warped rotors - AGAIN!!!
03-13-2008, 05:40 AM
#32
Senior Member
Join Date: 08-06-2007
Location: Edison, NJ
Posts: 359
Do not neglect the rear drum brakes when looking for reasons for brake pedal pulsation. I had pulsation after replacing my stock rims with after-market rims. Only had 1,500 miles on the odometer. My mechanic did not remove the retention clips from either the rotors or the drums, so on the advice of members of this forum I took it upon myself to remove them - but only from the rotors. This helped, but did not eliminate the pulsation entirely. Just last week I decided to remove the clips from the rear drums. I noticed that the lug nuts were not properly torqued - some were very tight and some came loose rather easily.
After removing the retention clips from the drums and properly torquing the lug nuts in a star pattern - no more brake pedal pulsation.
Draw youyr own conclusions.
After removing the retention clips from the drums and properly torquing the lug nuts in a star pattern - no more brake pedal pulsation.
Draw youyr own conclusions.
03-13-2008, 05:59 PM
#35
Senior Member
Join Date: 06-27-2006
Location: Kingsville On
Posts: 732
03-13-2008, 07:04 PM
#36
Member
Join Date: 01-26-2008
Location: florida
Posts: 38
I know this is an issue that has been covered in a number of threads, however, I have finally had it with this inferior car. I am kicking myself, for ever trusting General Motors again, and turning in my excellent Civic for this piece of garbage. In a year and a half, I have had the rotors machined three times. Two times covered by warranty, as service advisor referered to as GM good will, HA!!, and now I have to pay 200 bucks.
This weekend, while on a trip to celebrate my wedding anniversary, I was travelling 65 mph, on a pretty decent downhill grade, and applied my brakes to slow with traffic, when the horrible steering wheel shuttering began, and it felt as if the front of the care would fall off. My wife was terrified. Service advisor just called and said, I had to pay because there were no mechanical issues with the brakes, and that the issue lay with my driving habits. I was driving the speed limit, down hill and wanted to slow my vehicle to obey the basic speed law.
Wanted to see about trading it in, as it is now deemed unsafe by myself and family, and to pour salt in the wound, the car has lost 70% of it's value in a year and a half.
I will never buy another GM car and plan on eating the amt I am upside down and buying a Prius. Maybe I can make it up in fuel savings.
If doing research on this site, do not buy HHR. Inferior design and quality!!
This weekend, while on a trip to celebrate my wedding anniversary, I was travelling 65 mph, on a pretty decent downhill grade, and applied my brakes to slow with traffic, when the horrible steering wheel shuttering began, and it felt as if the front of the care would fall off. My wife was terrified. Service advisor just called and said, I had to pay because there were no mechanical issues with the brakes, and that the issue lay with my driving habits. I was driving the speed limit, down hill and wanted to slow my vehicle to obey the basic speed law.
Wanted to see about trading it in, as it is now deemed unsafe by myself and family, and to pour salt in the wound, the car has lost 70% of it's value in a year and a half.
I will never buy another GM car and plan on eating the amt I am upside down and buying a Prius. Maybe I can make it up in fuel savings.
If doing research on this site, do not buy HHR. Inferior design and quality!!
03-13-2008, 07:20 PM
#37
Member
Join Date: 12-31-2007
Location: Johnsburg, Il
Posts: 31
People need to quite turning the rotors and just replace them.
Each time they are turned the rotor is thinner and will warp even faster.
The tech already has it off, ask to be replaced.
Granted I have 8000 on my HHR and no problems brake wise.
Each time they are turned the rotor is thinner and will warp even faster.
The tech already has it off, ask to be replaced.
Granted I have 8000 on my HHR and no problems brake wise.
03-13-2008, 07:33 PM
#38
Senior Member
Join Date: 02-15-2007
Location: Charleston, SC
Posts: 100
I think they actually have ways of turning them on the car. At least that's what I was lead to believe. It's not that easy to 'make' them replace the rotors. At least at my dealer.
03-13-2008, 10:22 PM
#39
Member
Join Date: 04-01-2007
Location: Streetsboro,Ohio
Posts: 90
Well you didn't hear this from me. Rotors are covered by GM for 3 years or
36k miles. Pads are covered for 2 years or 24k miles. Make sure that when your dealership or anyone turns or replaces your rotors they check what is called lateral run out. I know that we check it at my dealer and have eliminated 98% of returns for brake pulsation. For those who do not know what lateral run out is I will explain. We have a dial indicator that hooks to the vehicle and has a pin that sits on the rotor, as you turn the hub the rotor sits on it measures differences in height as the rotor turns. We use shims to level out any differences after machining or replacing rotors. GM has issued a bulletin to dealers to advise them to use the shims to elimnate the wobbling in the rotor that over time can cause a pulsation. While more expensive rotors are machined better at the factory, you can still get a pulsation from an improperly torqued rim. That is why all my techs are required to use torque sticks when tightening lug nuts, they also have to check the lugs again once on the ground with a torque wrench. Remember to always ask to see the Lateral run out specs on the rotor, and whenever possible watch when they put the wheels back on to make sure they are using torque sticks and/or torque wrenches. Hope this helps and didn't mean to be long winded.
36k miles. Pads are covered for 2 years or 24k miles. Make sure that when your dealership or anyone turns or replaces your rotors they check what is called lateral run out. I know that we check it at my dealer and have eliminated 98% of returns for brake pulsation. For those who do not know what lateral run out is I will explain. We have a dial indicator that hooks to the vehicle and has a pin that sits on the rotor, as you turn the hub the rotor sits on it measures differences in height as the rotor turns. We use shims to level out any differences after machining or replacing rotors. GM has issued a bulletin to dealers to advise them to use the shims to elimnate the wobbling in the rotor that over time can cause a pulsation. While more expensive rotors are machined better at the factory, you can still get a pulsation from an improperly torqued rim. That is why all my techs are required to use torque sticks when tightening lug nuts, they also have to check the lugs again once on the ground with a torque wrench. Remember to always ask to see the Lateral run out specs on the rotor, and whenever possible watch when they put the wheels back on to make sure they are using torque sticks and/or torque wrenches. Hope this helps and didn't mean to be long winded.
03-14-2008, 12:29 AM
#40
Platinum Member
Join Date: 05-09-2006
Location: "Upland" Mesa, Arizona
Posts: 6,805
Thank you, night31.
Your statements are EXACTLY what the 13 page TSB, that addresses this problem, indicates. Much of the problem is that the dealer "tech's" are NOT doing what it indicates regarding the lateral run out.
I've been telling owners that same thing for almost 2 years.
Your statements are EXACTLY what the 13 page TSB, that addresses this problem, indicates. Much of the problem is that the dealer "tech's" are NOT doing what it indicates regarding the lateral run out.
I've been telling owners that same thing for almost 2 years.