What causes the car to jerk at low speeds?
3 Answers
The reason for the car jerking at low speeds is the accumulation of carbon deposits in areas such as the throttle body, intake tract, and valves. These deposits absorb some gasoline when the engine is cold, and when the engine warms up, the gasoline evaporates, causing an overly rich air-fuel mixture during idle, which leads to unstable idle speed. In addition to checking the throttle body and idle air control valve, car owners should also inspect the intake tract for excessive carbon deposits and dirt. If there is too much buildup, it can alter the cross-sectional area of the air passage, preventing the control unit from precisely regulating the idle air intake. This results in an overly rich or lean mixture, causing abnormal combustion and engine vibration.
Recently, my car has been feeling jerky and bouncy in traffic jams, especially noticeable at low speeds, which has made me take this issue seriously. The most common cause of this problem is unbalanced tires – even a slight misalignment can transmit irregular vibrations to the car body. Another frequent culprit is issues with the suspension system, such as worn-out shock absorbers or failed springs, which make the car bounce more on bumpy roads. Sometimes, uneven brake rotors or worn drive shafts can cause shaking during acceleration or braking. I recommend finding a reliable repair shop as soon as possible to check it out. Start by ruling out simple tire and air pressure issues first. If it's a suspension problem, new parts will need to be replaced. Delaying repairs for too long could compromise safety.
Last month, while driving my kids to school at a slow speed, I noticed the car kept bouncing non-stop, which made me quite uneasy. Later, I took it to the repair shop, and the mechanic diagnosed it as an issue with the front wheel dynamic balance. Adding some lead weights fixed the problem. Looking back, such low-speed vibrations could also be caused by wheel rim deformation or uneven tire wear; if the road itself is uneven, the issue would be more noticeable. As an average car owner, I now regularly check my tires and tire pressure to avoid small problems escalating into major accidents.
