The Lemon IndexA shake that comes with acceleration and fades when you coast usually points to a worn drivetrain part.
Fix soon. Usually OK for short trips. Get it checked soon.
Worn inner CV joints. Then: worn engine or transmission mounts; a worn driveshaft U-joint or carrier bearing.
Owners describe this in 4,496 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 | 203 | 8% |
| 2012 Ford Focus | 141 | 4% |
| 2013 Ford Focus | 113 | 5% |
| 2016 Ford Focus | 91 | 8% |
| 2017 Ford Focus | 75 | 8% |
| 2013 Nissan Pathfinder | 71 | 8% |
| 2011 Ford F-Series | 69 | 3% |
| 2012 Ford F-Series | 56 | 2% |
| 2015 Ford Focus | 51 | 5% |
| 2019 Ford Edge | 44 | 6% |
| 2010 Ford Fusion | 42 | 0.7% |
| 2013 Ford Fiesta | 38 | 6% |
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
2017 Ford Focus · 8% 2013 Nissan Pathfinder · 8% 2014 Ford Focus · 8% 2016 Ford Focus · 8% 2014 Infiniti QX60 · 7% 2014 Ford Fiesta · 6% 2013 Honda CR-V · 6% 2013 Ford Fiesta · 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 shakes when accelerating
- Worn inner CV joints
- Worn engine or transmission mounts
- A worn driveshaft U-joint or carrier bearing
- An engine misfire
- Torque converter shudder
General causes, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause with tests before replacing parts.
Is it safe to drive if your car shakes when accelerating?
Fix soon. Usually OK for short trips. Get it checked soon.
Get help right away if the check engine light flashes; the shake gets violent.
Of the 4,496 complaints describing it, 1% mention a crash, 2% say the car was towed and 0.6% report an injury.
What the complaints show
The parts owners filed these complaints under: power train (60%), engine (26%), vehicle speed control (11%), fuel/propulsion system (7%). A complaint can list more than one.
Median odometer reading when owners reported it: 50,425 miles.
Most reports by make: Ford (1,699), Nissan (453), Honda (366), Chevrolet (355), Hyundai (206).
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 $1,400 to $7,000, typical $4,000, from 48 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
P0304 P0300 P0301 P0305 P0302 P0303 P1326 P0306
Trouble codes owners named in these complaints more often than in other symptom complaints. Look up any code →
Related symptoms
Transmission shudder Car shaking and check engine light on Car jerks when accelerating Car shakes at highway speed Car shakes at idle Check engine light flashing
Quick answers
What causes car shakes when accelerating?
A shake that comes with acceleration and fades when you coast usually points to a worn drivetrain part. Common causes: worn inner CV joints; worn engine or transmission mounts; a worn driveshaft U-joint or carrier bearing; an engine misfire; torque converter shudder.
Is it safe to drive if your car shakes 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 F-Series and Nissan Pathfinder. 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 48 repair bills owners named in complaints describing it, the middle half ran $1,400 to $7,000. 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