Hi,

I just bought a used 2005 Saturn Ion with 108,000 km on it a little over a week ago. It has developed an intermittent vibration. It isn't very loud, can't hear it even when the radio is on low but it does make the pedals vibrate a little. It happens about every two seconds and lasts for about a second each time. It seems like it happens at all speeds from stopped to very fast with no change in frequency or intensity but it's hard to tell for sure because it isn't very loud or strong.

Some things that may help figure out what the problem might be. This is a 5-speed manual transmission and a week ago I didn't know how to drive a manual transmission. I'm not mechanic but the increased stress of learning how to drive the manual transmission may give a hint on what it may be. Me and my father, who knows how to drive a standard, took it out for two nights before we bought it and didn't notice the noise. Also for the week that I had the car I also didn't notice the noise. It just started today.

Any idea what this might be?

Thanks for any suggestions,

David

 

Turn off the A/C, and see if your sound/vibration goes away .....

 

Hi,

It's only April (in Canada). You didn't know that from my previous post, but needless to say, the A/C was not on :-P.

Thanks for the tip,

David

 

Is it possibly a small oscillation in the rpms of the engine?

 

Well, since your statement says that the vibration occurs even when the car is stopped, then it is not any of the wheel bearings or brakes or tires. By any chance, is your cell phone (which is resting on the dash) set to the vibrate mode ???

Since the vibration is unchanging in frequency or duration, regardless of the speed travelled, it seems unlikely that the engine is to blame ...

 

Unless the rpms are pulsing at the same rate irrespective of rpm.....and you are feeling the equivalent of a "beat" frequency

 

Hi,

No, it's not the cell phone. As for RPMs, the tachometer doesn't change during the vibrations. When it vibrates it almost sounds like something is rattling. But it's hard to describe what I hear.

Thanks,

David

 

is the rattling coming from the exhaust?

 

Hi Gateway,

That's a good possibility. I will see if I can find out tonight.

Thanks,

David

 

It's really hard to tell whats vibrating from where I'm sitting, maybe if I were in the car and could hear it I would be able to hunt it down. Seeing I'm not in your car and none of the people on the internet other then you are in the car. I'll say your going to have to hunt it down.