Can Brake Rotors Cause Vibration?

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It is common for vibration and squealing sounds to be heard or felt sometimes when the brake pedal of a vehicle is pressed.

Commonly, this happens whenever there is any problem with the brake rotors, brake pads, or brake drums. Therefore, to know with certainty which one among them you have a problem with, may require careful inspection.

Yes, brake rotors can cause serious vibration in the vehicle particularly when they are pressing against worn brake pads.

Similarly, if your brake rotors are either bent or severely worn out, it is not unexpected that your brake pads may not be able to grip them properly even when you press the brake pedal as hard as possible or to the floorboard completely when trying to stop the car.

Notably, if this vibration worsens when braking at top speeds or you perceive the smell of burning when you are running the vehicle, it is almost certain that bad or worn-out brake rotors are the cause of the vibration in the vehicle, which can manifest as tremors throughout the entire vehicle.

In addition, these vibrations can give rise to safety concerns as well.

The vehicle’s brake rotors are connected to its brake pads and together they are charged with the responsibility of bringing it to a stop whenever the pedal is pressed.

As a result, if the rate of vibration increases when trying to brake at high speeds, which may also be accompanied by an irritating noise, then your brake rotors are most likely warped.

In summary, brake rotors can cause vibrations in the vehicle, which are even much more noticeable when the vehicle is braking at high speeds.

Bad brake rotors exhibit symptoms and not just vibrations that will enable you to know with certainty whether you need to either resurface or change them altogether.

Some of these symptoms include squealing noises from the brakes, increase length of braking time, vibrations in the steering wheel when applying the brakes, pulsation in the brake pedal, loud bangs when braking, scratched brake rotors, or the appearance of a very big edge on the outer part of the brake rotor itself.

Problems with either your wheels or tires are other causes of vibration in vehicles. For instance, when your wheels or rims are out of alignment, you may notice a vibration in the vehicle when braking too.

Similarly, uneven tire wear, separated tire tread, tires that are out of round, spoilt wheels or rims, and loosened lug nuts can also cause severe vibrations in the vehicle.

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What makes a brake rotor cause vibration?

There are quite a few reasons why brake rotors may cause vibration, but one of the commonest is when the rotor or the rotating disc, to which the brake pads are pressed against by the calipers to slow down the wheel, is worn-out or warped.

Although generally, it is highly unlikely that the brake rotors can be truly warped from just regular use. Sometimes, when the tires of the vehicle are out of alignment, it can also make the vehicle vibrate especially at higher speeds of between 50 to 70 mph.

This can equally generate vibrations in the steering as well, which can be felt via the seats or even through the floor of the vehicle too.

In addition, whenever your brake discs are worn out unevenly, the brake pads may come in contact with any flat spots in the surface of the rotor which can also lead to vibrations that are generally referred to as brake shoulder.

In other words, whenever rotors are unevenly worn out, the pads are most likely going to come in contact with the rotors in places that have suffered severe wear, thus causing the vehicle to vibrate unduly, particularly at higher speeds.

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What happens if a brake rotor causes vibration?

Bad brake rotors are complicit in causing vibrations and this tends to delay braking, increase its distance and affect the handling effectiveness of the vehicle, a situation that can lead to accidents.

Consequently, the brake system needs constant maintenance and servicing such that its efficiency will be increased.

Should you replace the bad brake rotors, it will not only improve the performance of the vehicle but also enhance safe driving as well.

Can I stop a brake rotor from causing the vibration?

Yes, you can prevent brake rotors from causing vibrations in the vehicle. Most importantly, it should be noted that whenever the brake pads drag on the rotors for a long time, vibrations are bound to occur and either or both of them may end up damaged as well.

To prevent this, the rotors should be resurfaced or machined with the aid of a brake lathe so that its surface will be smoothened or evened.

However, you are advised to resurface brake rotors only when they are thick enough otherwise, you risk warping or even breaking them in the process.

Another measure you can adopt to stop your brake rotors from causing vibration in the vehicle is the installation of a new set of brake pads.

Although most experts advise that whenever you are installing new brake rotors, it is also good to replace the brake pads as well.

How do I stop a brake rotor from causing the vibration?

Since there are few causes for vibration in the vehicle when braking, it would be advisable to treat the issue based on the possible causes or after ascertaining the specific cause of the vibration in your car.

One, if your brake rotors are the cause of the vibration, you can stop it by resurfacing or machining them as long as they are not too thin, which may cause them to either warp or even brake in extreme situations.

Worn-out brake pads can also be complicit in vibrations in the car. Therefore, if you identify that your brake pads are well worn and for that reason, your car is vibrating, you should replace them with new ones without any delay as the development is a risky one to you and other road users if you continue to drive the vehicle like that.

Will a brake rotor causing vibration to ruin anything?

When your brake rotor is so damaged as to start causing nasty vibrations in the vehicle particularly when you are braking, there are several things it can damage.

Firstly, the rotor itself can break or become so warped that it can no longer be useful anymore. Secondly, vibrations due to bad brake rotors can also cause damage to the brake pads themselves.

Thirdly, it is certainly very risky to drive on bad brake rotors when they are causing vibrations because that can lead to avoidable accidents with severe life and property losses and damage respectively.

Finally, as you drive a vehicle that vibrates secondary to bad brake rotors, its tires are constantly wobbling. This means that your rims or wheels are most likely going to become badly aligned.

In addition to misalignment of the rims, the tires may also begin to suffer from irregular or uneven wear and tear as well.

So, yes, any brake rotor causing vibrations in the car can damage a lot of things. Consequently, the sooner you solve the problem associated with the vibration of the vehicle, the better it is if you must avoid any willful damage to vital motor or brake parts.

Do all brake rotors cause vibration?

Yes, all bad brake rotors can cause vibration in the vehicle as long as certain conditions of damage or depreciation are met.

For instance, if your brake rotors are so severely worn out, warped, or damaged, they will likely cause vibrations in the car whenever you are trying to stop it. However, it should be noted that if your brake rotors are in perfect working condition, they are most assuredly not going to cause any vibration in the car.

After all, there are other very common causes of vibration in the vehicle such as rims out of alignment, unevenly worn-out tires, bad brake pads, and so on.

Specifically, if your vehicle vibrates at top speeds without braking, it is almost conclusive that your problem is not from bad rotors but other causes. These include wheel alignment or balancing issues and so on.

Can Brake Rotors Cause Vibration – Conclusion

Brake rotors are an integral part of the brake system of a vehicle. The pads grip the rotors so firmly after pressing the brake pedal that the vehicle will come to a stop eventually.

However, when they are warped, bent, or broken, the efficiency of the brake may be compromised. This commonly manifests as vibration in the car when braking.

In such situations, you have to either resurface the brake rotors or machine them. Alternatively, you may have to replace your brake pads entirely since bad brake pads can also cause the vehicle to vibrate too.

There are many other causes of vibration in vehicles. Fortunately, with careful inspection, you are certainly going to know which among them is the exact cause of your problem.