Why does my steering wheel shake when I brake at high speeds?

Problems With Brake Rotors

If your steering wheel shakes a lot while you're braking, that could mean that your rotors are out of round. In other words, the rotors have started to wear out, lose their shape, and become warped.

Why is my car shaking when I brake at high speed?

One possible cause of shaking when you apply the brakes, especially at high speeds on the highway or when going downhill, is your tires. This is the first thing you should investigate if you experience shaking while braking. Your wheels may be out of alignment, or you may have a bad tire that is unbalanced.

Why does my car shake when I brake at 70 mph?

Overworked Powertrain

A bad CV axle shaft may cause your car to shake while braking. Excessive wear and abuse of your clutch, flywheel, gearbox, and steering rack components likewise result in shaking. The latter can be quite tricky, as the steering wheel shakes when driving only at 70 mph or more speeds.

Why does my steering wheel shake when I brake at 60 mph?

Car/Steering Wheel Shakes Between 50-60 MPH – If you're feeling a strong vibrating feeling in your steering wheel as you approach highway speeds, then it's likely that your tires are out of balance and need to be rotated or aligned. This shaking will stop as you reach highway speeds.

What causes death wobble when braking?

The biggest reason for this shaking problem is the condition of your rotors – the disc your brake pad clamps down on when you apply your brakes. Most commonly, the vibration happens because the rotors have some kind of imperfection on their surface or they have changed shape (warped) over time.

Does Your Car Shake When You Brake, Do This

How do you tell if your rotors are warped?

Warped rotors can cause a squeaking noise when the brakes are applied. They can also make a scraping or grinding sound when they're warped and worn down. The squealing noise, however, can also be made by brake pads that are worn out.

Can Unbalanced tires cause vibration when braking?

"The other problems, like an unbalanced wheel or bad alignment, will typically cause vibration all the time, not just when braking," he told us. "So, if your car shakes only when it brakes, the first place to look is at the brakes themselves. Most often that's where you'll find the problem."

Can a bad axle cause vibration when braking?

A damaged axle can cause suspension vibration, oftentimes fairly severe shaking. This shaking will usually get worse as your reach higher speeds, and it's important to address axle issues as soon as possible. A related issue that can cause vibration is worn CV (constant velocity) joints.

Can brake rotors cause vibration at high speeds?

Worn Out Brake Pads And Rotors

Typically, if your vibration increases with speed, and you smell a burning noise when running the car, warped brake rotors are likely the cause of your vibrations.

Why does my steering wheel shake at 70 mph?

Tires out of Balance

If your tires are out of alignment or out of balance, they may send shakes through your vehicle and to the steering wheel. If this is your problem, you aren't as likely to notice the shaking at lower speeds as you are at high speeds.

Will an alignment fix shaking?

In most cases, a wheel alignment will stop the shaking by ensuring all wheels are positioned in the same direction. One of the quickest ways to diagnose misalignment is to check the tire's tread. A vehicle out of alignment will often make tires wear unevenly, with the inside tread worn much more than the outside.

Can a bad alignment cause shaking at high speeds?

While a shaking steering wheel is a common sign of alignment troubles, these vehicle issues carry other revealing signs: Consistent Shaking: Alignment issues will cause constant vehicle vibration, no matter whether you are braking, accelerating, or maintaining a consistent speed.

Can tie rod ends cause vibration when braking?

Suspension problems

Brake system is not a simple part of your car. Actually, there are many pieces, such as tie rods, wheel bearings, and ball joints, causing the shaking when braking when they work inappropriately.

How do I know if my rotors need replaced?

How much does it cost to replace a rotor?

Rotors cost between $30 and $75 each. Labor to replace rotors and pads is around $150 to $200 per axle. Brake pads and rotors come out to around $250 to $500 per axle.

What is death wobble?

A death wobble is when your car shakes, wobbles or vibrates while you're driving. It's used to describe serious shaking and vibrating that occurs particularly at high speeds.

Is it safe to drive with a shaking steering wheel?

Is it safe to drive with a shaking steering wheel? It's generally not a good idea to drive a vehicle with a shaking steering wheel. If it's not the tires, the problem is caused by a serious failure that can lead to a loss of brakes, control over the vehicle, and major engine damage.

What makes a car vibrate at high speeds?

The most prevalent cause of vibration is problems with your wheels or tires. The potential problems include improper wheel and tire balance, uneven tire wear, separated tire tread, out of round tires, damaged wheels and even loose lug nuts.

How do you tell if your tires are out of balance?

The common symptoms of out-of-balance tires are uneven and faster tread wear, poor fuel economy, and vibration in the steering wheel, the floorboard or the seat that gets worse at faster speeds. When all areas of the wheel-tire unit are as equal in weight as possible, the tire will roll smoothly.

How much does it cost to fix a brake shudder?

Brakes Squeak or Squeal When Applied

If you take your vehicle in for service when this starts you will likely only need to replace the pads and rotors, and usually only at one end (front or rear). The cost is generally $250 to $500 from a good independent mechanic.

How often do rotors need to be replaced?

Ideally, you should have your brake pads replaced between every 10,000 and 20,000 miles, and your rotors replaced between 50,000 and 70,000 miles.

How much is a full brake job?

You can expect to pay between $35 and $150 for parts for all four wheels. Labor can vary, but tends to be $80 to $120 per axle, for a total of $115 to $270 per axle. It's usually a good choice to have your rotors replaced with your brake pads, since worn rotors don't work very well, even with new pads.