The Lemon IndexJerking under acceleration usually comes from the engine misfiring or the transmission shifting badly.
Fix soon. Usually OK for short trips. Get it checked soon.
Worn spark plugs or a failing ignition coil. Then: a dirty fuel injector or clogged fuel filter; a dirty throttle body or faulty sensor.
Owners describe this in 7,068 complaints to the U.S. government, most often on the Ford Focus.
Cars owners report it on most
Complaints describing this symptom, by model, all years. Raw counts, not a failure rate: popular models get more complaints.
Model years that report it most
| Model year | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 Ford Focus | 173 | 7% |
| 2012 Ford Focus | 102 | 3% |
| 2013 Ford Focus | 99 | 5% |
| 2014 Jeep Cherokee | 80 | 3% |
| 2010 Ford Fusion | 71 | 1% |
| 2013 Ford Fiesta | 70 | 10% |
| 2015 Jeep Cherokee | 61 | 3% |
| 2017 Chrysler Pacifica | 56 | 3% |
| 2010 Toyota Prius | 53 | 2% |
| 2006 Ford Freestyle | 52 | 4% |
| 2005 Nissan Maxima | 50 | 5% |
| 2004 Nissan Maxima | 49 | 3% |
Each row is that model year's record in NHTSA complaints, not the history of any one car. Share = complaints describing this symptom out of every complaint we hold for that model year (shown when the year has 50+ complaints).
Where it makes up the biggest share
2013 Ford Fiesta · 10% 2020 Ford Edge · 7% 2014 Honda Odyssey · 7% 2005 Lexus ES · 7% 2014 Ford Focus · 7% 2004 Lexus ES · 6% 2002 Toyota RAV4 · 6% 2006 Nissan Maxima · 6%
Model years with 150+ complaints in our data and 10+ describing this symptom, ranked by share. A high share means owners of that year who complained often mentioned it.
The details
Common causes of car jerks when accelerating
- Worn spark plugs or a failing ignition coil
- A dirty fuel injector or clogged fuel filter
- A dirty throttle body or faulty sensor
- Transmission shift problems or old fluid
- Worn engine or transmission mounts
General causes, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause with tests before replacing parts.
Is it safe to drive if your car jerks when accelerating?
Fix soon. Usually OK for short trips. Get it checked soon.
Get help right away if the check engine light flashes; the car loses power in traffic.
Of the 7,068 complaints describing it, 7% mention a crash, 3% say the car was towed and 2% report an injury.
What the complaints show
The parts owners filed these complaints under: power train (58%), vehicle speed control (24%), engine (21%), electrical system (9%). A complaint can list more than one.
Median odometer reading when owners reported it: 54,000 miles.
Most reports by make: Ford (1,885), Toyota (641), Nissan (633), Chevrolet (485), Honda (471).
What owners say it cost to fix
Repair bills owners named in complaints that describe this symptom (cooling, engine, exhaust & emissions, fuel system repairs): the middle half ran $500 to $5,000, typical $1,500, from 49 bills.
Each figure is one repair bill as an owner wrote it in a complaint, not a quote for your car. Prices vary with the part, the shop and the year.
Engine codes that come up with it
Trouble codes owners named in these complaints more often than in other symptom complaints. Look up any code →
Related symptoms
Car shakes when accelerating Transmission shudder Car hesitates when accelerating Car accelerates by itself Transmission shifting hard RPM goes up and down
Quick answers
What causes car jerks when accelerating?
Jerking under acceleration usually comes from the engine misfiring or the transmission shifting badly. Common causes: worn spark plugs or a failing ignition coil; a dirty fuel injector or clogged fuel filter; a dirty throttle body or faulty sensor; transmission shift problems or old fluid; worn engine or transmission mounts.
Is it safe to drive if your car jerks when accelerating?
Fix soon. Usually OK for short trips. Get it checked soon.
Which cars have this problem most?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners describe it most on the Ford Focus, Ford Escape and Jeep Cherokee. These are raw counts, so popular models rank higher; complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
How much does it cost to fix?
In 49 repair bills owners named in complaints describing it, the middle half ran $500 to $5,000. The right repair depends on the cause.
Counts: NHTSA owner complaints whose text describes this symptom (we matched owners' own wording, then read samples to check the matches). A complaint is an owner's report, not a diagnosis or proof of a defect. Causes and advice are general information in our own words, not repair advice for your car. Every symptom · Engine code lookup