It can be pretty scary when you are traveling around some of the steep hills of Reno and notice your car begin to violently wobble when you press on the brakes, but what causes this? Is it the brakes, or something more serious?

In this case, it is the brakes. The reason being is due to the fact that using the breaks removes material from the rotors/discs and pads. As the materials get thinner, they can become warped easier since there is a lack of material to help stop and the heat produced from braking is hot enough to warp the metal.

Although you may not be able to see it with just a glance, there is very likely still some warping. This can be corrected several ways. One way is to have your brakes turned. Brake tuning is a process which smoothes out the material from a warped surface to a soft, flat surface as if it was new. This may not be an option if tuning would reduce the rotor width to below the legal limit.

The other option would be to purchase a new set of rotors and brake pads and have them replaced at Wayne’s Automotive Center. Not only would this be more time effective, but a cheaper alternative to getting them smoothed, depending on the rotors and pads you are purchasing.

So to answer the question, yes! The wobbling in your vehicle is likely caused by the age and wear of your brake pads and rotors, which is a huge indication it is time to replace them. The average vehicle in Reno should get a complete brake change every 50,000 or so miles. If it has been that long, you’re due for a brake change anyways, so visit Wayne’s Automotive Center to get them dealt with appropriately and professionally.