Can ABS Cause Vibration When Braking?
Are you experiencing vibration in the brake pedal or steering wheel when braking? You are at the right place.
Yes, it is normal to feel that vibration sensation in your brake pedal in a hard brake. It also should only be on the brake pedal. But if you feel vibration even in braking while riding at low speeds, that is unusual.
In this article, we will explore the potential causes of vibration in ABS-equipped vehicles and offer some solutions to address this issue. So, if you’re wondering whether ABS can cause vibration when braking, keep reading!
| Problem | Reasons | Solutions |
| Worn brake pads | Personal driving habits Riding environment: High Traffic | Regular maintenance of brake pads Replace brake pads |
| Uneven tyre wear | Improper alignment Over inflation Underinflation Worn out suspension | Check and align wheels properly Inflate tyres with recommended pressure |
| Suspension problems | Damaged ball joints Damaged tie rod ends Worn or damaged shock absorbers | Repair or replace damaged or worn parts |
| Stuck or seized caliper | Your car stayed alone for a long time Lack of lubrication Air, dirt, or corrosion in the brake lines. | Examine the brake calipers and perform a functional test on the brake system. |
| ABS system problems | Problems with ABS sensor Issues of hydraulic control unit (modulator) Air in brake lines | Check ABS system using a diagnostic tool Bleed brake lines |
| Loose or worn wheel bearing | Poor bearing installation Driving conditions | Adjust the hub nut Replace the bearing |
| Glazed brake pads | Incorrectly installed brake pads Brake pads become overheat | Regular maintenance of brake pads Replace brake pads |
Let’s dive in deep.
Worn Brake Pads
If your brake pads are worn, you might hear screeching when you brake, feel a lot of vibration, or feel your car pull to one side as you apply the brakes.
Reasons:
Common reasons for brake pads to get worn faster are,
- Bad Personal driving habits
- Your riding environment such as a city with traffic jam
Solution:
If brake pads are worn, you have to replace them. Buy new pads which correspond to your vehicle and replace them with old ones. Then maintain properly to last longer.
Uneven Tyre Wear
Unevenly worn tires can make your car vibrate or make noise while you’re driving, and they can also make your car less safe in slick or wet conditions.
Reasons:
If your tires have uneven wear patterns. These are the reasons for it.
- Improper wheel alignment
- Overinflation
- Underinflation
- Worn out suspension
Solutions:
As wheel alignment problems cause this issue you should check wheel alignments regularly and adjust them. Ensure your tires have proper inflation. If you hear chuckling sounds and the vehicle bouncing when and after hitting bumps or holes, your suspension may be worn out. If so, you have to repair or replace suspensions.
This video will show you how to diagnose uneven tire wear patterns.
Suspension Problems
The suspension joints will deteriorate over time. As a result, the vehicle may shake excessively when the brakes are applied. When this occurs, you might also hear a loud, low-pitched noise or feel a rattle coming from your brakes.
Reasons:
These are the principal causes of suspension issues.
- Damaged ball joints
- Damaged tie rod ends
- Worn or damaged shock absorbers
Solutions:
Sometimes it is possible to repair a damaged suspension system. However, if your suspension parts have been crushed as a result of a collision, they are probably beyond repair and will need to be replaced.
Stuck or Seized Caliper
When you apply the brakes, you may feel some vibrations if the caliper or caliper pistons are unable to properly squeeze the brake pads against the rotors. Calipers could also become stuck while engaged, preventing the brake pad from releasing the rotor.
Reasons:
If the problem is with calipers, these are the possible reasons.
- Your car stayed alone for a long time.
- Lack of lubrication
- Air, dirt, or corrosion in the brake lines.
Solutions:
That can be resolved by lubricating the parking brake system, and misaligned pads can be corrected by removing them and putting some grease on the edge. The solution is to resurface the disc and replace the pads after the stuck pads have been released from the disc.
ABS System Problems
When a sensor is malfunctioning, it will communicate incorrect information to the console, which will cause the brakes to act incorrectly. When the air gets into a brake line, it could make the car shake when you apply the brakes as it can produce uneven pressure across the brake calipers and pads.
This is the situation in that ABS cause a vibration when braking.
Reasons:
The main reasons for anti-brake system issues that causes the vehicle to vibrate and shake when braking are,
- Problems with ABS sensors
- Air in brake lines
Solutions:
Usually, ABS sensor problems may cause due to damaged sensor wires. Though it can be fixed by soldering, it is better to replace the wire as the gauge difference even in millimeters may change the signal transmitted by the ABS sensor to the module. If the problem is with the ABS sensor you have to replace it.
You can easily find where the issue by diagnosing ABS using a scanning tool.
If air is in the brake lines, bleed them manually or using a scanning tool.
This video explains how to bleed ABS
Issues with wheel bearings
The brake rotors are directly attached to the wheel bearing hub assembly, which also houses them. You may experience vibrations when braking if a wheel bearing is worn out or it is loosened.
Reasons:
- Poor bearing installation
- Driving through the water with mud causes wheel bearing to wear faster as mud and other contaminants in water pass through seals and enter the bearing.
Solutions:
Adjust the nut hub to get the bearing tightened.
You can replace the hub if the bearing is worn. A proper mounting procedure should also be used to prevent poor installation.
Steel balls or metal races can be quickly worn away by any foreign contaminants that manage to get past the bearing seals. Never reuse old seals or old bearing components as this could cause the wheel bearing to wear out too soon.
Glazed brake pads
When temperatures rise above the brake pad limits, glazing occurs. Then, the brake pads are unable to generate enough friction with the rotors to stop the car.
Braking distances are compromised and brakes will vibrate and shudder under normal braking conditions and make a squealing or screeching noise.
Reasons:
- Incorrectly installed brake pads.
- Brakes can become overheated by aggressive driving and braking, sometimes to a temperature of 600° to 700°F.
Solutions:
If there are no arrows, position the brake pad so that the crescent cut-out is on the leading edge and crosses the brake disc horizontally.
Deep Glazing, where brake pad damage or breakdown has occurred, can only be remedied by replacing the brake pads and cleaning or replacing the rotors. The friction material is compromised and destroyed by glazing.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS(FAQs):
What is the proper technique when braking with ABS?
Simply apply as much pressure to the brakes as necessary to slow down. When the pedal begins to pulse or vibrate and continue applying pressure and ignore them. It is the ABS in action, preventing wheel locking and effectively slowing the vehicle.
Why is my car vibrating when running?
A defective or out-of-balance tire, a bent wheel, or a worn driveline U-joint may cause vibration. You might notice that the car tilts up and down while driving.
Why is my car vibrating when starting?
It could not have enough air, fuel, or spark to operate effectively. Your engine may frequently begin to run poorly due to clogged filters and damaged spark plugs. The engine may tremble as a result of the crankshaft damper. As the main purpose of this component is to avoid shaking, having a broken one might be the problem.
What happens if ABS fails suddenly while driving?
You can still drive as it has no impact on your normal braking. But drive slowly and don’t do hard braking as your wheels might be locked and you may lose control of the vehicle.
Conclusion
These are the reasons that cause a vibration when braking. Vibration during hard braking is normal due to the ABS process. If the ABS sensor is malfunctioning, ABS also may cause you to vibrate your car even in low-speed braking.
