My steering wheel shakes when I brake

Zeto · 12-16-2009, 09:56 PM

So I started feeling my steering wheel shake when I press on the brake. When I fully depress it, the vibration goes away. Do I need new brakes? I have 15,XXX miles. And yes they have been 15K hard miles

Thanks in advance guys!

puckshaw · 12-16-2009, 10:02 PM

When you say hard miles, does that include hard braking? It's pretty difficult to actually warp rotors. You may try bedding the pads. I've had friends that were pretty light on their brakes and developed the same thing you described. They bed the pads in and everything was smooth again.

nogoodname · 12-16-2009, 10:11 PM

warp rotors were common with the G37, so there's a TSB for free replacement (G37 Only)...

maybe you have warped them with all the hard braking

Zeto · 12-16-2009, 10:11 PM

Yes that includes hard breaking also. By bedding you mean doing some 60-0 hard braking?

Zeto · 12-16-2009, 10:13 PM

I hope not. Would warped rotors be covered under warranty? Besides that symptom, are there any others?

nogoodname · 12-16-2009, 10:24 PM

the pad has less contact area.... pad would be slipping

i doubt they would cover it.... how many miles on the Z??

SmoothZ · 12-16-2009, 10:24 PM

Brakes to include rotors and pads are a wear and tear item that is usually NOT covered under warranty. Everyone's style of driving is different, so no company in their right mind is going to place a warranty on something like that. Now if the the rotors came like that and you could prove it, then that's different.

Sounds like you warped the rotors.

nogoodname · 12-16-2009, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmoothZ

Brakes to include rotors and pads are a wear and tear item that is usually NOT covered under warranty. Everyone's style of driving is different, so no company in their right mind is going to place a warranty on something like that. Now if the the rotors came like that and you could prove it, then that's different.

Sounds like you warped the rotors.

i got my rotors changed for free under warranty after 30000KM... wonder what Nissan was thinking

SmoothZ · 12-16-2009, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nogoodname

i got my rotors changed for free under warranty after 30000KM... wonder what Nissan was thinking

Canada doesn't count. Maybe your brakes were insured by that national health care system.

Zsteve · 12-16-2009, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeto

So I started feeling my steering wheel shake when I press on the brake. Thanks in advance guys!

So dont brake, speed thru everything. ZOOM ZOOM. Just kidding.

ChrisSlicks · 12-16-2009, 10:52 PM

If it goes away under harder braking then it is probably just build up of pad deposits on the rotors. When you've been driving hard and get the rotors hot and then come to a complete stop you can leave deposits behind. You can try re-bedding the rotors, or if that fails have the rotors turned.

Brake Tech - Brake Pad and Rotor Bed-In Procedures

puckshaw · 12-16-2009, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeto

Yes that includes hard breaking also. By bedding you mean doing some 60-0 hard braking?

Basically. It's worth a shot. Even after hard braking sessions things can build up. Bedding them can smooth things out. My brakes on the STi used to feel rough as hell after a track day. I'd bed them before and after.

Zeto · 12-17-2009, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisSlicks

If it goes away under harder braking then it is probably just build up of pad deposits on the rotors.

That's exactly it. If I brake harder then it goes away. Thanks for the link Chris, but which bedding in procedure should I follow?

DooDooBrown · 12-17-2009, 01:39 AM

They are going to say that the rotors are a wear item, and therefore are not covered. Edmunds.com had simlar issues at 15K miles with their long term test Z, and they found they had to blast the rotors.

Zeto · 12-17-2009, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DooDooBrown

They are going to say that the rotors are a wear item, and therefore are not covered. Edmunds.com had simlar issues at 15K miles with their long term test Z, and they found they had to blast the rotors.

Hmm same mileage interesting...what's blasting? Is that the same thing as resurfacing?

12-16-2009, 09:56 PM	#1 (permalink)
Zeto Track Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: North NJ Age: 40 Posts: 766 Drives: 09 Pearl White 370Z Rep Power: 267	My steering wheel shakes when I brake So I started feeling my steering wheel shake when I press on the brake. When I fully depress it, the vibration goes away. Do I need new brakes? I have 15,XXX miles. And yes they have been 15K hard miles Thanks in advance guys!

12-16-2009, 10:24 PM	#7 (permalink)
SmoothZ A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Arrakis Posts: 7,952 Drives: giant sandworm Rep Power: 36	Brakes to include rotors and pads are a wear and tear item that is usually NOT covered under warranty. Everyone's style of driving is different, so no company in their right mind is going to place a warranty on something like that. Now if the the rotors came like that and you could prove it, then that's different. Sounds like you warped the rotors. __________________ "Once you go Asian, you never go Caucasian." "I talk to myself, and when I do that, I know I'm talking to an intelligent person."

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12-16-2009, 10:02 PM	#2 (permalink)
puckshaw Track Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 620 Drives: 09 PW 370Z Touring Rep Power: 17	When you say hard miles, does that include hard braking? It's pretty difficult to actually warp rotors. You may try bedding the pads. I've had friends that were pretty light on their brakes and developed the same thing you described. They bed the pads in and everything was smooth again.

12-16-2009, 10:11 PM	#3 (permalink)
nogoodname Lifetime Premium Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Montreal Posts: 22,357 Drives: E46 M3 Rep Power: 1765	warp rotors were common with the G37, so there's a TSB for free replacement (G37 Only)... maybe you have warped them with all the hard braking

12-16-2009, 10:11 PM	#4 (permalink)
Zeto Track Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: North NJ Age: 40 Posts: 766 Drives: 09 Pearl White 370Z Rep Power: 267	Yes that includes hard breaking also. By bedding you mean doing some 60-0 hard braking?

12-16-2009, 10:13 PM	#5 (permalink)
Zeto Track Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: North NJ Age: 40 Posts: 766 Drives: 09 Pearl White 370Z Rep Power: 267	I hope not. Would warped rotors be covered under warranty? Besides that symptom, are there any others?

12-16-2009, 10:24 PM	#6 (permalink)
nogoodname Lifetime Premium Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Montreal Posts: 22,357 Drives: E46 M3 Rep Power: 1765	the pad has less contact area.... pad would be slipping i doubt they would cover it.... how many miles on the Z??

12-16-2009, 10:52 PM	#11 (permalink)
ChrisSlicks A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: North East Posts: 6,203 Drives: 09 370Z Sport M6 Rep Power: 653	If it goes away under harder braking then it is probably just build up of pad deposits on the rotors. When you've been driving hard and get the rotors hot and then come to a complete stop you can leave deposits behind. You can try re-bedding the rotors, or if that fails have the rotors turned. Brake Tech - Brake Pad and Rotor Bed-In Procedures

12-17-2009, 01:39 AM	#14 (permalink)
DooDooBrown Base Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Ranson, WV Posts: 178 Drives: 09 370 Touring w/spt Rep Power: 16	They are going to say that the rotors are a wear item, and therefore are not covered. Edmunds.com had simlar issues at 15K miles with their long term test Z, and they found they had to blast the rotors.