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slight "shudder"

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by plantz, Aug 4, 2007.

  1. plantz

    plantz Junior Member

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    I have very recently noticed a very slight "shudder" in my 2005 at about 35 mph. At first I thought it was simply a rough road, but I notice it on smooth roads.

    I was in a minor accident a couple of weeks ago. I t-boned a guy who made a u-turn in front of me in the middle of the block in downtown San Francisco. I did not hit hard enough to break a headlight or set off any airbags. I've had it repaired. It buckled the front bumper slightly, barely cracked the foam behind the bumper, and cracked one of the brackets that holds the headlight. The total repair bill was $1,700. The body repair man said that the damage was not enough to affect alignment.

    I also notice that if I let off the gas slightly at about 35 mph so that the ICE stops, then press very gently on the accelerator, the ICE usually starts up with a slight roughness.

    I suspect that I'm being hypersensitive because my car is only 28 miles away from 36,000 --- when the overall warranty expires.

    My dealer wants $120 to check it out. They did a very thorough 30k maintenance (far more than necessary), so I would be surprised if anything would have escaped them then.

    I wonder if anyone else has noticed these effects.
     
  2. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    I have noticed that occasionally when I'm at sub-40MPH there's sometimes a less-than-smooth transition between battery-glide-ICE.

    To me, if the accident was sort of light as you explained, you might just be hypersensitive. I know I would be. And I am, like you, coming up on 36,000 miles.
     
  3. zqfmbg

    zqfmbg New Member

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    My car always seems to shudder a little whenever the ICE turns on and off. No accidents yet. :)

    The funniest is when the engine is turned on when the car is at a complete stop. You really notice it then.
     
  4. plantz

    plantz Junior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Aug 5 2007, 08:49 AM) [snapback]490870[/snapback]</div>
    Thanks for the reassuring thoughts.

    Another thing I realized about the handling is that the tires (OEM) are nearing the end of their life. They have worn reasonably evenly, but nothing is perfect. I've always noticed that handling feels much better with new tires. I suspect that thin tread amplifies any unevenness in wear patterns. I plan to get new tires and an alignment before the rainy season comes.