I have a 2007 Jaguar XKR convertible with about 55k miles. The rotors and brakes have been replaced twice now within 3k miles of problem, thinking possible warpage. The steering wheel shimmies and vibrates under moderate to hard braking from higher speeds 60+. Not an issue at lower speeds.
any ideas?
thx
Mark

 

See if one rotor is much hotter than the others after your next high speed drive. An IR thermometer would be handy if you do not want to burn your finger. You might have a bad caliper that is causing a brake pad to drag and heat up the rotor excessively and warp it.

 

What a great idea....this forum is awesome!

 

You might also check the tie rod ends. My mechanic tells me one of mine is a bit worn and I feel some vibration on hard braking.

 

Do you tend to be easy on the brakes?

If so, look to the possibility of pad deposits. You can burn them off with a series of hard rolling stops.

 

hi all
thanks for the replys to what I first termed braking vibration. I tried the hard braking advice from speed and came up empty as a solution. I felt the rotors for differing temperatures. no real heat build up and no difference in temps.

the steering wheel shimmys greatly from high speeds upon braking- expecially strong shimmy under light braking. with hard braking it is not too much of an issue. this should be a good clue..

I also noticed some oil spotting on the garage floor -front right area. stabilizer?shock? bushing?
thanks all
Mark

 

Chances are, as someone already mentioned, your rotors are warped. Do you have regular, dimpled, slotted or drilled rotors? You may also want to check for rotor cracks. It's almost impossible to see it, unless the car is on a lift - at eye level. Put some light on it and inspect carefully for damage. Google "rotor cracks" and see sample images just to understand what you're looking for. Good luck.

 

Also, check the mounting surface between the Rotors and the Hub. An uneven mounting surface here could cause the same problem as a Warped Rotor.