Intermittent shaking while driving and braking

Tiny
JOSHMSABO
  • MEMBER
  • 2008 TOYOTA COROLLA
  • 4 CYL
  • 165,000 MILES
While driving at a high speed and low speeds, I got major vibrations in the steering wheel and under the drivers side of the car.

The issue is that it goes away off and on.

I was thinking it could be a sticking caliper.
Do you
have the same problem?
Yes
No
Tuesday, June 18th, 2019 AT 11:04 AM

9 Replies

Tiny
SCGRANTURISMO
  • MECHANIC
  • 4,897 POSTS
Hello,

If it was a sticking caliper, your brake rotor and caliper would be smoking hot, so much so it would probably catch something on fire. I would lean towards a wheel bearing or possibly a tire that is out of balance. First let's check the wheel bearings. To check a wheel bearing, safely jack your vehicle up. Here's a link on how to do that if you are not familiar with how to do it:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/jack-up-and-lift-your-car-safely

Next grab the suspect tire and try to move the top of the wheel towards the car and then away from the car. There should be no play what so ever. If there is then the wheel bearing is bad and needs to be replaced. Please check the wheel bearings on your vehicle and get back to us with what you find out. We can go from there.

Thanks,
Alex
2CarPros
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
-1
Thursday, June 20th, 2019 AT 1:37 AM
Tiny
JOSHMSABO
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
It was a caliper after all. Thanks for all the help.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, June 20th, 2019 AT 12:29 PM
Tiny
NATALYA
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
  • 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 73,000 MILES
My car, Toyota Corolla 1997, started to shake two months ago, when I put it to reverse gear to go out of my parking place. It continued to shake while I was driving, though not as strong as at the beginning. I went to mechanic, he replaced three serpentine belts and the timing belt in the engine and problem disappeared. Two weeks ago car started to shake again, but after 15-30 minutes of driving the vibration stopped and I didn't notice it for several days. Then shaking started and stopped again, as first time. I went to mechanic, he replaced all four engine mounts - front, rear and sides. Since that car shaking is even worse. Right now my car shakes pretty strong when I stop on the lights. When I drive it vibrates a little bit, but not as bad as when I stop and press the brake pedal. One of the mechanic hypotheses was that the compression at the engine cylinders is different. It cost me 80$ to check this hypothesis and to confirm that it was wrong - the pressure was the same in all cylinders (190). There are other hypothesis, which are more expensive, and it would cost me the price of my car to check all of them.
I will be really appreciative if anyone who had similar experience with the happy end can give me advice regarding my case,
Thank you very much,
Natalya
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, June 20th, 2019 AT 12:30 PM (Merged)
Tiny
2CARPRO JACK
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,533 POSTS
Is the check engine light on? Are we talking a vibration or is the engine missing? A little slower to get up to speed?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
-1
Thursday, June 20th, 2019 AT 12:30 PM (Merged)
Tiny
NATALYA
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Hi, the check engine light was on when the mechanic gave car back to me (he replaced mounts). I told him about that problem and he turned light off. The engine is on place (maybe I didn't understand your question - what does it mean “is the engine missing?”). I have a feeling that car behave differently than before, maybe a little slower, some new sound, though I am not sure.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, June 20th, 2019 AT 12:30 PM (Merged)
Tiny
2CARPRO JACK
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,533 POSTS
Is the check engine light back on? Sounds like it may have a cylinder misfire, that is why it seems slower. Running on 3 cylinders instead of 4. Have Autozone scan it, they do it free, look in history codes if light isnt on now, this will tell us what he cleared out to make the light go off
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, June 20th, 2019 AT 12:30 PM (Merged)
Tiny
NATALYA
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
The engine light is off and the compression was measured two days ago, it was 190 in all four cylinders. As to speed, I am not sure that the car is slower, maybe a little bit, maybe not, hard to say now. The main problem is that car is shaking when I press brake pedal and stop.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+1
Thursday, June 20th, 2019 AT 12:30 PM (Merged)
Tiny
2CARPRO JACK
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,533 POSTS
Ok, so it does it when you use the brakes? Have the front rotors measured for run-out. Sounds like they are warped, that will cause vibration upon braking. Is this the only time it does it?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, June 20th, 2019 AT 12:30 PM (Merged)
Tiny
NATALYA
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
The car shakes when it is not moving and I press on brake, for example on stop signs or on lights. If I press on brake, but car hasn’t stopped yet, it doesn't shake. Also, it shakes (less) in idle conditions. The brakes have been checked recently, rear brake shoes were replaced, front ones were OK, brakes fluid was changed.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Thursday, June 20th, 2019 AT 12:30 PM (Merged)

Please login or register to post a reply.

Sponsored links