Steering Wheel Shaking while light braking

[brianx42]

Hello,

I noticed that my steering wheel has been shaking under light/hard braking. Almost like a pulsing brake pedal feel and the steering wheel shaking. This symptom has happened ever since I took out the Z to bear mountain for some spirited driving.

I'd like to mention that at one point. I was braking so much that i lost brake feel and it almost felt like i couldn't use the brakes anymore. Also, when i wanted to slow down to use the brakes the car would vibrate violently shortly after i felt the brakes not working. I think that my rotors are warped but I'm not too sure. If so does anyone recommend any brake kit thats a reasonable price? Or should i just stick with stock because i don't plan on tracking the car anytime soon

2014 Sport Package w/ 15k miles

[High_Octane]

Either your rotors are warped or one of your pistons are jammed.

Not sure about USA, but where I am, they just skim the rotors.
Alternatively, go for the Z1 rotors which I did. I went with the 2pcs rotors, front and rear.

[jchammond]

Sounds like rotors are warped for sure....& probably damaged pads & possibly caliper's.
Agreed w/High_Octane on this one...Go to Z1 Motorsport's website,as they off several very nice set-up's! or phone them (770)838-7777...Spencer,Russ,Joel or Jon is usually who i speak with.

[SouthArk370Z]

Before assuming that a rotor is warped, try bedding the brakes.

Edit: If you plan on making more Bear Mountain-like runs, upgrading your brakes, as suggested above, may be a good idea. Or maybe you just need to adjust your braking procedure.

[POS VETT]

I agree about bedding brakes first. Likely the friction surfaces on the rotors have uneven condition after the heavy braking when braking was severely reduced. If bedding didn't work, take off the front rotors and take them to a machine shop (NAPA comes to mind) to be resurfaced. This is cheaper than replacing them.

[JARblue]

Originally Posted by brianx42

I noticed that my steering wheel has been shaking under light/hard braking. Almost like a pulsing brake pedal feel and the steering wheel shaking. This symptom has happened ever since I took out the Z to bear mountain for some spirited driving.

I think that my rotors are warped but I'm not too sure.

Yes, they are. Although 'warped' rotors is generally a misused expression for excess and uneven pad deposits on your rotors. It happens when you heat up your brakes and then hold the hot pads on the hot rotors (like at a stop light or after an emergency stop).

Originally Posted by brianx42

I'd like to mention that at one point. I was braking so much that i lost brake feel and it almost felt like i couldn't use the brakes anymore.

That sounds like you boiled what I assume to be stock brake fluid. Very unsafe if you're out on public roads. Get some Motul RBF600.

Originally Posted by brianx42

Also, when i wanted to slow down to use the brakes the car would vibrate violently shortly after i felt the brakes not working.

That sounds like ABS kicking in? Your wording is a little confusing. Whatever happened, you definitely have some things to fix. Maybe try closed course next time, just in case.

Originally Posted by brianx42

If so does anyone recommend any brake kit thats a reasonable price? Or should i just stick with stock because i don't plan on tracking the car anytime soon

2014 Sport Package w/ 15k miles

Get the rotors turned, get some better fluid, and watch your braking habits. Z1 has excellent options if you really want to upgrade. But you should note there are several pretty serious track guys who run cheap auto parts store blank rotors on the track (with track pads, of course).

[k67p67]

Most likely uneven pad deposition. Take the rotors to have them turned. Costs me about $15/rotors at Pep Boys. May need to replace pads. I'd flush the brake fluid.

[bkngo]

I had the same problem... I changed my front rotors out and it stopped (I changed my rear a few days later when parts arrived)... my right brake pad had more wear than left. I did not bleed my brakes yet. just picked up some Motul 600... i'll be changing that out later this week.

[beemerkid]

I've got the same problem, the hotter they get, the worse the shake. No pulsation in the pedal, and I'm VERY careful about not stopping on hot brakes and/or clamping down at a stoplight, so I'm sure it's not deposits. All stock brakes and fluid, but I've never boiled them. I do get them pretty toasty on CA hwy1 when going to work in the early am...Z1 lightweight (one piece) a good upgrade with proper street sport pads? People are also pretty happy with the xp8 for quick DD and back road shenanigans right?

[Jayhovah]

Originally Posted by beemerkid

I've got the same problem, the hotter they get, the worse the shake. No pulsation in the pedal, and I'm VERY careful about not stopping on hot brakes and/or clamping down at a stoplight, so I'm sure it's not deposits. All stock brakes and fluid, but I've never boiled them. I do get them pretty toasty on CA hwy1 when going to work in the early am...Z1 lightweight (one piece) a good upgrade with proper street sport pads? People are also pretty happy with the xp8 for quick DD and back road shenanigans right?

It's probably the same thing.. I've had the same issue on my '11 and '13. The stock pads seem very prone to it... I've never had the issue on any other vehicle I've ever owned. I just recently had my rotors turned and changed to StopTech street pads so hopefully it wont resurface.

[MacCool]

Originally Posted by JARblue

Yes, they are. Although 'warped' rotors is generally a misused expression for excess and uneven pad deposits on your rotors. It happens when you heat up your brakes and then hold the hot pads on the hot rotors (like at a stop light or after an emergency stop).

This. "Warped rotors" indicates a general misunderstanding of the problem.

[Ventruck]

Unless you've been doing this at lot in those 15k miles, I would take a shot at resurfacing the rotors and changing to different pads. Pads are likely the biggest culprit for both the bedding issue and performance.

Once I had this issue I decided to replace both to save time (and maybe trips) for replacement. Rotors aren't exactly chump change, but paying for pads and labor, and the possibility that surfacing a very temporary fix (I'm the second owner, so I really don't know how much these were beat on in the 30k miles before me), just made sense for me to just to change them already to put this on a clean slate.

[JARblue]

My wife "warped" the hell out of the Z rotors in <20K miles. With poor braking habits. It took an Accord 6MT (30K miles), the Z 6MT (20K miles), and an Acura ILX AT lease (45K miles) to "brake" her of those bad habits. She's got 25K miles on a new Accord Sport AT with no issues yet :crossfingers:

I took over daily driving the Z at 21K miles, immediately replaced the pads and rotors and 70K miles later absolutely zero issues with shuddering or excess pad deposits