What Causes a Car to Shake When Accelerating? [See Scenarios + Solutions]

You know that feeling when you’re driving and your car starts shaking? It’s not a good one. And it means there is a problem with the vehicle.

It could be a big or small issue, but regardless of what it is, you should take care of it sooner rather than later because the longer the problem goes unchecked, the more expensive and time-consuming to fix it will become.

Car Vibration During Acceleration Scenarios

Now, let’s take a look at the different causes for why your car could be shaking. Maybe you can narrow it down to one of these scenarios.

Car Shakes When Accelerating at Low Speeds

First, you can tell if your car is shaking when it accelerates because the shaking only occurs at low speeds. There are a few different reasons why this could happen in the first place.

Possible Reasons

One reason includes that your car might be out of alignment. This has to do with the alignment on the wheels, so it orients them in the right direction while you’re driving. If they’re not correctly aligned, then there’s a higher chance that your car will shake when you’re accelerating from a low speed.

Another reason could be that you need new tires. If this is the case, it’ll probably shake when you accelerate at any speed. You know how cars are – they need constant maintenance and attention to remain in working order.

Solution

If you want to fix this problem with your car shaking when accelerating, then you should look into getting it aligned. If that doesn’t work, then get new tires on the car. Your local mechanic can assist you in both scenarios.

Car Shakes When Accelerating at High Speeds

Another scenario is that your car shakes when accelerating from a high speed. If you only experience this shaking on the highway or the road, then there are two different reasons this might happen.

Possible Reasons

One initial reason could be that your car isn’t in good enough shape to handle high speeds. This could be because it needs maintenance and possibly new parts.

Another reason could be that your tires are not properly inflated, which means there isn’t enough air pressure in them. If this is the case, it can cause a car to shake when accelerating from a high speed.

Solution

To fix this problem, first, see if the shaking occurs only at high speeds. If this is the case, you should have your car checked for maintenance issues. If the problem occurs at any speed, then inflate your tires and see if the shaking stops.

Car Shakes When Accelerating in First Gear

Another scenario is that your car shakes when accelerating in first gear. This type of shaking could be because of a few reasons.

Possible Reasons

First, you may be pressing down on the accelerator too hard when in first gear. This could be because you’re trying to quickly increase speed when in first.

Another reason why your car might shake when accelerating in first gear is if the clutch isn’t working correctly.

Solution

If your car is shaking when accelerating in first gear, try backing off on the accelerator a little bit and see if this solves the problem. If that doesn’t work, then check to make sure your clutch is working correctly.

Car Shakes When Accelerating Uphill

Another scenario is that your car shakes when accelerating uphill. If this is the case, then there are two different reasons why.

Possible Reasons

First, you may have your car in the wrong gear. If it’s too high or too low of gear for an uphill climb, then it could make the car shake when accelerating uphill.

Another reason why this might be happening is if there’s not enough power to get your vehicle up the hill. This means that there are issues with your car that prevent it from climbing hills.

Solution

To fix this problem, try shifting into a lower gear to get up the hill. If you can’t seem to find the right equipment for your vehicle, then see if the shaking only occurs when you’re accelerating uphill. If so, then there are issues with your car that prevent it from climbing hills smoothly.

Car Shakes When Idling and Accelerating

Another scenario is that your car shakes when idling and accelerating. If this is the case, then there are a few different reasons why this might be happening.

Possible Reasons

First, your car might need a tune-up. This means that there are many different potential causes for why your car is shaking when idling and accelerating. If this is the case, then it should stop after a tune-up has been done to improve your vehicle’s performance.

Another reason could be if you have bad alignment on your car. This means that all of your tires aren’t going in the same direction, which forces your vehicle to shake when idling and accelerating. Again, this misalignment can affect your car’s performance.

Another reason your car might shake when idling and accelerating could be because of a problem in the transmission, which is the system in your vehicle that changes gears. If there is an issue in this system, it could cause problems when you accelerate or idle, like shaking.

Solution

First, see if you can find out what part of your car is shaking. If it’s the body, you might want to see if you can buy a new part and replace the shaking one. If the problem is in the engine, you might want to get a tune-up. Finally, if it’s in your transmission, you should take it in to have that checked out by someone who knows about the specific transmission in your car.

Car Shakes When Accelerating but not When Coasting

Another scenario is that your car shakes when accelerating while not shaking when coasting. If this is the case, there are a few reasons why it might be occurring.

Possible Reason

First, it could be that the engine in your car has too much horsepower for your transmission. This means that it has more power than your current transmission can handle, which causes it to shake when accelerating but not when coasting.

Another reason why you might experience tremors while accelerating but not while braking could be because of power steering issues. Power steering helps assist in driving and makes turns easier for people who don’t have a lot of strength in their arms. Without power steering, it can be challenging to turn the wheel and accelerate your car simultaneously.

Solution

If you think that it’s because of too much horsepower for your transmission, try driving with less acceleration. If that still doesn’t work, you might need a new part in your vehicle or a complete replacement of a different part that has worn down over time.

If your problem is only when accelerating but not when coasting, then it could be essential to get checked out by a mechanic who specializes in power steering issues if this is what you suspect the problem to be.

What Should You Do When You Notice Vibrations When Accelerating?

It doesn’t matter if your car shakes when accelerating after you’ve just bought it or if this is a problem that’s been affecting your vehicle for years. When you experience vibrations when accelerating, it’s essential to treat the situation right away, regardless of when you notice it.

Unfortunately, some people choose to ignore the problem and hope that it will fix itself over time. However, by waiting to treat the issue, eventually, more damage will occur in your vehicle, and things could get worse instead of better; problems like engine failure are possible if this continues untreated.

For many problems, fixing them early on can help prevent them from getting severe or even life-threatening later down the line. During winter, for example, if your car has developed an issue that’s causing your engine to fail because of the cold weather you’re driving in, it can potentially turn into a life-threatening situation.

The vibrating you feel when accelerating is caused by some unevenness. It could be something as simple as low tire pressure or more severe, like having faulty brakes on one side. When this problem gets worse and worse, it can eventually cause damage to other parts of your vehicle.

Even minor issues like an unbalanced wheel could end up leading to huge problems (like brake failure or something else), so try not to ignore the problem if you notice vibrations when accelerating.

Conclusion

When you experience vibrations while accelerating in your car, it’s essential to treat this situation as soon as possible because minor issues could end up turning into huge ones if left untreated, such as engine failure. In addition, by looking into this problem immediately and giving your vehicle a quick check-up, you will be on track to preventing future issues that might arise from the issue.

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Author: Dave Johnston

Dave is a hands-on automotive technician with experience in performing service, diagnostics, and repairs on domestic and imported vehicles. He enjoys writing and sharing his knowledge far and wide.

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