Maybe like two. I have an authorized mechanic near me who can do warranty work, though. He’s a great guy who wants to help. But right now he thinks I’m imagining things, since he can’t find anything wrong with the car and there are no error codes registered. He took it on a test drive and found nothing wrong. And then I took him on a drive and we couldn’t reproduce the problem. It does thing maybe once every other week, I’d say. But anyway, he said to try and get it on video. I’ve finally captured it on video and will be taking it back to him soon. I was just wondering if the Dope had any ideas beforehand. Also, reading peoples’ suggestions here will give me things to bring up and discuss when I talk to him.
Do you only get symptoms or shudder when you are slowing down? I bought a Charger (2008) back in February (used) and would get similar issues with loud engine growl (almost sounded nice, but wasn’t consistent) and hard downshifts, and vibrations when slowing down. After going completely bananas trying to figure it out it turns out from braking at high speed, I found that ‘warped’ a rotor slightly and deformed the pad. caused a really obnoxious shudder when slowing down from over 60MPH. I changed out the transmission and differential fluids and the harsh downshifts were gone. Also had a strange issue with the speed sensors behind the rotor, right where the lateral control arm ball joint is). There is only a clip that holds the wires in place, came looose. road debris must’ve been hitting enough where it actually nicked the wires leading to the sensor. I fixed that, then re-calibrated the throttle. Perfect. Runs like brand new. I put a lot of stock into checking your brakes and rotors as well as re-calibrating the throttle as a first step.
If you don’t know how, turn fob/key to ON (not start), let the lights die down, press accelerator pedal firmly and steadily to the floor and let off completely. Turn key to off, then start it.
Just some ideas for what to try. I did all of this crap in my garage relatively cheap, but my Charger has been out of warranty for quite some time.
I am not in any way a mechanic, but it sounds and looks to me far more likely to be an electronics/engine problem than drivetrain/brakes/wheel bearings. The normal engine note almost sounds like a worn wheel bearing! So I’d start by asking my mechanic to look at the wiring and ECU, as others have said. Also, he should be able to diagnose it a lot better now you’ve triggered some fault codes for him to look into.
It happened again twice since my last post. I’ve managed to put it into Neutral a few times during the events to see how it changes things. It behaves exactly the same way. The strange thing is that when I let the vehicle slow down (not using brakes), when it gets to about 60kph, it starts shaking badly as if the car is going to stall. But it’s in Neutral! And the RPMs have not changed. And I have not used the brakes. So perhaps this is speed sensor related somehow? But I don’t understand what the car is actually doing to make it sound like that or behave in this manner. After today, I think I am convinced that it isn’t the engine. When I revved the engine slightly while in Neutral, there was no change in the sound of the car. It did not get louder or sound different when the RPMs changed.
Also, the Stability Control and ABS lights came on a while. This time they stayed on for a bit, even remaining on after the car acted normal again. They turned off on their own before I got home, though.
I have tomorrow off, so I will take it to the mechanic, finally.
Have not read the entire thread.
My Wifes 2019 Subaru Ascent Had weird jerking motions once and in a while. I experienced it once. RPM’s up and down. I suspected the CVT. Perhaps the belt was slipping. My wife had it checked out for a third time but they and she could not reproduce it.
But. Something was maybe found. A cylinder was missing occasionally. Considering how tightly engines and transmissions are linked now, I think that may be the problem.
I’m guessing not, but did you try to rev the engine at 60 kph when the violent shaking was happening?
What’s odd is the fact that it goes away. Does the car have an active suspension that might be malfunctioning?
If you think it’s the speed sensor, and it’s still doing it in neutral, it could be your ABS acting up. I’ve seen that happen on another vehicle. Late 90’s Tahoe, IIRC. Part of the speed sensors would get corroded and the first time you’d get the car up over a few mph, it would make a godawful rattling sound, similar to the sound your ABS make when they’re pulsating the brakes.
I’m not saying it’s exactly the same thing going on with your car, just an thought.
Another consideration would be a U-joint (I assume that car has RWD). They can make bizarre noises when they’re failing and they can certainly get better or worse depending on the speed you’re driving and whether or not you’ve got your foot on the gas or you’re coasting.
Fuel problem, filters, return line or vapor lock, fuel tank vent.
Dodge products are not meant for the autobahn. Yes they can hit those speeds but are not meant to linger there. It’s more of a fast acceleration car then a very fast sustained speed car.
On another note, even though you are going what you consider very fast, get over into the right hand lane unless you are actually passing, which you were not, there are cars capable of going what you travel in k/h but they can do that same number in m/h. Stay right except to pass.
Cite?
Oh please. And what do you consider fast? Most people on the autobahn drive under 150kph, usually closer to 130kph and below. If you think it’s full of exotic hypercars doing 480kph, then you’re grossly misinformed. I’m sure there is a car or two on an autobahn somewhere capable of 400kph, but they are few and far between. I’ve never seen a car going that fast–in any lane. The only time I’ve even seen a car capable of that speed, it was being towed on a trailer.
Get over it. Or take it to the Pit so that I can ignore you there. I didn’t start this thread for driving advice. In the first part of the video, I was driving at lesser speeds and did exactly what you’re advocating for. I returned to the right lane as soon as the passing was complete. When driving below 170kph or so, it makes sense. But at 240kph and above, I’m now driving twice the speed of most cars I encounter in the left lane, and three times the average speed of the trucks lingering in the right hand lane. I feel it’s safer and makes more sense to just stay in the left lane unless and until there is a car approaching me from the rear. Considering I check my mirrors constantly, I will know if ever there is a fast driving car behind me, well before I’m ever in its way.
You know, the important thing is just to not impede faster traffic. Slower vehicles must yield to faster vehicles by allowing them to pass in the left lane. This concept is much more important than simply, “stay right except to pass”. Because with the latter, you still have people who think it’s okay to jump into the left lane at 100 to pass a truck going 90, even though the car approaching from the rear was doing 250, and planned to get in the left lane, but just hadn’t moved over yet… Those people are the same ones who love to cry, “stay right if you’re not passing!” instead of the more important concept of “faster traffic has the right of way”.
Because, by the way, there is no law requiring vehicles to stay in the right lane. The law only requires that slower traffic yield to faster traffic by moving to the right lane.
Yes. And I’ve discovered that none of this is related to the engine itself. This sound is coming from the car, not from the engine. The vibration and that stalling-like shaking and sound is all something else. It isn’t the engine doing it.
No, not like the magnetic suspension control that the Corvette has. The Hellcat only has stability control, which is more of a dampening system than an active system that could shake a car. But I do think this is somehow related to the stability control system, including the traction control and ABS. I just don’t know how it is affecting these sounds and vibrations. I think the perceived reduction in power is from the traction control system removing some of the power to the wheels.
The stability system has the ability to independently operate the brakes in order to correct a fishtailing vehicle. It is possible that the brakes are being activated randomly and chaotically and that’s causing the vibrations. Even with this in mind, it still doesn’t feel like it’s caused by the brakes, though. But, ABS can apply brakes like two dozen times a second. So, presumably it could apply the brake and release it one time in 1/24th of a second. If it was doing that chaotically across all four wheels, I supposed it could cause what I’m feeling, and not seem to be brake related.
It would also help explain why my brake pads are so worn down, and my rotors in such bad shape… but that could easily be explained by just having to slow down for the trucks that pull out in front of me all the time.
At any rate, the mystery will have to continue for a little longer. Today is the Assumption of Mary Day, so everything around here is closed, including the mechanic. My next day off is Monday…
Throttle position sensor / throttle body plus the downstream effects giving fits to every component working from the readings there, and torque converter is one… not to mention just about everything else.
.
Not too much longer, I hope. Any updates?
No updates. I still haven’t made it over to the mechanic, unfortunately. The good news is that she’s only thrown a fit once since I last posted. I changed the suspension setting to “Track”, and that seems to have reduced the problem by 95%. It’s only acted up once since putting the suspension in Track mode. I’m pretty sure this mode reduces or deactivates the Stability Control, so I’m really thinking the issue is a speed sensor or something. I was away for about a month, so I just started driving it again after letting it sit a few weeks. It’s running perfectly right now. Yesterday was a German holiday, so I had the Authobahn all to myself:
It’s been so long now since it’s thrown a code, I think that nothing will show up if I take it to the mechanic. If it happens again, hopefully it happens on the way home, and I can just drive it straight to the mechanic to drop it off.
I promise to keep you guys updated!!