Car jerks when coming to a stop.

[BLsGalant97]

Ok heres my situation....for the past week or 2 i noticed that when i stop to almost a complete stop, i feel the car like jerk which kinda feels like i just ran over something on the road. Kinda like my engine is doing the jerking u know? I does it almost everytime just before coming to a full stop. But sometimes after shutting the car then starting it and driving again it will not do it. Im not sure if these following things can be related but...i noticed after i did the throttle cable adustment and after my speedometer stopped working (click here) I dont know if any can be related. Im trying to narrow it down some how..cause sometimes it does it when the heat is on...or maybe not..im trying to figure that out. And tonight i pulled into the gas station to test it out but this time i actually heard a noise come from the front passenger side like near wheel when the car jerked. Any have any ideas!?!?!?! Thanks

P.S. Last week i had my car go through all the routine maintenance by the way

[Gilhuly]

Does it feel like the brakes locking up on that side?

[TJC]

or rotors that are warped so it grabs and releases during braking and feels like your car is jerky when coming to a stop.

BTW, (same situation you're describing) I had my gauges go on and off too. I just removed the gauge pod and cleaned the connectors off and put it back in and it started working again. I still don't know the cause though.

[IllestGalant]

I have had gm cars that would jerk when stopping and it was due to
transmission malfunctions. This is an automatic I'm assuming...
Make sure it still happens when the car is in manual first with o/d off.
Sometimes trannys can cause this concern because they are dropping
in downshifts when comming to a complete stop. Is the fluid burnt and
is it still red?

[TJC]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IllestGalant)</div><div class='quotemain'>I have had gm cars that would jerk when stopping and it was due to
transmission malfunctions. This is an automatic I'm assuming...
Make sure it still happens when the car is in manual first with o/d off.
Sometimes trannys can cause this concern because they are dropping
in downshifts when comming to a complete stop. Is the fluid burnt and
is it still red?</div>

Well that's easy. To test that theory or mine for that matter, just throw the car in neutral next time or a couple of times to be sure when coming to a stop an you can immediately come to a conclusion on whether or not it's the brake system. If it still jerks, it's the brakes; if not, it's not the brakes and may be tranny related. If you think it's tranny related, look for tell-tale signs by pull tranny fluid dipstick out and inspect it for color, metal particles, foaming, burnt smell, and of course fluid level.

[BLsGalant97]

Ok thanks guys, since i wrote this post it only happened like 3-4 times...so it doesnt do it all the time...could the brake do it on and off like that??? Thanks for all the info

[TJC]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BLsGalant97)</div><div class='quotemain'>Ok thanks guys, since i wrote this post it only happened like 3-4 times...so it doesnt do it all the time...could the brake do it on and off like that???</div>

I think so. At first mine was inconsistant and I could only feel it sometimes but when it gets worse (if that is your problem too), it will seem like it's more consistant but probably b/c of the fact that it's going to be a lot more noticable so you feel it all the time.

One more thing you can try is on a long stretch of empty road or one with a slight incline is to let your car coast to a stop instead of braking to see if you still feel it jerking. Honestly though, if it's not that consistant, it may be hard to trace or duplicate the problem.

[BLsGalant97]

ok thanks...i'll try that out...i'll let you know how i make out

[BEAST]

I think that it is your tranny. I had the same problem before my tranny went out. Then I got it rebuilt and it went away for a couple of months, but now it does it again.

[TJC]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BEAST)</div><div class='quotemain'>I think that it is your tranny. Â*I had the same problem before my tranny went out. Â*Then I got it rebuilt and it went away for a couple of months, but now it does it again.</div>

That sucks if it's going out again. I'd try to prolong the life of the tranny by changing the tranny fluid out in more frequent intervals just for assurance. Also make sure you are using the recommended type of tranny fluid.

[Jesse]

Mine did that. Then I got my rotors turned cuz they were warped to fuck. Just get new rotors or take them to a shop and ask them to turn them and they'll put them on a machine and straighten them.

[BEAST]

When you brake does it feel like your brake pedel is kind of pumping up and down. If it does then it is probably your rotors are warped. That was the first thing that I did to my car when I got it was change the rotors because they were warped pretty bad. If I'm not mistaken it is pretty common for our cars with the cheaper rotor that you buy from napa.

To see for sure if it is your rotors one easy thing you can do is take it to like an empty parking lot or where you have some room and brake with the pedel and then try breaking with your E-brake. You only have to be going about 10 or 15 mph to tell but if you feel the studdering when your breaking with the pedal and not with your E-brake than it is definatly your rotors.

[BLsGalant97]

Ok....the jerking thing has happened in a couple days...but my pedals hav been feeling kinda funny

[paulbunyan]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BLsGalant97)</div><div class='quotemain'>Ok....the jerking thing has happened in a couple days...but my pedals hav been feeling kinda funny</div>
All,
My car did the same thing. It would
lurch when I slowed down. It was
kinda like it was downshifting really
hard somtimes. I got the tranny
fluid changed and all is well
now though.

paulbunyan

[BLsGalant97]

ok i think im narrowing it down a little ...see if this makes sense. I noticed that the jerking would happen in like series. For example....during one trip to work it would not do it all...but later that day it did it every stop to my girlfriends house. SO i did the test to see what would happen. As i stoped i put it in neutral...nothing...then it didnt do it the rest of the way. :?

[bongi]

it is the auto tranny, you are probably low in fluid, check it in neutral and see if the level is okay. correct me if i'm wrong, it usually happens when the engine is cold and the tranny has not enough time to warm up, but when it is fully warmed up it disappears? because when warm the ATF expands and gives you a false normal fluid level, but in fact it is low. check the hoses to the transmission cooler and radiator base as source of your leaks. 8)