Why Does My Car Shake Over 70 MPH? [Causes & Fixes]

You love to drive at high speed. But then you notice that when you reach 70 mph, your car starts to shake.

Why is this thing happening? What is wrong with your car?

It can be a stressful moment to feel your car shimmy and shake. Does your car shake because it is neglected and old?

You should know that if you are caring for your vehicle, this thing will not happen. If you are properly maintaining your vehicle, you can have a smooth ride at any speed.

Cars shake at 70 mph for a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons are the misbalancing of the wheel, axle problems, low breaks, engine faults, damaged wheels, and faulty tires.

As the problem arises, it can alert you by having your car shake when you drive at great speed. This only means that you have to maintain your car properly.

When the shaking is little, you can consider it normal. But underestimating it can make you have a big loss.

You can turn your happy days into bad days if you will not pay attention to your shaking car. Ignoring the issue can be costly and can cause damage to your car.

If you love a good ride, you should maintain your car. You should fix every certain issue that you can encounter.

Get your car checked if it shakes at the speed of 70 mph. You have to fix the problem if you do not want it to get worse.

If you want to know more about why your car shakes at high speed, you can watch the following video:

The Reasons Why Your Car is Shaking at 70 mph

1. Manufacturer Issues

Manufacturers’ faults can lead to shaking. A missing body piece can be the reason.

Or maybe your car is affected by nearby drafts. Some vehicles cannot handle high speeds very much.

Errors in manufacturing can surely lead to the shaking of your vehicle at great speed.

2. Engine Sludge

For your engine to run smoothly, it needs oil. But then the oil can create a thick sludge over time.

This is what can make your car shake. So, you need to clean your engine properly.

You also need to regularly change your engine oil. This is if you want to avoid the situation.

3. Make of the Vehicle

It may be no one’s fault why your car is shaking when you are driving at high speed. The shaking may be due to the weight of your car if it is super light.

It may be the aerodynamics that brings resonance. Or maybe your car is not built for great speeds.

If your car has poorly fit accessories, this can also be a cause of shaking.

4. Tire Imbalance

When you have imbalanced tires, your car can shake. Having this as a cause can shake your car at a speed of 50-70 mph.

You should check your tires. See if there is a cupped wear pattern.

If some parts are more worn than others, then your tires are imbalanced. If this is the issue, you should call a professional to correct your tires.

5. Problems with Your Axle

The axle can be the reason why your car is shaking at 70 mph. This can happen when you just had a collision recently.

The axle may have been bent or damaged when the car was hit. It can cause the car to vibrate aggressively, especially when you are driving at a high speed.

6. Rough Driving

Some drivers may have been guilty of rough driving. When paired with rough riding conditions, you can get your car hit by something hard on the road.

This may result in steering wheel vibrations. You can get your wheel or tire damaged.

7. Wheel Misalignment

One of the common reasons why a car is shaking at 70 mph is wheel misalignment. This can happen when you hit a pothole.

The best that you can do is to bring your car to the mechanic shop for an alignment inspection. A professional mechanic can align your wheels.

8. Old Suspension Components

When the suspension components of your car are worn out, your car can vibrate a lot when you hit the speed of 70 mph. You should make sure to replace the suspension to fix the shaking.

If the damage is too much, some people find it cheaper to replace the car.

9. Faulty Brake System

If you have issues with your brake system, this can cause your car to shake at a speed of 60 mph or more. Sticky brake calipers can give vibrations in the steering wheel.

Having a faulty brake system will need you to re-index the rotor or replace your worn brake parts.

10. Low Tire Pressure

Another culprit of car shaking is low tire pressure. It can happen when there is a leak in the tire.

You should bring a tire pressure gauge with you to prevent low tire pressure. Always keep the manufacturer’s recommended tire pressure.

11. Spark Plug Issues

A dirty spark plug will affect the internal pressure of the engine. This will bring power loss.

The remaining cylinder will be forced to work harder. This will result in a mild vibration to excessive shaking when you are driving at a high speed.

You should identify the failing spark plug and replace it as soon as possible.

How Can You Fix a Shaking Car?

There can be several ways to fix a shaking car. The following highlights the things that you can do to stop vibration when you are driving at a great speed:

Replace Torn Vacuum Hoses

Know where the leak is coming from. You can fix this problem by reconnecting the hose.

If needed, you can replace the hose.

Replace Bent Driveshaft

Because of collisions, driveshafts can be bent. It has components that do not last the life of a vehicle.

So, when these components fail, you should get new ones and replace them.

Straighten Bent Axle

If you think that you have a bent axle, you must bring your car to a mechanic to fix everything. A car axle is expensive so it will be good to have it straightened.

Replacement of Broken Engine Mount

You cannot just repair the engine mounts. Some may be repaired by changing the bush inside.

When the engine mount is broken, you should go to the auto shop for a replacement. The engine mounts should be disassembled.

You should inspect them on the floor. You may know that two out of three mounts are damaged, but inspection will prove that only one is broken.

After disassembling, you can have a closer look. You will know how many are truly defective.

If the mount has a minor cut, you have to replace it.

Service Calipers

Calipers can be the culprit of the shake when you are driving at 70 mph. So, you have to service the caliper.

You need to clean and smoothen the pistons. Ensure that the caliper pins are working.

If you like, you can get a new caliper.

Clean Spark Plugs

A dirty spark plug cannot give the required spark. When this happens, the engine will not run as it should.

To fix the issue, you should clean old spark plugs. When needed, you can replace them with new ones.

Replace Defective Inner CV Joints

You can have bad inner CV joints when the CV joint boots are torn. The only fix that you can do is to replace the joints with new boots.

Tighten Loose Lug Nuts

You can do a common fix without you bringing your car to an auto shop. Park your car on firm ground.

Using a torque wrench, you can cross-check the lug nuts.

Torque the car according to the manufacturer’s specifications. You can also use a vehicle wheel spanner.

Be careful not to break the lug studs when tightening.

Get a Wheel Balance

You need to bring your car to an auto shop. The technician will put your tires on the balancing machine to correct the alignment of your tires or wheels.

If you want to know more about how to fix a shaking car, you can watch the following video:

FAQs

What Causes Cars to Shake at High Speeds?

Vibration can happen because of defective tires. The tires may be out of balance.

Other reasons are bent wheels or worn driveline U-joints. Your car will shake in an up-and-down motion because of these.

Will an Alignment Fix Shaking?

A wheel alignment can stop the shaking of your car. You have to ensure that the wheels are positioned in the same direction.

To diagnose misalignment, you should check the tread of the tire. A car that is out of alignment will have uneven treads.

Is It Safe to Drive a Shaking Car?

If your car is shaking slightly, this may not distract you while you are on the road. But if the vibration gets violent, you should not drive a shaking car.