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Issues with Brakes

Nekko Noir

Nekko Noir

=^_^=
Okay, I don't have a Mazda but since y'all have a wealth of knowledge about cars I figured there is no better place to ask!!!

I have a 2000 Ford Fox. Yes, it's a first-year model. No, you're not allowed to grill me about it. Evar.

So anyway, recently my brakes have been acting funny. First, it felt a bit squishier than normal and I had to press the brake down further and harder than usual to stop but not enough that it's alarming. And add to that, now my brakes and my steering wheel vibrate each and every time I press the brake pedal. The vibrating is more forceful depending on how fast I'm going at the time I press the brakes.

Any ideas on what could be causing this and whether or not I need to be overly worried about it? I'm hoping it's just a cheap and easy fix but wouldn't be too overly surprised if this car sucked yet more money outta me than I can afford.
 
dmention7

dmention7

Hater
You have to bug me more on weekends to look at your car! lol

I was thinking the shimmying might be tie-rod ends or warped brake rotors. Usually if it's brake rotors you only feel it through the brake pedal and it's more noticeable at low speed, whereas tie-rod ends would be felt through the steering wheel or through the whole car. Neither is expensive or difficult to fix, and I can tell pretty easily if it's the tie-rod ends just by jacking up the front of the car and seeing if the wheels have any wiggle to them.
 
N

niterydr

Legendary Status!
Rotors are probably warmed, pads are probably low on material.

Could be a tie rod end, any service shop would check that while performing a brake service.
 
S

Slim

Guest
+1 on warped rotors being the most likely cause. I had a 91 cavalier that would vibrate like crazy when braking at freeway speeds and vibrate a little less at slower speeds. Replaced the front rotors and pads and it was good.
 
Picklz

Picklz

SUDO Make me a SAMCH
I second (or third?) warped rotors, I know on Focus' having to do brakes more frequently is a common occurance. Shouldn't be too hard to swap out the rotors and pads on a Sat or Sun. and I'll bet that takes care of it.
 
Z

ZoomZoom Diva

New Member
I wonder what the EBC ultimax pads and OEM replacement rotors would be for a Focus. Particularly the pads, since my Red Stuffs were cheaper than OEM.
 
dmention7

dmention7

Hater
Interesting. I'd never heard that before...

In any case, I'm pretty sure it's the pads/rotors. I jacked up the front end and there was zero play on either axis of the wheel. A couple years back, the car got Midas' "lifetime" brake service, so I think we're going to dig up that receipt and see if they can do anything first.
 
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