Steering Wheel Shaking

The other day I was coming down a very steep hill and hit my brakes, not very hard. The steering wheel started to shake violently only when I hit my brakes. It didn't do it when going down a flat road or at least not that I noticed. Could this be due to warped rotors? I have looked at them they look fairly smooth but could this be a sign of them starting to warp or something else entirely? Your help would be very much appreciated.

Thanks!

Going to need a bit more information then you supplied in your initial post. Year? Mileage? 2.0 2.4? But regardless I'm sure you already know this wheel shaking could be from an assortment of many things from a tire being flat, you could need new brake rods, pads.

Its a 2005 Stratus SXT, about 45000 miles, not sure about the other part. I just bought the car a few months ago. I still have a few miles left on the warranty and would like some information to go on. Thanks

Sounds like your brakes may have overheated. Is it still doing it now? Shaking I mean, albeit a little less then when going down that hill? I'm willing to say that if the rotors weren't warped before, chances are they are now. Maybe not much, but any amount of excessive heat can do that. Assuming they are warped, It might be able to be fixed by a simple turning. Most auto parts stores or brake shops can easily handle this. If you have the means to remove them yourself and take them in, it's around $10USD to have them turn each one. If it's not bad, just plan on having this done when you have your brakes serviced next. However, brakes usually aren't covered under most powertrain warranty.

All this is assuming that's what happened. Thedrave is right when he says it could be other things. The whole system is something that you have to factor in.

On a side note, when going down a hill, feathering the brakes (barely applying pressure till you just make contact) is preferred to pressing for a few seconds, then releasing, when going down a hill. I learned this when going down the Grapevine in so. California in a moving truck with a trailer in tow. I finally slowed for an offramp to fill up and the whole cab was shaking, not just the steering wheel. I personally prefer engine braking when going down a steep grade of say 5-6% in my car.

Thanks for your reply. I have a few questions, how can the brakes overheat? As for as the brakes go Ill probably have them turned when I get my brakes done next. Thanks for the info!

Disk brakes don't suffer from what was common in older drum brake systems, known as brake fade. Where the drum would expand beyond the reach of the brake shoes. However disk brakes can get hot also from the friction of regular usage. Think of it as rope burn multiplied! In a most situations, they can cool rapidly enough to where you never notice it. However when going downhill, most people ride the brakes and they get super hot from the constant pressure. Way hotter then black pavement in a Death Valley summer. The best way to minimize the need is down shift. And if further speed reduction is needed, try feathering the brakes. Almost feels like only one is being used. Just enough to keep your speed from accelerating.

Friction is how brakes overheat. 45000 miles on the car I can almost guarantee the rotors are the factory original, and unfortunately there is not a lot of meat on the factory rotors. It does not take much heat to warp them. You will not be able to visually see the warpage, but you will feel it everytime you hit the brakes. Sometimes it will be worse than other times. You can take them to a local parts house that turns rotors and have them checked, but be prepared to buy new rotors.