Q: Shaking

Hi There, Depending on what speed the shaking happens and whether or not it happens when pressing the brake pedal, this may be a result of suspension components failing or possibly brakes that need to be replaced. If the shaking only happens when pressing the brake pedal, this is likely a result of warped brake rotors. If the shaking happens without pressing the brake pedal, this may be related to suspension components.

Shaking or vibrating at high speeds is often times related to tires that may be out of balance, low on air, potentially a badly aligned front end, failing suspension components or ball joints. When any of these things are not geometrically proper or aligned correctly, this causes an imbalance in the way the vehicle travels down the road and may cause the vehicle to vibrate or shake violently. This type of condition usually gets worse with more speed.

When you press on your brake pedal, this activates a hydraulic pressure which forces small pistons inside your brake calipers to push the brake pads against the brake rotors which is what causes the stopping power you are familiar with when pressing your brake pedal. When this happens, an enormous amount of heat is generated due to the friction between the brake pads and rotors. The brake rotors eventually cool down and then heat up again the next time you press on the brakes. Over time this can cause them to warp slightly causing very small low spots on the surface of the brake rotor. When this happens and the brake pads are applied again to the rotors, this causes an uneven surface (on the rotor) to be applied to the flat surface brake pad, which can cause a vibration, shaking or very loud grinding sound. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and replace your brake rotors.