2004 HCH Shaking
 

Hello! I just bought a 2004 HCH with 71,000 miles on it. So far I love the car, but I have noticed that the car shakes during acceleration. We had a dealer replace the start clutch and do the whole burnishing procedure before we bought the car from an individual, so hopefully it doesn't have anything to do with that. Now that I am driving the car regularly, I notice that the car starts to shake when I am accelerate at higher speeds, around 35-65 mph. The shaking is not necessarily violent, but it shakes quite a bit more than I am used to. Does anyone know if this is normal for the hybrid engines? I figure there is a possibility that I just need to get used to the quirks of the car. Thank you for your help, and I look forward to a long life with this vehicle!

Re: 2004 HCH Shaking
 

That's not a normal quirk.
Maybe make sure the tires are balanced and the wheels are in good alignment. The one time I experienced a loud vibration on the highway it was due to a tire problem.

Re: 2004 HCH Shaking
 

Clean your EGR valve and see if that makes any difference.

Re: 2004 HCH Shaking
 

Thank you for the prompt responses! It does feel like the tires are out of alignment, but we had 2 mechanics check it out before we bought it and one of them said that they were aligned fine and should be good to go. Also, the car is fine when I am coasting at any speed, which leads me to think that it has more to do with the engine than the tires, brakes or bearings. I will clean the EGR valve this weekend and see if that helps. We had the start clutch replaced and the whole burnishing procedure done before we bought the car. Could something have gone wrong during those procedures that would cause the shuddering? Thank you again for the help! I will keep everyone posted about the progress!

Re: 2004 HCH Shaking
 

Well, it looks like it was actually the CV Joint Boot that needed to be replaced. From what I can tell, the dealership charged a fairly high price though, about $220 for just one boot replacement. Does that seem high to anyone else? This repair bill has brought another question to mind. I really want to take good care of the car, but is it necessary to take it in to a Honda dealer whenever something is wrong? If I do not feel comfortable trying to fix it, am I okay taking it to a regular mechanic? Thanks for the help!

Re: 2004 HCH Shaking
 

I'm glad you found the cause of the problem and it was fixed. Sorry to hear it cost so much.
You should be fine doing whatever maintenance you are able to do, or going to a good mechanic other than the dealership. Just keep all receipts so you have a good record showing you've done all the required maintenance the car needs.