When your car jerks, stumbles or stutters while driving, it usually means something is interfering with the proper distribution and transfer of power from your transmission. Another example is if you're driving a manual transmission and haven't gained the feel of shifting for your particular vehicle. Let's look at some reasons your car is shaking or jerking.
Air or Fuel Blockage
Your car operates properly on a precise mixture of air and fuel. If either one of these is blocked, it could cause an improper mixture and thus stumbling performance. Block fuel lines or dirty injectors could be the culprits here. Take your car in to get your fuel lines inspected and injectors cleaned. Sometimes the answer to this problem could be as simple as a dirty engine air filter. These are one of the easiest replacements that a home mechanic can make, or you could have your mechanic change it every couple of oil services.
Bad Spark Plugs or Wires
The third component to your car's proper operation is the spark that ignites the air and fuel mixture. Your car has the same number of spark plugs as cylinders in your engine. If one spark plug fails, it might mean that you're essentially driving minus a cylinder and this will cause your car to shake and stutter when accelerating. Faulty wires can also be a culprit. Wires transmit the spark from the distributor to the plugs and if they're worn, they may not be transmitting properly. A rule of thumb is to replace wires at the same time as plugs, but sometimes the wires can wear out faster.
Distributor Cap and Rotor
These two items are also part of the spark generation in your vehicle. One common issue is when moisture collects beneath the cap, thus inhibiting its performance. A solution is to park your car under a cover if possible. Another possibility is a cracked cap or worn rotor.
Visit Nissan of McKinney today if your vehicle is shaking or stumbling upon acceleration. Our helpful Nissan service department can assist in getting your car back on the road.