Why Is My Car Shaking?

Unless you’re driving down a super bumpy or unpaved road, you should expect to have a fairly smooth ride. After all, cars nowadays are designed to provide comfortable experiences for everyone in the vehicle. However, that’s not always going the case if your car is in need of auto repair in Athens County, OH. Vehicles that have issues with their tires, wheels, brakes, axle or even the engine can shake and rattle while getting from point A to point B. Continue reading to learn what’s causing that shaking, and what we can do to fix it.

Tires

Problems with your tires are the number one cause of a shaky vehicle. Over time, your tires can become unbalanced, which leads to a shaky steering wheel as you start going faster down the road; you’ll usually notice this shaking at about 50 miles per hour. If you catch this problem early, we can solve the shaking problem by either balancing your tires or performing a tire rotation. However, if you wait too long to address the issue, we may need to replace your tires, which is significantly more expensive.

Wheels

If your tires are on the newer side and they don’t seem to be out of balance, but your car is still shaking a lot, the problem may lie with your wheels. Issues with wheel bearings, tie rod ends or ball joints often lead to strong vibrations. Only your mechanic can determine for sure the real reason for the shaking, so be sure to bring your vehicle in for car repair in Athens County, OH sooner rather than later.

Brakes

Does the vibration only occur when you put your foot on the brake? If so, you most likely have an issue with your brakes. Your front brake pads and rotors start to wear down over time and need to be replaced every so often. Granted, your brakes should last for about 50,000 miles before they begin to fail, so you shouldn’t have to worry about this for a while. Check your owner’s manual to see when your manufacturer recommends having your brake pads or rotors replaced.

Axle

Do you really only notice vibration when you start to accelerate? If so, the issue probably lies with your front or rear axle. Axles can bend after an accident, or even after hitting a huge bump in the road. That bend makes the wheels spin at different speeds, which creates an uncomfortable vibrating sensation. Be sure to bring your car in for repairs as soon as you can, as driving with a bent axle is incredibly dangerous.

Engine

Finally, a variety of problems with your engine can result in a shaky vehicle. Engines with clogged air filters or failing spark plugs may start to vibrate uncontrollably. The good news is that this is a simple fix—just bring your car to a mechanic and have him inspect your engine for any issues.

The sooner you bring your shaking vehicle to Dana’s Tire Center for car repair in Athens County, OH, the easier it’ll be for us to fix, and the less expensive your repairs are likely to be. Come in today to get a quote for our mechanical services—we guarantee we’ll give you the most competitive estimate around!

Categorised in: Auto Repair

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