My car is jerking while driving, and when sitting idle
I bought my car used and it has about 45,000 miles (when I bought it a year ago it had 37,000 miles). The car has CVT automatic transmission. When I drive, the car jerks (during acceleration and also during cruising) when the gear changes. This problem sometimes happens all day, sometimes intermittent, and sometimes it doesn't happen for 5 days. Also, when sitting idle at a red light (stopped, but in drive), the car will jerk forward (like it's trying to change gear) but the wheels don't actually move forward. When this happens I have to place the car in neutral and then back in
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You will want to have the fault codes in the transmission and engine computer read out. Based on previous transmission concerns, the operation of the CVT transmission is highly dependent on how well the engine is running.
Misfires, valves out of adjustment, all of these and other engine concerns can cause the transmission to behave poorly at times. You may want to enlist the help of a mechanic who will have the tools and expertise to determine the jerking issue you’re experiencing and make the appropriate fix.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
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Along with faulty spark plugs, a build-up of dirt and grime is the likely cause of cars stuttering when idle. A clogged filter or fuel injection system can starve your engine of fuel or oxygen, causing your car to judder and shake.
When gears don`t properly fit together, they can create a jerky shifting experience. Similarly, transmission bands that are linked to the gears, in automatic transmissions, can wear down or break over time and require replacement.
A Transmission Fault
Shifting issues can sometimes cause your vehicle to feel like it is jerking when accelerating. If you have internal transmission damage, it can cause the gears to slip [and] engage over and over again, which feels like jerking when accelerating.
A bad transmission: Your car is not shifting gears smoothly while decelerating, which causes a jerking motion. Dirty fuel injectors or a blocked air intake: These will both impact the mix of air and fuel in your engine. However, these issues are more likely to be present during acceleration.
It is most likely caused by a faulty coil pack or a dirty throttle body. Either of these issues could be causing your car to jerk while stopped at lights. The throttle body is an essential piece of equipment that controls the airflow throughout your engine.
When your car jerks, stumbles or stutters while driving, it usually means something is interfering with the proper distribution and transfer of power from your transmission. Another example is if you`re driving a manual transmission and haven`t gained the feel of shifting for your particular vehicle.
In an automatic transmission, slipping can be caused by wear and tear on numerous different parts. These include damaged or worn clutch plates, transmission bands, and solenoid packs. If your automatic transmission has been slipping, it`s likely a technician will replace some or all of these parts to fix the problem.
A jerking car could signify a number of issues from a dirty air filter to a clogged catalytic converter. And if left unchecked for too long, the issue could cause major, more costly problems.
If you observe your car lights flickering while driving, it`s likely due to a battery that`s failing. In the case when it`s not the battery, there are other trouble areas that may be causing the issue. No matter the cause, you should have the problem diagnosed and repaired as quickly as possible.
When your fuel filter is clogged, gasoline won`t flow through the filter as efficiently which can cause your car to jerk when additional fuel is needed, such as well you`re driving uphill. A clogged fuel filter will make your fuel pump work harder under load, which can also lead to fuel pump damage.
You may have a bad wheel bearing, bad ball joint, a loose strut, or a bad tie rod end. Another possibility is that your CV joint may be seizing up — probably because the boot has broken and water has gotten in there and washed out all the grease.
This is actually a really good question—low engine oil, as a general rule, won`t cause transmission problems but it can damage your engine, so you should check it regularly.
Shifting is rough.
This common symptom of a failing transmission is easily noticed. If your transmission is having a tough time shifting into other gears, or refusing to do so completely, you`ve got a bad transmission and it`s time to schedule an appointment at your local dealership.
Clunking, humming or whining sounds are signs of automatic transmission problems. Faulty manual transmissions will also give off loud machinelike sounds that seem to come out of nowhere. A clunking noise when you shift gears is a telltale transmission situation. Have a mechanic look it over.
Among the potential underlying causes are vacuum leaks, EGR system malfunctions, malfunctioning oxygen sensors, dirty fuel injectors, fuel pump malfunction, faulty spark plugs, a faulty mass airflow sensor, or a faulty throttle position sensor.
Motor Mounts. Motor mounts keep your engine attached to the car. Weak or broken mounts can`t hold the engine tight in the engine compartment and creates a vibration at idle. If the shaking subsides when the car is in Neutral, this could indicate the motor mounts are responsible for the vibrations.
Motor Mounts. Motor mounts keep your engine attached to the car. Weak or broken mounts can`t hold the engine tight in the engine compartment and creates a vibration at idle. If the shaking subsides when the car is in Neutral, this could indicate the motor mounts are responsible for the vibrations.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
My car is jerking while driving, and when sitting idle
ANSWER : You will want to have the fault codes in the transmission and engine computer read out. Based on previous transmission concerns, the operation of the CVT transmission is highly dependent on how well the engine is running.
Misfires, valves out of adjustment, all of these and other engine concerns can cause the transmission to behave poorly at times. You may want to enlist the help of a mechanic who will have the tools and expertise to determine the jerking issue you’re experiencing and make the appropriate fix.
Read Full Q/A … : My car is jerking while driving, and when sitting idle
Car revs high and jerks when first starting to drive car, while driving.
ANSWER : Hi There,
It sounds like you may have low transmission fluid or a faulty transmission control solenoid. As you know, automatic transmissions use pressurized hydraulic fluid to change gears. Every time a gear change is required, the car’s computer activates a transmission solenoid, which directs transmission fluid into the valve body to engage the correct gear. When this is faulty or not working properly, this can cause a delay in gear shifting or in some cases cause the car to not shift at all. This type of problem is amplified any time the transmission is low on fluid creating a drop in hydraulic pressure. I would recommend having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your vehicle.
It sounds like you may have low transmission fluid or a faulty transmission control solenoid. As you know, automatic transmissions use pressurized hydraulic fluid to change gears. Every time a gear change is required, the car’s computer activates a transmission solenoid, which directs transmission fluid into the valve body to engage the correct gear. When this is faulty or not working properly, this can cause a delay in gear shifting or in some cases cause the car to not shift at all. This type of problem is amplified any time the transmission is low on fluid creating a drop in hydraulic pressure. I would recommend having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your vehicle.
Read Full Q/A … : My car is jerking while driving, and when sitting idle
My car is jerking. When I plug in the idling sensor, especially after driving a few kilimeters and when I unplug it, the car travels well
ANSWER : Hi – it is quite possible your engine is running in "open loop" when the idle sensor is disconnected, simply because the engine computer realizes that a crucial sensor is missing. By design, open loop running will be a richer mixture, with poor fuel economy. The idle sensor has no real purpose once the car is driving at most any speed. When the idle sensor is plugged back in, the computer is trying to adjust fuel mixture as it should, but other sensor problems (which should be setting the Check Engine Light) are overwhelming it. Check for the problem codes being set, and diagnosis will become easier.
Read Full Q/A … : My car is jerking while driving, and when sitting idle
High idling, jumping while idling, idle air control valve code
ANSWER : Hi there. This can be caused by the issues that you mentioned or a number of other things. You need to make sure all of the connectors are making good contact. I would then need to know what codes are in the computer to know if this is a circuit issue or not. Most of the time, it is not the circuit but instead a vacuum leak.
If there is a vacuum leak, then the vehicle will act like this and the computer cannot control the idle. Most of the time it is a bad hose or an EGR valve that is stuck open. That is the most common cause for this. I typically remove the EGR to check it to feel the diaphragm on the bottom of it to see if it is moving correctly. If you need to have this repaired, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to your home or office to diagnose and repair your car’s idling issue.
Read Full Q/A … : My car is jerking while driving, and when sitting idle
Hi, i was driving my car just fine today when all of a sudden it started jerking. it jerked a lot getting up to about 20mph then i
ANSWER : Hi there. I wouldn’t suspect that removing the battery has caused any problems. When your engine runs rough, it can be caused by multiple issues, ranging from a vacuum leak to fuel system component problems, and ignition system issues. I would recommend having one of our professional mobile mechanics come to your location and complete an engine is pulsating inspection. This will allow them to isolate the source of your issues and recommend the right repairs.
Read Full Q/A … : My car is jerking while driving, and when sitting idle
I’m hearing a clicking noise while the car idles in Drive, as the engine idles high.
ANSWER : You may be hearing a solenoid for the vapor purge control system. This would be normal if it is a ticking noise that sounds like a clock ticking only when you give it a little gas and goes away when you let off the gas.
If you think it is something other than this, then have a mechanic inspect the noise for a proper diagnosis.
Read Full Q/A … : My car is jerking while driving, and when sitting idle
Replaced alternator on car 2 times each time shows it’s charging 14v let car run for a little bit then test drive and car voltage
ANSWER : There are reports that the replacement alternators will not communicate with the engine computer and will not charge correctly. I recommend using only the manufacturer approved replacement part. It can be new or remanufactured but approved for use in the vehicle. Some lower cost alternators on the aftermarket will have charging problems since they will not communicate with the ECM on the vehicle and will stop charging.
Read Full Q/A … : My car is jerking while driving, and when sitting idle
When I’m driving, sometimes the car over revs and jerks when I shift gears after the cars been on for a while
ANSWER : Hi There,
What you are describing may be a result of a faulty speed sensor, potentially low transmission fluid or a even a faulty transmission control solenoid. As your vehicle travels down the road, the computer analyzes data being sent by vehicle speed sensors and engine speed sensors. Based on this information, the Engine Control Unit (ECU), or the Transmission Control Unit (TCM), executes the appropriate upshifts and downshifts by sending a signal to one of several shift solenoids. These transmission solenoids have spring-loaded plungers inside them, which are wrapped with wire. When this coil of wire receives an electrical charge from the TCM / ECU, it causes these plungers to open, allowing transmission fluid to flow into the valve body and pressurize the desired clutches and bands. When this happens, the transmission changes gears and you continue down the road. The computer controls the transmission solenoid in several ways. If the vehicle is equipped with a dedicated Transmission Control Unit, it can open or close the hydraulic circuit using a direct 12v signal. In some cases, the Engine Control Unit (ECU) can control the solenoid’s plunger by turning the ground circuit on and off. I would recommend having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your transmission.
What you are describing may be a result of a faulty speed sensor, potentially low transmission fluid or a even a faulty transmission control solenoid. As your vehicle travels down the road, the computer analyzes data being sent by vehicle speed sensors and engine speed sensors. Based on this information, the Engine Control Unit (ECU), or the Transmission Control Unit (TCM), executes the appropriate upshifts and downshifts by sending a signal to one of several shift solenoids. These transmission solenoids have spring-loaded plungers inside them, which are wrapped with wire. When this coil of wire receives an electrical charge from the TCM / ECU, it causes these plungers to open, allowing transmission fluid to flow into the valve body and pressurize the desired clutches and bands. When this happens, the transmission changes gears and you continue down the road. The computer controls the transmission solenoid in several ways. If the vehicle is equipped with a dedicated Transmission Control Unit, it can open or close the hydraulic circuit using a direct 12v signal. In some cases, the Engine Control Unit (ECU) can control the solenoid’s plunger by turning the ground circuit on and off. I would recommend having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your transmission.
Read Full Q/A … : My car is jerking while driving, and when sitting idle
