Car shakes when slowing down from 60+

aphex

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When slowing down on the highway, the wheel on my Mazda3 shakes fairly violently until you get below 50-60mph

Is there something that would cause this?
 

aphex

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Originally posted by: AnnonUSA
Warped front Brake Rotors...

Well I just had the brakes done about 2-3 months ago.... Hmmmm
 

aphex

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lol, i just noticed my retarded thread title ;)

Yes, when braking from a high speed.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
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Sounds like bad front brakes. Eventually it may get bad enough to do it at low speed and you will feel the shake coinciding with the turn of the wheel (hard at high speed but when you're going at 15 mph you have a sense of how quickly the wheel is turning and you'll probably feel a rub each revolution, which is a sure sign it's the brakes).
 

Black88GTA

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Sep 9, 2003
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My BMW does this. Common problem on my car - although, in my case it's not the front brakes. My control arm / thrust arm bushings are worn out. Front brakes are the much more more likely cause in your case - but in case those check out fine, maybe take a look at your bushings.
 

jagec

Lifer
Apr 30, 2004
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Warped front brake rotors.

Try loosening and re-torquing your front tires to the specified torque in a star pattern. While the front end's in the air, of course. On some cars incorrect torquing is what causes the problem in the first place, although it's not 100%, and re-torquing may not cure it if they are badly warped.
 

M2008S

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Jan 4, 2006
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Originally posted by: aphex
Originally posted by: AnnonUSA
Warped front Brake Rotors...

Well I just had the brakes done about 2-3 months ago.... Hmmmm




who did them? shitty quality = shitty brakes. you get what you pay for ;)

if its warped front rotors youll probably feel a pulse in the pedal or the steering wheel will wabble.. check it out.
 

thomsbrain

Lifer
Dec 4, 2001
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Originally posted by: aphex
Originally posted by: AnnonUSA
Warped front Brake Rotors...

Well I just had the brakes done about 2-3 months ago.... Hmmmm

If you had them "turned" or "resurfaced," then they were left thinner than before and it is even easier to warp them the second time around. If you warped them enough to require the service, it wouldn't be too surprising that you warped them again in three months.

One other thing, though I don't think it is your problem: I once had nearly-worn-out front brake pads on my old Accord, and I used to get symptoms similar to warped discs when I had to brake really hard (coming down a steep hill at freeway speeds to a dead stop), with very violent pulsing, especially as you neared a stop. I got new pads but left the rotors untouched and the problem disappeared completely. I always wondered if maybe the thin pads were allowing the fluid to boil.
 

aphex

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Originally posted by: M2008S
Originally posted by: aphex
Originally posted by: AnnonUSA
Warped front Brake Rotors...

Well I just had the brakes done about 2-3 months ago.... Hmmmm




who did them? shitty quality = shitty brakes. you get what you pay for ;)

if its warped front rotors youll probably feel a pulse in the pedal or the steering wheel will wabble.. check it out.

The dealer.
 

fstime

Diamond Member
Jan 18, 2004
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I had a similar problem. When I inspected it, turned out the anti rattle spring was missing.

A $2 part. Only seemed to effect me on the highway, felt almost like ABS was engaging.
 

aphex

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Ok, got to drive it on the highway again....

Your descriptions above are correct, it feels like a WOBBLE when i step on the brake going over 50+, and I do indeed feel the wobble in the brake as well.

If they machined my rotors 3 months ago when the dealer replaced my brakes , could they have gotten warped so quickly?
 

programmer

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Mar 12, 2003
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Dealer work usually has a warranty, maybe 90 days, maybe 12 mos. Check your receipt and take it back.
 

Demo24

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Aug 5, 2004
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depends on what the dealer actually did, did they just replace the brake pads or actually machine your rotors?

Theoretically if you brake from that speed hard enough you can morph them temporarily back into shape. Will have to do it several times though.
 

Squisher

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
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The dealer might have done a brake job without turning the rotors because they couldn't. A lot of vehicles being sold today are done so with rotors that are not machinable. They are made with the rotors at the lowest limit to lower weight and improve mpg.
 

aphex

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Jul 19, 2001
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Originally posted by: Ticky
All it takes is once...

Ever warp a pan taking it out of the oven?

Am i doing something to warp them?
 

redgtxdi

Diamond Member
Jun 23, 2004
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I'm gonna give my decade-long opinion (probably 2 decades now).........


Todays brake components are made for sh!t!!!!! ESPECIALLY, ROTORS!!!!!!!



I am so sick of the cheap junk passed off as good anymore that it makes me sick. Even factory stuff is BARELY good enough anymore.

Companies like Brembo wouldn't be doing so well if OEM was engineered well from the get-go.

I could go on forever, but suffice to say that you will probably need new rotors. Another beef of mine is that you can't even TURN rotors anymore. They're so light & thin that ***IF*** they make it thru one pad's life, their life is over.