Car bucks really hard/jerks/hesitates?

Tiny
JORDAN CHRISTOPHER BROCK
  • MEMBER
  • 2007 KIA SPECTRA
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 110,000 MILES
While I'm driving my car, randomly the car will do a major jerk or hesitation and lose a lot of power in the moment. It does not do it often, maybe every couple hundred miles or every other day (I'm a gig driver so I put a lot of miles on my car a day) but I am not too sure where to start to try and fix this problem. It only happens every so often, but when the car does buck/jerk, it's a pretty violent jerk that it does. This has been going on for a few months now. I'm leading towards a misfire or a vacuum leak, I have already tried to use fuel injector cleaner in my gas tank, and it has not gotten better, I replaced my spark plugs, which did nothing. I just really wish I knew where an easy start would be because cleaning the fuel injectors and filter is a lot to do and also checking the pump to make sure it's working still, then checking the PCV valve and other valves is another thing, or the vacuum hoses or mass air flow, I'm just not sure if someone may know with this model if it's something more specific than just a broad answer of anything that causes a car to jerk or hesitate. I'm not sure if it's a mixture problem which would be air/ fuel/ oil problems and stuff, I'm just not a mechanic but I've done a lot for my car just by looking up on YouTube what to do, I'm just trying to get a general idea from someone that may of worked on this model and car with the same issue and maybe how they fixed it!
Saturday, July 1st, 2023 AT 11:03 AM

6 Replies

Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,230 POSTS
Hi Jordan,

The problem you described can be caused by several things. By chance, has the check engine light come on or stayed on when the engine is happening? Have you tried to scan the computer to see if there are any codes?

As far as the things you mentioned, any of them could cause it. However, they are not usually intermittent issues. For example, a vacuum leak won't repair itself. So, we need to scan the computer. Most parts stores will scan it free of charge.

Here is a quick video showing how it's done:

https://youtu.be/b2IJGfImVvw

I can help you with any of the things you mentioned but feel this would be a good place to start. Let me know your thoughts. If there is something specific you want to check, let me know that as well.

Take care,

Joe
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Saturday, July 1st, 2023 AT 8:35 PM
Tiny
JORDAN CHRISTOPHER BROCK
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
So, my check engine light usually is always off, but it does come on every once in a while and it's so temporary that I have not had a chance to scan the code when the light does come up because I do no lt have a scanner. I know AutoZone does it I just haven't gotten up there, could I scan even with the light off and still get a reading?
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Sunday, July 2nd, 2023 AT 10:40 AM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,230 POSTS
Hi,

If the light is on, yes. If the light is intermittent and off, there could be pending codes that indicate a problem has occurred, but the computer is waiting to see it happen again before turning the light on.

In this case, I would try scanning it to see if there is anything stored.

Let me know your thoughts.

Take care,

Joe
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Sunday, July 2nd, 2023 AT 2:05 PM
Tiny
JORDAN CHRISTOPHER BROCK
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
The light is not on ever that much, but at the moment I cleaned my mass air flow sensor and my PCV valve. I'm also going to be running more fuel injector cleaner into the tank, and I've also just cleaned up any excessive grease or oil build up around any wires and injectors. If I cannot fix this issue with these things I've done, should I assume it is a vacuum leak or a fuel/ fuel pressure problem?
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Sunday, July 2nd, 2023 AT 2:10 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,230 POSTS
Hi,

Yes, those would be worth checking.

Here are two links that explain how to do both:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-an-engine-vacuum-gauge

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-fuel-system-pressure-and-regulator

Let me know what I can do to help.

Take care,

Joe
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Sunday, July 2nd, 2023 AT 2:38 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,230 POSTS
Hi:

Yes, those would be worth checking. Here are two links that explain how to do both.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-an-engine-vacuum-gauge

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-fuel-system-pressure-and-regulator

Let me know what I can do to help.

Take care,

Joe
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Sunday, July 2nd, 2023 AT 2:38 PM

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