BMW is a car brand that focuses on giving its users the ultimate driving experience. But like all machines, BMW is no exception to experiencing some technical problems. Some of which may cause the car to shake. We have consulted car experts on why your BMW is shaking. Here is what we learned.
A shaky car can be annoying to drive, and it can be caused by a minor problem—like balancing the wheels or changing worn tires—to major problems such as failing transmission or worn engine mounts. For your BMW shaking, the most common reasons include:
- Misfire
- Out of balance or worn tires
- Uneven wear on brakes
- Bad engine or transmission mounts
- Inner or outer tie rod
- Worn suspension
- Worn axle
- Failing fuel pump
- Alignment problem
It's a good idea to check on these problems before it gets any worse. This will save you the money and time from doing it later. Fixing the car's shaking problem will give you a much better driving experience, and you'll enjoy your car rides more. For more useful information about your vehicle, keep reading below.
Is It Safe To Drive If Your Car Is Shaking?
If your car is experiencing minimal shaking, then yes, you can still dive it around, but it's best to have it checked. Minimal shaking could be caused by some minor problems like an unbalanced wheel, worn-off engine mount damper, and worn suspension.
One cause that could make your vehicle shake excessively is your transmission; a damaged transmission or transmission low on fluids will shake your car because it lacks the lubrication that helps all the moving parts.
Driving while experiencing excessive shaking may lead to more problems for your vehicle. If your car is shaking excessively, you should immediately get it checked because this can be a sign of a major mechanical issue.
What Are The Signs Of Low Transmission Fluid?
Transmission fluids keep all the parts of your gearbox lubed up to make sure that you'll be shifting smoothly. It is essential that you always make sure that you aren't low on transmission fluid since this could cause irreversible damage that might even require you to replace it.
Here are some of the signs that you might be low on transmission fluid:
- Limp mode - when your car detects something is lacking or wrong, it will trigger the limp mode limiting your vehicle's speed for your safety.
- Hard shifting - is whenever your car shifts gear, it throws you back. You'll feel the car jolt every time it changes gear.
- Noise - you'll start to notice weird noises from your car when it's shifting to different gears. You might also hear a whining sound from the transmission pump.
- Delayed shifting - is when you shift to drive or reverse, and it takes your car a second or two to get into gear.
- Transmission slipping - is when you step on the accelerator and your RPM goes up, but your car doesn't gain any speed.
- Burning smell - you'll start to notice a metallic smell when you're almost out of fluid that helps lubricate the transmission causing it to overheat.
You can easily refill transmission fluids, but the best thing to do is find out why your transmission fluid got low in the first place. Now, all of these examples are just the signs and symptoms of low-transmission fluid. Multiple reasons can cause all these signs and symptoms individually.
One of the most common reasons your car is suddenly low on transmission fluids is a leak. The best way to check this is to look underneath your vehicle, if you see that there are stains or puddles of transmission fluid on the ground, you have a leak. If you don't see any fluid stains or puddles underneath your car it's best to bring your vehicle to your trusted mechanic to pinpoint the cause.
What Are The Signs That Your Fuel Pump Is Going Out?
The fuel pump is one of the vital components that keep the car running. Its job is to feed gas from the tank to the engine and fuel injectors. Having a faulty fuel pump will cause some problems for your vehicle, such as shaking and not wanting to start.
Here are some signs you should look out for to know if you have a faulty fuel pump:
- High mileage - if your car is over 15 years old or has over 80,000 miles on its odometer, it's safe to assume your fuel pump may not be in great shape. Over time electric pumps get weaker and are eventually going to give out. It's best to change your fuel pump every 150,000 to 200,000 miles to avoid getting stuck somewhere when your fuel pump fails.
- Long startup - if it takes around 3 to 5 seconds to start your vehicle, this is one sign of a faulty fuel pump. It should also take one crank to start. Your vehicle's startup should almost be instant after turning your key.
- Sudden engine shutdown - if you're driving and suddenly the engine guts off or dies, this could be caused by a fuel pump giving out. The sudden engine cutoff could be very dangerous because it can happen without warning. If this happens you can still try to start your car, if that does not work you'll have to tow your vehicle.
- Cant instantly accelerate - if your car stumbles after you have stepped on your accelerator, this is also a sign of a faulty fuel pump. You'll notice this more if you aggressively press on your accelerator and the car starts to stumble or jolt. Note that you won't be able to feel the jolts and stumbles if you ease into your accelerator.
It's a good idea to have regular vehicle check-ups or parts replacements to prevent any issues while driving, especially on older car models. Keep in mind that no matter what your car brand, its parts will wear over time.
Why Is My Tire Shaking After A Tire Rotation?
The shake you feel after you turn your vehicle can be caused by an unbalanced wheel. Your tire will wear faster because of that one wheel that's not balanced. You'll easily spot if your front wheels are unbalanced because you have a direct link to them through your car's steering.
Worn or damaged wheel bearing could also be the cause of the shaking. Since the wheel bearing is designed to secure the wheel hub into the vehicle's suspension, having this damage could cause your car to shake.
If you can't seem to find the problem, it's best to get it checked by a mechanic. Having a shaky car can be annoying when driving and could eventually break your vehicle if left unattended.
Closing
BMWs are just like any car, sooner or later they will come across mechanical problems. It's best to have your car checked when you start to notice something different from your driving experience.
Always remember to keep all your fluids topped up. Keeping your vehicle's fluids topped up will help lubricate all its mechanical parts decreasing heat and wear.
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