Steering wheel shimmy when braking

[JPB 74]

Hello drivers,

I took my CSi out yesterday for shake-down cruise and had a troubling steering wheel shimmy when braking. The car tracked basically straight, but the wheel tugged back and forth several degrees in each direction.

Simple question: What should I check in terms of simplest to most complex to verify system(s) or part(s) are or are not in working order or in terms of most likely culprit?

 

[Dick Steinkamp]

If only under braking it is likely your front brake rotors out of round. Replace. Easy job.

 

[dave v. in nc]

Warped, yes...like Dick said...

 

[adawil2002]

Either brake rotors as others mentioned or front thrust bushings or worn out. Those are the bushings behind the big washers visible just under the front valance with the castellated nut & cotter pin. When they are worn out they exhibit the similar traits as warped front rotors.

 

[Nicad]

I’ve had a wobble from pads depositing material on the rotor with stop tech
Pads. Getting on them real hard helped as I recall.

 

[stphers]

I agree with Bob, did they behave like this before you parked it? It probably is deposits left from a hot pad sitting on a rotor for a long time, don't forget , these rotors are cast iron and every time you use the brakes and clean the rotor off, it becomes "virgin " metal again, prone to rust I would try as Bob said, get the brakes warmed up and then do some hard controlled brake stops from about 35-40 MPH do a few of these and then drive around to let them cool off a bit and see how everything is then

Thanks, Rick

 

[JPB 74]

Currently raining with more predicted all week here in NJ. I'll do the warm-up routine and let you know how it goes once it all dries out. There was some minor shimmy intermittently (way less pronounced than during the last drive), before I put the car away at the end of last season, so I'm hoping it's just deposition of material.