Engine Shaking While Driving with Check Engine Light On

car shaking while driving check engine light

If your engine is shaking while driving and the check engine light is on, it’s important to take your car to a mechanic as soon as possible. This could be a sign of a serious problem that needs to be addressed.

Check Engine Light Diagnostics

The first step in diagnosing your car’s shaking is to retrieve the trouble codes stored in the engine’s computer. These codes will indicate which part of the engine is malfunctioning and causing the shaking. To retrieve the trouble codes, you will need a code reader. Code readers are available at most auto parts stores and can be used to retrieve the codes yourself. Once you have the trouble codes, you can look them up online or in a repair manual to determine what they mean.

If you are not comfortable retrieving the trouble codes yourself, you can take your car to a mechanic and have them do it for you. The mechanic will be able to use a scan tool to retrieve the codes and diagnose the problem.

Once you know what the trouble codes mean, you can start to troubleshoot the problem. In some cases, you may be able to fix the problem yourself. However, in other cases, you may need to take your car to a mechanic for repairs.

Ignition System Inspection

The ignition system is responsible for creating the spark that ignites the air/fuel mixture in the engine’s cylinders. If any part of the ignition system is malfunctioning, it can cause the engine to shake.

To inspect the ignition system, you will need to check the spark plugs, ignition coils, and spark plug wires.

• Spark plugs⁚ The spark plugs are responsible for creating the spark that ignites the air/fuel mixture. If the spark plugs are worn or damaged, they can cause the engine to misfire and shake.
• Ignition coils⁚ The ignition coils provide the spark plugs with the voltage they need to create a spark. If an ignition coil is malfunctioning, it can cause the engine to misfire and shake.
• Spark plug wires⁚ The spark plug wires carry the voltage from the ignition coils to the spark plugs. If a spark plug wire is damaged, it can cause the engine to misfire and shake.

If you find any problems with the ignition system, you will need to replace the affected parts. Replacing the spark plugs, ignition coils, or spark plug wires is a relatively simple and inexpensive repair that you can do yourself. However, if you are not comfortable working on your car, you can take it to a mechanic and have them do the repairs for you.

Fuel System Inspection

The fuel system is responsible for delivering fuel to the engine’s cylinders. If any part of the fuel system is malfunctioning, it can cause the engine to shake.

To inspect the fuel system, you will need to check the fuel filter, fuel pump, and fuel injectors.

• Fuel filter⁚ The fuel filter removes impurities from the fuel. If the fuel filter is clogged, it can restrict the flow of fuel to the engine and cause it to shake.
• Fuel pump⁚ The fuel pump delivers fuel from the fuel tank to the engine. If the fuel pump is malfunctioning, it can cause the engine to starve for fuel and shake.
• Fuel injectors⁚ The fuel injectors spray fuel into the engine’s cylinders. If a fuel injector is clogged or malfunctioning, it can cause the engine to misfire and shake.

If you find any problems with the fuel system, you will need to replace the affected parts. Replacing the fuel filter or fuel pump is a relatively simple and inexpensive repair that you can do yourself. However, if you are not comfortable working on your car, you can take it to a mechanic and have them do the repairs for you. Replacing the fuel injectors is a more complex repair that should be done by a mechanic.

Air Intake System Inspection

The air intake system is responsible for delivering air to the engine’s cylinders. If any part of the air intake system is malfunctioning, it can cause the engine to shake.

To inspect the air intake system, you will need to check the air filter, mass airflow sensor, and throttle body.

• Air filter⁚ The air filter removes impurities from the air. If the air filter is clogged, it can restrict the flow of air to the engine and cause it to shake.
• Mass airflow sensor⁚ The mass airflow sensor measures the amount of air that is flowing into the engine. If the mass airflow sensor is malfunctioning, it can send incorrect signals to the engine’s computer, which can cause the engine to shake.
• Throttle body⁚ The throttle body controls the flow of air into the engine’s cylinders. If the throttle body is malfunctioning, it can cause the engine to idle erratically and shake.

If you find any problems with the air intake system, you will need to replace the affected parts. Replacing the air filter is a relatively simple and inexpensive repair that you can do yourself. However, if you are not comfortable working on your car, you can take it to a mechanic and have them do the repairs for you. Replacing the mass airflow sensor or throttle body is a more complex repair that should be done by a mechanic.