# Car shudders and jerks in 2nd and 3rd gear

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-shudders-and-jerks-in-2nd-and-3rd-gear/31293>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** clutches\
**Created:** [June 1, 2009, 7:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-shudders-and-jerks-in-2nd-and-3rd-gear/31293 "2009-06-01T19:38:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![shorteegrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@shorteegrrl](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shorteegrrl)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2009, 7:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-shudders-and-jerks-in-2nd-and-3rd-gear/31293/1 "2009-06-01T19:38:23Z")

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I have a 1996 Toyota Tercel, manual transmission, approx 163,000 miles. For the past month, the car has been jerking/shuddering when starting out in 2nd and 3rd gear. Does not happen at higher speeds/4th gear. Giving the car more gas doesn’t seem to help.  
  
  
  
 Any ideas what could be wrong? Could it have anything to do with the clutch? (clutch has never been replaced)

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**Author:** ![waterboy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/waterboy/32/764_2.png) [@waterboy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/waterboy)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2009, 10:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-shudders-and-jerks-in-2nd-and-3rd-gear/31293/2 "2009-06-01T22:14:29Z")

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Sounds like having the clutch checked would be a fine idea.

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2009, 10:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-shudders-and-jerks-in-2nd-and-3rd-gear/31293/3 "2009-06-01T22:24:19Z")

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Shuddering can be caused from a worn throw out bearing in the clutch assembly. Sounds like it’s clutch replacement time.

Tester