Steering wheel shakes when braking. Symptoms and remedies

Vibrations in the steering wheel/brake pedal

Cause: worn or deformed brake discs.

The brake rotor (disc) is part of the braking system; it rotates together with the wheel. Let us remind you that the wheel is fixed directly to the disk. By pressing the brake pedal, you force the brake pads to press against the brake disc, as a result, the rotation of the discs (and wheels) slows down and the car stops. As you understand, the brake disc is very important for the operation of the car.

Let's try to look at how brake discs work. Almost always discs are made of metal. They are made to a special width, which depends on the manufacturer and model of the machine. When you press the pedal, the pads, on which the abrasive material is applied, rub against the disc, creating serious pressure - the disc ultimately experiences a strong increase in temperature. This, in turn, leads to minor, but still changes in the metal (density changes) - the disk must be cooled over the entire area.

In practice, such cooling does not always occur (and sometimes abruptly), as a result of which a change in density leads to deformation changes only in some places, and the nature of the deformation itself is visible as a wavy surface. Next, this is what happens - if at high speed the pads are pressed against such a deformed disc, then the entire brake caliper begins to tremble, transmitting this vibration to the wheel, which, in turn, sends a beating either to the steering wheel or to the body of the entire car.

A sharp drop in brake disc temperature after pressing the brake pedal for a long time can be caused, for example, by snow or running into a puddle.

The common people often hear the phrase “disc led” - it just means the deformed surface of the brake disc. An additional sign, coupled with vibration, indicating deformation of the disk surface is a bluish tint of the metal on the disk, which is also a consequence of overheating.

It is very easy to diagnose a disk for deformation. You will need to jack up the wheel. In this case, the handbrake must be removed, the gear must be put in neutral (make sure that the car does not roll away). Then, in this state, spin the wheel - rotation should be easy and without jamming. An abnormally fast stop of the wheel or “heavy” rotation at a certain point most likely indicates damage to the brake disc.

If a car uses discs not only at the front, but also at the rear, the latter can be diagnosed by using the parking brake while braking. If you also feel a beating when you move the handle towards you, then the culprit is most likely the rear disc.

If it is the disc in front that has a deformed surface, you will feel a beating that radiates directly to the steering wheel. If the rear disc is to blame, then vibrations, in principle, may not be felt (except for severe deformation of the disc; in this case, at high speeds, shaking during braking is still felt). The vibration felt in the brake pedal does not clearly indicate whether the disc is warped at the front or rear.

If you drove down a hill for a long time using the brake pedal, and then drove into a puddle on the road, then the disc, instantly cooling, may well be the cause of the deformation. But deformation is not always caused by sudden cooling. On the contrary, excessive overheating of the disk can also cause deformation. In this case, the brake pads continuously rub against the disc, preventing it from rotating and causing a strong increase in temperature. As a result, the brake caliper jams. To eliminate this effect, you will need to remove the cause of the heating.

A deformed disk can be replaced with a new one, although its cost can cost a pretty penny: from 2 thousand to 10-15 thousand rubles. (this is affected by the make and model of the car). If this seems too expensive, the brake disc can be, as they say, bored out - this is a simple operation, performed in auto repair shops, and the disc does not even need to be removed. Its essence is to remove the surface of the damaged metal on the disk until it is even and smooth.

If the car is equipped with brake drums, then deformation on them is rare.

How to determine the cause

Before drawing any conclusions regarding why the steering wheel shakes when braking, you need to carefully examine all the components of the units. Perhaps the reason is more than clear. And you can make an approximate repair estimate yourself.

If the steering wheel shakes when braking, first of all we check the brake drums, discs and pads.

The disk must have a perfectly round, smooth surface. If they are deformed, “went in waves”, “bumps” have formed or are extremely worn out, it is worth considering why. The car owner could save on quality components and bought a fake from an unknown manufacturer. A very hot disk could get into a puddle or snow. Strong temperature changes are detrimental to metals. Or the driver applied emergency braking, and at that moment the pads left grooves or bent the disc. Previously overheated metal can be easily identified by its bluish tint.

The brake drum must also be perfectly round. It is worth considering that it is still more difficult to deform than a disk.

Vibrations sent into the steering wheel after changing the disc, hub or bearing

If you notice that vibrations reverberating through the steering wheel or body of the car were detected after work was carried out in a car repair shop, then you need to look for the cause of this misfortune there. Such shaking could be caused by a previous change of the brake disc (as well as the hub bearing or the entire hub), which from time to time causes the steering wheel to shake. Usually this happens due to low-quality replacement elements, although coupled with this is an irresponsible attitude towards the procedure for replacing parts. The disk could have been tightened with the wrong force, or the disk could have been installed crosswise without tightening. The torque that should be applied to tighten is often indicated directly on the disc.

If runout on the steering wheel or body of the car was detected after operations on the chassis of the car, try to involve the same specialist who performed these operations on the chassis.

Vibrations in the steering wheel

Reason: destruction of the drum (disc).

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The most undesirable cause of beating is a cracked drum (disc). This usually occurs due to severe heat or intense physical activity. The problem is inherent in heavily worn brake discs (heavily worn down) or drums with significant corrosion.

Pads as the reason for the steering wheel beating

Although the market is saturated with counterfeit and low-quality pads, they, along with high-quality but worn pads, are not able to cause beating in the steering wheel or car body when you press the brake pedal. This is explained by the fact that this spare part does not move on its own and is loaded from time to time, and not constantly.

Additional factors causing vibration that occur infrequently:

problems with the steering rack or significant wear of the ball elements in the chassis;
problems with the racks (in this case, the beating is mainly felt when performing a turning maneuver in the direction opposite to where the rack is installed);
shock absorber supports that have failed due to damage or wear;
significant physical impacts (curb, accidents, etc.). Note that, as a rule, before the disc deforms, there is damage to the wheel rim;
breakage of steering tips.

Other causes of vibration

Steering wheel vibrations that are not associated with the car jerking in different directions appear for the following reasons:

One of the vehicle's process fluids, for example, transmission oil, got on the pads as a result of oil seal wear. Possessing significant viscosity, the lubricant adheres well to any surface and disrupts the normal operation of the brakes when the pedal is pressed sharply.
The internal elements of the steering rack have worn out, and significant play has appeared.
The steering rod ball pins have become unusable.
Inoperability of shock absorbers and front struts. Vibration on the steering wheel is felt when braking sharply and at the same time entering a turn.

Note. Problems associated with wear of ball joints and shock absorbers also appear on the wheels of the rear axle. Most often, brake fluid gets on the pads, the reasons are faulty working cylinders and leaky rubber cuffs.

A strong side impact of any wheel on a high curb (for example, due to ice or an accident) can lead to deformation and subsequent vibration. The main load is taken by the disk, wheel bearing and various suspension joints. Any of the listed parts can become cracked and cause the steering wheel to vibrate during braking.

Should you pay attention to the runout if it does not interfere with your ride?

In the event of steering vibration or its transmission throughout the entire body of the car, it would be safer not to bring the situation to a critical level, but to contact a specialist. As a rule, the problem does not require a solution as quickly as possible - you can drive with it for months (and sometimes years). On the other hand, it should be remembered that if the nuts are not tightened properly, the behavior of the brake disc may be unpredictable, which affects driving safety. At the same time, the beating also loads the parts of the chassis system: shock absorbers, steering, parts of the hub - and in the event of a breakdown, all these elements (as well as their replacement) will not be cheap.

In addition to the above, we note that beating at high speed is very dangerous - strong vibration can lead to loss of control of the car, and, as a result, to an accident. Driving in itself is already a source of increased danger for the driver and others. In this regard, it is better not to skimp on eliminating the causes of vibration.

By the way, many motorists don’t even realize how ridiculous they look from the outside with a vibrating steering wheel; remember this when you drive your family or just give a ride to a fellow traveler - from the outside, a shaking steering wheel looks very noticeable.

Why does the steering wheel vibrate when braking?

Before self-diagnosis, you should think about what preceded the appearance of the beating. Has the chassis system been repaired or brake pads replaced? It is worth starting to identify the breakdown with replaced parts. They may be made from low quality materials.

It is also important to consider the experience of the technician who performed the repair. Failure to comply with installation technology leads to increased loads. Not only the replaced part suffers, but also the system as a whole.

Did the steering wheel wobble after driving through puddles or fresh snow? Pay attention to the condition of the brake discs. Temperature changes lead to surface deformation.

Does the steering wheel exhibit a large range of motion and become difficult to hold? With a 99% probability, the problem lies in broken brake discs or improper bleeding of the system. In such a situation, urgent repairs are necessary. The wheels react differently when you press the brake pedal. The likelihood of getting into an accident increases, and driving the car becomes uncomfortable even for an experienced driver.

Reasons for vibrations in the steering wheel:

Wear of brake discs.
Technical condition of the running system.
Hernia or deformation of the wheels.
Nuts not tightened tightly.

Before detecting deformation of the steering rod or wear of the brake disc, you should pay attention to the fastening of the wheels. In most cases, the cause of wobbling is not that they are poorly secured. But if the problem is just one loose nut, then it will be unpleasant to find out after a full repair.