Vibrating when braking downhill?

SURFER349

MEMBER
2015 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER
6 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
70,000 MILES

When driving at higher speeds and then braking, the car vibrates and shakes. This is especially noticeable going at highway speeds and/or downhill.

I think this is something with the brakes, but I don't know all the various components. Calipers? Rotors? Pads? Front vs Rear?

What do I need to replace? I feel pretty DIY handy and change my own oil, but have never done something like this.

1 Reply

STEVE W.

MECHANIC
13,576 POSTS

That shaking is commonly due to either rust or pad build up on the brake rotors. In the rust belt it's a very common issue because the rotors start to rust almost the instant you park the car from exposure to the moisture. The pads cover areas and those don't show rust. Then you drive and have a smoother area where the pads were, and the rest of the rotor gets damaged from the rusty areas. This repeats on a daily basis and you end up with shaking and odd brake pulses. There are a couple options to repair the issue. One is to remove the rotors and have a shop cut them to restore the surface. The other is to replace the rotors with new ones. In both cases it's a good idea to also replace the pads if they are worn in an odd shape. Try this guide to have an idea of how to do the job:

For the front.
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-front-brake-pads-and-rotors-fwd

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