Taking Care of Your Car Keeps You Safe

Troubleshooting Engine Vibrations

29 August 2017 by Kent Alvarez

A vibrating engine can be a huge distraction while driving, as your entire vehicle can shake from the force of the vibrations and make it hard to control your car. This can increase the risk of experiencing a collision, and also usually points to some sort of mechanical issue under the hood. Understanding what could be causing your engine vibrations can help you identify what the necessary repair is, which can save you time and money when you head to a mechanic.

Spark Plugs

The most common for an engine vibrating excessively while driving is if your spark plugs have reached the end of their lifespan. This will cause engine misfires, and will negatively impact the overall performance of your vehicle. If you notice a great deal of vibration in combination with poor acceleration and fuel efficiency, your spark plugs are likely to blame. Further, old and worn out spark plugs can affect the ability of your ignition to catch, so you have issues starting up your vehicle as well, the issue almost certainly lies with your spark plugs, and they will need to be replaced.

Disconnected Hoses

Disconnected hoses can also cause your engine to function improperly, creating a great deal of vibration while in operation. Hoses can disconnect for a variety of reasons, from simply being reattached improperly to their seals breaking down over time. You can fix this issue yourself by opening up the hood and checking to see if any hoses are unattached (and attaching them to where they need to go), but if the hoses have become damaged at all or won't reattach to their proper receptacles, you'll need to get into contact with a mechanic to have them replaced entirely.

Damaged Timing Belt

Your engine timing belt is designed to open and close valves within your engine at specific times. If the timing belt becomes damaged, torn, or loses some of its tension, it will cause valves to open at improper times, resulting in reduced engine performance and violent vibration. This is a fairly serious problem, and if left unchecked can cause a great deal of wear and stress to your engine, increasing the risk of other malfunctions manifesting themselves. The clearest sign that your car's timing belt has become damaged is if your engine makes odd sounds while driving, and your acceleration, top speed, and all other indicators of engine performance have drastically fallen. You can also open up the hood and visually inspect the timing belt, but this can be hard on some models of vehicles, especially if you don't know what you are looking for. Instead, you should have a mechanic at an auto repair shop take a professional look at your vehicle. 

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