Steering wheel and brake pedal shakes when braking

DUWHOP31

MEMBER
2007 NISSAN ALTIMA
2.5L
4 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
115,900 MILES

I just recently replaced my front rotors and pads (3 months ago) I had a mechanic tell me recently that If your steering wheel is shaking when you are braking then most likely your front rotors are warped and if the pedal/floor board area shakes it's most likely the rear rotors are warped. My question is, what if its a little bit of both shaking when braking. (As well as I can hear shaking from the rear like behind the rear headrests) what could this be from?

Friday, August 13th, 2021 AT 9:42 AM

1 Reply

SQM

MECHANIC
6,383 POSTS

Hello,

Primarily the shaking is most noticeable when the front rotors are wrapped. The rears will make shaking as well but many times not as noticeable.
Sometimes the shaking/vibrations are hard to diagnose as they car lead you to the wrong item.
But if the rear brakes has not been changed in a while it will be a good idea to inspect them.
Also keep in mind that a tire issue like a flat spot or uneven wear can also make the vehicle shake when you hit the brake.
The best way to find out is the rotors are wrapped, is to do a runout test. In this test you will have to attached a gauge to the rotor and turn it. It will show if there is unevenness in the surface which might not be noticeable with a visual check. (see diagram below)

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-rear-brake-pads-and-rotors

Please let me know of any questions.

Thank you.

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