[Jares1]

I have another question regarding my 2003 E320. There is a shimmy in the streering wheel when a first lightly press on the brake and goes away when it is depressed fully. It eventually has gotton worst. It seems to happen more as the brakes get warm. I took it into the shop a few months ago and they replaced the rotors. When I picked it up I noticed that there was a slight shimmy again when I pressed lightly on the brakes. Very small but none the less there. I took it back and they said it was fine. Some months later the shimmy came back and now they are worst. The strange thing is that the mechanic can't seem to duplicate the problem. I am planning on driving the car with the technician in it to show them what I mean. In the mean time, can anyone tell me if it could be the calipers that are bad and warping the rotors? Any suggestions would be appreciated? I am running out of patients.

Thanks!

 

[JG in SB]

The shimmy definitely comes from warped rotors. I had this same problem in a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee that I used to own, except that it was so bad that it would shake the wheel enough to actually make your hands slip on it. They replaced the rotors, but in a few months it came back. I never thought to wonder if my calipers were to blame....deforming the rotors. That is a good place to look, and it would explain why your problem got better when rotors were replaced, and then, after more driving, came back. If you had bad calipers (or maybe misaligned calipers) it could explain why a newly installed unwarped rotor, was turning into a warped rotor that is giving you the shimmy after more time elapsed following the installation. The phenomenon you are describing is EXACTLY the same problem I experienced in that Jeep which was due to warped rotors.

Also, DEFINITELY take the tech out with you so they can see the problem 1st hand while you are sitting there in the car with them and you see them experience the problem. That way, they won't even attempt to BS you about it.

Good luck!

 

[Jares1]

Thanks for the information. I should be picking up the car on Thursday. Hope they were able to find the problem.

Thanks!