Q: Rough idling, shaking, sluggish engine

asked by on June 03, 2016

When I start my car, it shakes and the check engine light flashes on the dash. I restart the car and everything is fine. The next time I start it up, the same thing happens. The car idles roughly. The check engine light goes on. The engine seems to be losing power during driving as well. It happens in the second gear. Also, the dashboard shows 12 volts on average with the gauge moving around. Do you have any idea what could be the problem? Thank you in advance.

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Hello. It sounds like there may be a misfiring condition in multiple cylinders. A misfire means that one or more of the spark plugs in the vehicle’s engine are not firing properly. This will cause the engine to run rough and lose power. It will be necessary to have the check engine light and misfire inspected, as well as the battery and charging system, by a certified technician, such as one from YourMechanic.

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