Q: Jerking when accelerating from a complete stop

asked by on February 25, 2017

Okay so I know NOTHING about cars and I just bought this car (my first car) from a dealer. It has quite some miles and I don't know much about how well it was treated before all I know is it had one owner. So, I noticed that my car jolts forward or "jerks" when I accelerate from a complete stop. Sometimes it won't if I'm not accelerating to a high speed quickly like in a neighborhood. But on a main road after stopping at red light, it's jerking me forward once I put my foot on the gas. but this happens ONLY after a complete stop. Any ideas??? The car didn't do this when I test drove it, but after I bought it this started. Drives beautifully other than this. And there are no lights coming on to indicate a problem.

My car has 120000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Transmission Fluid Service $140.08 - $502.73 Get a Quote

This kind of reaction is often a sign of low transmission fluid or a faulty transmission control solenoid. As you know, automatic transmissions use pressurized hydraulic fluid to change gears. Every time a gear change is required, the car’s computer activates a transmission solenoid, which directs transmission fluid into the valve body to engage the correct gear. When this is faulty or not working properly, this can cause a delay in gear shifting or in some cases cause the car to not shift at all. This type of problem is amplified any time the transmission is low on fluid creating a drop in hydraulic pressure. I would recommend having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your vehicle.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

What is the correct tire pressure?
The correct tire pressure for your vehicle can be found on the tire and information loading placard. This placard is located on the B-pillar, on the driver’s side, right next to the driver’s side door latch. It contains all the...
Car not starting after starter replacement
There are multiple issues that can cause a no start. When dealing with a situation the next best step would be to have a qualified technician perform a starting/charging system inspection (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/car-is-not-starting-inspection) to check the battery and starter for proper...
Alarm went off in Panic mode
This sounds like a good time to check the owner's manual to see if it mentions this at all. If it's an aftermarket alarm system, it may need to be manually reset through a certain procedure that is model specific....
Belt popped off car
The majority of the time, if the belt pops off the engine, either the belt or something else has broken. If the belt is not what broke originally, the belt may have been damaged after it came off by the...
Where can I purchase the limp-home buffer A2203280839 for the rear suspension in my 2003 E500 MBZ?
Hello. If your rear air suspension is lowered then it will likely need to be repaired before it can be restored to full height. Any component you need to make the repairs can likely be sourced from a Mercedez Benz...
How much for an oil change, battery change and alignment cost?
Billing question sent to CS for the cost of replacing the battery, changing the engine oil, and performing an alignment.
check engine light is not coming when engetion on even start the engone also oil level light continues workly how it solve?
Hi there. For the check engine light being on, check for any codes that could be stored in the computer as stored or pending. The codes will direct you to any issues that the vehicle may be having. If the...
My 2006 town and country Chrysler tire blew out and my car shit off automatically is that supposed to happen?
A tire blow out, by itself, will not shut off a vehicle's engine. Perhaps the ignition key got jostled out of position during the incident. If the ignition key was not jostled out of position, due to the blow out,...

Related articles

A Buyer’s Guide to the 2012 Volkswagen Golf
The The 2012 Volkswagen Golf offers comfort and an elegant design for a variety of transportation needs. The Golf is a solid vehicle, good size, and great value, especially when it comes to comparing prices of similar vehicles. Key Features...
A Buyer’s Guide to the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen
The The station wagon is making a big comeback with American car buyers. While SUVs are still popular, we’ve seen a lot more sales of compact SUVs, crossover utility vehicles, and sport wagons lately. Among those, the 2012 Volkwagen Jetta...
The Best Used Cars to Buy if You Live Close to the Ocean
If If you live close to the ocean, your vehicle is going to be far more vulnerable to rust than if you lived further inland. And the fact is, when it comes to resisting rust, not all vehicles are created...