Vibrations in a car are common. During the drive a slight tremor is unavoidable. It is natural for all working engines. Except racing car F-1. And the older the car, the more it will be felt. Trying to speed up on a dirt road will also cause severe shaking in the cabin. All these are natural reasons for the occurrence of such an effect.
Another thing is when the vibration occurred suddenly. For example, when idling or accelerating. What could be the reason to shake the car? And what can a motorist do to fix the problem? Consider three common situations:
- During acceleration the steering wheel twitches;
- When idling, the engine vibrates strongly;
- When you speed up, the car shakes.
If the vibration increases while driving, you must pay attention to the transmission, suspension and steering elements.
Steering wheel vibration
Steering wheel vibration cannot be ignored. Otherwise it is liable to an accident. The steering wheel, like a litmus test, first indicates a malfunction of the machine control system. Here are common causes of this problem.
- Wheel imbalance. Balancing is necessary so that each wheel rotates smoothly without shifting the center of gravity. Normally this problem is felt on a flat road and at high speed.
- Custom wheel size. When a driver picks up new wheels, it is extremely important to pay attention to the bolt pattern. For example, a value of 4 x 98 indicates 4 holes for bolts, and the distance between their centers is 98 mm. Some believe that a few millimeters does not affect the ride quality. To insert the washer, you must tighten the bolts with an inclination. As a result, the wheel is installed with an offset. And at high speed the shaking becomes stronger.
- Worn shock absorbers or struts. The impaired smoothness of the shock absorber is also transmitted to the steering wheel. Old suspension elements are getting stiffer. Therefore, every bump feels like a big hole.
- The support bearing is out of service. Due to the poor quality of the road, this suspension element fails quickly. Failure to replace in a timely manner will adversely affect the condition of the vehicle’s entire depreciation system.
- Faulty ball joints. Most of the time they become unusable due to the operation of the vehicle on bad roads. Therefore, in the former Soviet Union, the ball must be changed more frequently.
- Steering cable tips. If there is even a slight amount of play when turning the steering wheel, the tie rod ends need to be replaced. They ensure parallel rotation of the front wheels. At high speeds, worn tips are heavily loaded due to the uneven arrangement of the wheels.
Here’s another reason for steering wheel vibration:
The car shakes when idling
If the machine vibrates when idling, the problem must be looked for in the fastening elements of the engine. To fix this, the following possible reasons should be considered.
- Engine mount worn. During the operation of the aggregate, vibrations are compensated by the rubber cushions of the carrier. The problem will not necessarily be that this part is torn. Over time, the rubber elements become rougher. Therefore, they must be replaced regularly.
- Engine malfunction. The idling of the piston group should be as smooth as possible. If this is not the case, you need to take the car to the mechanic. Causes of a slipperiness violation include stuck valves or wear on the piston rings.
- The problem with the fuel system. A clogged fuel system results in uneven engine operation. If the engine idles, then picks up, then slows down, it is worth checking the entire trunk. Stabilizing the engine may result in replacing the fuel filter or repairing the pump.
To diagnose malfunctions in atmospheric combustion engines, you can use the recommendations of nail poroshin:
The car wobbles when accelerating
In addition to the listed malfunctions, shaking during acceleration can be explained by a transmission malfunction. Here are three common vibration problems.
- The oil level in the box. A low transmission grease level will cause a car to fail to accelerate. Usually this problem is accompanied by the sound of gears rubbing against each other.
- Auto-box filter. A clogged filter element reduces grease circulation in the automatic transmission. For this reason, there are sensations characteristic of a low gearbox oil level.
- Malfunction of the universal joint. In the nodes that connect the shafts at an angle, a hinge with unequal angular velocities is installed. Even a slight play of the moving parts of the part will cause vibrations at high speed.
vibration at speed
In addition to discomfort, vibration signals some malfunction or failure in the installation of some parts as a result of the last repair. the consequences of vibration drive depend on which component is causing this effect and whether it is caused by breakage or gradual wear of parts. For example, the cardan joint of the cardan shaft of some car models generates vibrations that gradually increase with wear.
to find out why vibrations occur in the car, you can go to computer diagnostics. However, with this procedure, you can not always find out the true cause. We have compiled some general recommendations from experienced car drivers, with which you can find the source of vibration without expensive diagnostic procedures.
Consider each of the symptoms that occur at a particular vehicle speed.
0 km/h (idling)
The cause of vibrations in this mode of operation of the vehicle can be:
- The gearshift vibrates, the cause may be a misfire or a triplet combustion engine (read why this happens) in another evaluation);
- The vibration is accompanied by a steady metallic beat. The reason is wear of the engine pads;
- Besides vibrations, a high frequency whistle can be heard from the engine compartment especially in wet conditions. The reason for this effect is the slippage of the alternator drive belt;
- The machine shakes a little evenly – there is an imbalance in the flywheel or clutch basket;
- If the vibration is uneven and intermittent, it may be a result of misfire, fuel system or air supply malfunctions, or engine control unit malfunctions.
0 km/h (increased speed)
If the vibration frequency increases as the engine speed increases, this may indicate a malfunction of the ignition system (the air-fuel mixture does not always ignite). You should also check the functioning of the fuel system and the functioning of the control unit (this requires computer diagnosis). Sometimes a similar effect occurs when the air filter is clogged or the air supply system is defective.
Up to 40 km / h
In front wheel drive vehicles, the crunching sound when turning the steering wheels indicates a failure of the "grenade" or the or the CV joint. also, unnatural noises coming from the steering wheels during maneuvering may be a signal of steering mechanism failure, especially if accompanied by difficult turning of the steering wheel.
If vibrations occur during movement after engaging a particular gear, this indicates a problem in the gearbox. If vibrations occur when shifting into gear (applies to vehicles with mechanical or robotic transmission) and is also accompanied by a short grinding, then you should look for the release bearing or .
40-60 km / h
Usually, at this speed, a propeller shaft malfunction occurs in rear-wheel drive vehicles (for information on repairing or replacing this device in a car, refer to in another article), its cross member or its outer bearing.
The second thing to look for is unreliable mounting of the exhaust system. In addition, a failed strut mount can cause vibration at low speeds (for more information on the strut mount, see here).
60-80 km / h
At these speeds, the braking system may malfunction. This malfunction is accompanied by a characteristic noise. In addition, pay attention to the tread wear (in another rating read what problems this or that type of tire wear indicates).
Another reason for the occurrence of vibrations at such a speed of the car is the imbalance of one of the rotating parts of the engine. A similar effect is also observed when the oil level in the automatic transmission crankcase is low or the transmission oil filter is clogged.
80-100 km / h
In addition to the above causes, vibrations in a vehicle accelerated to this speed can cause minor wear on suspension parts such as ball joints.
100-120 km / h
If the engine has a turbocharger, hammering at that speed may be due to the turbine not working properly. The genset does not receive the required amount of air and therefore "chokes" on excess fuel. Vibrations in the vehicle interior may be due to some plastic panels shifting and rattling.
Above 120 km/h
For vibrations to develop at such speeds, even slight deviations in aerodynamic properties from the norm are sufficient. To eliminate this effect, simply install a spoiler. This will provide additional downforce to the vehicle. Read more about aerodynamics in another article.
Also, vibration at limit speeds can be caused by the maximum torsional load on bearings that are not adequately lubricated.
Can you drive with body vibration?
For some drivers, stable vibrations in a car are so natural that they become accustomed to them and eventually no longer notice them. However, if a similar effect occurs abruptly in a car, you must immediately look for the cause. Otherwise, the driver is at risk of an accident due to suspension, chassis or transmission failure.
Even with the slightest vibration, you cannot continue to drive at high speed. In addition to discomfort, this effect can cause other failures of related units and mechanisms of the car. Minor problems can be ignored and cause more expensive repairs.
In most cases, the elimination of vibrations can be performed in any workshop and is not an expensive procedure. It will be much more expensive to repair the damage caused by high-frequency impacts.
Methods for dealing with this phenomenon
To avoid wobbling regardless of the speed of the vehicle, make sure that all body and interior parts, as well as the power unit, are securely fastened.
If, as a result of visual diagnosis, malfunctions of the damper elements of the transmission, suspension, or power unit have been detected, it is necessary to perform computer diagnosis and correct the malfunctions.
To avoid wobbling and similar unpleasant effects, every driver must follow a routine vehicle maintenance schedule. If vibrations are a natural companion of a particular car model, this effect can be minimized by using soundproofing materials.
An example of diagnosing a transmission and suspension malfunction:
As you can see, several malfunctions can cause vibrations in the car. Therefore, it is extremely important to perform the necessary maintenance of the machine in time. Replacing worn parts will not only eliminate discomfort while driving, but will also prevent an emergency from occurring.
Frequently asked questions and answers:
Shakes the car when driving at low speed. If the car is moving in a straight line and vibrations occur when switching on at a certain speed, this is a sign of a transmission output. When depressing the clutch, a twitch indicates wear on the friction elements of the release bearing or the clutch basket. Vibrations during cornering indicate a steering problem. When the wheels are turned over (the car is going into a curve), vibrations and crunching indicate the failure of the SHRUS. If the car is equipped with a propshaft, shaking when increasing speed can also be a symptom of a problem with this part of the transmission.
The car wobbles from side to side. When the suspension struts wear out, the car wobbles from side to side with every bump. On the road you should check the serviceability of the support bearing. If the wheels of the car have been balanced for a long time, this can also be the reason for the car wobbling sideways. If this continues for a long time, sooner or later there will be uneven wear on the tires and the chassis and suspension will begin to crumble.
