Why Is My Electric Car Shaking at High Speeds? Causes and How to Fix Them

Does your electric car shake too much at high speeds as if you were riding an amusement park ride instead? This problem arises due to a fault in the structure and various components attached to your electric car. But the good news is that the reasons behind this are easily noticeable, avoidable, and correctable.

Your electric car is shaking at high speeds because of the problems associated with the tires, rims, brakes, and axle. In particular, out-of-balance tires, bent rims, low profile tires, under-inflation, calipers getting stuck in the disk brake, non-round brakes, and bad axles are the reasons.

Why Is My Electric Car Shaking at High Speeds? Reasons and Fixes

Tires and Rims

Bad Balance

Problem

Imbalanced tires and rims wobble or hobble up and down since there is more mass concentrated on one side than on the other, generating vibrations in an electric car. The higher the speed, the more noticeable the shaking becomes.

The tires and rims are not 100% perfect. They might have more mass in certain spots. If you get the best tiers, wear and tear over time and the possibility of rim weights falling off, leading to imbalance. If the front tires or rims are not balanced, the driver will feel vibrations through the steering wheel; if it is the back, rear seat passengers will feel them.

Solution

Get the tires balanced by a professional. S/he will check the tires and rims using a specialized machine and add extra weights to the mass-wise thin spots. However, if the tires are too worn out, the pro might ask you to replace them altogether before fixing the balancing issue.

Bent Rim

Problem

Bent rims, if they are not perfectly round or protruding outside around the edges, do not make even contact with the road, causing shakiness that increases with speed. Similarly, the more bends are present in a rim, the more vibrations it will produce.

Rims go out of shape due to several occurrences, but the most notable causes include hitting a pothole at high speed or minor accidents.

Solution

Unfortunately, bent rims rarely have any solution and usually require a complete replacement. It depended much upon the severity of the bend—if there are too many sharp bends in a rim, it will be difficult to repair it. A famous method of perfectly repairing all kinds of bends in a rim through heating also exists, but it may reduce the strength of the material.

Low-Profile Tires

Problem

Low-profile tires do not absorb road surface irregularities well, causing vibrations. However, these tires are widely used in electric cars because of their reduced drag which can ultimately increase the range. But they are hard and shake more than usual when they encounter even a slight bump on the road.

Solution

You can change the tires if you wish to, as smooth and softer tires can get rid of vibrations on no-so-good roads at high speed. However, note that you might require to change the rims as well. Since low-profile tires do not have a wide side wall, they are smaller than regular tires. Tires with larger side walls might have difficulty installing on the rims designed for low-profile tires as the possibility of contact with the car body increases.

Low Tire Pressure

Problem

When a tire or two are under-inflated, the electric car can lean on one side more than the other, causing vibrations at high speeds. Similarly, over-inflation in some tires can also lead to these results.

Besides shaking the car at high speeds, rolling under-inflated tires on the road can also increase their chances of accelerated wear and tear, ultimately setting them out of balance.

Solution

Keep the tires properly inflated. Use the tire pressure ratings mentioned in your electric car’s manual. Besides, try to keep a gauge in your vehicle along with a tire inflator and a puncture-repair kit to make sure you solve the under-inflation issue as soon as it occurs.

Brakes

Caliper in the Disk

Problem

All electric cars use disc brakes. However, this technology can initiate vibrations when the caliper—the part that produces friction with the rotor to slow down a car—gets stuck on the disk. If it happens, the caliper will not leave the internal system, causing vibrations that increase with speed. Typically, such shaking can be felt clearly when an electric car exceeds the speed of 70 miles an hour. Besides vibrations, a burning smell can also be felt.

Solution

Getting the brakes serviced should solve this issue. Besides you can also try lubricating the braking system. Greasing the rotor and caliper should free the stuck disk. However, the disc might get stuck again when it loses its effect. You will ultimately have to contact a pro for a long-term solution.

Non-Round Braking Drums

Problem

Most electric cars use braking drums, while new Teslas do not have them. When the brake drums are not perfectly round, they generate vibrations when brakes are applied at high speeds.

The most common cause of ending up with the out-of-round drum brake is the excess heat created during the braking process. If your electric car shakes only while applying brakes, know there is a high probability that brake drums are the main culprits.

Solution

Contacting a professional to fix the issue is highly recommended. Trying to get the drum brakes back in the perfectly round shape on your (by hammering, etc.) can be difficult; moreover, you might do more harm than good.

Axle

Problem

Axles transmit power from an electric car’s motor to the tires, rotating them on the road. If axles are out of shape, they can cause vibrations when the car reaches high speed. The logic behind this works similarly: bent rims or out-of-balance tires cause vibrations.

Electric car axles can bend mainly because of hitting a bump at high speed, tire impact with a ditch while rotating fast, and due to collision. An easy way to recognize a bent axle is unusual noise at high-speed and sluggish steering).

Solution

You should contact a pro to fix the bent axle in your electric car. However, in most cases, a bent axle is beyond repair, especially if the bend is too severe. Furthermore, the cost of repairing it might be very high.

Is Shaking Bad for Your Electric Car?

Yes. Unfortunately, too many vibrations can lead to several other damages in an electric car that show up in the form of other faults over time. For instance, such shakings can severely impact the suspension and its parts and lead to increased wear and tear of the tires, decreasing their lifespan.

Specifically, in the case of electric cars, vibrations are harmful to the battery. According to research, vibrations can impact cylindrical cells by causing degradation and failure over time, depending on the intensity. Since many electric cars (including Teslas) use thousands of cylindrical cells to make a battery, they might be prone to suffer battery damage if their vibrations are left untreated.

Electric Car Shaking at High Speeds: When Should You See a Mechanic?

Showing your electric car to a mechanic or any professional is always recommended. Since electric cars are quite sophisticated compared to traditional ones, there is a high probability that tweaking them on your own might lead to a bad outcome. Moreover, as evident from the above reasons, most solutions lie in seeking a professional’s help.

However, if you have easily traced the problem and solving it is not a big deal, such as an under-inflated tire, you can save money by choosing not to contact your mechanic.

Why Is My Electric Car Shaking at High Speeds? Concluding Remarks

Electric cars can shake at high speeds due to problems with tires, rims, brakes, and axles. However, fortunately, the exact causes are easily noticeable and rectifiable. But here is the thing: you are lucky to have an electric car. Unlike the conventional ones, these vehicles are well-known for having far fewer vibrations, offering a smooth and comfortable ride—provided the faults discussed above are removed.