# Car is jerking when going up hills and accelerating? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** mercury, sable\ **Created:** [November 2, 2009, 5:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-is-jerking-when-going-up-hills-and-accelerating/38950 "2009-11-02T17:28:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![louearly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dec6dc/32.png) [@louearly](https://community.cartalk.com/u/louearly)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 5:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-is-jerking-when-going-up-hills-and-accelerating/38950/1 "2009-11-02T17:28:06Z")
So when I am driving along and the vehicle is in top gear and I begin to go up a hill and the car needs to downshift to maintain the speed it begins to jerk around like it is having trouble downshifting. Also sometimes when sitting at a red light or stop sign the vehicle jerks a little. It will sometimes also have trouble taking off from a stop when I accelerate quickly; it is again a little jerky. I took it to the shop and they said there are no ?codes? on the transmission and they could not replicate the jerking when they took it out. It is a 2002 mercury sable LS with about 82000 miles on it. Anybody have any ideas what it may be so I can suggest it to the mechanic? ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 6:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-is-jerking-when-going-up-hills-and-accelerating/38950/2 "2009-11-02T18:42:39Z")
Automatic or manual transmission? Have the spark plugs been replaced? Do you know if the mileage may have gone down? ---
**Author:** ![louearly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dec6dc/32.png) [@louearly](https://community.cartalk.com/u/louearly)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 7:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-is-jerking-when-going-up-hills-and-accelerating/38950/3 "2009-11-02T19:16:33Z")
I just bought the vehicle so I am not sure if the spark plugs have been changed or if there has been a change in mileage. It is an automatic. ---
**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 7:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-is-jerking-when-going-up-hills-and-accelerating/38950/4 "2009-11-02T19:30:34Z")
I think I’m first thinking along the same lines as Mr. Meehan - my first guess would be misfiring rather than a transmission problem. And I’d start with a new set of plugs and wires, a check of the air filter, and a new fuel filter. ---
**Author:** ![louearly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dec6dc/32.png) [@louearly](https://community.cartalk.com/u/louearly)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-is-jerking-when-going-up-hills-and-accelerating/38950/5 "2009-11-02T19:52:23Z")
I did just replace the air filter last week. I am taking it in to the dealership tomorrow and will let them know what you suggested. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 8:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-is-jerking-when-going-up-hills-and-accelerating/38950/6 "2009-11-02T20:02:51Z")
Do you really want to go to the dealership for some reason? Any reputable, local, independent mechanic can work on this car - and probably for a lot less $$. ---
**Author:** ![louearly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dec6dc/32.png) [@louearly](https://community.cartalk.com/u/louearly)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 8:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-is-jerking-when-going-up-hills-and-accelerating/38950/7 "2009-11-02T20:07:30Z")
The dealership will be doing the work for free. Like I said I just purchased the vehicle two weeks ago, so they are willing to work out any issues I may have. ---
**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 8:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-is-jerking-when-going-up-hills-and-accelerating/38950/8 "2009-11-02T20:25:29Z")
ahhh…that makes sense. Make sure that you keep a good paper trail - I’d even take notes on conversations. If things drag out long enough you’ll eventually find “their problem” blending into “your problem.” ---
**Author:** ![bscar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar/32/34_2.png) [@bscar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 11:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-is-jerking-when-going-up-hills-and-accelerating/38950/9 "2009-11-02T23:37:47Z")
Spark plugs perhaps, or it could be the fuel pump going bad. things to have them do: all fluid changed(oil, transmission, etc), spark plugs and wires, air and fuel filter, and anything else mentioned in the owner’s manual for the miles on the car. ---
**Author:** ![rocketman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@rocketman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rocketman)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2009, 12:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-is-jerking-when-going-up-hills-and-accelerating/38950/10 "2009-11-03T00:54:40Z")
I’d bet that a set of spark plugs, spark plug wires, and a new cap & rotor will cure this jerking. Rocketman ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2009, 12:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-is-jerking-when-going-up-hills-and-accelerating/38950/11 "2009-11-03T00:58:22Z")
Change the FUEL FILTER first and see what happens… ---
**Author:** ![buggygirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@buggygirl](https://community.cartalk.com/u/buggygirl)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2009, 1:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-is-jerking-when-going-up-hills-and-accelerating/38950/12 "2009-11-03T13:22:07Z")
Do you mind telling me what you paid for the car. I ask because I have a 2002 Ford Taurus with 75000 miles on it and I am thinking about selling it. ---
**Author:** ![tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@tardis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tardis)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2009, 2:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-is-jerking-when-going-up-hills-and-accelerating/38950/13 "2009-11-03T14:21:34Z")
Does the 2002 Sable really have a distributor? That seems very unlikely. ---
**Author:** ![rocketman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@rocketman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rocketman)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2009, 4:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-is-jerking-when-going-up-hills-and-accelerating/38950/14 "2009-11-03T16:22:48Z")
Good point . . . can’t see it from here . . . but whatever is that equivalent in the '02 Sable in the ignition system to a distributor-point-cap-rotor setup, should be changed. Rocketman ---
**Author:** ![tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@tardis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tardis)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2009, 4:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-is-jerking-when-going-up-hills-and-accelerating/38950/15 "2009-11-03T16:53:19Z")
That would probably be COPs (Coil on Plug). Those are expensive to replace without knowing if any are at fault. (usually about $60 x 6 for the parts alone.) I do agree that there is a good chance that the problem is ignition related. Maybe the dealer will scope the coils. ---
**Author:** ![louearly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dec6dc/32.png) [@louearly](https://community.cartalk.com/u/louearly)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 1:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-is-jerking-when-going-up-hills-and-accelerating/38950/16 "2010-07-19T13:52:51Z")
Turns out it was a misfire under load. They replaced and re spaced the spark plugs and the problem was solved.