While many modern cars are pretty reliable, that doesn’t mean they will be issue-free. One of the most concerning issues to deal with as a driver can be a shaking car. Depending on when and where your car shakes, you can get a better idea about what may be causing your problems…
How-to Handle a Shaking Car: Diagnose Issues
Idling shakes
You may notice that you get a shaking car whenever your car is idling. It may not be an issue when you’re actually driving. However, whenever you stop or start your car, it’ll start to shake. In this case, it could be that there’s an issue with your engine.
For instance, many times these shakes are because your engine mount is loose. These mounts specifically help to keep your engine secure and dampen the engine’s vibrations. When your mount wears out over time, it could cause this shaking to become more noticeable. Problems with your engine’s fuel injectors, timing belt, or spark plugs could also cause your car to shake when idling.
Shakes when driving
It could be that you experience a shaking car only when you’re actually out driving. Here, it’s still possible that a loose mount may be the culprit. Since your mount isn’t able to properly absorb the engine’s vibrations, they’ll become more pronounced when you actually begin to drive.
Still, it could also be that your car has a misaligned steering or suspension system. This can be noticed especially if your steering wheel shakes. Your tires may also be misaligned or unbalanced, which can cause your car to rock and shake at the floorboards and seats.
Shakes when braking
A shaking car doesn’t just have to occur when your idling or driving. It can also happen as you’re trying to slow down. This can be concerning, especially if it occurs at high speeds. Here, these shakes can indicate that there is an issue with your brakes themselves.
The motors in the brakes themselves could have become warped, which causes them to shake. It may be that the brake pads have also worn-out and won’t work as effectively. Even something like issues with poorly lubricated guide pins could result in them shaking when you use them.