Why does my car shakes when i brake ?

In addition to reducing and stopping the vehicle, the brake system on the car also plays an important role in driving safety. Car brakes must be able to work quickly and easy to control when is needed.

The problem with the car brake system that might occur is quite a lot, one example is the emergence of vibration when the brake pedal is pressed while the vehicle is moving. In fact, the vibrations that occur when tke brake pedal is pressed, can spread in to the entire body of the vehicle.

This problem is not only makes the driver feels more uncomfortable during driving, but also very dangerous because it increases driver fatigue and makes more difficult to control the car. Usually, this vibration problem is often found in the cars with front brake systems using disc rotors.

So, why does the car shakes when the brake pedal is pressed ?

The main cause of the car shakes when the brake pedal is pressed is a corrugated disc rotor surface. Corrugated disc rotor surfaces make uneven contact with the brake pads during braking. This makes the brake piston move to follow the height of the disc rotor surface so that the pulsation appears whenever the highest surface portion of the disc rotors presses on the brake pad surface. As the brake pad is pressed, then the pulsation is arise.

The pulsation movement that occurs on the brake piston will flow through brake fluid to the brake pedal. This is what makes the brake pedal vibrate during braking.

If the corrugated rotor disc surface is too severe, the strong vibrations that occur during braking will also spread to the wheels. This vibration does not only stop at the wheel, even in some conditions, the vibration can reach the steering wheel to the entire body of the vehicle.

The other causes of the car shakes when the brake is pressed is sticky brake caliper. Most brake calipers are made to adjust itselves during the disc rotor movement. It can be left or right adjusting movement depending on the disc rotor behavior.

When the brake caliper get sticky, it pushed the disc rotor to force it's behavior and make an abnormality rotation. This condition can make the brakes jam or strong vibrations when the brake pedal is pressed.

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How to handle the car shakes when the brake is pressed

There are 3 solution to handle the problem of the car shakes when the brake pedal is pressed as i mentioned above.

1. Replace the disc rotor with the new one

Replace the disc rotor with the new ones, is the best option to eliminate the car shakes when braking. The new rotor disc has a flat surface so the pulsating symptoms on the brake piston can be removed. With that way, the problem of the car shake when the pedal is pressed can be resolved.

2. Repair the disc rotor under condition

You can repair the disc rotor using disc lathe, but it has limited condition. First, if the disc rotor has not reached the thickness limit specified by the vehicle manufacturer. Second, if the size of curvature that occurs in the disc rotors is still within the feasibility limit. Otherwise, you should change it with the new ones.

3. Inspect and repair your brakes

The last is inspect all your brake function and repair it immediately if there is an abnormality such as brake jam, sticky brake caliper, or worn-out brake pads.

To conduct this repair, it should be done by certified mechanics or experienced technicians considering the function of the car brake system which is vital for driving safety.