Why does my car shake when it’s idle?

A properly working vehicle is supposed to be smooth and quiet. For example, when you first start your car and are still in park wait to switch into drive, your car is idling. When it’s idling, your vehicle should be still and only have a light purr. However, if you notice that your vehicle is super shaky while it is idling, this is an indication of an issue. Typically, the shaking seems to come from the engine and may be accompanied by rattling noises. If you’re experiencing this, it’s time to have your engine inspected.

Here are some of the potential causes of a vehicle that shakes when it is idling:

• Worn out spark plugs
• Bad timing belt
• Lose hoses
• Wrong fuel/air intake
• Damaged motor mounts
• Oxygen sensor failure
• Bad vacuum hoses

The causes listed above are just some of the common reasons why you might be experiencing a shaky car while idling. While some fixes may be small, others can be more extensive and can get worse over time if ignored. An engine problem can begin to affect surrounding parts and systems, and typically the check engine light will also be illuminated on your dashboard. However, we don’t want you to stress! The sooner you get your vehicle into our experts, the faster you’ll be back on the road with a top-performing vehicle again.

This is why we encourage you to get your vehicle into Bavarian Workshop as soon as you notice a shaky vehicle. We can get to the bottom of the issue quickly and determine what repairs are needed to fix your issue and restore your vehicle back to its best!