Why does car shake over 55 mph?

Why Is My Car Shaking?

When you drive, slight imbalances on the wheel create vibrations, which intensify as you accelerate. We perform a wheel balancing service anytime new tires are installed. But they can lose their balance over time due to age or missing balance weights.

Other wheel-related reasons why your car is shaking could include broken wheel bearings or loose lug nuts.

TIRES

What is the condition of your tires? Is the tire tread separated? Do they show signs of uneven wear?

Sometimes a tire rotation or wheel alignment will be enough to correct the uneven wear developing on your tires. But if things have gotten too bad or the tire is damaged, you need to install new tires.

ENGINE

If your car is shaking when you are driving and when you are idling, your engine is the likely culprit. Your engine may not be getting enough air, fuel or spark to run smoothly.

You may be due for new spark plugs. Or if the plugs are in good shape, the spark plug wires could have a loose connection or need replacing. A dirty or clogged air filter could also be the culprit. Dirt could be cutting off the engine’s oxygen or fuel, causing rough idling and misfires.

Another potential engine-related cause is loose motor mounts (also called engine mounts). Motor mounts are what attach your engine to the vehicle frame, and they help dampen the vibrations created by your engine. If they become loose, you’ll know!

If your car is shaking and the check engine light is on, don’t wait to get your car checked out! Bring it to the repair shop ASAP to have a diagnostic run.

STEERING & SUSPENSION

Does the car’s shaking intensify when you accelerate? Have you recently been in an accident or had a significant impact to your vehicle? (Hitting a curb or pothole, for example.) Your vehicle’s steering and suspension systems could be damaged or need maintenance.

Commons steering and suspension issues include a bent axle or a worn/damaged CV joint, driveshaft or other components. These systems are easily susceptible to damage after an accident or sudden impact.

BRAKES

Does your steering wheel and/or brake pedal shake when braking? You could have warped brake rotors (the metal disc that is part of a disc brake system). Does the steering wheel shake at high speeds? Do you smell a burning odor when you stop? You likely have a stuck brake caliper.

Almost all these issues can be avoided with regular vehicle maintenance. Don’t wait until things go wrong to go to the shop! Stay ahead of repairs by following your car’s recommended maintenance schedule.

While these are some of the reasons why your vehicle could be vibrating, they are not the only possibilities. We recommend that you schedule a visit at one of our convenient locations to get a thorough evaluation. Our mechanics have special training and lots of experience in diagnosing all sorts of problems, including when your car is shaking and vibrating.

Why Does My Car Shake When I Accelerate

If you have an old car or the car hasn’t been adequately maintained, then your vehicle may rattle due to its age. However, some internal problems can also cause a car to shake.

You may feel your car shaking when you accelerate, and there are various reasons as to why this can happen. Usually, it’s a relatively simple reason as to why your car is shaking.

Sometimes though it can be a signal of a bigger problem, so it’s important to get your car checked out if you do feel it shaking. If you feel your car shaking, then you should take note of when it does shake. Does it shake when your driving at high speed? Does your vehicle shake at low speeds ? Does your car only shake when you accelerate?

Here are some common reasons why your car may be shaking:

Unbalanced Tires

If you’ve recently had your tires replaced and your car has started shaking, then your new tires may be unbalanced. If your car shakes as your speed increases, then you should get your tires checked out.

If your steering wheel begins to shake at around 50 to 55 MPH and then increases at 60 to 65 MPH but then stops shaking at high-speeds, then you have unbalanced tires. Your vehicles width should be balanced evenly across the entire width of your tires, if this isn’t the case, then one side of the tire is carrying more weight than the other. This leads to uneven rotation, and since your tires cannot move the ground underneath them will ‘shake’ the body of your vehicle instead.

Loose Wheel Nuts

If the wheel nuts are loose on your car, then you may notice your car shaking. If the nuts are loose, then the wheel will not be held snugly against the hub of the vehicle. When you drive your vehicle, the wheels will shake .

The shaking will be felt in your steering and likely throughout the whole car. If you want to test whether your car nuts are loose, one easy way is to lift your vehicle with a floor jack on the side you suspect the nuts to be loose. Place your hands at the top and bottom of the wheel and try to rock it, if the wheel moves easily then the wheel nuts may be loose.

Worn Out Spark Plugs

If your car is accelerating slowly or is shaking when you do accelerate then your spark plugs may well be worn out. A spark plug is composed of materials that work together to produce a spark hot enough to ignite the air-fuel mixture. When these materials wear out, the spark plug will not be as effective as it could be. This can impact the rate your vehicle accelerates at, and it may be time for the spark plugs to be replaced .

Ask The Professionals

If you feel your car shaking when you accelerate, then you may have a problem. It’s worth getting a professional to take a look, and they’ll be able to determine if there’s a problem. At your local Jiffy Lube , the knowledgeable and helpful staff will be able to diagnose any issues your car is facing. No one wants to feel unsafe when they drive so if you feel any vibrations in your car pop down to your local Jiffy Lube and let the experts help.

Why does car shake over 55 mph?

A vibration felt at 55 mph may not be a tire problem. Mazda has revised motor mounts available which may help remedy this problem.

149 people reported this problem
54 comments

Mazda 3 Vehicles With This Problem

10 model years affected
Average mileage: 87,806
(5,000–207,000)
General Diagnosis : $88 -$111
The average cost for a Mazda 3 General Diagnosis is between $88 -$111. Learn More
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I have this problem
Viewing 1 — 20 of 54 comments
2005 Mazda 3 55,000 mi,
Visitor

heavy vibration begins over 60 and gets worse as speed increases — bought new tires, didn’t help, double checked balance and alignment at two shops — didn’t help — new front rotors and pads — didn’t help. Next step is checking mounts —

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2006 Mazda 3 155,000 mi,
Visitor

car accelerates fine without issue until around 60 mph then starts to vibrate when foot is on the accelerator. Only shakes when accelerating and worse up hills, no problems going past 60 when just coasting

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2007 Mazda 3 65,000 mi,
Visitor

Intense steering wheel vibration begins at 55 and worsens as speed increases. Loud road noise. I bought new tires, had them balanced, then re-balanced, but still no improvement. I have noticed my car vibrates when in drive with the brakes on, but not when I put it in neutral. I see a lot of comments on motor mount issues.

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2007 Mazda 3 60,000 mi,

Driving at around 60 MPH I feel that the body (not the steering wheel) vibrates. Al 4 tires repalced and balanced including dynamic (on the car) blancing and still the problem not fixed.

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2005 Mazda 3 90,000 mi,
Visitor

We picked up a shimmy/vibration at 70 mph, and it was intermittent, sometimes to the point of slowing down to 20 mph to get it to stop. We thought it might be the roads, but we got all 4 tires replaced and the alignment done and no change. It’s really bad in a side wind (this could be wind getting under the hood and yanking it around), but we’re tired of spending money on it. Our tires also had severe wear on the outsides.

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Visitor

I purchased a 2015 Mazda 3i Touring that develops a vibration when driving between 55 and 70 mph. The vibration causes the driver’s side view mirror to shake and is also felt in the steering wheel and seat. Second day of ownership I had to make a fast stop on a expressway and the brake pedal bounced and vibrated, the car made this horrific sound and then continued when ever I had to stop. Brought the car in, resurfaced one front rotor. Happened again and back to the dealer a week later and they replaced all 4 rotors(I guess). The vibration was addressed and said a tire was out of balance. On the way home the vibration appeared again. A week later back to the dealer. Balanced all 4 tires and also a performed a software update. A week or 2 go by and the vibration is back! Causes fatigue, and anxiety. Back to the dealer kept the car 2 1/2/ days replaced all the wheels and tires off another vehicle like mine. Vibration still there. A friend said it could be my transmission?? Purchased new in Feb 2015 it now has 4,700 miles on it. SO disappointed as I really like the car. No fix yet? Going in possibly tomorrow or Monday? My car has 4,700 miles on it now. Purchased new in Feb //2015