Hi everyone,

 

Need some car help.  I have a 2007 Toyota Camry with ~ 130K miles on it and it has developed an intermittent vibration in the front end.  It happened a couple of weeks ago and went on for a few miles then stopped, I honestly even questioned if it was a vibration in the road.

 

Then it happened again about a week ago and then again today, so it is definitely the car and not the road.  The vibration frequency was definitely a function of speed, my initial guess would be a warped rotor only it happens both when breaking and driving without breaks and it comes and then goes away for weeks at a time.

 

Immediately after it happened today I could smell something and the left front wheel was very hot, much hotter than the right front wheel.

 

My initial thoughts are to pull the tire and see what I find, then probably put on new break pads and new rotors.  The rotors are still original, last time I did the brakes I miked them up and they were still within spec so I didn't change them.

 

Thanks!

 

Left Front Brake Caliper is hanging up....

 

Need to see if they lubed the slides..... if the caliper is free on the slides, then the piston is hanging up..... then you should replace BOTH from calipers especially with a car that age and miles...

Left Front Brake Caliper is hanging up....

 

Need to see if they lubed the slides..... if the caliper is free on the slides, then the piston is hanging up..... then you should replace BOTH from calipers especially with a car that age and miles...

Thanks, I will look at this first.  I did lube the slides last time I changes the brakes but I will see if they are moving freely.  Any idea how i could check the piston?  

 

Thanks again!

Left Front Brake Caliper is hanging up....

 

Need to see if they lubed the slides..... if the caliper is free on the slides, then the piston is hanging up..... then you should replace BOTH from calipers especially with a car that age and miles...

what he said.

 

 very very common for toyotas to have the slides seize up.

 Any idea how i could check the piston?  

 

Once you lube the slides, take it for a normal ride - then stop and touch (or use an infrared thermometer) and check if the wheel is hot, like really really hot. If so, the piston is dragging/hanging up.

Once you lube the slides, take it for a normal ride - then stop and touch (or use an infrared thermometer) and check if the wheel is hot, like really really hot. If so, the piston is dragging/hanging up.

Thanks, I think I can handle that!

While you're there look at the CV joints...

While you're there look at the CV joints...

Will do, just a stupid question, what exactly am I looking for? Will wear be evident?  Will there be excess play?  

 

Thanks

Will do, just a stupid question, what exactly am I looking for? Will wear be evident?  Will there be excess play?  

 

Thanks

 

Mostly just make sure the boots are intact.  Also, grab it with your hand and make sure there isn't a bunch of play in it.

 

CV joints usually start clicking while turning when they go bad.

Mostly just make sure the boots are intact.  Also, grab it with your hand and make sure there isn't a bunch of play in it.

 

CV joints usually start clicking while turning when they go bad.

As he said, look for boot covered in grease.  I've had inner joints go bad and show up as intermittent vibrations.  If a boot is gone the joint needs to be replaced since getting them cleaned is more work than just replacing the shaft.     

Thanks everyone, I will be attempting a repair over the weekend!

Mostly just make sure the boots are intact.  Also, grab it with your hand and make sure there isn't a bunch of play in it.

 

CV joints usually start clicking while turning when they go bad.

inner joints going bad will create a vibration under acceleration, usually when turning.

inner joints going bad will create a vibration under acceleration, usually when turning.

Thanks for the clarification, my phenomenon definitely occurs at times other than acceleration, such as coasting, braking, accelerating, basically at random times and then stops.  Which really makes me think it is some kind of binding of the calipers.  I will see tomorrow or Sunday!

 

Again, thanks to all who provided input!

Hi everyone,

 

A quick update, first of all thank you all for the advice, much appreciated.

 

I changed the rotors & brake pads this weekend and checked everything out that I could.  Both of the calipers moved easily, nothing was binding and everything was smooth.

 

The piston on the side that had the vibration would not move, so I would think that was the problem.  The piston on the other side moved freely.

 

I was able to free it up for now but will change it out this coming weekend.

 

Thanks again for all the help!

Change calipers in pairs ..... especially high mileage cars....

Change calipers in pairs ..... especially high mileage cars....

Roger that- I will certainly do so.  

Hi everyone,

 

A quick update, first of all thank you all for the advice, much appreciated.

 

I changed the rotors & brake pads this weekend and checked everything out that I could.  Both of the calipers moved easily, nothing was binding and everything was smooth.

 

The piston on the side that had the vibration would not move, so I would think that was the problem.  The piston on the other side moved freely.

 

I was able to free it up for now but will change it out this coming weekend.

 

Thanks again for all the help!

the siezed caliper piston is your problem. do NOT wait too long to replace the calipers now, at the risk of overheating/warping the rotor. also, as gto said, replace in pairs.

the siezed caliper piston is your problem. do NOT wait too long to replace the calipers now, at the risk of overheating/warping the rotor. also, as gto said, replace in pairs.

Thanks 1LtCAP, that is what I figured.  I will replace it this weekend for sure, and I will do both.

 

Thanks again for the help here!

 

joe