Renault Shaking or Vibrating? Top Reasons for this Problem and What to do About it

You know how relaxing it is to sit in a vibrating massage chair? You’d think the same thing could be said for a vibrating or shaking car, but it isn’t. When your Renault is shaking, either when it’s in motion or standing idle, this can indicate a problem is occurring. Many times you might only feel the vibration occurring in the steering wheel, but other times the entire car may shake. While this sometimes only indicates a small problem, these tiny issues can become much bigger if you let them continue too long.

So why is it happening in the first place? Here are some of the most common reasons.

Reasons Your Car is Shaking

• Tyres are out of Balance- When your tyres aren’t in balance, shaking is often a common result. While it may not sound like much, if you leave the problem as is, driving conditions can become dangerous. Take the Renault to your local garage and have the tyres checked out right away.

• Disconnected Hoses- Hoses are simple car parts that play a big role within your vehicle. When they become disconnected or loose, however, the result is vibration in the engine. Sometimes you only need to reattach the hose to fix the problem. Other times, you’ll have to replace the hose completely to stop the vibration.

• Spark Plugs- When you feel vibration when you’re sitting in your car, you might not immediately think your spark plugs are to blame. If you have one or two plugs that have worn down or stopped working completely, however, this can cause your engine to misfire. The result is vibration that can only be fixed by replacing these car parts.

• Worn Shocks or Struts- Shocks and struts are Renault parts that keep your vehicle from bouncing and shaking as you drive along, hitting bumps and ruts in the road. These parts can wear down over time and with excessive use and can make for some dangerous conditions while you’re driving. You may experience uneven driving conditions and a bouncy ride when you’re behind the wheel. Replacing them is essential and can result in a smoother ride.

• Upper Strut Bearings- Another common reason for a vibrating car is worn upper strut bearings. These bearings are located at the either the front or rear shock towers and can be accessed from under the bonnet. You may often need to replace them in order to prevent the vibration. A professional may need to evaluate them first, however, to determine if they are really the cause for the vibration.

• Ball Joints- Ball joints are responsible for ensuring your suspension is as tight as it should be when the rest of your Renault is moving. These Renault parts do tend to wear down over time, however. You won’t have to guess much at all whether they are the problem or not. The shaking caused by worn out ball joints affects your entire car and is very pronounced.

• Tie Rod Ends- Tie rod connect your car’s steering to the wheels. They are also responsible for making sure all of the wheels are pointing in the same direction- at the same time. If the tie rod ends become too worn out, the wheels on your car will try to point in two directions at once. This can lead to shaking and vibrating.

• Fuel System- The fuel system is sometimes the cause of vibration and shaking felt in your car. If this is the cause, you may also notice the RPM of the engine acting erratically at the same time.

• Transmission Fluid- When was the last time you checked your transmission fluid? Shaking and vibration felt when accelerating is often because of low amounts of transmission fluid. This can be rather scary, so topping off the transmission fluid is essential.

• Clogged Transmission Filter- This problem features the same symptoms of low transmission fluid. You may feel your car shake violently whenever you accelerate. Replacing this filter (not just cleaning it out) is needed to stop the problem from occurring.

• Universal Joint- The Universal Joint, or U-Joint on your driveshaft can wear down and leave you stranded on the side of the road if too much excessive play develops. If you notice vibration, have this joint checked to see if it needs replacing.

• Motor Mounts- Does your Renault shake while you’re idling? This is often caused by a tired or broken motor mount. When the motor mount wears down, the engine is allowed to move too much under the bonnet, causing shaking. You’ll often notice this happening at low RPM. Depending on how long the problem has gone on and the Renault model you have, this can be a minor or major repair.

Dangers of Shaking and Vibrating Cars

When your Renault is shaking or vibrating, it can be sometimes be unsettling or even annoying. However, it can also be downright dangerous at times, especially when it affects certain car parts. If the shaking occurs in the steering wheel, you may not have full control over the car and how you drive. If you have to stop suddenly to avoid a collision or turn the vehicle, you may be involved in an accident simply because you don’t have the control you need.

It can also be dangerous when the affected car parts are the tyres or related to the tyres. When your tyres aren’t working together or the parts attached to them are malfunctioning, the result can be loss of control and even an accident. Other issues can cause damage to other Renault parts if they are left alone too long or can even leave you stranded on the side of the road.

Getting annoyed by the vibrations of your car when you’re behind the wheel? There are many different causes for this problem and all of them require immediate attention. Don’t wait to fix the issues, as they can result in dangerous driving conditions for you and others on the road. Replace the necessary car parts as soon as possible.