Recently i can feel vibration when i push brake pedal hard in high speed driving and sometimes i still feel the car has vibration after release the pedal. But it is ok if i push the pedal softly. Would it be problem of caliper or just rotor/pads?

Because my extended warranty will be expired in Sept and that warranty includes caliper, so i want to have some advices before seeing dealer.

Thanks in advance!

Lan

 

Brake vibration at high speed is due to the rotors being warped so at minimal those will need to be replaced. The post vibration after braking could simply be a wheel balance issue because ive never heard of brake vibration without the brakes being applied.

 

Oh and with the rotors being replaced i'd just do the pads too so you dont have to worry about brakes for a long time to come specially if its under the warranty.

 

Thanks for your info!

For the post vibration, I am a little confused. Because if it is caused by wheel balance why I don't feel vibration on the same road with same speed but without push the pedal hard?

 

not necessarily warped rotors, can just as likely be pad deposits on the rotors

 

It's most likely warped rotors, either you can have them resurfaced or install new ones, might as well install new pads with them.

 

From easiest & cheapest to hardest & most expensive:

Step one - rotate tires (this eliminates tires & wheels as possible cause)
Step two - re-bed brakes (this eliminates pad deposits as possible cause) http://zeckhausen.com/bedding_in_brakes.htm
Step three - replace pads & rotors (this eliminates warped rotor as cause)
Step four - start looking at the ball joints & bushings (this is very difficult to pinpoint and is usually accomplished by replacing random suspect parts that may or may not fix the problem)

Machining your old rotors will only increase the likelihood of the problem returning. The machining reduces the rotor mass, which will increase the rotors normal operating temperature. Increased operating temp causes more problems with pads & rotors.

The highest quality-per-dollar performance parts I know of are Centric brand High-Carbon-Rotors, with Centric's Stoptech pads. I run these parts on two of my cars, and I know you will not have problems with them. The High Carbon rotors are the same rotor blanks Stoptech uses for their expensive drilled and/or slotted rotors. They are less than the cost of new OEM blank rotors and even Brembo brand blank rotors. The Stoptech pads are about half the cost of Brembo pads too. Plus they have a higher operating temp with less wear & dust (but slightly less coefficient of friction).

 

Very detailed analysis, thanks!