Q: Jeep Cherokee XJ has vibration noise when laying off gas

asked by on April 11, 2016

1996 Jeep Cherokee XJ. When I first lay off the gas to slow down, there’s a vibration noise that comes from the front driver’s side for two or three seconds and then goes fling. Any ideas? Bad driveshaft?

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You’ll want to pray that it is just a bad driveshaft universal joint. You can check this by jacking it up in the air, crawling under there and grabbing the shafts. You will then pull on them, and if there is a clunk in them and the joints are moving, then all you need is a new joint.

I hope that it’s just that, because, if it is the four-wheel driver, it could be the transfer case, the transmission, or it can even be the front CV joint if it’s happening in the front part of the vehicle.

Four-wheel drive vehicles are a lot harder to diagnose. It’s one reason why I tell people, “If you really don’t need four-wheel vehicles, don’t buy them.” They cost more, they are harder to diagnose, and they get worse gas mileage. If you really need one, they come in handy. But if you don’t, like here where I live in Texas where it never snows, you are throwing your money if you are buying them. They cost more to fix, parts are more expensive and they get worse gas mileage.

If you would like assistance with your issue, a technician from YourMechanic can come out to the location of your vehicle and inspect you car’s vibrating problem. From there, they will be able to make any repairs that are needed.

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