Chevy Shake Fixes: Complete Diagnosis Guide

As a Chevrolet owner and driver, your car, truck, or SUV might eventually run into things you're unfamiliar with. Our dealership here in New London, CT, handles shaking or rattling vehicles on the road while driving. Colonial Chevrolet is top-rated for service on new and pre-owned models.

A Chevy shake fix is sometimes as simple as a single maintenance appointment with our technicians, although we do like to get you in for an inspection before making any assumptions. Read on to explore why you might be experiencing a shaking sensation while behind the wheel.

What Is the Chevy Shake Problem?

The "Chevy Shake" is an intense, high-speed vibration (typically when driving at 65-80 MPH) that affects the steering wheel, seats, and floorboards of your vehicle. This can come on out of nowhere, often making a strange noise and affecting your driving performance. It is often blamed on an unbalanced Chevrolet model and is corrected by an authorized service location during preventive maintenance or an emergency repair.

Whenever you experience something like this on the road, our team at Colonial Chevrolet recommends scheduling an appointment with us here in New London.

Is There a Fix for the Chevy Shake?

Yes, a Chevy shake fix does exist and is often done by balancing tires, replacing the one-piece aluminum driveshaft, upgrading to a two-piece driveshaft, or performing a transmission fluid flush. Your drivetrain, suspension, and tires/wheels are often to blame for shaking while driving, so we always suggest inspecting and repairing them first.

Your unbalanced Chevy can have problems beyond shaking, including strange noises, leaking fluids, trouble steering, and even failure to drive if left unfixed, so you want to take this seriously.

Common Causes of Vibration in Chevrolet Vehicles

Common causes of vibrations in Chevrolet vehicles include engine and transmission issues, uneven or unbalanced tires, wheels, and suspension, and fluids not at proper levels. An important thing to remember is that scheduling routine maintenance for your Chevy car, truck, or SUV can often help prevent the "Chevy Shake."

Engine and Transmission Issues

If your engine or transmission isn't lubricated correctly, or there is structural damage to either system, shaking can follow suit. We often check for engine damage or low fluids during your inspection, followed by a transmission fluid test. The transmission is responsible for transferring engine energy to the wheels of your car, so these two work closely each time you drive.

Drivetrain and Suspension Problems

Another reason the "Chevy Shake" persists when you drive could be a problem with your car's balance and drivetrain. An uneven suspension system can cause other areas of your vehicle's underbody to shift out of proper alignment. We see increased shaking, leaking brake fluid, balding tires, and steering issues when your Chevrolet's suspension is unbalanced. When the engine cannot properly send energy to your vehicle's wheels, this is when that heavy shaking will become noticeable.

As we covered, defective, unbalanced, or damaged aluminum driveshafts can trigger this shaking sensation, along with suspension irregularities.

Tire and Wheel-Related Causes

Usually, one of the final phases of misalignment manifests in tire and wheel unbalance and damage. Once your suspension falls out of alignment, the wheels will not be even with one another. This will then trigger the tires to wear unevenly, causing a difficult steering situation on the road ahead. As you drive, misaligned wheels and damaged tires can trigger a full-vehicle rattle or shake.

Diagnostic Process at Our Dealership

Once you decide it's time to get a Chevy shake fix, the team at Colonial Chevrolet in New London, CT, is happy to lend a hand. Our dedicated technicians are here to guide your initial diagnostic process, then create a game plan for repairing or replacing parts of your vehicle. We can check the underside of your vehicle and hook up your Chevy to our diagnostic equipment.

Initial Customer Consultation

The initial customer consultation with Colonial Chevrolet is straightforward. We ask you about the symptoms your car, truck, or SUV has been experiencing, and then get a certified technician briefed on what is going on. While you are here, we can run tests on your Chevy, lift it, inspect the underside, and make replacements if needed.

Computer Diagnostics and Error Code Analysis

If our team suspects the engine is causing the shaking, a technician will connect your car to our computer diagnostics system to see if any error codes (e.g., a bad ignition coil, spark plug, or sensor) appear. This can help direct us in repair or replacement, and see if a technical error is what is causing this to continue happening.

Test Drive Assessment

Another way that Colonial Chevrolet makes sure to get to the root cause of your shaking Chevy is a test drive assessment. Doing this can give us a clearer idea of where the shaking is most noticeable, and our team can note any other symptoms you may not even have known were happening.

Visual and Physical Inspection

We will also make sure to conduct a visual and physical vehicle inspection to remedy a shaking Chevrolet model. Our certified technicians will be able to determine whether physical damage or imbalance is present on, inside, or under your vehicle, and then get started with the appropriate repair or replacement service.

Engine-Related Shake Fixes

There are engine-specific Chevy shake fixes that our technicians at Colonial Chevrolet can perform on your car in New London, CT. These can include replacing worn spark plugs, cleaning fuel injectors or the throttle body, replacing a clogged air filter, and checking for vacuum leaks. Remember, your engine might be the trigger for this shaking on the road, so we will always check it when you bring your car, truck, or SUV in for a service appointment.

Warranty Coverage and Service Plans

The good news is that Chevy offers plenty of warranty coverage for its cars and service plans for owners to consider after their purchase. This can include everything from a comprehensive vehicle warranty to a powertrain warranty covering the engine, transmission, and drive systems for 5 years or 60,000 miles.

Chevrolet Protection Plan

The Chevrolet Protection Plan offers extended service contracts. These plans will be called the Platinum, Silver, or Powertrain plan, for up to 8 years/100,000 miles, covering up to 1,500+ components. If your Chevy starts shaking and ends up needing major replacements and repairs, something like this can come in handy.

• Additional Benefits: Includes 24/7 roadside assistance, towing, rental car reimbursement, and trip interruption coverage.

Limited Warranty

Another set of protections Chevrolet offers its drivers is its Limited Warranty plans for cars, trucks, and SUVs. These include the following coverage:

• Bumper-to-Bumper Limited Warranty: Covers the entire vehicle for three years or 36,000 miles.
• Powertrain Limited Warranty: Lasts up to 5 years or 60,000 miles and covers any defects with your engine, transmission, or drivetrain.
• Rust-Through Protection: Protects your Chevy model for up to 3 years/36,000 miles for corrosion and rust-through (holes in the metal) for 6 years/100,000 miles.

Pre-Paid Maintenance

If you don't want to experience fluctuations in market pricing for your Chevy maintenance as an owner, pre-paid upkeep is worth checking out. What this does is lock in your maintenance rates for 24-72 months (typical timeframe) and cover scheduled services like oil changes, filter replacements, and tire rotations. Please let our team at Colonial Chevrolet know if this is something you're interested in.

Tire & Wheel Protection

Another idea for Chevy drivers is investing in Tire & Wheel Protection from the brand. This package is ideal for people who want to worry less about tire damage from regular driving, and it can also cover the repair or replacement of your vehicle's tires.

Preventive Maintenance Recommendations

Something our team here at Colonial Chevrolet always reminds our customers is that preventative maintenance can save you a lot of time and money in the future. When you drive, it is likely that damage will occur to or inside your car. This could be suspension-, engine-, or transmission-related, or involve a factory error. Don't forget your six- and 12-month service appointments!

Early Warning Signs to Watch For

Before a full-blown repair is needed for a shaking Chevy, you will notice small irregularities while behind the wheel. We often hear reports from customers saying they first noticed their steering wheel turning to one side, minor leaks from under their car, and issues like bouncing, harsh turns and stops, plus problems with acceleration, before the violent shaking started.

Common Repair Pricing

Although pricing for a Chevy shake fix can vary based on the issue we come across, you can expect this to usually be a few hundred dollars or more. Common fixes include transmission flushes ($250-$500+), wheel balancing ($50-$100+), or replacing engine mounts, but pricing is subject to change. Our staff here in New London is more than happy to walk you through your service options.

Get Your Chevy Serviced at Colonial Chevrolet

If you run into problems while on the road in your Chevy model, the team at Colonial Chevrolet in New London, CT, is ready to help. We can handle a Chevy shake fix and find the right solution for this sensation, all right here in town. Let's connect soon and repair your car!