HELP - pulse in right side only? hard braking.

[Jasontamu]

hi,

Im the family mechanic - you know the one everyone my family turns to to help them work on their car. I love it......anyways....

My mother in law has a 2003 Avalon and she said that twice already that while at hwy speed - approx 70mph in her words "some A$$ho cuts her off and she has to brake really hard"

well she says that the brake pedal pulsates big time and it feels like the RIGHT side of the car only is impulsing or shaking.....

car stays straight...does not pull right or left...

HISTORY OF CAR:
1. she has never done a brake job yet. same oem pads and rotors from day one.
2. 40K miles on car.

My guess is that its normal and that she is just simply actually braking hard enough for the first time to activate the ABS system. She said she has never felt the ABS before nor had to stop hard like that before.......

im guessing the pads may be coming up on replacement time and she has more wear on the pads on the right then left....

I was suggesting to here that i check her brake pads and rotors and possibly take it in for a brake fluid flush...

what do you guys think?? im new to avalon.

Thanks so much,
- Jason

[avalonshoe]

i drove my avalon for 70k miles til my first brake change, and im pretty aggressive/spirited driver. the pads were still good but i decided to do the entire car's brakes. how does your mother drive? braking hard for her is probably just normal braking for me. (it could be relative)

i doubt the brakes are worn, and probably not the ABS,

im having the same pulsating problem now i think. it could be the rotors being warped or another problem with it (i forgot the term). does the steering wheel shake/vibrate upon braking? i plan on getting my alignment, then perhaps resurfacing my rotors to see if it helps. keep me updated

[Jasontamu]

hi,

no steering wheel doesn't shake....

I was told that the ABS unit is on the right side of the car? im wondering if thats what she felt vibrating?

hummm??

ill let you know..
- J

[ChiTDI]

Check the wheel torque. 76 ft-lbs.

[avalonsteve01]

Just thought i would throw this out there.. My 01 Avalon had same symptoms. breaking and felt like the front end was going to shake apart.. Turns out the rotors (drivers side) caliper (sp) was not releasing as it should.. it was getting theotor hottor than normal ... warping it and after i replaced both rotors and drivers caliper it was smooth as silk..

i am hving over heating issues now with mine see thread on 2001 avalon overheating..

Hope that helps..

Steve

[avalonshoe]

Originally Posted by avalonsteve01

Turns out the rotors (drivers side) caliper (sp) was not releasing as it should.. it was getting theotor hottor than normal ... warping it and after i replaced both rotors and drivers caliper it was smooth as silk..

howcome you replaced the caliper and not the rotors first? how did u find out it was the calipers not releasing? i just took out my calipers, clean the sliding pin rubber boot and regreased the pin.. dunno if it works yet..

[avalonsteve01]

Originally Posted by avalonshoe

howcome you replaced the caliper and not the rotors first? how did u find out it was the calipers not releasing? i just took out my calipers, clean the sliding pin rubber boot and regreased the pin.. dunno if it works yet..

Should have been more clear.. as i was replacing the rotors we squeezed the caliper it was real hard to compress.. (harder than normal) ... i even felt the drivers side was not releasing like it should.. took it to Toyota dealer ... of course they found nothing and said it was working like it should.. so we changed it while it was at that stage of the repair.. I could have done the clean job / and put them on.. I have 135,000 on them so what the heck replace then now or replace them later..I chose to do it now.. it worked

Steve

[djmalisk]

Hi, i drive 98 Camry LE w/ABS, and on highway one time, one A$$ho also cut me off, and i was driving 65mph, so i had to brake hard, and the whole car was shaking! I think that cars with ABS, what the ABS does, it pumps the brakes itself, so you don't have to do it. I think it's normal! i might be wrong, but this happened to me too, that i had to hit the brakes while driving 65mph, and like i said, the whole car shook like crazy, but i think that's normal. O and also, it did not pull left or right or anything!

Ps: one time while driving my wifes 01 Altima GXE, no ABS, i was driving 35mph, was raining at the time, i hit the brakes, and the rear end of the car slid on the road! So i did the O on the middle of the road. Thanks God wasn't any cars around, so i hit the curb. So i had to replace only the rim that got bent from hitting the CURB and some rear arm right side .... I would not recommend cars without ABS. I hate Cars without ABS.


Sorry if i went out of the subject!

[Eurobob]

i had an issue where the rotor was warped and only 1/2 of pad was making contact, the only non rust part left on the rotor. they don't make rotors like they used to... get them a bit hot and then hit a puddle, warped rotor passed the run out to resurface. steering wheel vibration is usually front, seat vibration is usually rear. abs you should feel in the pedal and nothing else.