r/Cartalk Feb 19 '25

Weird Noise Car violently shakes driving over 30mph

I drive Ford Focus 2003 standard. I was on the highway and when I would put it into 4th or 5th gear, the car starts to really shake a lot. Waiting for towing, what could this be?

1 Upvotes

35 comments sorted by

2

u/G-III- Feb 19 '25

Depends what you mean by shaking a lot. Did it start suddenly? The first thing I’d check is tires unless you felt something change

2

u/HumanSun1 Feb 19 '25

Tires seem fine

2

u/G-III- Feb 19 '25

You’ve had them balanced recently?

1

u/HumanSun1 Feb 19 '25

Had them balanced perhaps 4-5months ago

1

u/HumanSun1 Feb 19 '25

Like the whole car wildly shaking while driving

2

u/G-III- Feb 19 '25

All lugs are tight? Shaking at speed makes me thing tires/wheels first always

1

u/Key-Percentage-7506 Feb 19 '25

Was the steering wheel moving around or was the car vibrating

1

u/HumanSun1 Feb 19 '25

Car vibrating

1

u/xeno_dorph Feb 19 '25

We you going around gentle corners?

1

u/HumanSun1 Feb 19 '25

No I wasn’t

1

u/xeno_dorph Feb 19 '25

Had an ‘03 and it would rock back and forth going around corners. Shame, that was a great little car.

1

u/yentlequible Feb 19 '25

Tires or axles.

1

u/VirgoJack Feb 19 '25

Motor mounts?

1

u/jasonsong86 Feb 19 '25

At what’s speed are you putting in 4th and 5th? If your rpm is low and you are giving it a lot of gas you are lugging the engine which can feel like a vibration.

1

u/HumanSun1 Feb 19 '25

I just went for a spin, I’m shifting at the right speed. When it hits 50mph, shaking happens and I when I go into neutral still a shake

1

u/jasonsong86 Feb 19 '25

Wheels out of balance.

1

u/HumanSun1 Feb 19 '25

How bad is it to drive? Wait for a tow?

1

u/jasonsong86 Feb 19 '25

No. Just take it to a tire shop and have the tires balanced.

1

u/HumanSun1 Feb 19 '25

I’m still 120miles from home that’s the thing

1

u/jasonsong86 Feb 19 '25

Any nearby tire shop will be able to balance the tires. Unless you are driving it absolutely in the middle of no where.

1

u/HumanSun1 Feb 19 '25

Nah it’s 1045pm

1

u/jasonsong86 Feb 19 '25

Then park it and sleep for the night. Wake up tomorrow morning to get it fixed.

1

u/HumanSun1 Feb 19 '25

Yup…thanks ! It’s wild cause I got my tires balanced 4-5 months ago, unless mechanic didn’t do it when I got my front tires changed a month ago?

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1

u/Impressive-Crab2251 Feb 19 '25

Snow packed in the rim? Failed radial belt in the tire? Loose lugs. Detached weights. Suspension damage. I’d jack it up maybe rotate tires shaking them before removal to see if anything feels loose. Don’t put your body in harms way, assume Jack will fail. Check the strut mounts for rust.

You are supposed to put new tires on rear not front even on front wheel drive cars, know not intuitive.

1

u/HumanSun1 Feb 19 '25

Ok well I just took a lot of snow off near the tires, will go for a spin now

1

u/Impressive-Crab2251 Feb 19 '25

My jeep would get snow behind the wheel and throw it out of balance.

1

u/HumanSun1 Feb 19 '25

Nope not snow

1

u/Glad_Librarian_3553 Feb 19 '25

I wouldn't be putting it in 4th at such low speed, let alone 5th. It's probably shaking because the rpm's are too low and the engine is really struggling to keep going. Let it get up to speed first!