There are a range of reasons why your car is juddering when you accelerate. Your vehicle could have dirty fuel injectors, a damaged fuel pump, a blocked catalytic converter, a faulty mass airflow sensor, broken spark plugs, or even an accumulation of moisture.
Clogged Fuel Injectors
If you hear your car engine stuttering, then the injectors may not be providing an adequate amount of fuel. To fix this, you should clean the injectors on a regular basis. Using a fuel injector cleaning solution might eliminate the issue of the car jerking.
If you are experiencing jerks in your car when accelerating, it might be due to a few reasons. The first reason is that the throttle pedal is not positioned correctly. The second is a result of the throttle cable being too tight or too loose.
Dirty Air Filters
The air filter functions to prevent dirt and debris in the air from entering the engine. If it's dirty, it could restrict airflow to the engine, thus reducing the amount of oxygen that the engine gets. This causes an uneven oxygen-to-fuel ratio in the engine which leads to misfiring and car jerking.
If you're driving at freeway speeds and notice your engine sputter or jerk, you may have a failing fuel pump. This problem is caused when the fuel pump can't deliver a smooth flow of fuel to the engine; periodically, your engine receives only air when it was expecting to receive fuel.
Worn-out spark plugs or the electrical cables attached to them are one of the most common causes of cars stuttering. A deficient spark plug causes the engine to misfire, making your car jerk when you accelerate.
If a car is idling, the engine should give a typical hum. A clogged air filter limits air supplied to the combustion chamber. The combustion chamber, in turn, can sputter, pop, or give cough-like sounds. Odd sounds may also be accompanied by vibrating or shaking.
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.
The most likely cause of the shuddering most often happens in the vicinity of your car's rims and tires. They plant your car to the road, and if anything is broken, will feel it. On a serious note, it may be a broken transmission mount or a broken caliper.
A clogged fuel or air filter can make your engine sputter and your acceleration lag because the engine is not getting enough fuel or air, respectively. The combustion chamber needs the correct amount of air and fuel in order to generate combustion efficiently.
Dirty or low oil levels can cause your car to jerk or hesitate while driving. This is because the engine is not getting the lubrication it needs to operate smoothly. If you notice your car jerking or hesitating while driving, it is important to get it checked by a mechanic.
The most common signs of bad spark plugs include start-up trouble, rough idling, sluggish acceleration, declining fuel economy, engine misfiring, and engine knocking.
It's reported that it costs anywhere from $40 to $80 for an air filter replacement. Auto shop labor costs actually make up the majority of the replacement bill, with air filters costing anywhere from $20 to $25 themselves, while mechanics charge anywhere from $40 to $80 for the job.
According to some auto service pricing sites, a fuel filter replacement service should cost between $50 and $175 for most cars to have the work done by a mechanic. If you are handy under the hood, you can order the part and do it yourself for between $10 and $70.
Typically, a car delivers a subtle rumble when at idle. If you notice that the sound has gone from low to a rough and unpleasant noise, it may be a sign of bad fuel injectors. That occurs when particles build up on the injector nozzles, thus affecting the amount of spray and atomization of fuel.
Bad Sound: The first sign will probably be a sound. It's normal for a fuel pump to make a low-humming noise, and you might be able to hear it coming from the gas tank area. As a pump wears out, that sound can become more of a whining or droning.
If you continue to drive with a clogged fuel filter, ignoring the low fuel pressures in the system, you could possibly end up damaging the fuel pump. The back pressure created from clogging up the fuel lines can put excessive strain on the fuel pump's motor and force it to push harder.
Old or worn-out tires are one of the number one causes of a shaking vehicle and often the easiest problem to fix when it comes to taking the shake out of your vehicle. Additionally, low pressure in your tires or uneven wear on the tires can lead to a shaky vehicle.