It is kind of unnerving and worrying to notice your car jerking when you are traveling at high speed.
The underlying cause of car jerking when traveling at high speed might be a result of different issues and they will also require different methods of fixing as well.
It is however specific with how your vehicle will handle when accelerating, the throttle responsiveness, and if there are unusual noises, all these put together can help your mechanic figure out exactly what is wrong with your vehicle and what might be causing it to jerk when accelerating.
One of the main causes of car jerking is when it is not receiving the proper mixture of air and fuel.
Furthermore, Issues within the components of air and fuel intake can also cause your car to jerk or surge forward when you are at high speed.
Why Does My Car Jerks When Accelerating at High Speed?
Some very common reasons why your car will jerk forward when you are at high speed include:
- Dirty Fuel Injector:
A dirty fuel injector is among the common reasons why your car will jerk when accelerating. It causes your car to lose power when you attempt to accelerate and when you also try to drive at a consistent speed, this is because the engine will misfire due to the dirty fuel injector.
- Worn-out spark plugs:
Spark plugs that are worn out are another reason why your car may jerk when accelerating. If your spark plugs are worked out they will be unable to ignite the fuel properly in the piston fast enough, to fix this, just have the spark plugs replaced, the goodness is that they are not expensive to change
- Damaged Gas Line:
Another reason for your car jerking forward is a damaged line. The gas line is responsible for the flow of gas from your tank to your engine. Without enough gas getting into your car engine, it will cause your car to loses pressure
- Failed Mass Airflow Sensor:
It is responsible for measuring how much air enters the engine and relays the information to the computer of the vehicle so that the field injectors can deliver the right amount of fuel. When the mass airflow sensor is faulty, a code will be generated making your check engine light come on. This warming is usually accompanied by a jerking or surging sensation when you are driving at a high speed. Another sign of a faulty mass airflow sensor is a vehicle stalling after starting.
- Leaking Engine Vacuum:
The vacuum line is responsible for calculating the necessary position of the fuel injectors enabling the proper air/fuel mixture.
When the vacuum engine leaks, your car computer will throw an error code, the symptom of a leaking engine vacuum is your car jerking while at high speed and your car idling as well.
What you should do when your car Jerks
Get your car to a mechanic to get detailed information on why your car is jerking when you are accelerating, your mechanic will now give you the cost of the repairs and you can proceed to have the repairs done.
How Important Is It to Notify Your Mechanic When Your Car Jerks?
It is important to notify your mechanic when your car is jerking because it is a dangerous situation to be in.
Especially when it happens in traffic or bad weather, it can be a potential cause of accidents.
Stop driving immediately when you notice your car jerking and call the attention of your mechanic.
Many of the issues that will cause your car to jerk at high speed will also trigger a warning sensation as well.
You can avoid costly repairs by being diligent and having your mechanic take a look at your car when you see warning lights and notice your car jerking.
ALSO SEE: Does Cruise Control Save Gas?
When I Push The Gas My Car Jerks?
Your car jerking when you push on the gas might be for several different reasons, some of these reasons we have already discussed above.
If your car jerks when you push on the gas it might be an indication of some previous, current, or potential problems.
Some common reasons why your car jerks when you push on the gas might be as a result inadequate fuel, wrong fuel/air mixture, faulty spark plugs during the combustion process, etc.
You should find out exactly what exactly caused your car to jerk when you step on the gas for you to fix it on time before it causes another form of damage and ends up in costly repairs.
Is it Safe To Drive A Car That Jerks?
No. It is dangerous to drive a car that jerks, especially in areas congested with traffic.
If your car jerks when accelerating you should have the car parked immediately and get in touch with your mechanic to ascertain what is wrong with your vehicle and fix it.
It can be difficult to gain speed if your car is jerking when you are accelerating when you are already driving at a constant speed and your car is still jerking, it will be pretty difficult to maintain the speed hence it is unsafe for you to drive when your car is jerking.
Driving with your car is pretty dangerous as controlling your car will become a difficult task, it can put the driver in harm’s way when the driver loses control of the car entirely.
While it is still possible to drive your car if it is jerking, only do so if the occurrences are far in between and minor, more frequent and serious jerkings should be reported to the mechanic immediately and the car park as well.
What are the Signs Your Transmission Is Going Out?
Having car problems can be frustrating, what is more, frustrating than having car problems is not knowing what the problem might be.
When it comes to your car transmission going out, there are sure ways you can get to know.
Listed below are some of the signs that your car transmission is going out.
- The first sign that you are having a transmission problem is when your vehicle refuses to start or it is slow to start. This kind of issue is common during cold weather, to find out if it is the transmission that is going bad or has gone bad, it is better to get a professional to have it tested.
- The second sign that your transmission is faulty is if you have got slipping gears. A functioning transmission will keep your gears in their proper selected place and won’t let them slip. But if you notice your gears slipping from one gear to the other then there is a problem with your transmission. Regardless of whether you driving either an automatic or a manual car, slipping gears are dangerous to experience as they can lead you into an accident while driving.
- If you by any chance notice leakage underneath your car, then it is time to take a look at your transmission. Take your time to check where the fluid is leaking from, and the color of the fluid before you decide on what to do. But a faulty transmission can cause your transmission fluid to leak.
- If you notice your car jumping or surging for no obvious reasons, then consider checking your transmission fluids or your transmission itself. Dirt and contamination can hinder the transmission of oil to flow properly leading to the smell of burning. To fix this issue you can consider having the transmission replaced.
- When your transmission is faulty another sign is that your car will delay a little before it starts to move. As soon as you notice this, have your vehicle looked at by a mechanic to determine and fix the problem.
Other signs include hard shifting, check engine light, transmission noise, grinding gears, etc.
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