5 Reasons Why Your Car Shakes When Accelerating

Does your car shake when accelerating? If you are experiencing this problem it could be due to many reasons. In most cases, the cause of the vibration is a fairly simple issue that is indicating a much bigger and more expensive repair if not taken care of.

The reasons for the shake could be different depending on whether the car is stopped or in motion. Does it happen in idling states? Does it shake only at low speeds, high speeds or a constant speed? It could be a different cause if the car vibrates when braking.

So, where should you look for when it happens? Keep reading to know more.

• Damaged Inner CV Joint

Check CV joints if you face the problem of vibration. CV joints are located at the end of each axle. There is both an outer and an inner joint. When the inner joint gets damaged or goes towards failure you will notice your car shaking under hard acceleration. If the problem intensifies, it could be hard shaking under load.

Usually, CV joints get damaged due to a tear in the joint boot. When this happens, water and dirt get inside the boot and affect the grease that protects the splines inside. Due to improper lubrication, the metal on metal contact eventually leads to failure. A CV joint replacement is the only fix you need.

• Unbalanced Tires

Unbalanced tires are another reason behind the car vibrating when accelerating. If you have recently installed new tires and the car shaking is happening during the driving, it may be due to unbalanced tires. When a tire is mounted on a wheel, it will not have the same weight all the time.

With the rotation of a tire, a slight weight imbalance will turn into a small vibration. It becomes more noticeable when the tire is rotating much faster.

In case your car vibrates while you have a constant speed and is worse when at high speeds; it may due to an unbalanced tire.  It is advised to have your car inspected by a professional mechanic to rebalance your tires.

• Dirty or Worn Spark Plugs

Dirty or worn out spark plugs can cause the engine to misfire. While in most cases the problem is noticeable when a car comes to a stop, it may also result in the car vibrating while driving.

It is time to replace your spark plugs if they are causing the problem. Get your vehicle checked by a professional mechanic.

• Torn or Disconnected Vacuum Hose

This problem may result in severe shaking or shuttering of a car while driving. If a vacuum hose disconnects or develops an air leak due to a small tear, the resulting lack of pressure can cause can lead to problems like backfires, misfires, and other problems where the engine does not run smoothly.

It is recommended to check the hoses and make sure they are connected and they are not having any wears or cracks in them. Using good quality hoses is recommended.   

• Loose Lug Nuts

It is a simple problem that could lead to dangerous situations.   If the lug nuts on a wheel loosened over time or they were not properly torqued down on the hub, the wheel would have a slight wobble to it. It may seem like shaking when driving on the road.

If the lugs get to loosen up your wheel could fall off while driving. It can result in catastrophic.