Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Car shudders between 40-50 mph. Help!

It only does it while accelerating. If I coast and get up to speed, nothing. It's weird, it just started today. In the middle of a 750 mile trip. I just kept driving, hopefully I didn't make it worse.

Does anybody have a clue?

Is it staying in higher gear when you accelerate? i.e. Is it not downshifting when you hit the gas?

Could be transmission shudder.

It could be something as simple as reprogramming the engine computer. (ECM)

How does one do that? Can you buy the equipment for that?

I have been toying with the OBD-II computer interface. Can you get a PCM programmer? Is that Dealer only?

Well, it's a 5 speed. And it doesn't seem to matter about rpm's or gear selection. It starts out gradually about 35 and seems to fade off after 50. I took a trip to NY Thurs. where it rained 11hrs out of a 12hr trip. The car then sat for 3 days without being driven. I drove some Sunday with no problems. It only started on Monday on the trip back, about 6hrs into the trip. Hopefully this info helps.

Thinking out loud...tranny or motor mount maby.

A little more background. It's a 2000 model, but has 73,000 miles. A mechanic (motorcycle) here at work seems to think it might be the cv joints going out. I'm going to get the alignment shop next door to take a look at it this week.

Ken,
Just got back from my road trip vacation and on the way home I experienced the same troubles that you have incurred. It happens exactly as you described it and at the same mph range. I still am not sure but I think its our motor mounts. Have you had it fixed or diagnosed yet?
Keep me posted if you do.

Thanks
Ken (another one)
1999 svt, 65k

We had the same thing happen. Trip started out great, car drove great, then on the way home.... got a shudder. Ours was at about 60mph.

We replaced the engine mounts (4) at $500.
We replaced the transmount(s) $100

We also had to buy new axles due to the bearings being shot. We would have just rebuilt them, but because a previous idiot had stripped the threads we had to buy new ones. That was $320, plus we had to pay $120 because we didn't have any cores to use.

So, about $1000 later, the car drives as smooth as silk again.

If we could just get rid of the stalling, we'd have a nice car.