What are the symptoms of engine mount failure?
2 Answers
Engine mount failure symptoms: The car makes abnormal noises during starting, climbing, or accelerating, and the engine becomes unstable at idle. When these symptoms occur, the engine mounts need to be replaced to provide vibration damping for the engine. The buffer mounts are usually made of pure rubber or rubber products with metal frames. Since the rubber's impact resistance is greater than its dynamic stiffness, it can effectively reduce the car's impact deformation. In ordinary cars, the engine mounts consist of rubber elastic blocks with two separate screws installed above and below. The upper screw is mounted on the engine, and the lower screw is mounted on the frame, relying on the middle rubber block for elastic buffering. High-end vehicle engine mounts also feature controllable hydraulic pressure devices, where the computer adjusts the oil pressure to adapt the elastic hardness to different speeds.
I've been driving for decades and have encountered engine mount failures many times, with very noticeable symptoms. As soon as the car starts, it begins to vibrate, shaking the entire body, and the steering wheel trembles so much it numbs your hands. It gets worse when accelerating, with noises like the engine is fighting itself. When parked and you open the hood, you can see the engine isn't positioned correctly, as if it's tilted. If left unrepaired, this persistent vibration can transfer to other components, such as transmission connectors, making repairs more expensive over time. I remember during cold winter starts, the vibrations were particularly strong because the hardened rubber from aging. During routine maintenance, it's good practice to check the condition of the engine mounts and replace the aged ones periodically to avoid a lot of trouble, saving both money and peace of mind. Now that I drive a new car, I still make it a point to have a quick check at the service center every six months.
