Car vibration is quite common. You may experience unusual vibrations, sounds, and drifting, regardless of whether you are driving a new or used car.
But don’t panic! These issues are common and easy to fix with Ride Time’s professional auto service. You could have one of these problems if your car is experiencing vibration.
1. Engine Problems
Although it is not common, engines can cause cars to vibrate when they are driving. This shaking or shuddering can often be caused by engine problems. These are the most common causes.
- Fuel filter that is dirty or blocked
- Spark plugs are not working smoothly
- Piston with poor air/fuel mix
- The engine isn’t getting enough air
These are signs that your engine could be causing vibration problems. It is important to have your car checked immediately. These issues can lead to serious engine damage if they are not addressed.
2. Uneven Or Bent Axles, Driveshaft
Another common cause of vibration in cars is uneven or bent axles. Your car’s axles are the long rotating shafts attached to your wheels and that transmit drive power from your transmission to them.
Although they are very durable, axles can be bent by collisions or driving into a ditch, or over speed bumps or other objects. You will feel your car “jolt” when this happens. This vibration will increase as you drive faster.
Your driveshaft could also be damaged. This is the part that transmits engine power to wheels and axles. If it’s damaged or bent, it can vibrate and shake.
3. Broken Or Warped Brake Rotors
Your brake rotors may be causing your car to shake more often when you apply the brakes.
Modern disc brake systems have a brake rotor, a disc-shaped component. It applies pressure to brake pads, which contact your wheels and slow down your car.
The rotor can be bent or warped if it is subject to excessive use and if you don’t regularly change your brake pads. The rotor becomes deformed when it overheats.
This causes your brake pads and brake calipers to lose their grip on the brake drum. This causes vibration, which is usually felt only when the brakes are applied or stopped.
To prevent further damage to your brake rotors, consult a brake specialist immediately.
4. Mobbly Or Misaligned Wheels
Your car may drift if your wheels are not aligned properly. The steering wheel can also vibrate or shake if it is. It is easy to fix this problem by taking your car to an alignment.
Sometimes vibration can be caused by the wheel. Incorrectly torqued lug nuts can cause wobbly hubs. Wheel bearings can also wear out, but this is usually not an issue if you drive off-road and for very high mileage.
Due to wear, wheels may experience excessive “runout”. The amount of deviation a wheel makes from perfect rotation when spun is called runout. If the wheel’s runout exceeds a centimeter, it will most likely need to be replaced.
5. Tire Problems
Vibration issues are most commonly caused by tires. We have saved them for last. Here are just some of the many ways tires can cause vibration problems.
- Tire imbalance – Your tires could be causing your car to vibrate only at certain speeds. To even out your tires and eliminate any imbalance, a technician can add weight to them.
- Tire wear – Your front and rear tires will wear at different rates if you don’t rotate them regularly. Vibration can result from this.
- Tires – If a tire is damaged, it may become “out of round”, which means that it is not perfectly circular. This can lead to vibration and bumping. This is often covered by the manufacturer’s warranties.
- Tires that are too low – Your car will drift or rattle if your tires don’t make equal contact with the road. You can correct this by monitoring your tire pressure with a tire gauge at home and pumping your tires to the PSI recommended in your owner’s manual.
Have A Vibrating Car? Ride Time Is Just A Click Away!
Vibration is often quite harmless. However, vibrations caused by engine problems should not be ignored. Are you unsure why your car vibrates? Take your car to the Ride Time service centre in Winnipeg.
Our mechanics will diagnose the problem and get you on the road as soon as possible.
