# Car shakes

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-shakes/69663>\
**Category:** General Discussion\
**Created:** [November 25, 2011, 2:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-shakes/69663 "2011-11-25T02:16:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![AK1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7c8e57/32.png) [@AK1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/AK1)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 2:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-shakes/69663/1 "2011-11-25T02:16:40Z")

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I have a 2008 Chevrolet with a V8 5.3 liter engine. When idle or at low speed the car shakes. When accelerating there is a drag. What could be the problem? And how can I resolve it?

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 6:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-shakes/69663/2 "2011-11-25T06:29:21Z")

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First you need to tell us how many miles are on the odometer, and you also need to give us the car’s maintenance history–in detail–over the past 3 years. Is the car used mostly for highway driving, mostly for city driving, or a mixture of the two?

Also, is the Check Engine Light illuminated? If so, is it steadily lit or is it flashing/blinking?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AK1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7c8e57/32.png) [@AK1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/AK1)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 1:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-shakes/69663/3 "2011-11-25T13:11:45Z")

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Mileage on the car is 22,000 miles. Check engine light illuminated. The car went for the scheduled maintenance at the dealer ship, in addition the spark plugs, spark plug wires, and engine gate have changed with new ones.

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**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 25, 2011, 3:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-shakes/69663/4 "2011-11-25T15:34:02Z")

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```
That CEL (check engine light) is just a kid in class waving her hand trying to get you attention because she has the answer. You need to have the codes read. Some places will read them for FREE. Try Autozone or Advanced Auto Parts. Get the exact code (like P0123) not just their translation into English and post it back here.
```