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A shaking car spoils the joy of the journey. Everyone wants a smooth running of their vehicle. A smooth running car ensures a comfortable journey for the passengers. A vibrating or shaking car is not very hard to fix. This article mainly explains the causes of the car shaking and how to fix it.
Why Is My Car Shaking?
In driving a car, you want a smooth ride while driving on the highway. Sometimes, the car starts to vibrate or shake due to some internal problems. If your car is also shaking or vibrating, it’s time to find out the vibration reason.
The following are the major reasons for the shaking or vibrating car:
- Engine Problems
- Axle Problems
- Insufficient Fuel
- Damaged Breaks
- Suspension System Issues
- Worn Engine Mounts
- Low Transmission Fluid
- Bent or Worn Parts
- Tire and Wheel Problems
1) Engine Problems
The car engine has multiple parts. If any part of the car engine fails, the car shaking issues may start. The engine air filters and spark plug are the major parts that usually force the car to jerk while driving.
If your vehicle is vibrating, firstly, inspect the spark plug and its other connections. Generally, a spark plug has approximately 78,000 to 100,001 miles of service life, but this varies according to the car model and brand type.
If there is no problem with the spark plug and its other connections are good, check the air filters.
The clogged or dirty air filters of the engine can generate oxygen-lacking issues. Due to an insufficient supply of oxygen, the air and fuel will not mix properly. Due to insufficient air-fuel mixture supply, the engine couldn’t generate sufficient power according to the vehicle’s requirements. When the car doesn’t receive power according to its demand, it starts vibrating.
A damaged engine or radiator fan is also a major car shaking reason. As the damaged fan rotates, it becomes unbalanced and generates extensive vibration.
The latest cars contain an electric radiator fan that only works when the temperature of the radiator water becomes more than a fixed level.
2) Axle Problems
The latest cars mostly have two axles, one with the rear wheels and the other with the front wheels.
If any of these two axles has been dented or bent, your car may start to vibrate, which can lead to an accident or any other road incident.
Generally, if your vehicle axle has been damaged, the vehicle vibration will increase as you increase the acceleration. As you observe this problem, immediately replace your axle. In this way, you will be saved from expensive car repairs or any other mishap.
Read More: Bad Car Axle Symptoms and Causes
3) Insufficient Fuel
Fuel is one of the most important factors that ensure the smooth running of your vehicle. Your vehicle engine requires a sufficient supply of fuel to generate sufficient power to run the vehicle.
When the fuel in your fuel tank goes down than a specific level, your car may start to shake. Therefore, when your car shakes, you should properly check the fuel level.
4) Damaged Breaks
If your car starts shaking when you hit the brake to slow down or stop, it is a sign that your brakes need repair. There are high chance that your brake rotor has been deformed due to driving wear and tear. This rotor is located inside the wheels, and the brake pads push the rotor as you hit the brake to stop or slow down your car.
If the brake surface is worn and uneven, the ride quality becomes shaky whenever you brake.
The stuck caliper is another brake-related problem that can generate a shaking issue in your car. The calipers have brake pads that push the rotor. If these pads get stuck, the car starts vibrating when it reaches up to a specific speed (usually up to 40 mph or 80 mph). If this problem occurs in your car, the shaking of your car will increase as you increase the speed.
Read More: How To Flush Brake Fluid?
5) Suspension System Issues
If your vehicle’s steering wheel is shaking, immediately look at your suspension system. You must immediately fix your suspension system; otherwise, it may cause serious problems and increase your repair cost.
The most common suspension system problems occur due to bad ball joints, bad wheel bearings, bad struts, bad shock absorbers, or bad tie rod.
6) Worn Engine Mounts
If your car is vibrating while idling, the engine mount can wear out or be damaged. In this case, the engine runs under the hood. By taking a quick look at its hood, you can easily identify this problem and fix it relatively easily and quickly.
Read More: Bad Engine Mount Symptoms and Causes
7) Low Transmission Fluid
If the transmission lubrication oil level in the car has become very low, it may start vibrating when you drive. This is very easy to fix, but you need to fix it as soon as possible.
If the transmission unit has a leakage issue and you continue to drive the vehicle using too little transmission fluid, it may lead to permanent damage to the transmission system. In this way, this can lead to an expansive repair or replacement of the transmission system.
As the transmission system is worn out, you will hear extensive noise when the car shakes.
8) Bent or Worn Parts
The car has multiple parts that wear out and cause car vibration. In addition, your car accident can cause the axle to bend, which may cause car vibration.
A bent driveshaft or the worn constant velocity (CV) may also lead to car shaking issues.
Read More: Bad Axle Causes and Symptoms
9) Tire and Wheel Problems
In most cases, the car shaking problem occurs due to a tire or wheel problem. The tire or wheel generates vibration due to loose wheel nuts, wheel damage, tire roundness deviations, tread delamination, tire cupping, tire feathering, improper wheel alignment, and unbalanced tires.
You can avoid the problems of the wheel and tire by regularly inspecting, such as inspecting the wheel nuts tightness, adjusting the tire tube pressures, checking the wheel alignment, and visually inspecting the tires and wheels. In the regular maintenance of your car, you must also check:
- Tire pressure
- Lubrication of the wheels
- Wheels balancing
- Tires rotational behavior.
If you properly maintain all the above-given factors, there is a high chance that your vehicle will not vibrate at any time.
Read More: How To Improve Tire Longevity?
How to fix a Car Shaking?
You need to repair or fix one or more of the below-given parts to fix your car shaking:
- Check the fuel level in your fuel tank. Add more fuel if needed Your vehicle must have sufficient fuel.
- Inspect the power steering system of your car. Replace the faulty power steering system.
- Replace the faulty spark plug and fuel injector.
- Replace the faulty fuel pump.
- Replace the worn or damaged parts.
- Check the transmission fluid. Add more fluid if needed.
- Replace the worn or damaged engine mounts.
- Repair or replace the worn brakes.
- Fix the issues related to tires and wheels.
Why Is My Car Shaking When I Brake?
The braking system is the most common reason for car shaking. As you hit the brake, the brake pedal holds the rotor in place. As the brake pedal is pressed, the brake caliper exerts pressure on the brake pads.
The brake pads then push the rotor down to prevent the wheel from rotating. With the passage of time, dirt, dust, oil, or other contaminations can build up on the brake pads. These contaminations stuck to the pads, which can cause car shaking, especially when the driver hits the brake pad.
In addition, the rotor becomes thinner and more prone to damage with its service life. The braking process generates extreme heat and deforms the rotor. This can also cause the brake pads to slip. Therefore, you must replace the brake rotors for approximately 71,000 miles to avoid this problem.
When you apply the brakes, you may hear a high-pitched noise from outside the car. This noise also indicates the worn brake pads. In this case, replace the brake pads immediately.
For the replacement, you must check the manufacturer’s manual for when to change your brake pads, but in general, you must change them every 49,000 miles.
FAQ Section
Why is my Car Shaking when I drive?
If your car is shaking while you drive your car, your car may have the following problems.
In some cases, the car steering system starts vibrating due to the misalignment of the car wheels. If the steering wheels are causing vibrations, you must take a look at your wheel’s alignment and fix it in case of misalignment. If they come off the seats and floorboards, you will need tire balancing.
The wheels will be misaligned if the suspension components are at the wrong angle. If the weight of the car is not equally divided among the four tires, it will result in an imbalance. This inaccurate weight division of the car can cause extreme shaking, especially at more than 56 mph speeds.
What are the reasons of the vibration?
- Tire and wheel issues
- Bent or worn parts
- Engine problems
- Axle problems
- Insufficient fuel
- Low transmission fluid
- Breaks need repair
- Suspension system issues
- Worn engine mounts
- Faulty fuel system
Is it safe to drive when my car is shaking?
If you notice ongoing vibrations in your car, it is crucial to address the issue promptly rather than continuing to drive. Ignoring the shaking may lead to additional damage to components, tire deterioration, and other expensive issues that may be prevented with a timely visit to the nearest repair shop.
Why does my car shake when I drive fast?
In the event of your vehicle shaking at high speeds, it’s possible that your wheel bearings are worn or there might be damage to your tires and rims. Prioritize safety by having your wheels examined, particularly if you have recently experienced a minor collision or encountered a curb.
Why is my car shaking when parked?
Your car may start to shake when it is parked due to a bad O2 sensor, damaged spark plug wiring, bad ignition coils, bad spark plugs, misaligned belts, or worn engine mounts.
Can a bad spark plug cause car to shake?
Yes, a bad spark plug can cause your car to shake.
Read More
- Why Does Your Car Make Rattling Noise When Accelerating?
- Bad Torque Converter Symptoms and Causes
- How Many Axles Does A Car Have?
- Why Does Your Car Make Squeaking Noise While Driving?
