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I NEED HELP WITH MY BRAKES!! 2016 mazda 6
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A shaking steering wheel is basic stuff, not a high tech. The most logical mechanical device that causes steering wheel shake comes from a warped front rotor!
If you can't tell which rotor is warped turning it by hand you have to set up a means to determine if it is. Remember, it is not recommended to run your front wheels with the engine while hanging down unsupported because of the stress on the CV joints if that idea comes to mind. Brake rotor run out is usually done with a 0-1 inch micrometer. I set mine up using vice grips and other tools necessary to get the micrometer in position so it's measuring button rested on the outer portion of the rotor to determine which one was warped. One was warped beyond limits so I ordered a reputable brand replacement from Amazon. When it arrived, it checked the run out of the brand new rotor before putting the brake back together, it also was warped beyond limits. I contacted Amazon and they expedited another one, checked it and it was fine. Put everything back together and the vibration was gone.
The point is, just because a part is new does not mean it is a good part, especially something like a brake rotor.
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This is the exact reason i went with Centric rotors, they actually machine them on a lathe (not a brake lathe) to within a specified matched tolerance.
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Using a Dial micrometer, check the runout on both sides each of the four rotors. The allowable run-out will be published in Mazdas service manual. Sorry I don't have those spec's perhaps another member does.
Yes, one needs to leave the rotors on the car.
Use the magnetic base to mount the indicator with the pin slightly depressed against the rotor about 1/2 inch from outer edge.
Then turn the outer dial to Zero it.
Then slowly rotate the rotor a full turn, making note of the maximum deflection.
Check Mazda specs to see what is the maximum allowed run-out.
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I aggrege, If after the new rotors were installed, the lug nuts were not properly CROSS TIGHTENED to the correct torque, the new rotors could be warped.
If that is the problem, all may not be lost. Just loosen the lug nuts, jack the wheel up, and properly cross torque the lug nuts.
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Yea i forgot about the torquing bit, I put mine to 110ft/lbs.
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Nope; if you have uneven pressure from the pot then your sliders aren't.
I've never had this problem with my "6" -- when the OE setup got a bit tired I went with higher-performance pads and good rotors - and bedded them in good. When THOSE wore out I bough the Z23 setup which is on the car now. I think I've got about 20k miles on that setup and no problems there either; liked them enough that I put them on my '02 Suburban as well.
I've never had this problem with my "6" -- when the OE setup got a bit tired I went with higher-performance pads and good rotors - and bedded them in good. When THOSE wore out I bough the Z23 setup which is on the car now. I think I've got about 20k miles on that setup and no problems there either; liked them enough that I put them on my '02 Suburban as well.
Lots of good advice but I would like to interject something to check.
If you feel a vibration in the steering wheel when braking, it is your front end that it is the cause. If no steering wheel
vibration, it will probably be in the back and check that.
If you have vibration in the steering wheel, and you've already replaced the front rotors. It may be possible, but not
probable on such a young car, that it is your front suspension.
To check, jack up each front side. Then grab each tire at the 9 and 3 o'clock' position and wiggle. Repeat this at the 12
and 6 o'clock position. If you have any 'wiggle' in the tire there is a problem with the front suspension on that side.
As a double check. Crawl underneath the jacked up side and do an inspection on the suspension parts with a flash light. If nothing obvious, grab the front stabilizer, front stabilizer control link, lower arm, cross member, shock absorber, ball
joints and wiggle those. If any have any play, this may be the cause. As stated before, possible but not probable.
But you bought it used, and don't know how the previous owner drove or where he drove it.
Good luck and tell us what you found.
Liedtke
If you feel a vibration in the steering wheel when braking, it is your front end that it is the cause. If no steering wheel
vibration, it will probably be in the back and check that.
If you have vibration in the steering wheel, and you've already replaced the front rotors. It may be possible, but not
probable on such a young car, that it is your front suspension.
To check, jack up each front side. Then grab each tire at the 9 and 3 o'clock' position and wiggle. Repeat this at the 12
and 6 o'clock position. If you have any 'wiggle' in the tire there is a problem with the front suspension on that side.
As a double check. Crawl underneath the jacked up side and do an inspection on the suspension parts with a flash light. If nothing obvious, grab the front stabilizer, front stabilizer control link, lower arm, cross member, shock absorber, ball
joints and wiggle those. If any have any play, this may be the cause. As stated before, possible but not probable.
But you bought it used, and don't know how the previous owner drove or where he drove it.
Good luck and tell us what you found.
Liedtke
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@TalonTsi90 because the electronic ebrake requires disengaging the system and I have never learned to do that.....so I just have the shop do it as it's quick.
As for the front brakes.....if stopping hard and having to keep your foot off the brake to not deposit too much pad or to not warp rotors then seems like something is not right. I have never warped a rotor in any of my other cars..but the 6, it's a problem. I doubt my driving habits have changed...I am old and stubborn.
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Start button twice
foot on gas pedal (during the whole process)
push down on e-brake button
turn ign off
Start button twice
How to put a Mazda with Electronic Parking Brake in to Service Mode - YouTube
If you have replaced most/all things related to the brakes then you’re issue may not be the brakes but the suspension (the linkages most likely). I had a similar issue with my gen 2 Mazda 6 and I thought the issue was my brake pads or something when it was actually faulty bearings and links. Hope this helps a little
Someone mentioned Martensite and questioned whether that’s steel or iron or what. It’s a steel structure type, so I doubt that’s the structure pertinent to cast iron brake rotors.
I changed the brakes on the 6 a few months ago (maybe several by now). Braking would make the steering wheel shake pretty bad under some circumstances, but very little under others. There was a bit of shake, occasionally, just driving down the highway.
The dial indicator showed so much warp to one of the front rotors that they couldn’t be cut back to ‘straight,’ so I replaced them.
Warped rotors happen, too. Measuring things is good practice.
I changed the brakes on the 6 a few months ago (maybe several by now). Braking would make the steering wheel shake pretty bad under some circumstances, but very little under others. There was a bit of shake, occasionally, just driving down the highway.
The dial indicator showed so much warp to one of the front rotors that they couldn’t be cut back to ‘straight,’ so I replaced them.
Warped rotors happen, too. Measuring things is good practice.
Just adding...
Once the metal(rotor) is heated/over heated, HARD spots/softer spots are created...
New pads are quite soft and they'll pick up/grab the hard spots before the soft spots, THAT IS WHY the grabbing is caused and the car shudders, etc...
Like an earlier poster mentioned, if lots of braking is necessary and you are at a stop light for a longer period, try to stay off brakes(don't hold rotor with pads 'cause a hot/hard spot will be created...:-( .
(Let vehicle roll a bit, release and roll a bit more, and so on... )
I do this, it's a learning curve !
(Living/driving in the ROCKY Mountains/Colorado, my home state. You'll learn after the first time replacing BUT first learning WHY this happens..., NEVER AGAIN! )
BUYBRAKES.COM is great place to acquire stuff.
Once the metal(rotor) is heated/over heated, HARD spots/softer spots are created...
New pads are quite soft and they'll pick up/grab the hard spots before the soft spots, THAT IS WHY the grabbing is caused and the car shudders, etc...
Like an earlier poster mentioned, if lots of braking is necessary and you are at a stop light for a longer period, try to stay off brakes(don't hold rotor with pads 'cause a hot/hard spot will be created...:-( .
(Let vehicle roll a bit, release and roll a bit more, and so on... )
I do this, it's a learning curve !
(Living/driving in the ROCKY Mountains/Colorado, my home state. You'll learn after the first time replacing BUT first learning WHY this happens..., NEVER AGAIN! )
BUYBRAKES.COM is great place to acquire stuff.
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To the OP...
Drive your car at slow speed(10-15 mph...)
Very gently press brake pedal to point of pad contact (but NOT enough to slow/stop !)
Feel how vehicle behaves; if it is rotors out of round, IT'LL FEEL LIKE SHUDDERS, grabbing then release...
No need to "invest" on a dial 👍
Drive your car at slow speed(10-15 mph...)
Very gently press brake pedal to point of pad contact (but NOT enough to slow/stop !)
Feel how vehicle behaves; if it is rotors out of round, IT'LL FEEL LIKE SHUDDERS, grabbing then release...
No need to "invest" on a dial 👍
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