What Causes Vehicle Body Vibration?
3 Answers
Possible reasons for vehicle vibration during driving include: severe engine carbon deposits, aging engine components, ignition system issues, etc. Detailed explanations are as follows: 1. Severe engine carbon deposits: The most common cause of vehicle vibration is a dirty throttle body or excessive carbon buildup in the fuel injectors. When there is too much carbon deposit inside the engine, the gasoline sprayed by the cold start injector will be largely absorbed by the carbon deposits, resulting in an overly lean air-fuel mixture during cold starts and making it difficult to start the engine. In this situation, the engine can only start easily after the carbon deposits have absorbed enough gasoline to reach saturation. Once started, the gasoline adsorbed on the carbon deposits will be drawn into the combustion chamber by the engine's vacuum suction, causing the air-fuel mixture to become too rich. The constantly fluctuating air-fuel mixture leads to idle vibration after a cold start. 2. Aging engine components: Vehicle vibration can also be related to worn engine mounts. Engine mounts act as the shock absorption system for the engine, responsible for absorbing minor vibrations during operation. If the engine mounts are faulty, these vibrations will be transmitted to the steering wheel and the cabin, causing vibrations during idle. 3. Ignition system issues: Check the condition of the spark plugs, high-voltage wires, and ignition coils. Poor performance of the ignition system or weak spark plug firing can also lead to such symptoms.
I've been driving for nearly twenty years and have seen quite a few cases of car body shaking. The most common root causes are poor tire dynamic balance or uneven aging, which can make the car feel like it's swaying from side to side at high speeds, especially on slippery roads—making it even more dangerous. Another issue could be components of the suspension system, such as leaking shock absorbers or failed springs, causing noticeable shaking on bumpy roads or even instability when turning. I once encountered a problem with warped brake discs, where pressing the brake pedal caused intense shaking, requiring replacement. If the engine mounts are worn or loose, the car body may vibrate even when idling or parked, affecting comfort. My advice is to start with simple checks—measure tire pressure and inspect the wheel rims. If that doesn’t solve it, take it to a professional shop. Safety comes first—don’t delay.
As an enthusiast who frequently modifies cars, I believe body vibrations may stem from unbalanced drive shafts or improper modifications. Issues like damaged universal joints or bent drive shafts can cause slight tremors during acceleration. Imbalance between tires and rims is also common, with vibrations worsening during sharp turns. Another cause could be engine vibrations due to aging engine mounts or spark plug problems. I recommend first checking tire surfaces and brake disc flatness yourself. If calibration is needed, have a professional handle it to avoid high-speed accidents.
