Why Does A Car Shake When You Drive It?

Trying to identify the reason your car is shaking can be frustrating. What are the best ways to narrow down the culprits?

Cars, like any other machine, can have problems. Sometimes, the problem could be a generic problem that affects many car brands. 

However, here are the common reasons why your car may be shaking when you’re driving it and what you can do about it.

1. Car Tire Problems

According to this car expert, tire issues are the most common reason why your car is shaking. This makes a lot of sense, as tires connect your car to the road, and if your tires start shaking, so will your car. Generally speaking, the best way to tell if your tires are to blame is if one tire is wearing and tearing faster than the other tire is. 

However, there are a lot of reasons why your tires might need to be fixed. If your car starts shaking at certain speeds, it’s possible that your tires are unbalanced. It’s also possible that it’s not your tires’ fault but rather the wheels that the tires are attached to. In general, if your tires are the culprit, then replacing, rebalancing, or rotating them may fix the issue.

2. Issue With Wheel Hub 

Similar to tire issues, your wheel hub and its surrounding parts might be the culprit if you feel your car shaking through the steering wheel. It’s possible that it’s just an alignment issue. But, because of how the wheel hub is designed, it might be that the wheel hub and its accompanying parts are worn out. This is a complicated issue though, so your best bet is to take your car to a trusted mechanic.

3. Car Brake Problems

If your car only shakes when you use the brakes, then Car Bibles says that the brakes might be the source of the shaking. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to address brake issues in your garage. That’s why Car Bibles recommends that if you think that it’s your brakes, you should go to a trusted mechanic and tell them about this issue and what you suspect may be causing it.

4. General Worn-Out Parts

Cars will rust and get damaged, and that type of damage to many parts of your car can cause it to shake. Because of how this can happen to any part of your car, it’s very hard to say that this is the culprit without consulting a mechanic. Some of the damage to your car’s parts might have been the result of an accident. 

If you think your car is shaking because it got banged up in an accident, then letting your mechanic know about that will be a good place to start. But again, since any part of your car can get old or get damaged, it’s difficult to say for sure.

5. Car Engine Problems

Another common cause of car shaking is the engine. If your car starts fine but then starts shaking, it could be the engine. If you put your foot down on the accelerator and it starts shaking, it could be the engine. Again, if your car starts shaking at a certain speed range, it could be the engine. 

Fortunately, though, engine issues are easier to fix in your own garage. The usual causes of these engine issues are either a lack of air, fuel or spark in your engine. Those issues can be fixed by changing your air and oil filters or replacing your spark plugs.

Conclusion

Ultimately, there is only one way to know what is wrong with your car. Take it to a trusted mechanic. If you’re ever unsure about a problem with your car, it’s best not to take any chances.