Odd Problem with Car

[Kevin R.]

Today I was waiting in line for the car wash, when i got up to being the next person to go in the bay my car started to shake really bad. Never been to this carwash before so I wasnt sure what I was parked on i figured it could be something shaky, so as the door lifted I proceded into the wash, car feeling better.

Car feels normal while it is washing.

After the wash, the "Exit" light comes on and I put the car into drive. When I hit the gas, the car will not rev above 1500rpm and makes a "not-so-good-sound".

I turn the car off, disregarding the mass line of people waiting to enter, and then turn it on again. I hit the gas, only for the same thing to happen, car will not go above 1500rpm and will not move forward over the little blocker bump stop thing.

I do this a good 4 more times before my car muscles its way over this bump and out of the wash.

I immediately shut her off and get out, check my oil, push my plugs down, check coolant, check everything.

When i turn it back on it runs fine.

I went and got gas as a possible problem and it has run fine ever since i started it that last time..

Now I'm paranoid something is "secretly" broken only to come back as a bigger problem later.

Any ideas of what could have happened?

*cliff notes*
Car vibrated. Wouldnt go over 1500 rpm. Finally got it to go. Turned off. Turned back on and runs fine again.

 

[DFG 5OH]

HAHA, that happened to me 2 days ago, i got gas, and it worked great...seems that out cars need gas to run. I hope this is your only problem. Good luck though.

BTW you should wash your own car man.

 

[Kevin R.]

I know i always wash my own car. Nice day today after freeze yesterday, went out to turn the hose on and it was still frozen.

Plus its a "touchless" wash, know it isnt good for clearcoat but neither is a pound of salt stuck to my car.

Would low gas make it shake like that?

 

[DFG 5OH]

thats exactly what happened to my car, it shook, and sputtered, i turned it off, and back on, and drove it another 30 miles till i got gas

 

[Chythar]

Would low gas make it shake like that?

Possibly. It all depends on what's in the tank. If you have a lot of sediment/rust/something in the tank, you run that stuff through the engine when you get low on fuel.

I would suggest not letting the tank get below 1/4 tank. At least for a while. If the problem doesn't come back, you probably need your tank cleaned out. How much gas did you have when this happened?

 

[Kevin R.]

less than 1/4