>\n                    <strong>CarParts.com Research Team<\/strong> \n                    <span>User<\/span>\n                <\/p>\n            <\/div>\n\n            <div class=\"pt-col-item2\">\n                <div class=\"protip-desc\">\n                    <div class=\"perspective-help-tip\">   \n                        <p>There&rsquo;s more than one way to look at an issue. &ldquo;Community Perspectives&rdquo; highlight authentic personal viewpoints and real-life experiences by the CarParts.com community, including our readers, experts, and product specialists, among others. This can help you make better informed decisions about your car.<\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"perspective-help-caption tooltip\"> \n                        <h2>CarParts.com Community Perspectives<\/h2>\n                        <p>Harmonic balancers almost always have a press-fit that makes them difficult (or impossible) to remove by hand. The recommended way to remove the balancer is with a dedicated puller tool. If the balancer has come apart entirely, it will need to be replaced.<\/p>\n                        <div class=\"cta-btn\">\n                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/symptoms-of-a-bad-harmonic-balancer\/#commentform\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Jump to Discussions\">Jump to Discussions<\/a>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Products Mentioned in this Guide<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"reusable-productlink\">\n\n<!-- start of editable content -->\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/harmonic-balancer\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"harmonic balancer\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cld.partsimg.com\/image\/upload\/d_noimage.jpg,h_200,w_200,c_pad,f_auto,q_auto,dpr_auto,e_sharpen\/images\/reph312308_1\">\n<strong>Harmonic Balancer<\/strong>\n<\/a>\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/crankshaft-position-sensor\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"crankshaft position sensor\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cld.partsimg.com\/image\/upload\/d_noimage.jpg,h_200,w_200,c_pad,f_auto,q_auto,dpr_auto,e_sharpen\/images\/repb311814_1\">\n<strong>Crankshaft Position Sensor<\/strong>\n<\/a>\n\n<!-- end of editable content -->\n\n<\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 3<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>One automotive part that frequently gets overlooked is the harmonic balancer (also known as a vibration damper or crankshaft damper)&#8230;. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/symptoms-of-a-bad-harmonic-balancer\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1643,"featured_media":16321,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[52,3747],"tags":[1883],"ppma_author":[2622],"class_list":{"0":"post-16320","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-diy","8":"category-engine","9":"tag-harmonic-balancer","10":"entry"},"acf":{"adrotate_specific_mobile_ad":"","adrotate_specific_desktop_ad":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Symptoms of a Bad Harmonic Balancer - In The Garage with CarParts.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When your harmonic balancer fails, it can cause major problems\u2014including severe engine damage. Read on to find out the symptoms of a bad harmonic balancer.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/symptoms-of-a-bad-harmonic-balancer\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Symptoms of a Bad Harmonic Balancer - In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"When your harmonic balancer fails, it can cause major problems\u2014including severe engine damage. Read on to find out the symptoms of a bad harmonic balancer.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/symptoms-of-a-bad-harmonic-balancer\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-09-17T02:24:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-05-20T06:56:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/rsz_untitled_design_9.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mia Bevacqua, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Mia Bevacqua, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/symptoms-of-a-bad-harmonic-balancer\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/symptoms-of-a-bad-harmonic-balancer\\\/\"},\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"$id\":\"1643\",\"name\":\"Mia Bevacqua\",\"jobTitle\":\"ASE Master Automobile Technician\",\"description\":\"Mia Bevacqua has over 14 years of experience in the auto industry and holds a bachelor\u2019s degree in Advanced Automotive Systems. 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