A car shaking when driving is usually telling you that something is out of balance, worn or loose. The useful question is when it happens: at a certain speed, when you brake, when you accelerate, or while the car sits still with the engine running. Each pattern points toward a different part of the car.
A pattern is a place to start. Several faults can produce the same shake, and more than one can be present at once.
If the shake has you unsure about driving the car, Golden Star Mobile Mechanics comes to where your vehicle is. With mobile diagnostics, the cause is tested and confirmed before parts are replaced.
A Shake That Comes With Speed
A vibration that appears as the car reaches highway speed, and often fades above or below a certain band, most often comes from a tire or wheel.
- A wheel that is out of balance, sometimes because a balance weight has come off.
- A tire with a bulge, a flat spot, a separated belt inside it or uneven wear.
- A wheel bent by a pothole or a curb.
- Mud or debris packed inside a wheel.
Where you feel it helps. A shake in the steering wheel usually points toward the front of the car, and one felt through the seat or floor toward the rear. Worn steering and suspension joints or a worn wheel bearing can let a small vibration grow into a larger one.
If the shake began soon after a wheel was taken off, stop and have the wheel nuts checked. A loose wheel wobbles more as it loosens further.
A Shake Under Braking
A steering wheel that shudders, or a brake pedal that pulses under your foot, as you slow from speed usually traces to the brake rotors. Uneven rotor thickness, or pad material laid unevenly on the rotor face, makes the pads grab and release with each turn of the wheel. A caliper that sticks can add a pull to one side, a hot smell near one wheel and a vibration that stays after you release the pedal.
The pulsing of anti-lock brakes during a hard stop on a loose or wet surface is normal and is a separate thing.
