Ok, the wife's 02 Cavalier has a little issue with the brakes in that, when you apply them evenly, you can feel a sensation that seems like they are uneven, braking stronger one second and weaker the next. Like they are warped or something. Is this comman? Should we have it addressed? She took it somewhere but they said they saw nothing wrong with the brakes (I'm pretty sure they didn't drive it :-\ ) What should she tell the mechanic to look for next time she takes it in?
thanks, td
You need to take it somewhere they will drive it. It could be a warped drum or rotor.
Earle
An 02 should be in warranty, take it to the dealer and insist that the service rep go for a ride with you. It could be the rotors, but probably it is the brake drums on the rear that are warped. They can be trued and reinstalled, but bear in mind that you will probably get less use from them before it happens again. If it happens more than once, insist they replace the drums and/or rotors. I had a 97 GMC that did the same thing, had to get the drums turned three times under warranty, by the time I had to do my first brake job after warranty expired, had to buy new drums, old ones couldn't be turned down anymore. Good Luck, Tookie
Sounds almost like the ABS is engaging - have you considered that?
Wolfgang.
'95 YJ "Maverick2"
Take this advice from a Chevy dealership tech: If it has fewer than 36,000 miles on it, take it to the dealer and have it repaired. Your front brake rotors have excessive lateral runout, probably due to being torqued unevenly during the last wheel service. It will likely be covered under warranty, and in the future, you should be sure that whomever services your car properly torques the wheels to prevent a recurrence. GM will not likely pay for the repair a second time, you learn your lesson on the first visit.
Also, in regards to the price of brake rotors, the factory replacement is in the neighborhood of $150 a piece. You can get cheaper (chinese-forced-labor-camp) rotors, but I recommend factory replacements. There is a difference.
Jerry
Wow, thanks for the advice, Jerry. The car is a 2002 and has only 18k on it, so we should be fine under the warranty. She's calling tomorrow to get an appointment.
Thanks all. td
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