Why does my car shake when I brake but not the rotors?
If your car is shaking when you apply the brakes, but the brake rotors appear to be in good condition, the issue may be related to other components in your braking system. This can be caused by a variety of factors, including worn suspension parts, unbalanced wheels, or issues with the brake calipers or pads.
Potential Causes of Brake Shaking
- Worn Suspension Components: Worn or damaged suspension parts, such as ball joints, tie rods, or control arms, can cause the car to shake or vibrate when braking. These components are responsible for keeping the wheels properly aligned and stable, and if they are worn, they can allow the wheels to move excessively, leading to brake shaking.
- Unbalanced Wheels: If your wheels are not properly balanced, it can cause the car to shake or vibrate, especially when braking. This is because the unbalanced weight of the wheel can cause it to wobble or vibrate, which can then be transferred to the braking system.
- Brake Caliper Issues: If the brake calipers are sticking or not functioning properly, it can cause the brake pads to wear unevenly, leading to a shaking or pulsing sensation when braking. This can also be caused by a problem with the caliper slide pins or the caliper mounting.li>
- Worn Brake Pads: If the brake pads are worn down to the point where the metal backing plate is making contact with the rotor, it can cause the car to shake or vibrate when braking. This is because the metal-on-metal contact can create an uneven braking force, leading to the shaking sensation.
If you are experiencing brake shaking, it's important to have your vehicle inspected by a qualified mechanic to determine the root cause of the issue. They can diagnose the problem and recommend the appropriate repairs to restore smooth, stable braking performance.
Can bad struts cause shaking when braking?
Worn suspension components
For example, in a strut-style suspension, the brake rotor mounts to the steering knuckle, which, in turn, mounts to the strut. As such, problems with the strut assembly can cause a shaking while braking.
How do I fix my car shaking when I brake?
How to fix the shaking issue. First, make sure each of your tires doesn't have any worn parts. If your tires are badly worn, then it's time to change your tires. If your car is vibrating because of the worn brake rotors and pads, take your car to a professional repair shop to have them replaced or fixed.
How to tell if rotors are bad?
Some common symptoms of bad rotors include vibration or pulsation in the steering wheel, high-pitched squealing noise when braking, shaking steering wheel, brake pedal pulsing, vehicle taking a long time to stop, loud bangs while braking, large edges on the outer part of the brake rotor, and scratch marks on the rotor.
Can tie rods cause shaking when braking?
This type of steering wheel shaking can be caused by bad tie rod ends, bad ball joints or control arm bushings, worn-out shocks, or a worn-out steering stabilizer.
How to test for a bad wheel bearing?
Fine. Now with the vehicle up off the ground you're going to grab the left and right hand side of the wheel. And give it a little shake. If there's any play or any kind of clunkiness.
How to diagnose a bad ball joint?
Wiggle. It back and forth pushing in and out feeling for any play. When I say play you're gonna feel some type of movement your tires should be solid.
Is it safe to drive my car if it shakes when I brake?
A shaking car when braking is a serious issue, not just affecting the smoothness of your ride but potentially compromising safety and leading to further vehicle damage. It may indicate problems like worn-out brake rotors, uneven brake pads, suspension issues, damaged wheel bearings, tire problems, or alignment issues.
What do blown struts feel like?
Bouncy ride
Excessive bouncing when you hit a bump can be a signal that your shocks and struts aren't working effectively. Your vehicle should settle after hitting a bump and not continue to bounce. Worn shocks and struts aren't able to effectively absorb road impacts and soften the bump.
Can a bad ball joint cause shaking while braking?
Warped rotors would make the wheel shake in your hands when braking. But you tend not to experience changes in direction all that much. It sounds like under suspension loading your alignment is going out. This can be caused by broken bushings as mentioned below, as well as worn ball joints and tie rod ends.
Can a bad wheel bearing cause vibration when braking?
Yes they can! A badly worn wheel bearing can allow sufficient wobble on the brake rotor/disk to push the brake pads back into the calliper when the brakes are not being applied. This can result in the brakes feeling very spongy, especially on firs...
