Here's the conversation I just had with my wife

:Emily gets home

emily "come help! there's something wrong with my car" (98 dx hatch)

me "what's wrong?"

emily "its going bu-bu-bu-bu-bu-bu-bu when I press the brakes"

me "whats going bu-bu-bu-bu-bu-bu-bu?"

emily "the car.. when I brake"

:I test drive the car. It does not go bu-bu-bu-bu-bu-bu-bu

me "did you feel or hear the bu-bu-bu-bu-bu-bu-bu?"

emily "I felt it through the brake pedal"

So guys and gals, any idea what would make the brake pedal go "bu-bu-bu-bu-bu-bu-bu"? It apparently doesn't effect the braking performance, does it with light or heavy braking, on straitaways or turns, and doesn't do it for me

btw. that conversation is actually funny only if you can hear her saying "bu-bu-bu-bu-bu-bu-bu"

 

pppth. haha.

honestly...could be the pads are old or rotors are slightly warped...slightly to the point where it only affects braking when they heat up. brake fluid? idk.

 

could be that a Caliper is sticking, that was what happend to be, ended up having to replace the caliper, rotor(cause it got so warm it warped and glazed over), and the pads

 

hopefully something simple like that. The only thing that weirds me out is that she says she only felt it through the pedal.

 

it also could be tire pressure too low...check that first

 

just did the oil, filter, fluids, tire pressure thing a couple days ago

I just rotated the tires, but I'd think if that was a problem it would do it all the time.

I guess it'll just have to stay a mystery. I told her to give extra room for braking in case something goes out again and if all else fails, to pull SOFTLY on the ebrake or shift into lower gears.

(this is more my attempt to get her driving sanely than any real worry of a big problem)

 

Take it to the brake shop they should know what wrong with it.

 

Bah! They jus wanna sell you stuff. Im assuming that the bu-bu-bu is a brake pedal pulsation. Is your car ABS equipped? When the does the pulsation occur? If the rotors are warped then the pedal will pulsate when slowing down from higher speeds (shouldn't happen at like 10). Since your labor is free, i would take the front brakes apart (caliper off) and look for anything out of place. Do the same with the rear, just don't screw with anything in the back cause drums are a major PITA

 

No ABS. I believe we should let darwinism take its natural course

I agree with agent on the brake shops, but there is one mechanic I trust around here in Grand Rapids. If it happens again and I can't find anything wrong, I'll take the car in to his shop.

 

My guess is the rotor needs to be machined.