Q: Temp going up and down and jerking while driving.

asked by on February 06, 2017

Last year during the summer the check engine light started coming on all of the time. My temperature gauge would go up and down all of the time so my husband replaced it. Every once in awhile the car would jerk. Everything had stopped for a little while from about the fall time until about 2 weeks ago. That's when I was stopped at a light and when the light turned green I went to go, but my car died while I was turning. No lights came on to indicate what it was. My fuel pump was replaced. My car has been jerking while I'm driving (it was jerking before the fuel pump was replaced too). This morning I tried to start my car and it finally started in the 3rd try. Oh btw, my husband has removed the air bubbles out of the coolant several times thinking that this might be the problem. Any thoughts or suggestions as to what could be going wrong? Thank you.

My car has 189000 miles.
My car has a manual transmission.

Car is overheating Inspection $94.99 - $114.99 Get a Quote

The issue seems to be the head gasket is burned on your vehicle. The coolant is getting into the cylinders and the combustion gases are getting into the cooling system. This would explain why the engine would jerk when driving and why the coolant will get hot and cool off many times. I recommend seeking out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you diagnose your engine overheating condition.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

Back window slides down
The window itself is held in the door by a regulator which is attached to the window motor. This is controlled by the switch on the door. If the window regulator fails, the window can get stuck down. Some window...
Click in steering wheel while turning
Realize that steering columns are a column, but they still need to flex. They are turning and they don't go straight to the steering box at angles. So they have universal joints, and a lot of times those universal joints...
Slowing pull to right
The ESP means there is a fault detected in the stability system. Wheel speed sensors (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/wheel-speed-sensor-replacement) are a common cause of ESP issues and most likely will log a fault. The faults should be read out of the ESP module....
My TCS light comes on frequently and then it will display TCS off and slipped. Sometimes it will cut off and then restart later.
Hi there. Most often, this problem is due to a dirty or failed wheel speed sensor (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/wheel-speed-sensor-replacement). The ABS and TCS systems depend on wheel speed readings from these sensors. Cleaning the sensor heads, and the inductance rings on the...
My car is overheating - 2007 GMC Yukon XL 2500
As you may know, overheating can be caused by many different things such as a clogged radiator, a faulty thermostat, a bad coolant fan switch, or potentially a blown head gasket. The heater will usually not work properly when you...
Idle problems when stopped. Car stops running. 4WD and Check engine lights on and solid. Gas cap tightened to verify
What you are describing sounds like a dirty or faulty mass air flow sensor. The mass air flow sensor (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/mass-airflow-sensor-replacement) monitors air intake as it is mixed with fuel prior to being injected into the motor. This sensor relays vital...
Car wont jump start even with new battery.
You might want to first check and see if any diagnostic trouble codes (OBD-II codes) have been stored. Prior to performing diagnostics be sure you have a fully, 100% charged battery. New batteries are not necessarily charged at time of...
Had a P0200 (open injector circuit) code thrown earlier in the day but continued to drive with no issues.Also the check engine lig
If you are losing power to electrical system when you turn key on and try to start it then you may have a bad alternator not recharging the battery. Have the battery and charging system tested if you can get...

Related articles

A Buyer's Guide to the 2012 Honda Crosstour
There There could be a number of reasons an SUV isn’t right for you: the price, the size, their mpg, etc. However, there could also be a number of reasons you’d really like to have some extra space. If that’s...
How to Buy a Good Quality Water Pump
When When your car is running it's important that it maintains the proper temperature, which is why the water pump is so important. Not only does it pump water, as the name suggests, but it also pumps coolant into the...
How to Replace an Evaporator Temperature Sensor (Switch)
The air conditioning system has an evaporator temperature sensor that fails when there is no cold air or the air conditioning is inconsistent.