Brake pedal pulsing

[Poopshinanigans]

OK, my brothers car is a 2002 PT Cruiser. He drives his car about 400miles every couple of months. Now i usually take his car on short trips so i don't waste my gas.

Here is the problem: When i'm braking the pedal pulses a lot. The steering wheel moves a little, but when you're holding it firmly you can't feel anything. I was thinking it was an end link or something of that nature. The rotors appear to be fine, i dont know how they can get warped when they are never used.

Any help would be appreciated, i'll try and get some more info and what else the car does soon.

Thanks,
Nick

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[Dasfinc]

OK, my brothers car is a 2002 PT Cruiser. He drives his car about 400miles every couple of months. Now i usually take his car on short trips so i don't waste my gas.

Here is the problem: When i'm braking the pedal pulses a lot. The steering wheel moves a little, but when you're holding it firmly you can't feel anything. I was thinking it was an end link or something of that nature. The rotors appear to be fine, i dont know how they can get warped when they are never used.

Any help would be appreciated, i'll try and get some more info and what else the car does soon.

Thanks,
Nick

Rotors can still get warped from being driven a small amount.

When was the last time the tires were rotated?

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

i would check wheel bearings up front. grab the wheel at 3 and 9 and move the wheel back and forth.

 

[SRT41320]

rotors are warped - id even bet money on it

does it get worse at higher speeds?

 

[Poopshinanigans]

I'm thinking its tie rod related. But I'm in need of places to look at when i get under there tomorrow so i'm open for more ideas. The faster i go, when i start braking it is worse. I get that bucking forward and back when i apply the brake and it comes with the pulsing of the pedal.

 

[Euro]

all my money goes on bad rotors. I know all bout that with w-bodies

 

[Spicy McHaggiz]

FYI to "Warped rotors" people, theres no such thing.

(and of course now I Can't remember the technical term for it, fuck me)

 

[Nasty93]

FYI to "Warped rotors" people, theres no such thing.

(and of course now I Can't remember the technical term for it, fuck me)

excessive lateral run out. aka warped fucking rotor
i work at a dealership and make warranty claims daily for this stuff. its still a warped rotor no matter how you look at it.

rotors at are used LESS are more likey to warp (have excessive lateral run out) based on excessive corrosion

 

[Spicy McHaggiz]

excessive lateral run out. aka warped fucking rotor
i work at a dealership and make warranty claims daily for this stuff. its still a warped rotor no matter how you look at it.

rotors at are used LESS are more likey to warp (have excessive lateral run out) based on excessive corrosion

I knew you'd come in saying it being a GM worker.

 

[CamaroSS]

rotors are warped - id even bet money on it

does it get worse at higher speeds?

X2, rotors are warped, had same issue with my old Z alot

 

[Poopshinanigans]

Today i found that it goes to the right when driving down the road. It was on a slightly angled road but my PT (don't ask why we both have PTs, i have a fucked up Family) stays straight.

Thanks for the ideas, i'll try and get it worked out tomorrow.

 

[DarkShadow]

Check the control arm bushings, very common on pt cruisers....

 

[SRT41320]

its supposed to go right - - it called the crown of the road - - its supposed to help avoid head on collisions if you fall asleep at the wheel

 

[Xx CHOPPZ xX]

Just sell it!!!

 

[Poopshinanigans]

its supposed to go right - - it called the crown of the road - - its supposed to help avoid head on collisions if you fall asleep at the wheel

I told you i drive a perfectly fine PT and used it as a reference. My brothers is terrible.


I wish i could sell it, but its not mine and my brother is a cheap skate.

 

[SRT41320]

every car is different - all my cars but the subaru need a alignment since none pull right and the neon actually pulls left - no bueno

 

[Primalzer]

lets just burn it to the ground, unless he moves out within the next like 3 months

 

[Chrisco]

its supposed to go right - - it called the crown of the road - - its supposed to help avoid head on collisions if you fall asleep at the wheel

Actually the main reason for road crown is so that water doesn't pool into the middle of the road. But, the part about avoiding collisions was a nice afterthought.

Back on topic... if the pulsation only occurs when you apply the brakes, that's a warped rotor. IF you have a vibration consistently then it can be a series of other non-brake related components such as wheel bearings, improperly balanced wheels, worn bushings, etc.