Drive fast, brake vibrates/rattles
itsjustme2277
05-17-2010, 01:51 PM
Hi,
I have a Honda civic 2004, bought it new, only 40,000 miles. I had an accident about a year after I bought the car back in early 2004 that hit the front-right side, and I believe they replaced the axis or something because it was broken.
I’ve never had any problem though since the accident (knock on wood), until recently when I drive fast (above 50 or 60) and hit the break, it rattles/vibrates on the front side (the whole front). It doesn’t occur when I drive slow.
I haven’t changed either the break pads or the rotor since I bought it. Could that be the problem? Is it save to drive the car still or do I need to get it checked asap?
Thank you for your help.
I have a Honda civic 2004, bought it new, only 40,000 miles. I had an accident about a year after I bought the car back in early 2004 that hit the front-right side, and I believe they replaced the axis or something because it was broken.
I’ve never had any problem though since the accident (knock on wood), until recently when I drive fast (above 50 or 60) and hit the break, it rattles/vibrates on the front side (the whole front). It doesn’t occur when I drive slow.
I haven’t changed either the break pads or the rotor since I bought it. Could that be the problem? Is it save to drive the car still or do I need to get it checked asap?
Thank you for your help.
Wil C
05-17-2010, 11:21 PM
safe to drive.
First check how much front brake pads you have left. If there is a lot and you can deal with this issue of vibration, wait till the next time you have to change the brake pads and change the rotors at the same time. Best way to save money.
If you can't stand the vibrations I suggest changing the brake pads and rotors.
That should solve your problem.
Cheers.
First check how much front brake pads you have left. If there is a lot and you can deal with this issue of vibration, wait till the next time you have to change the brake pads and change the rotors at the same time. Best way to save money.
If you can't stand the vibrations I suggest changing the brake pads and rotors.
That should solve your problem.
Cheers.
xxxjwxxx
05-18-2010, 04:43 PM
Hi,
I have a Honda civic 2004, bought it new, only 40,000 miles. I had an accident about a year after I bought the car back in early 2004 that hit the front-right side, and I believe they replaced the axis or something because it was broken.
I’ve never had any problem though since the accident (knock on wood), until recently when I drive fast (above 50 or 60) and hit the break, it rattles/vibrates on the front side (the whole front). It doesn’t occur when I drive slow.
I haven’t changed either the break pads or the rotor since I bought it. Could that be the problem? Is it save to drive the car still or do I need to get it checked asap?
Thank you for your help.
You might want to look into your brake rotors being 'warped'.
http://www.propartsusa.com/brake-pad-bed-in-articles-a-3.html
Here is an article that describes what you might be experiencing.
Stock brake pads typically tend to 'warp' the rotors due to pad transfer, if it were me, i would just replace them all.
I have a Honda civic 2004, bought it new, only 40,000 miles. I had an accident about a year after I bought the car back in early 2004 that hit the front-right side, and I believe they replaced the axis or something because it was broken.
I’ve never had any problem though since the accident (knock on wood), until recently when I drive fast (above 50 or 60) and hit the break, it rattles/vibrates on the front side (the whole front). It doesn’t occur when I drive slow.
I haven’t changed either the break pads or the rotor since I bought it. Could that be the problem? Is it save to drive the car still or do I need to get it checked asap?
Thank you for your help.
You might want to look into your brake rotors being 'warped'.
http://www.propartsusa.com/brake-pad-bed-in-articles-a-3.html
Here is an article that describes what you might be experiencing.
Stock brake pads typically tend to 'warp' the rotors due to pad transfer, if it were me, i would just replace them all.
itsjustme2277
05-18-2010, 07:35 PM
safe to drive.
First check how much front brake pads you have left. If there is a lot and you can deal with this issue of vibration, wait till the next time you have to change the brake pads and change the rotors at the same time. Best way to save money.
If you can't stand the vibrations I suggest changing the brake pads and rotors.
That should solve your problem.
Cheers.
Thank you so much for your help. I really appreciate it.
First check how much front brake pads you have left. If there is a lot and you can deal with this issue of vibration, wait till the next time you have to change the brake pads and change the rotors at the same time. Best way to save money.
If you can't stand the vibrations I suggest changing the brake pads and rotors.
That should solve your problem.
Cheers.
Thank you so much for your help. I really appreciate it.
itsjustme2277
05-18-2010, 07:36 PM
You might want to look into your brake rotors being 'warped'.
http://www.propartsusa.com/brake-pad-bed-in-articles-a-3.html
Here is an article that describes what you might be experiencing.
Stock brake pads typically tend to 'warp' the rotors due to pad transfer, if it were me, i would just replace them all.
Thank you so much for your help and the article!
http://www.propartsusa.com/brake-pad-bed-in-articles-a-3.html
Here is an article that describes what you might be experiencing.
Stock brake pads typically tend to 'warp' the rotors due to pad transfer, if it were me, i would just replace them all.
Thank you so much for your help and the article!
LTee_
04-05-2012, 10:43 PM
yeah i have the same problem with my car. i have a 2001 honda civic and i've never been in an accident. there are a few things i have to get done but nothing that i know of with the breaks.
sometimes when i break it makes a squeaky sound. and sometimes when im breaking from the highway it vibrates pretty bad. what can the problem be?
sometimes when i break it makes a squeaky sound. and sometimes when im breaking from the highway it vibrates pretty bad. what can the problem be?
Thomas Sams
03-27-2014, 05:13 AM
If it working good then you no need to worry but for secure side take your car to nearest auto workshop and ask him to cheeking break pad.
If mechanic feel any problem then change it other then enjoy your ride with old break pad.
If mechanic feel any problem then change it other then enjoy your ride with old break pad.
Aarons Autosport
05-16-2015, 12:56 AM
yeah i have the same problem with my car. i have a 2001 honda civic and i've never been in an accident. there are a few things i have to get done but nothing that i know of with the breaks.
sometimes when i break it makes a squeaky sound. and sometimes when im breaking from the highway it vibrates pretty bad. what can the problem be?
Well, that squeaky sound could just be worn brake pads and there is a little bit of metal on metal going on, or it could be cheap brake pads that have dusted up the rotor.
That vibration could be a bad alignment. I remember having that issue on my old car. Not sure though..
www.aaronsautosport.com
sometimes when i break it makes a squeaky sound. and sometimes when im breaking from the highway it vibrates pretty bad. what can the problem be?
Well, that squeaky sound could just be worn brake pads and there is a little bit of metal on metal going on, or it could be cheap brake pads that have dusted up the rotor.
That vibration could be a bad alignment. I remember having that issue on my old car. Not sure though..
www.aaronsautosport.com
johnbradshow
07-06-2015, 05:41 PM
My car made the same squeaky noise usually when the brake pads were almost out to a point that the metal thing in the pads touching the brake rotors. But I could only hear the noise at low speed, so you may have a totally different issue (especially the vibration). I would take it to a mechanic to check it out right away.:loser:
Aarons Autosport
07-08-2015, 10:15 AM
What causes it?
If the brake rotors installed on the vehicle have more than .05mm of run out (where the brake rotor moves from side to side more than a minimal amount of .05mm), then brake vibration will occur through the steering. Usually, this is due to one of two different reasons. The face of the disc may have some rust or dirt on it, which is causing the run out figure to be incorrect. Such build up may occur during the lifetime of the rotor, and this can cause the run out to be up to five times the limit installed by the factory. If the problem is not due to this, it may be that a ‘thin spot’ has occurred on the rotor (where there has been intermittent pad contact instead of a constant motion). When the brake pedal is pressed this causes the brake vibration to occur. This is technically known as Disc Thickness Variation, or DTV for short.
As it is essential that your brakes run true, this must be sorted out as quickly as possible.
How to rectify the problem
The first thing to do is to determine whether it is the front or rear rotors that are causing the brake vibration. If the steering wheel itself is shaking, it is more likely to be the front, whereas if the whole car and bodywork shakes, it will probably be the rear. Additionally, it is not necessarily the pair of rotors that are the problem; it may only be one of them. Finding the location of the shaking is the first step to solving the problem, however.
Depending on whether you undertake your own mechanical work, there are two routes to take here. Firstly, you can rectify the brake vibration yourself, or secondly, you can take the vehicle to a garage to resolve the issue. Either way, if the problem is a dirty disc surface, having the rotors turned or skimmed to present a clean, smooth surface to the brake pads can solve this. If the rotors have a thin spot, they will need to be replaced with new ones. Regardless of which method you choose, they must be checked when fitted back to the car that the run out is the correct measurement.
www.aaronsautosport.com
If the brake rotors installed on the vehicle have more than .05mm of run out (where the brake rotor moves from side to side more than a minimal amount of .05mm), then brake vibration will occur through the steering. Usually, this is due to one of two different reasons. The face of the disc may have some rust or dirt on it, which is causing the run out figure to be incorrect. Such build up may occur during the lifetime of the rotor, and this can cause the run out to be up to five times the limit installed by the factory. If the problem is not due to this, it may be that a ‘thin spot’ has occurred on the rotor (where there has been intermittent pad contact instead of a constant motion). When the brake pedal is pressed this causes the brake vibration to occur. This is technically known as Disc Thickness Variation, or DTV for short.
As it is essential that your brakes run true, this must be sorted out as quickly as possible.
How to rectify the problem
The first thing to do is to determine whether it is the front or rear rotors that are causing the brake vibration. If the steering wheel itself is shaking, it is more likely to be the front, whereas if the whole car and bodywork shakes, it will probably be the rear. Additionally, it is not necessarily the pair of rotors that are the problem; it may only be one of them. Finding the location of the shaking is the first step to solving the problem, however.
Depending on whether you undertake your own mechanical work, there are two routes to take here. Firstly, you can rectify the brake vibration yourself, or secondly, you can take the vehicle to a garage to resolve the issue. Either way, if the problem is a dirty disc surface, having the rotors turned or skimmed to present a clean, smooth surface to the brake pads can solve this. If the rotors have a thin spot, they will need to be replaced with new ones. Regardless of which method you choose, they must be checked when fitted back to the car that the run out is the correct measurement.
www.aaronsautosport.com
LewisC
09-23-2015, 03:35 AM
Sorry for keeping the post alive (2015) LOL.
Oh well, just wanted to add my experience in case it might help others having similar problems with severe steering wheel shake at highway speeds (50+ mph)
I was frustrated doing a recent search online because it brought up a gamut of potential solutions from checking the braking system to possible transmission problems or installing new motor mounts!
As most everyone else has mentioned so far it could probably be something as simple as a failing brake component but my case is slightly different.
I had recently bought new tires for my 2001 Honda Civic LX and got them balanced.
In my case it simply turned out to be that I needed new struts (front shocks). Apparently my shocks were pretty bad but I never noticed a problem. I'm a calm driver; not one for aggressive driving so I guess the old tires were worn down in a way so that the wheel oscillations didn't get too bad to where the entire steering would shake. This being the case, I did not know I needed new shocks when I bought my new tires.
So I'm posting just in case it might help someone. Check your shocks if you have severe shake in the steering wheel while driving at high speeds and you have brand new tires and they were balanced. Same as others, it took me a while to figure this out because the car would drive just fine slower than 40 mph but getting on the freeway was like off-roading on boulders; the shake was so terrible.
After searching online and trying to narrow down what could be the issue as well as asking a few questionable "mechanics" at supposedly "reputable" shops and noticing not any good simple solutions to this problem posted anywhere, I decided to post this to hopefully help someone who might have a similar issue.
I went to 2 different shops and the guys were trying to tell me that I needed a new driveshaft, cv joints, and motor or transmission mounts, or new rims and tires!!!! :evillol:
Moral of the story - do your research and try to get a second opinion if possible.
After looking on different boards I kept on reading stuff where it sounded like people were telling the person to replace the entire suspension. After searching a bit I just decided to grab a flashlight and try to "see" what was going with my front wheels. The cv joints were fine. No leaks or clicking sounds when I turned the steering wheel left or right...but then I noticed the torn strut dampers inside the springs...yep shocks were pretty much dead. The shocks were leaking hydraulic fluid all over the place. The odd thing was that they weren't soft either. In other words the car didn't just wobble up and down if you pushed down on the front bumper as you might think if the shocks were bad. With my old tires the car's performance didn't indicate that my shocks were that bad.
Took my car to my neighbor's mechanic with some new shocks and asked him to install them. Car was riding smooth again!!
No suspension overhaul or new transmission or some other more costly repair.
Like others have mentioned:
If your steering is normal at low speed but really bumpy at higher speeds with brand new and balanced tires it could be most likely some suspension component.
Check out for:
- leaky front shocks
- warped brake rotors
- warped rims or bulge in defective tires
- tires not properly balanced when installed
- or some failing suspension component - tie rods, stabilizer bars, missing bushings
My guess is that since shocks are supposed to dampen the wheel oscillations as the tires roll down the road; your car might not shake too bad when you are driving slowly, but once your tires are spinning really fast and you have bad shocks it can feel like your car is going to drive off the road.
I am not a mechanic, but just use common sense and try to figure things out for myself. This might not be the same problem you might be having with your shaking car...but I encourage you to take a look under the car and have a friend turn the steering wheel left and right to see if you can find if something is loose or missing from one side of the suspension or the other. Sometimes that's all you need to do to solve the problem.
Obviously, be safe at all times...make sure the car is in park and reinforce the tires to keep the car from rolling over or away from you whenever your are working on your car.
Good luck - hope this helps.
Oh well, just wanted to add my experience in case it might help others having similar problems with severe steering wheel shake at highway speeds (50+ mph)
I was frustrated doing a recent search online because it brought up a gamut of potential solutions from checking the braking system to possible transmission problems or installing new motor mounts!
As most everyone else has mentioned so far it could probably be something as simple as a failing brake component but my case is slightly different.
I had recently bought new tires for my 2001 Honda Civic LX and got them balanced.
In my case it simply turned out to be that I needed new struts (front shocks). Apparently my shocks were pretty bad but I never noticed a problem. I'm a calm driver; not one for aggressive driving so I guess the old tires were worn down in a way so that the wheel oscillations didn't get too bad to where the entire steering would shake. This being the case, I did not know I needed new shocks when I bought my new tires.
So I'm posting just in case it might help someone. Check your shocks if you have severe shake in the steering wheel while driving at high speeds and you have brand new tires and they were balanced. Same as others, it took me a while to figure this out because the car would drive just fine slower than 40 mph but getting on the freeway was like off-roading on boulders; the shake was so terrible.
After searching online and trying to narrow down what could be the issue as well as asking a few questionable "mechanics" at supposedly "reputable" shops and noticing not any good simple solutions to this problem posted anywhere, I decided to post this to hopefully help someone who might have a similar issue.
I went to 2 different shops and the guys were trying to tell me that I needed a new driveshaft, cv joints, and motor or transmission mounts, or new rims and tires!!!! :evillol:
Moral of the story - do your research and try to get a second opinion if possible.
After looking on different boards I kept on reading stuff where it sounded like people were telling the person to replace the entire suspension. After searching a bit I just decided to grab a flashlight and try to "see" what was going with my front wheels. The cv joints were fine. No leaks or clicking sounds when I turned the steering wheel left or right...but then I noticed the torn strut dampers inside the springs...yep shocks were pretty much dead. The shocks were leaking hydraulic fluid all over the place. The odd thing was that they weren't soft either. In other words the car didn't just wobble up and down if you pushed down on the front bumper as you might think if the shocks were bad. With my old tires the car's performance didn't indicate that my shocks were that bad.
Took my car to my neighbor's mechanic with some new shocks and asked him to install them. Car was riding smooth again!!
No suspension overhaul or new transmission or some other more costly repair.
Like others have mentioned:
If your steering is normal at low speed but really bumpy at higher speeds with brand new and balanced tires it could be most likely some suspension component.
Check out for:
- leaky front shocks
- warped brake rotors
- warped rims or bulge in defective tires
- tires not properly balanced when installed
- or some failing suspension component - tie rods, stabilizer bars, missing bushings
My guess is that since shocks are supposed to dampen the wheel oscillations as the tires roll down the road; your car might not shake too bad when you are driving slowly, but once your tires are spinning really fast and you have bad shocks it can feel like your car is going to drive off the road.
I am not a mechanic, but just use common sense and try to figure things out for myself. This might not be the same problem you might be having with your shaking car...but I encourage you to take a look under the car and have a friend turn the steering wheel left and right to see if you can find if something is loose or missing from one side of the suspension or the other. Sometimes that's all you need to do to solve the problem.
Obviously, be safe at all times...make sure the car is in park and reinforce the tires to keep the car from rolling over or away from you whenever your are working on your car.
Good luck - hope this helps.
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