Q: My car shakes violently when the brakes are applied

asked by on October 25, 2017

When I have the car at a full stop with the brakes on, after a few seconds the whole car begins to shake in a rhythm, once every other second. The headlights and dash lights dim in time with the lurches, and the engine sounds become slightly weaker as it lurches as well. It seems find when I’m moving, and when the car is in park it’s fine as well. What can I do to stop the lurching/shaking and is it safe to drive my car?

My car has 145000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Hi Grace. Thanks for contacting us tonight. We are a bit confused by the description of your vibration; so let’s provide a bit of detail for you. If the shaking occurs when you are fully stopped, then the shaking issue will be caused by something inside the engine bay. If the shaking occurs while you are slowing down, then this is a brake or suspension issue (which is cause for safety concern). That being said, a vibration issue like this could be caused by an engine misfire, damaged engine or transmission mounts or vacuum line leak. Our advice is to have a professional mechanic come to your location to complete an on-site inspection, to determine the source of this problem, so the right repairs can be completed.

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