Check engine light came on and car started shaking noticeably while slowing down and stopped. What's going on with my car?

Posted by Mithril2H@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 66 comments

Apologies if Im using the flair wrong or if this is the wrong place or something but I was hoping for some help. I was driving to work this morning and maybe within 15-20 minutes into my drive I notice my check engine light flashing and my car shaking (not violently but noticeable) seemingly when I drove at slower speeds and also when I was stopped at a red light. The check engine light eventually turned off but the shaking stayed until I eventually got to work and parked my car. Other than the car shaking when slowing, it drove normally. It's a Kia Forte 2017.

If it helps, before this happened, my car would sometimes suddenly decrease RPM for a split second before kicking back up again. Also Im not sure if its in my head or not since I started a new job that is a longer drive, but I swear my fuel consumption is a bit more.

I know its impossible to be able to tell me what's wrong with my car just from this post but would you car guys happen to know the likely causes? Is it something I have to call off work and go and get repaired immediately or can I wait until the weekend? Is it safe to drive to the shop or should I have it towed?

[-]

JeffonFIRE@reddit

A flashing check engine light is an idiot light telling you to stop the engine immediately due to risk of significant damage. No, you should not drive it. You should not have driven it further than what was absolutely necessary to get it off the road and park it.

Next step should be a code reader - the car will tell you what it detected. Yes, it's quite a possible it's a misfire. The code will typically even tell you what cylinder.

805kink97@reddit

Lmao a check engine light does not mean stop the car and not drive it lmao in most cases smh stop being a drama queen

katie20110520@reddit

I love how you so confidently laughed at him and called him a drama queen when he is very much right. A flashing check engine light is a warning of the warning. You should immediately shut your car off. I don't even know cars and I knew that.

For a solid light, you are correct. If it's FLASHING, it's usually a misfire or something and should not be be driven.

Google it if you don't believe me...

Gwolfski@reddit

Sounds like a misfire. It's most often caused by bad coils or bad sparkplugs. It can survive a few days if you drive gently and avoid hard acceleration. The shop should be able to fix it within an hour or two in most cases.

MePirate@reddit

I know this is 5 months old. But this just happened to me today. And it the issue was exactly what you said. Got 4 new coils and spark plugs and changed them myself. Took 45min to an hour and everything has been great since.

ExpertMeat5586@reddit

This is happening to me just now

Jay__Vision@reddit

How much was the cost?

I want to say it was a little over 300 for all 8 parts. 4 spark plugs and 4 coils. My Toyota had just over 100,000 miles on it and never changed them out so it didn't make sense to change just the bad one as the others would probably go soon too.

Charbarzz@reddit

This may have just happened to me! Getting it towed right now and hoping it’s not a major issue.

rosebuse@reddit

Was there any damage to your engine?

I don’t think so!

Rockergy@reddit

Thanks for the post! Was freaking out and the dealer is making me feel scared to drive the car after fixing the same issue with a spark plug, going to a mechanic for a second opinion so i can drive it for a few weeks with a safe mind

crocs4docs@reddit

This happened to me today. My mechanic is only 3 minutes away from me. Would I be able to at least drive it there ?

BBlue6259@reddit

You just might. This shaking and engine light on happened when my car was warm, after driving about 15-20 miles. On my way home, I was driving very slowly, said a little prayer, and it didn't happen again. So you might just be able to drive 3 minutes with no problem.

Confident_Rich6286@reddit

Same thing happen to me just now

BoringEquivalent7820@reddit

Joining the party! Just happened to me, getting my car towed to the shop tomorrow morning

okmsalone@reddit

what was the issue?

They only started looking at it like an hour before they closed for the weekend lol. They did mention a misfire so hoping it’s just spark plugs/coils.

atla7007@reddit

Did it end up being spark plugs?

Yep! Those were the culprits.

I know my situation may be different but it’s a bit of a relief knowing it may be something like spark plugs😂 my car just did it and my mind immediately went to having to buy a new engine or something lol

Ohhhhh

honeyluvvver@reddit

Also same thing happened. I have a vw cc 2013. Anyone figure out their issue and prices?

The prices — count for a $1,000 at least. Plus tow.

Due-Security-9668@reddit

Literally just happened to me , I’m freaking out

What was the outcome?

_biyaya@reddit

Did you find out what was wrong?? Same thing happened to me. Waiting until Monday to tow it to a shop

Street-Ferret-6275@reddit

Just happened to my car as well

Impossible_Memory_65@reddit

heh... I just dropped my car off at the shop for the same issue. I'm Ubering home now

NCRaineman@reddit

The problem is you bought a Korean POS.

Google "Hyundai Theta Engine Recall" and get educated on why their cars are crap.

I had 2003 Hyundai Elantra back in the day, bought it new, never a problem. Scroll up 20 years later and I traded it for a VW. Don't know why I did it, am still beating myself up for doing that. Today it was shaking and CEL light on. Took about 20 miles for it to start acting up this way. A few miles from home I was driving very slowly, said a little prayer and it didn't happen again. Most likely it took its own sweet time to cool down. Came home safely, no shaking, parked in the garage, and that's it for now. Tomorrow will pull a code.

the_Bryan_dude@reddit

Flashing check engine light means dangerous misfires. The vehicle is not burning the fuel properly and can cause it to catch fire. DO NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE!!!

Raw fuel is entering your catalytic converter. It can operate at 1200 degrees and will start glowing if you drive the car with a misfire.

TOW it to a reputable shop. I'm not kidding. If you drive it, you will damage the engine and possibly catch fire.

Collosal_Moron@reddit

Um.. this happened to my car just now and I drove it home about 12 minutes am I screwed??

Nope. But change the spark plugs.

Bona-Petite_22@reddit

Were you screwed? Just happened to my car

My dad brought it to our mechanic like three days later. He just did something with the spark plugs and it’s been fine since 😭

misterufoman@reddit

sorry i’m a bit late but did you continue driving it after or you went and got it towed 😭

Yup! My mechanic fixed the problem and then it was fine. My car is very old but holding up as of rn, I did get a new car tho.

oh no!! i’m asking if you got it towed right then and there or did you continue driving while it was shaking?

Oh I kept driving cause I was 10 minutes away from home 😭 when I got home, I looked it up then learned I shouldn’t have done that.

Ty for your response!

11BravoMotorsports@reddit

Why would you divulge bad info like this? There is literally no way a car would dump so much fuel into a cat that it would ignite and catch on fire. Crap like this created the saying "Only believe half of what you read on the internet".

Literally the only correct thing you said was misfire.

hagiyo_peeps@reddit

Having same issue with my 2007 Honda Accord. Waiting right now for the shop to open.

faery_kitty@reddit

this exact same thing is happening to my car which is the exact same model 🙃 pls give an update as to what happened and if it was serious 😭😭

Mithril2H@reddit (OP)

Hey! Some of my spark plugs needed replacing. The car lasted a good year later until it finally shit the bed (cracked cylinder) and I ended up getting a Honda this year.

Nessakaye90@reddit

Mine just started this yesterday! Dropped it off at the mechanic today. Will update when I know something.

Complex_Season_311@reddit

Update ?? Just happened to me

Mine was the camshaft sensor. I paid 60 bucks for the fix

Mine ended up being the camshaft sensor!

RestaurantSubject547@reddit

Been driving on a flashing check engine light for 2 months now. I have done everything that the code reader tells me to do and nothing fixes it. Guess we'll drive until she burns 🤷‍♂️

KLUCKZ@reddit

lol I ended up doing that with my ford 500 and the catalytic converter went out on the highway. Fuel started going through it and it was like 1900 to fix. Car later on totaled after the transmission started to fail

No_Active_1816@reddit

Same issue here on my 2004 mustang

DrawingAcademic6662@reddit

Can I ask what it turned out to be?

CupAcceptable6377@reddit

What do coils look like

Accomplished_Cut_218@reddit

It’s what’s connects the spark plug from engine directly to coil packs just go to your spark plug side that’s connected to the engine and follow it to the coil packs

Specialist-Key7159@reddit

Mysterious-Use9858@reddit

I know this is 10 months old and I'm sure it's fixed by now. What did it turn out to be? There's a ton of different things it could have been. Best advice yet again is if the check engine light is flashing and/or limp mode. Get it off the road and shut it off ASAP

Life_Comfortable_618@reddit

Samething just happened to me ngl I was kinda driving hard then came to a stop at a red light then my check engine light started flashing , I pulled over into a street and sat there while my car was shaking a bit, I just turned the car off for a minute then turned it back on and it was good check engine light disappeared and stopped shaking

thatbitch001@reddit

This happened to me and mine went away after restarting, I did have really low coolant so I’m not sure if that is part of the problem, what it a glitch or did it have to go in?

I’m not to sure, best for you to bring it to a mechanic, Ik for me my car needs a ignition coil replaced rn so it could be why it’s acting up

Thanks, turns out it was my spark plugs!

chmod-777@reddit

Did it came back for you? Mine came little shaking happened then it went

No-Huckleberry-2365@reddit

Same thing happened to me. 😔

acdpsn@reddit

I had this issue start happening to me last month and got it checked by a kia dealership. Apparently, I had a recall that I never got for a ignition coil that needed to be replaced. They confirmed that that was what was causing the problem and fixed it. Took about a day.

zervan@reddit

Me too 😭