Car shudders when accelerating uphill?

Tiny
AFELLS1
  • MEMBER
  • 2002 BUICK CENTURY
  • V6
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 200,000 MILES
When accelerating between 40-65/70 mph the car vibrates. It is most pronounced between 40-50 and vibrates more at slower acceleration speeds. It only happens when accelerating the car. To cruise or coast the vibration is non existent. Even on cruise control you get the vibration when the car needs to accelerate to go uphill or maintain speed. It is not as bad in cruise as it is when you manual use the gas pedal. You can feel it in the entire car. Checked control arm, tie rods and hub assembly. All seem fine. Car has new tires that have been rotated an balanced numerous times. What else could be the problem?
Saturday, May 31st, 2014 AT 8:57 AM

20 Replies

Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
Have axles and wheel bearings checked. Also try manually holding the transmission in different gears to see if engine rpm has anything to do with it. Could be a trans issue or even an engine misfire that is most pronounced under load

Read the guides below, it might help

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/automatic-transmission-problems

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/engine-misfires-or-runs-rough
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Saturday, May 31st, 2014 AT 10:03 AM
Tiny
WELBORN
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  • 2 POSTS
  • 2002 BUICK CENTURY
  • 433,000 MILES
I have over 400k miles on my 2002 buick century-I hadn't had to replace much on it, but for the last few weeks, I'm feeling vibrations while driving. It doesn't matter at what speed I'm driving at. The only thing that is constant is it's more pronounce as I depress the accelerator. If I easy back on it, it will quiet down. What causes this and how can I fix it?
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Tuesday, November 27th, 2018 AT 5:35 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 34,330 POSTS
It's impossible to diagnose things like that over a computer but to start the process, where do you feel the vibration, the seat, steering wheel, or entire car? If the steering wheel shakes, a worn inner cv joint housing is somewhat common. They will cause the steering wheel to vibrate when under load as in accelerating, and it will go away when cruising and coasting.

Vibrations felt in the seat are often due to a broken belt on a rear tire. Bent wheels will do that too. Broken tire belts that aren't real bad yet often are more noticeable on high-speed corners like on highway off-ramps.

If you feel the vibration when the car isn't even moving, that leaves out everything related to wheels, tires, and drive train. There's a misfire in the engine, the outer cast ring on the vibration damper has turned and is coming apart, or, on some engines, the balance shaft is out-of-time. That balance shaft doesn't usually get out-of-time on its own. That happens from being assembled improperly.
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Tuesday, November 27th, 2018 AT 5:35 PM (Merged)
Tiny
WELBORN
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I should of been specific in my problem. The steering wheel doesn't shake, it's more like under the seat. I just gotten new rims and tires. You feel it more when pressing on the gas. As soon as you take your foot off the pedal or ease off on it, it either stops completely in city driving or barely noticable on the highway. I don't feel any vibation when sitting still. Could it be a loose motor mount?
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Tuesday, November 27th, 2018 AT 5:35 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
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The first thing I would do is rotate the two right side wheels front to back, then drive it to see if it's the same. Then switch the two left wheels and drive it again. Wheels can get bent on older types of tire changers and unless the mechanic has reason to suspect that, he won't see it on the spin balancer.

The next course of action would be to use a dial indicator to measure "lateral runout" by spinning each wheel when it's off the ground. Some brand new wheels will have excessive runout that causes a shimmy. If you find one that's excessive, there are other things to check before condemning a wheel. While they're removed, rust and scale can break off and fall behind a disc brake rotor, or a piece or scale can get stuck between the wheel and hub. Either of those will cause that wheel to wobble but you often won't feel it under all conditions.
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Tuesday, November 27th, 2018 AT 5:35 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JAMES CALLOWAY
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I have about 270K on my 98 buick century. It vibrates when I first put on the brakes but then seems to stop.
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Tuesday, November 27th, 2018 AT 5:35 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 34,330 POSTS
Please start a new question specific to your car. Be sure to list the engine size, and any other observations or clues such as WHAT vibrates, and at what speeds. Vibrations can be felt in the steering wheel, the brake pedal, and the seat / entire car body.
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Tuesday, November 27th, 2018 AT 5:35 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SPOE
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  • 2000 BUICK CENTURY
  • 48,000 MILES
I have a 2000 Buick Century with 48000 miles and I would like to know the most common cause of a vibration at 50 mph or more, the tires are 4 years old and the rims are less than a year I have new brakes, rotors, and tie rod ends
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Tuesday, November 27th, 2018 AT 5:35 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JDL
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Has the front-end been aligned, lately? Does rotating the tires make any difference? Some makes and models, I've seen bad shocks cause a vibration.
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Tuesday, November 27th, 2018 AT 5:35 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SPOE
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Yes the front end was aligned and the tires rotated with no difference but the shocks are original
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Tuesday, November 27th, 2018 AT 5:35 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
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If you took it to an alignment shop, what did they say about the vibration? If the alignment shop is at a loss, I'm not sure what to tell you?
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Tuesday, November 27th, 2018 AT 5:35 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SPOE
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Thank you
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Tuesday, November 27th, 2018 AT 5:35 PM (Merged)
Tiny
STURSACK
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
  • 2000 BUICK CENTURY
  • V8
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 120 MILES
When I go 35-40 the car starts to shake only when Im pressing the gas down, when I let go of the gas pedal it rides smoothly. When I get up to 55 the shaking stops. Please Help. Thanks.
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Tuesday, November 27th, 2018 AT 5:35 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
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Welcome to the forum, can you tell if it is tire or engine related? How long since a tune-up? Any codes?
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Tuesday, November 27th, 2018 AT 5:35 PM (Merged)
Tiny
STURSACK
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Im not sure if it is tire or engine. I dont know when it had its last tune up. I bought it from a dealer ship a week ago. They said it has all brand news tires on it. The engine light has not come on.
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Tuesday, November 27th, 2018 AT 5:35 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JDL
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It sounds like the engine is misfiring here is a guide to help.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/engine-misfires-or-runs-rough

Please run down this guide and report back.
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Tuesday, November 27th, 2018 AT 5:35 PM (Merged)
Tiny
VIDEO
  • MEMBER
  • 16 POSTS
  • 2001 BUICK CENTURY
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 200,000 MILES
When I accelerate from a dead stop the car is giving me a rough vibration. It like the wheels are spinning on ice but they aren't. Once the car gets going it has a slight vibration, but seems to run fine. I am guessing it may be the transmission but it feels like it may be in the front axle.

I tried running codes and there a few EGR codes and no transmission codes.
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Tuesday, November 27th, 2018 AT 5:35 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BMRFIXIT
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Check motor and tranny mounts
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Tuesday, November 27th, 2018 AT 5:35 PM (Merged)
Tiny
STURSACK
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  • 3 POSTS
We have already transfer the tires to the rear. It still hasn't helped. Idk?
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Tuesday, November 27th, 2018 AT 5:35 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JALOPYPAPA
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  • 467 POSTS
You might check axles and motor mounts.
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Tuesday, November 27th, 2018 AT 5:35 PM (Merged)

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