15 Reasons Why Your Nissan Rogue Shakes

Nissan Rogues are known to be reliable. So, when yours starts to shake, you may then ask yourself why does my Nissan Rogue shake? What can I do about it?

When a vehicle shakes uncontrollably it can be a clear indication that something is wrong. However, when does the vehicle start to shake? Does it shake when you are idling, accelerating, driving at higher speeds, or when you start to slow down? This is important to pay attention to because if your vehicle shakes when it is idling, it could be a completely different set of issues than if it shakes when you are slowing down and coming to a stop. 

Why does my Nissan Rogue shake?

The most common reasons a Nissan Rogue will shake are related to issues concerning the tires, engine firing, the brake system, engine mount, suspension, ignition system, timing belt, oxygen sensors, fuel injectors, inner CV joints, drive shaft, air filters, vacuum leak, or the alignment of the vehicle. 

With so many different issues that could be causing your Nissan Rogue to shake when it is in operation, it is important that you pay attention to when you are experiencing the shaking. 

Different issues will cause your vehicle to shake in different stages of driving a Nissan Rogue. 

The main stages to pay attention to that can help you diagnose your vehicle problems are idling, accelerating, driving at high speeds, and slowing down or braking. 

Let us take a look at all the different issues that could be causing your vehicle to shake in these distinctly different stages of driving as well as  go over some solutions to fix the issues. 

If you are not 100% about why your Nissan Rogue is shaking, you can have your vehicle inspected by a Nissan technician or by a local mechanic typically for somewhere around $100. 

As the expert, they can drive your vehicle, determine when the shaking occurs, what the cause could be, and offer solutions. It is these experts that we have consulted to gather information about the most common causes of vehicle shaking in the Nissan Rogue. 

Based on their experience and their ability to communicate potential problems and then offer solutions, we have compiled a list for your reference. 

Some of the solutions you may be able to take care of on your own, others, you may have to seek the help of a professional. 

Either way, all the information you need to make that decision is compiled here for you.

Common causes of vehicle shaking in the Nissan Rogue

Nissan makes extremely dependable and long-lasting cars and SUVs, so if your Nissa Rogue starts to shake, you should address the issue immediately to make sure you are properly maintaining the vehicle to maximize its lifespan. Again, it is important to note when the vehicle begins to shake to help get to the bottom of the root cause of the shaking. 

Does your Nissan start shaking when it is idle? When you are accelerating? Or, does it only shake when you are at higher speeds on the freeway? Or maybe it doesn’t shake at all when you are accelerating and driving at high speeds, but when you start to push down on the brakes to slow down, then you start to feel your brake pedal push back and the vehicle begins to shake? Let us take a look at what some of the issues could be based on when your vehicle begins to shake.

Idling

If you notice your Nissan Rogue begins to shake and make odd noises when you first start up your vehicle and let it idle while remaining in “park”, then you may have a problem with the ignition system, a vacuum leak, issues with the motor mount, or something could be wrong with you timing belt or chain. Let’s take a closer look at these potential issues. 

Ignition system issues

If you are experiencing vehicle shaking when you are trying to start your car and the car struggles to stay running when it idles, then you may need to investigate the components of your ignition system. The ignition system is responsible for burning the mix of air and fuel that flows into the combustion chamber of your engine. 

If the spark is weak, your Nissan Rogue will shake, misfire, and struggle to stay running when you are idling. Check out these components of your ignition system as one or all of the following could be the issue.

• Spark plugs: Faulty or eroded spark plugs could lead to a vehicle shaking and idling rough. You should be replacing your spark plugs every 30,000 miles in your Nissan Rogue.
• Spark plug wires: Not every model of the Nissan Rogue has spark plug wires, however, if your model does, you should be replacing those as well when you replace your spark plugs. Bad spark plug wires could be another reason your vehicle is shaking and idling rough. 
• Ignition coil packs: Ignition coil packs are fired by the engine’s computer at a precise time to provide optimal ignition. A bad ignition coil pack can also cause your vehicle to shake, misfire, and idle rough. 

Motor mount

The motor mount connects to the chassis. If the motor mount is starting to go, then you will feel the vehicle shake while it is idling but also when it is in gear. 

It could also feel unsteady as you transition between the gears. If you are feeling the shaking as you are idling or as you are in gear but you do not see any drop in RPM, then your engine is most likely not misfiring, but instead, your motor mount is worn out. 

Timing belt/timing chain 

If the timing belt or the timing chain is not lined up properly with the camshaft and crank, you could experience some vehicle shaking when your Nissan Rogue is idling. 

Air filter

Your air filter in a Nissan Rogue should be replaced every 10,000 or 15,000 miles depending on the conditions of where you live. For example, if you live in Arizona or Southern California where there is a lot of sand and dust in the air, you may want to change your air filter every 10,000 miles.

A clogged air filter can make your engine run rough and may cause some vehicle shaking when idling.

Oxygen Sensors

Oxygen sensors help to monitor the exhaust to calculate the proper air/fuel mix. A bad oxygen sensor can cause your engine to run too rich or too lean. If the engine is running lean, then it can shake when idling but the shaking will decrease as the vehicle speed increases. 

Fuel injectors

Fuel injectors are responsible for taking liquid gasoline and converting it into a fine mist before combustion. Bad fuel injectors can flood the engine and cause your vehicle to idle and run rough.

Vacuum leak

A bad vacuum hose or intake manifold gasket can disturb the vacuum that the engine of a Nissan Rogue creates when it is running. Any leak anywhere in the vacuum system will cause the vehicle to shake when idling. 

Accelerating

If you are noticing the shaking is occurring while you are accelerating your vehicle, then there are several different issues that you may want to investigate immediately. 

Misfires

If your Nissan Rogue continuously shakes during acceleration, then your engine could be misfiring. Misfires occur when one or several components of the ignition system go bad. Be sure to check out the spark plugs, spark plug wires, and coil packs to see if any need to be replaced.

Inner CV joint

If your inner CV joint is bad, you may notice some shaking when accelerating and when turning corners. The inner CV joint sends power to the front wheels, and if it is faulty, it will be noticeable. 

Driveshaft

If you have an all-wheel-drive or rear-wheel-drive Nissan Rogue, then a dented, bent, or damaged driveshaft or universal joint can cause your vehicle to vibrate and shake when accelerating. You should seek the help of a mechanic to see if you need to replace your universal joint or driveshaft.

Stuck brake caliper

A stuck brake caliper can cause a Nissan Rogue to shake when accelerating. It can also cause a vehicle to pull to the right or pull to the left depending on which side has the stuck caliper. If this is the case, you will also feel the shaking of the vehicle strongly in the steering wheel. 

Poor alignment/tire balance

Poor alignment can cause a vehicle to shake due to uneven wear and tear to the tires. Additionally, if your tire weights have fallen off, your tire balance could be off causing them to vibrate.

Driving at high speeds (freeway driving)

If you notice your vehicle shaking when you are traveling at higher speeds on a highway or freeway, then you could be looking at a whole other set of issues. 

Engine shudder

If your engine is not getting enough fuel, air, or electricity when you are traveling at higher speeds, t could be a clear indication of some troubles in the engine or the alternator. If you experience engine shudder, you should visit a Nissan technician or mechanic immediately. 

Wheel axle

A bent front axle may not be as noticeable at slower speeds, but once you get up above 50 or 60 mph, the wobble that can occur from having a bent axle will become extremely apparent. 

Wheel alignment

If your alignment is off, then you may feel your vehicle pull to one side or the other as it continuously shakes. You can take your vehicle in for a professional alignment and tire rotation to help. 

Braking and slowing down

When it comes to braking and slowing down, the most obvious reason your Nissan Rogue may begin to shake is that there is a problem with the brake system. If your brake pads are worn down, not only can your vehicle shake, but you may also hear a grinding noise. 

If you are noticing shaking when you slow down, you should take your vehicle to see a brake specialist so they can replace the parts that are no longer effective.