My car pulls to the driver’s side when braking, i’ve fitted new pads and a new caliper on the passenger side but no difference.
My car pulls to the driver's side when braking, i've fitted new pads and a new caliper on the passenger side but no difference. It also makes a bad knocking sound going over bumps although i had new shock absorbers and springs fitted last year. What should i check next? I'm in the UK so my car isn't listed below, its a Vauxhall Corsa. Which I believe is owned by General Motors
My car has 68000 miles.
My car has a manual transmission.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hello, and thank you for writing in. There are several reasons why your vehicle may pull to one side or the other while braking. The first thing to consider is a warped rotor or faulty brake pads. When you replace the pads and rotors on the vehicle you need to replace two or four of them at a time. Replacing just the one on passenger side will not be adequate. With that being said, you are more concerned about the rotors then you are the calibers. The calibers hold the brake pads to the rotors when needed. It is a warped rotor or a bad brake pad that will cause the vehicle to pull. You should start with the full service brake job including machining the rotors to flatten them out if needed, and all new brake pads. If the problem continues after that, get an alignment done on the vehicle. For more help contact our service department to schedule an appointment.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :
STUCK BRAKE CALIPER
Calipers are powered by the hydraulic brake system and apply pressure to the brake pads to bring the car to a stop. Each wheel has its own caliper and if one of them is sticking, the vehicle will pull to that side. Alternatively, there could be a problem with the wheel cylinder or a hydraulic fault.
Worn or warped rotors: Worn or warped rotors can cause the vehicle to vibrate when the brakes are applied and in some cases the car will pull to one side when braking. Rotors can be warped due to stress from towing, hilly terrain, or other situations that put stress on your braking system.
A faulty wheel bearing, worn steering linkage, an uncalibrated steering angle sensor, or a worn tie rod are all potential reasons for a pickup truck pulling to the side, all of which are difficult to identify on your own and might be deadly if left ignored.
An aligned car can still “pull” to one side so the first thing to check is the air pressure in the tires. The car will pull to the side with the lower tire pressure due to the increased friction of the low tire. If this doesn`t correct the pull, try swapping the front tires from side to side.
In some cases, brake rotors can wear unevenly, causing what`s known as Disc Thickness Variation (DTV). DTV can be caused by different factors, such as sticking calipers, rust, slamming on the brakes frequently, or dirt and debris getting stuck between the pad and the rotor.
Camber can cause pull if it unequal side-to-side. The vehicle will pull toward the side with the most positive camber. A difference of more than half of a degree from one side to the other will cause vehicle to pull.
If the camber is out of adjustment, it will cause tire wear on one side of the tire`s tread. If the camber is too far negative, for instance, then the tire will wear on the inside of the tread. If the camber is different from side to side it can cause a pulling problem.
If you let go of your steering wheel while you are driving and it pulls harshly to the left or the right, that is a strong sign that your vehicle is out of alignment. You may also feel this pull when you are driving. It shouldn`t take a lot of effort to keep your vehicle driving straight.
Brake pull occurs when a vehicle pulls to one side or the other during braking.
One or more of your tires may be low on air pressure or the tire treads could be uneven. You may also have a bad wheel bearing or loose bolt that is causing one of the wheels to pull the car out of alignment. You may have a damaged brake component, a seized up caliper or unevenly worn brake pads/rotors.
Phantom braking occurs when the AEB falsely detects it will hit something on the road and brakes unexpectedly even with no actual collision threat.
Asymmetry Brakes are used to prevent flap movements in the event of mechanical failure in the transmission or a runaway condition. RVDTs are a type of sensor used provide motion feedback to the control system.
On a flat, level piece of road, the steering should track 100 per cent straight ahead. if it pulled significantly one way or the other there`s a problem because you`re trying to go straight, it`s pulling left – the tyres are caught in the middle of this `fight` and they would wear out more quickly.
So: Camber and caster will cause your vehicle to pull if they`re uneven, but will cause little tire wear, while toe in won`t cause your vehicle to pull, but can cause extremely fast tire wear. This is why your vehicle can pull and not wear out tires, or it can drive perfectly straight and destroy them in a hurry!
Proper caster angles allow the vehicle to handle properly. Positive caster causes the front wheels to turn-in equally. If you send a vehicle back out on the road with more caster on one side than the other, the vehicle will tend to pull toward the side with the least amount of caster.
If you`re not turning, your steering wheel should sit pretty close to perfectly straight and centered. If you`re not sure, look at your car emblem on the center of your wheel. If that looks crooked then your alignment is off.
Alignment Matters
Worn suspension components, impacts with potholes or curbs, and incorrect alignment settings can result in misalignment, excessive tire wear and possible handling issues.
The slightest wrong adjustment in camber will cause the car to veer to one side or the other. An inadequately aligned car may pull to one side because of camber, it can also have other steering problems because of caster, or the angle of the steering pivot.
Tire Conicity & Separation
Conicity is found in new tires, typically after the first rotation. It is basically a defect resulting from faulty manufacturing and is often the cause of a vehicle pulling hard to one side. Belts are not perfectly aligned beneath the tread in tires with conicity.
Uneven Tire Pressure: Uneven tire pressure is a very common reason for a car to pull to one side. Lower pressure on one side changes the height of the tire, which causes the alignment to change. This is especially true if you have an underinflated rear tire.
Proper alignment on your vehicle will result in a smoother ride, better handling, increased fuel efficiency, and your tires will last much longer.
One of the signs that your tracking is off is that the tyres wear more on the inner or outer edges of the tread than in the centre. Toe in will lead to excess wear on the outer shoulders of the tyre, whereas toe out will cause wear on the inner shoulders.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
My car pulls to the driver’s side when braking, i’ve fitted new pads and a new caliper on the passenger side but no difference.
ANSWER : Hello, and thank you for writing in. There are several reasons why your vehicle may pull to one side or the other while braking. The first thing to consider is a warped rotor or faulty brake pads. When you replace the pads and rotors on the vehicle you need to replace two or four of them at a time. Replacing just the one on passenger side will not be adequate. With that being said, you are more concerned about the rotors then you are the calibers. The calibers hold the brake pads to the rotors when needed. It is a warped rotor or a bad brake pad that will cause the vehicle to pull. You should start with the full service brake job including machining the rotors to flatten them out if needed, and all new brake pads. If the problem continues after that, get an alignment done on the vehicle. For more help contact our service department to schedule an appointment.
I’ve replaced 4 new calipers 4 new rotors pads all new & Master brake cylinder in but it still drags
ANSWER : The flexible hoses that go from the body to the calipers are frequently the cause of this problem. And your mileage is just about right. They have several layers and the layers separate internally leaving no apparent exterior damage. The broken lining acts as a one-way valve, allowing the brake pressure through, but not permitting it to bleed back when the brakes are released. The good news is that they are relatively inexpensive and not very hard to change. Proper bleeding procedure is important though. If you would like to have this or other jobs done for you, Contact Your Mechanic. They will send a technician to your home or office to check out your dragging brakes and replace the hydraulic hoses if necessary.
After unlocking the car from the drivers side, if the passenger door is opened before the key is put in the car the alarm goes off.
ANSWER : The key should only unlock the driver door with one turn and unlock all of the doors with two turns. If the passenger door is unlocking when the driver door is turned with one turn or if the alarm is still set if the driver door is turned two times, then the Immobilizer System Module needs replaced if you are intending on not using a key fob or you will need to get a key fob to manually turn off the Immobilizer System Module. If you need further assistance with your doors unlocking unusual, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.
I was told that my passenger side rear brake caliper was locked up.
ANSWER : To perform a full overhaul of the braking system, you should replace the pads on the rear, the locked caliper, possibly the pads on the front if they are worn and flush out the dirty overheated brake fluid. If the rear rotors meet a specific thickness measurement, they may machined or resurfaced to have a fresh new surface for the new pads. You should at least have the stuck caliper replaced, rotors machined or replaced and replace the brake pads on the rear to make the vehicle safe again. Consider hiring an experienced technician like one from YourMechanic who can come out and take a closer look at your braking system and offer a more personal repair estimate for your concerns.
What causes the passenger side wheel to wobble as if loose when braking?
ANSWER : It is possible that you may have a lug nut loose. However, if this were the case, the wheel would wobble at all speeds and not just when braking. This may be more likely related to a warped brake rotor. When the rotors get hot during operation and then cool down repeatedly, they can occasionally develop hot spots or low sports in them which create an uneven surface for the pads to press against when applying the brakes. When this happens, this can cause the shake or wobble feeling you describe. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your home to diagnose the brake system and guide you through the proper repairs.
My brakes were redone and since the repair they have been locking up
ANSWER : Hi There,
A few different things can cause this to happen. In some cases if the piston inside the brake calipers is damaged when replacing the pads, this can cause them to lock up this way. This can also happen if the brake line is pinched which can result in the brake fluid reaching the calipers, but not being released back to the master cylinder which forces the pad against the rotor causing it to lock up the brakes. I would suggest having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to take a look at your brakes and make sure they are properly installed to ensure this does not continue to happen as this is could be dangerous.
A few different things can cause this to happen. In some cases if the piston inside the brake calipers is damaged when replacing the pads, this can cause them to lock up this way. This can also happen if the brake line is pinched which can result in the brake fluid reaching the calipers, but not being released back to the master cylinder which forces the pad against the rotor causing it to lock up the brakes. I would suggest having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to take a look at your brakes and make sure they are properly installed to ensure this does not continue to happen as this is could be dangerous.
I pulled into a parking spot and put my car into park, when I lifted my foot from the brake the car continues forward.
ANSWER : The vehicle transmission did not get back to the park position due to the shift cable came off of the transmission shift linkage. You will need to have a mechanic like one from YourMechanic come to you and check the shift cable connection at the transmission to see if the shift cable bushing broke and let the cable end disengage from the shift linkage. The shift cable may need replaced if the cable end bushing is not available. I recommend a mechanic check the shift cable and replace cable or repair cable end as parts allow.
I can’t roll the rear passenger window up from either the drivers side or the passenger side. Could it be the regulator rather than the switches?
ANSWER : Hi there. If you are hearing a clicking sound as the window is trying to roll up or down, then either the regulator motor is burned and needs replaced or the track that the window rides on is broken. If you need further assistance with your passenger window motor not working, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.
