Brake Shake: Why Does My Car Vibrate When I Brake?
Do you feel like your brake pedal is pulsating and vibrating when you slow down? Don’t panic, but don’t ignore it either. The unsteady sensation known as brake shudder can have a variety of causes that require repair but aren’t an imminent brake failure.
Still, identifying the root cause is key to restoring smooth, safe braking. Learn what causes brake shudder, how to fix it, and whether your driving habits are causing it.
What is brake shudder? Brake shudder is best described as a shuddering sensation felt through your car’s steering wheel and front suspension when you press the brake pedal. Often, this shudder seems to occur at different frequencies at low and high speeds.
How brake shudder feels can vary greatly depending on the underlying cause of the condition itself. Because not all brake judder is caused by the same underlying problem. Although many people believe that brake judder is directly related to the condition of the vehicle’s brakes, this is not always the case.
Understanding the principles above will also help you when it comes to fixing brake judder altogether. Not all cases of brake judder are the same, so there is no one-size-fits-all solution to this problem. A thorough diagnosis of the current condition is the only way to avoid unnecessary replacement of a perfectly serviceable component.
Common Causes of Brake Judder
Brake judder can be caused by many underlying issues, some of which are much more difficult to isolate than others. Knowing the various causes of brake shudder can help speed up repairs. Here are some of the most common causes of brake shudder:
1) Warped Brake Discs and/or Worn Brake Pads
Most of the time, brake shudder is caused by a combination of worn brake pads and warped brake rotors.
When a vehicle’s discs and pads become warped, their otherwise smooth friction surface is compromised. These irregularities are noticeable as a continuous vibration or shudder when the affected vehicle’s brakes are applied.
2) Tire Unbalance
To minimize vibration and maintain optimal performance, your vehicle’s wheels/tires need to be balanced at specific intervals.
If your wheels/tires are not balanced, you will usually feel a noticeable vibration at certain speeds. This can be felt similar to brake shudder when braking and your vehicle speed drops to a certain threshold.
3) Stuck Brake Calipers
Your vehicle’s brake calipers age over time, often resulting in a condition known as “stuck.” If your brake calipers are stuck, they will not be able to release when you release the vehicle’s brake pedal. A stuck brake caliper causes uneven distribution of braking force, often resulting in noticeable jerking.
4) Poor Alignment
Brake judder can often be caused by irregular tire wear due to poor alignment. When the front axle of a vehicle is out of alignment, the tread often becomes worn or choppy.
The vibrations caused by this irregular wear are usually more noticeable at certain speeds. This vibration is manifested in the form of brake jerks when braking reduces the vehicle speed to a value within this specified range.
How to Fix Brake Shake
To fix brake shudder, it’s important to diagnose the underlying condition that’s causing the persistent shudder overall. In most cases, resolving the situation at hand will require replacing your vehicle’s brake pads and rotors. This is especially true if brake shudder occurs at any speed.
If brake shudder continues after installing new pads and rotors, attention should turn to addressing tire/wheel imbalance, worn steering/suspension components, and/or misalignment. At this point, all front-end components should be thoroughly checked. The affected vehicle’s front axle should then be repositioned and all four wheels balanced. Once this work is complete, a thorough test drive should verify that the previously persistent jerky feeling has been eliminated.
Is brake judder dangerous while driving?
Brake judder in itself is not particularly dangerous. However, the condition can worsen over time and may affect overall braking performance. Therefore, you should not waste time and address the issue immediately, especially if you are not sure of the exact cause of your brake shudder.
In any case, the cause of your vehicle’s brake shudder should be thoroughly diagnosed and resolved as soon as possible. This will help you avoid unnecessary risks and reduce the chances of your brakes getting even worse.
If you are not good at DIY repairs, have a trusted mechanic or service center solve the problem as soon as possible.
Can a wheel alignment help? Of course, assuming your car’s brake shudder is primarily caused by poor wheel alignment, wheel alignment can actually help reduce overall brake shudder.
This is the case when irregular tire wear due to poor wheel alignment causes a noticeable shudder when the vehicle reaches a certain speed. In these cases, getting your wheels aligned and then rotating your tires may eliminate the underlying shudder.
Can bad driving habits cause brake shudder?
While not always the case, bad driving habits can cause brake shudder in certain cases and make it worse in others. This is especially true when drivers frequently perform emergency braking or repeatedly apply heavy brake pressure, which can easily cause critical brake components to overheat and even deform the brake discs.
This, in turn, begins a vicious cycle of sorts, wherein continued braking in an overly aggressive manner only further compromises a vehicle’s already warped rotors. As a result, brake shudder quickly worsens to a degree that is far more noticeable than it would be otherwise.
