Go Time Auto Repair

My car shudders like I'm driving over rumble strips

That shake usually shows up between about 30 and 50 mph with light pressure on the gas, and most of the time it is the torque converter clutch grabbing unevenly because the fluid is worn or the wrong type. On a CVT it can be belt or pulley wear. Sometimes it is not the transmission at all, but an engine misfire that feels just the same.

Book a shudder check (954) 947-2922
Urgency
This week is fine
What to do right now

What to do right now

  1. 1Note the speed where it starts and where it stops, and whether it happens on light gas, cruising, or pulling away from a stop. That is the first thing we test.
  2. 2Look at the dash. A flashing check engine light with the shake points to an engine misfire. Get off the highway and ease it home or to the shop.
  3. 3Drive gently until it is checked. Caught early, this can be a fluid service instead of a new torque converter.
  4. 4If it shudders hard, loses power, or a transmission warning light comes on, stop driving it and have it towed.
What it usually is

What it usually is

Transmission diagnostics

We road test it at the exact speed where it shudders, read the codes, and check the fluid. That tells a converter problem from an engine misfire before any part is ordered.

See the service

Transmission fluid service

Worn or wrong fluid is a common cause of converter shudder. Caught early, a service with the exact fluid your transmission calls for can smooth it out.

See the service

CVT repair and service

On a CVT, a shudder pulling away from a stop can be worn fluid, a known problem the maker fixed with a software update, or belt and pulley wear. We rule out the simple causes first.

See the service

Questions people ask

Do I need a new torque converter?
Not always. If the fluid is worn or the wrong type, a fluid service may be all it needs when caught early. If the converter clutch itself is worn, the converter gets replaced. The transmission has to come out for that, but it is still a smaller job than a rebuild, and you get the written price before we start.
Could it be the engine and not the transmission?
Yes. A misfire under light load, from a worn spark plug or a weak coil, feels a lot like converter shudder. We scan and road test before anyone blames the transmission, and since we work on engines too, we have no reason to guess.
Why only between 30 and 50 mph?
That is where many transmissions start to lock the torque converter clutch to save fuel and cut heat. If it grabs instead of applying smoothly, you feel a rumble, and pressing the gas harder often makes it stop. A shake that stays steady at 55 to 70 no matter what your foot does is more likely tire balance.
My car has a CVT. Is a shudder normal?
No. A steady engine sound while you speed up is normal for a CVT, and so is a light hum when you floor it. A shudder or judder when pulling away is not. CVT fluid helps the belt grip the pulleys, so worn fluid often shows up as shudder first.

Ready to book?

Pick a time. We text you the written price before any work starts.

Book a shudder check(954) 947-2922