I have a 2005 acura tl . when i push the brakes going speeds over 45, my car shakes. I have replaced the rotors and brake pads. Yet, its still shaking. What could be causing it to still shake??

 

Welcome to the forum

Before you replaced your rotors & pads, did the car shake under braking and under braking only? Or was it all of the time?

Now that they're replaced, does the vibration happen under all braking conditions? (Light, moderate, heavy, etc)?

I would check all caliper bolts are torqued to spec, pads are properly greased / aren't floating around, and all lugs are torqued.

 

Had this issue on a Saturn years ago, the lug nuts were backing off & made for some wild vibration.
Also, is the vibration in the steering wheel (front wheels) or the seat (rear wheels/other)?

 

Thanks for the welcome. Yes it was shaking under breaking conditions before rotors and pads replaced. I even went and bought the drilled and slotted rotors and it still did the shaking only under braking ..so I replaced the rotors with flat rotors and just drove it and its still shaking the car itself is smooth and rides nice but its only when i get to about 45+mph and brakes it shakes.My next step was going to be the calipers but before I went and bought those I wanted to be sure or find out what else it can be. Any suggestions??

 

its only under the front wheels and the steering wheel that I feel the vibrations. since i put the new flat rotors its improved but still noticeable

 

Interesting.

I too notice more vibration with drilled & slotted rotors vs flat, but to me it sounds like something isn't torqued down properly ..

I could be wrong here, but maybe your lower control arm / upper control arm / compliance bushings are totally shot?

 

Is that a Job that is simple that can be done or more mechanical and is it an expensive fix?? I appreciate your help.

 

Odds are the bushings will need to be pressed out/in. Not your average DIY garage project.

 

Check the tires. If you haven't been rotating your tires regularly, one side (usually the driver) will be worn more than the passenger. This will cause an uneveness in the steering wheel that will be even more obvious during braking.

Also check tire/wheel balance and tire pressure.

 

Check the tires and get the balanced first and foremost. TL is very sensitive to balancing! Hunter Road Force machine is one of the best in the industry and really makes a difference. Most discount tire shops have these machines as do sams club, costco, etc.

Buy quality rotors, aftermarket ones are usually not balanced if they are cheap. Also when is the last time you bled the brakes and replaced the brake fluid? Also be sure during a brake job the slider pins are nice and lubed up and don't bind. The same with the pistons in the caliper when pressing them back for the pads.

Check the condition of the front lower control arm bushings. Torn/damaged ones can amplify any sort of vibration.

The only other thing I can think of is Axles, and that happens when we are accelerating rather than braking! Another longshot might be the engine mounts or transmission mounts. Check them for wear and damage.

 

Great help so far!

I am going to move this to the TL forum so you can get help from other TL owners. As csmeance said, there are some TL specific things to look out for (like balancing) and those owners should be able to give you additional pointers.

Welcome to the site

 

What pads did you buy? Who did the installation?

If the car drives smooth except for braking, I kind of doubt this is a balance or alignment issue. I'm more inclined to believe you have uneven brake pad deposits on the front rotors.

Did you or the installer "bed" the pads per the manufacturer's recommendation/procedures?

 

Maybe the car has loose or worn out ball joints or tie rods.

 

my boyfriend did the rotors and pads. hes did them on his car as well. hes pretty good with fixing basic things on cars but this seems to have stumped us and im not sure what brand he bought but i know he got them at advance auto parts. Also i have 4 new tires arriving tomorrow to be put on the car.The brake fluid is fine. In addition september last year the front lower control arm on both sides were done along with the sway bars, ball joints etc. a few of my friends have also suggested the tires and balance but the vibration he said is on the steering wheel, pedals and tires. I pray its just a tire issue and nothing major. I appreciate all the help and advice you guys have given me. so many option not sure what to do first.

 

So you've replaced a fair amount of front end parts? Why? Was this car in a collision or did it get serious curb damage?

And when did the braking vibration start in relation to when all of these parts were replaced? This is an AT?

 

i bought the car a couple weeks ago. test drove and the only thing that was noticed was the vibration so we assumed it was the rotors and brake pads. so replaced that. i have receipts for what the previous owner had done to the car. as far as we know there was no accidents. the axle snapped when we replaced the rotors and brakes and when test driving my boyfriend came back adn tested the brakes and when turning into the driveway he heard a pop and when to accelerate and the car reved up and would move in any gear so our mechanic came over and saw the axle had snapped.so that was an unexpected fix. but taken care of either way. the only issue that the car has is the shaking and cant seem to find out whats wrong. going in tomorrow to our friends shop and have him take a look. i was trying to not have to do that but seems its beyond our knowledge and capability to fix ourselves.

 

Well, good luck to you, hopefully it's a simple/inexpensive fix.

Depending on the reason, the fact that the LCAs, sway bar and ball joints were all previously replaced would be a red flag that needed to be cleared up for me. Hopefully there isn't something bent. Keep us updated!!

 

I just spoke to the previous owner. hes the 2nd owner. He said the 1st owner had a minor fender bender to the bumper but no structural damage. So he bought it and hes never had an accident. When he took it to the mechanic they told him the rotors and brakes needed replacing and he did.But i found out about the repairs when i went through the records he had. Either way yes i agree i hope its a simple fix but i sort have the worse of luck with cars and this is the only one i am willing to put time and money into it. My fingers are crossed. I just need a peace of mind. Even worse case. whats the worst and most expensive repair this could be?