Noises
Car vibrates when accelerating: what it could be
If the vibration appears when you press the gas and goes away when you lift off, the fault is in what transmits the power: engine mounts, axles and their CV joints or the clutch. If the engine also shakes or the light flashes, it can be misfires too.
See a garage soonNoises
Reviewed by Daniel Morales, founder of Reprorace SL, on
Is it serious? Can I keep driving?
Carefully, and only as far as the garage. See a shop soon and avoid hard acceleration. If the check engine light flashes, follow the advice to stop. If the vibration is strong or there are clunks when pulling away, drive as little as possible.
A careful, general answer: only someone who inspects the car can say whether it is safe to drive. When in doubt, stop somewhere safe and call for assistance.
Most likely causes
- Engine or transmission mounts: broken rubber: a clunk when pulling away and vibration when accelerating.
- Axle or inner CV joint: vibration when accelerating that goes away when you lift off.
- Misfires: the engine shakes under load, often with the check engine light.
- Clutch or dual-mass flywheel: vibration when pulling away from a stop.
- Unbalanced wheel: if it also vibrates at a steady speed.
Listed from more to less common in general; on your car they may be different. A fault-code reading and a check at the garage confirm which one it is.
To understand it better: What are engine misfires (P0300)? How often should you run diagnostics on your car?
Car system: Transmission
What you can check yourself
Notice whether it vibrates only when accelerating, also at a steady speed or when braking.
Check for a clunk when shifting from reverse to first or drive: it points to the mounts.
See whether the check engine light is on or flashing.
Safe checks only: with the engine off and cold whenever you look under the hood, without taking anything apart and without touching hot or moving parts.
Related fault codes
Generic codes that often come with this symptom. Seeing one does not confirm the cause: it is where the diagnosis starts.
How the ECO-LITE helps diagnose it
Plugged into the OBD socket, the ECO-LITE reads the fault codes of the control units that answer, with the freeze-frame data captured when the fault happened, and shows live data on your phone or computer. With your permission, your garage can see them remotely before you bring the car in.
What to look at here: misfires per cylinder, engine speed and load; mechanical vibrations set no code.
Frequently asked questions
Why does it vibrate only when accelerating?
Because that is when the driveline parts and mounts carry the engine's force.
Is it the same as vibrating when braking?
No: vibration when braking usually comes from the brake rotors.
Is an engine mount expensive to replace?
It depends on the car and the mount. Checking it early stops it damaging other parts.
Keep reading
- Transmission: how it works and what fails
- Car jerks when accelerating: causes and what to do
- Steering wheel shakes at a certain speed: what it could be
- Clunking noise over bumps: causes and what to do
- Car symptoms: what they mean and what to do
- Check engine light on: what to do
- How to read and clear your car's fault codes
- OBD fault codes: what each one means