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Steering Wheel Vibration During Braking

127K views 45 replies 27 participants last post by  surgeon 
#1 ·
Hi, I have a 2007 Ody and I have been having problems where the steering wheel shimmies pretty heavy DURING BRAKING ONLY while slowing from between 75 down to about 50MPH. Below 50, nothing. I just recently did brakes and put 'slighly' used rotors and pads. A friend gave them to me and we thought the woman who wanted them changed might have been crazy. Well after I put them on, I still had the issue. The van has 44k miles on it. My wife then ran over a screw and I noticed the Michelins were ready to be replaced. I had 4 new Michelins put on and then went to my friends shop who put on new rotors and ceramic pads. He thought I was crazy for changing them as they had plenty of meat on the rotors and the pads. I told him about the shaking and he said he understood(warped rotor symdrome).Driving home,,, same thing!!! Braking from 70 I got the shimmy. I brought the car to my friends shop yesterday and had him check the whole front end. Nothing awry. I had his worker drive the van and he was stumped. I called Honda and asked about recalls and known issues. The guy was nice, but wouldn't admit to recalls or 'known' issues. Then I checked this forum and found discussions from bad rotors to bad motor mount, to bad torque converter. I also noticed someone had the exact same issue but I couldn't not find if he ever got a resolution. I find the problem with the forum is there is a lot of info and people asnwer to different issues,, like acceration or decelleration. This is strictly a braking issue. I also read about rear shocks. So you can understand my confusion. So in summary, 2 sets of rotors/pads and I have the same issue WHILE BRAKING from highway speeds. I am trying to get one of my friends to check with their buds at local Honda service centers where they worked, but I haven't gotten any response yet. So if someone has had this exact issue and its been fixed, I'd love to hear the solution. And yes,, I will change the rotors AGAIN if need be............
 
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#34 ·
To add my 2 cents to this topic. I had the same problem under hard breaking.

Problem is now fixed. I went with el cheepo Drilled Rotors and Pads off ebay and to my suprise breaking is much improved and silky smooth as Zohan puts it.
 
#35 ·
Have any of you tried the pad bedding procedure? I've done this on two vans & one truck with spectacular and very long-lasting positive results.

I don't recommend doing this when ANYBODY is around. It takes a lot of concentration to properly do that many maximum effort stops right at the very edge of ABS activation (this is called threshold braking). Always did it after midnight on a deserted stretch of highway. I think a lot of people are getting rid of perfectly good rotors on many different makes & models of cars. Again, no brake shop I know of does this sort of pad bedding anymore for their customers. Very few of them even use a dial gauge to check to see if the rotors are actually out of spec. Most brake shops will say, "Gee, it's vibrating...your pads must be warped." I'll say it to any mechanic who says that: "That's a dumb way to make that diagnosis".

As well, it takes a LOT of heat to make the metallurgical changes that create hardening and surface embrittlement. I tow a near-3,000-lb. rig (heavy glass hulled 18-foot bass boat on a big box-section framed galvanized trailer with all our vacation gear tossed into the boat, plus 42-gal fuel) in and out of the local mountains, no trailer brakes (yes, I know, I need them), and have had no deformation or indications of overheating on either front or rear brakes on either Ody.

Yes, I use the neighbor's dial gauges. He's an A&P that works privately and for the gov't.

The only thing I've done different from you guys is that I take the extra effort to do a drawn-out pad bedding procedure and I actually measured for runout. Yes, it can eat up your evening after sanding the rotors. Is it worth it? Absolutely.

OF
 
#36 ·
..... "Gee, it's vibrating...your pads must be warped." ...
Aw-rahht, I meant rotors.

I'm not as think as you blitzed I am.

OF
 
#38 ·
I had the same problem with my 05. New tires,Premium rotors from NAPA and brake pads. At anything above 40mph when braking the steering wheel would shake to the point it 2 hands to hold it. Went to the dealer they had no answer. I went to the Firestone dealer and talked with the manager and he suggested turning the rotors on the van. I said they are brand new and he said if it doesn't work no charge. Long story short it worked, the shimmy is gone.He said turing the rotors on the van takes all rotating mass into play and trues the rotors. For $200 for turing 4 rotors was worth every penny. Hope this helps.
 
#42 ·
I have been noticing vibration on braking with load. Brakes are new. I also notice lots of shake when vehicle passes by at stop sign. I know some movement is normal but at every car?

Could this mean rear shocks?
 
#44 ·
I also notice lots of shake when vehicle passes by at stop sign. I know some movement is normal but at every car?
I feel this too, especially when cars are passing at higher speed.

It's only the large, flat sides of the van reacting to the air turbulence created by the other cars. IMHO, perfectly normal.

Dave
 
#46 ·
This happened on our car as I inspect the van more often. The ball joint was going bad. There are several items depending on road conditions or speed that mimic issues. But there should be slight steering vibration without braking also. Maybe this shop can give you more info if inspected.
 
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