A new car will be smooth and performs effectively and efficiently at first. After some time, the components wear out and starts to exhibit specific problems. It also applies to the engine components, and over time the engine could shudder because of various reasons. It is better to service and inspect the condition of the vehicle periodically to avoid such issues. Any significant damages to the engine could cost a lot to repair it, and at worst you need to replace the engine. An engine runs on air, fuel, and requires oil for lubrication.
A check engine light will be available in the dashboard that turns ON if any problems or malfunction occurs. If your car shudders when accelerating, then there is a fault in the system. Learn more about this issue in this article.
Table of Contents
How Does An Engine Work?
The engine is an essential part of the car that produces power to run it. Two engines are commonly found in all vehicles-a petrol and a diesel engine. These are also called as airbreathing engines because it requires air for proper functioning.
1. Petrol Engine
The air from the atmosphere is allowed into the carburettor where the fuel from the tank is pumped through the fuel pump and is mixed at a respective ratio. The carburettor enables the mixture into the combustion chamber where the spark plug generates the spark and combustion tasks place so that the power is obtained. Also, carburettors are only available in petrol engines.
2. Diesel Engine
The diesel engine does not need any carburettor because the fuel injector sprays the fuel along with air fro the combustion. Also, no spark plug is required because the diesel and air mixture burns at the compression. It produces the necessary power for the system.
If any of these processes in the two engines are disturbed or irregular, it causes your engine to behave differently than usual. The person can notice the difference in the performance. The typical symptom is that your engine will stall and sometimes the car shudders when accelerated.
Why Does My Car Shudder While Accelerating?
There are some common reasons for changes in engine behaviour where the person can see higher engine vibration and noise. But, the fault is internal, and it is more dangerous. It is better to resolve it immediately before it gets worse.
1. Irregular Air And Fuel Supply
The engine starts to stall or shudder when the air and fuel supply is inadequate. Check the sensors in the air intake system and clean the air filter to supply clean air regularly to the system. Also, change the fuel filter and check for blockage in fuel injector for diesel engines. In the case of petrol engines, clean and repair the carburettor for better performance. It could reduce the engine vibrations when the car is at a higher speed. This will eventually reduce your car jerks when accelerating.
2. Bad Spark Plug
Spark plugs are used only in the petrol engines where the spark ignited burns the air-fuel mixture and completes the combustion. If any of the spark plugs are worn out or damaged, then the respective combustion is disturbed, and the cycle is affected. Also, at higher speed, this process is faster than usual and if it is irregular than your car shudders when accelerating.
3. Motor Mountings
The motor mountings are found under the engine on all four sides. It supports the whole engine and transmission system to the chassis of the car. If the motor mountings are weak or damaged, the vibrations caused by the engine is disturbed directly to the whole body and causes makes the vehicle to shudder more when accelerated to a higher speed. Replacing the motor mountings will solve the issues. Also, the number of motor mountings used varies for every vehicle.
3. Bad CV Joints
The CV joints are found at each axle of the car. If any of the CV joints are worn out or damaged, then the vehicle vibrates more than usual during acceleration. Also, the metal to metal contact in the system fails over time which leads to the only possible solution of replacing the entire system.
4. Bent Axle Or Driveshaft
The axle and driveshaft are the essential parts that transfer the power from the engine to the wheels. A damaged driveshaft affects the power transmission to the wheels through axle. Any disturbances in the path of power transmission increased the vibration on the car. Also, when accelerated, the driveshaft and axle rotate much faster, and so if there is any damage in it, it increases vibration.
5. Unbalanced Wheel
The wheel and the suspension system supports the stability of the vehicle. Any damages in the system affect other systems that are interconnected to it. The unbalanced wheels jeopardise the strength and function of the suspension system.
It could make your car to shudder when operated at a higher speed. Also, the wheels are connected to the steering system where the person can feel the vibrations on the steering wheel. Check the alignment and balance of the wheel to avoid such problems.
How Much It Costs To Fix?
Usually, any work related to the engine is complicated and costs a lot to repair it. Also, the spares are costlier and rare to find. All the tasks and repair needed to be done will cost a minimum of $1000-$2000 without including labour costs.
But, you can avoid such issues quickly if you have regular maintenance and service for your vehicle. These systems are complicated, so it is better to hire a professional to look into the issue rather than you make it worse on your own.
Frequently Asked Questions related to What To Do If Your Car Shudders When Accelerating:
Why Is My Car Shuddering When I Accelerate?
Aside from causing severe problems like misfires, loss of power, backfiring and other issues it’s also going to lead to some very noticeable shuddering especially while you’re accelerating. If you’re suspecting this is a problem, you can give your engine a quick visual inspection just to see if any hoses are actually loose or have come free.
How Do I Stop My Transmission from Shuddering?
fixing a shuddering transmission is often as simple as getting a transmission flush to replace the contaminated transmission fluid with clean, fresh fluid. If the cause of your shuddering transmission is low fluid rather than contaminated transmission fluid, you may just need to fill up your transmission with more fluid until it has the right amount.
How to Stop Your Car from Shaking When Accelerating?
The best way to fix this issue is to replace the old timing belt with the new one. That way, the moving parts of your engine will work in harmony with each other.
Why Does My Car Shudder When I Drive with Tire Treads?
Something as simple as worn out tire treads can cause shuddering as you drive. Check the treads of your tires and see if they’re flat or not. If you have flat treads and car shuddering problems together, then you need to replace your tires to stop the shuddering.
Is It Normal for a Car to Shake When Accelerating?
Car shakes when accelerating is a common issue experienced by many car owners. Although it is not considered severe, this inconvenience may trigger more complex and more expensive problems if left untreated.
Conclusion
The life of the vehicle depends on how one handles the car based on the situation. If the person ignores any issues in the system, it would make it worse over time and ends badly. It is better to prevent such incidents by having a scheduled service and good maintenance. Next time if you feel like your car shudders when accelerated, then please check it and fix it as soon as possible.
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