I'm new to the forum and a new Accord owner. I have a 2000 Honda Accord SE. It has new tires, and new brakes with recently turned rotors.I had the rotors turned in an attempt to stop some brake shudder, but also noticed that a vibration is present for short stints at about 70 mph. If I travel approximately 6-7 miles with it shaking like crazy (sounds like a helicopter is right over head and the steering wheel shakes), it will eventually go away, but return after breaking and slowing like passing through a small town. One mechanic said he could move "the axles" up and down, not turning them, when the vehicle is on the lift. He was looking for some dampeners or bushings to stop this but said he couldn't find any. The mechanics that turned the rotors said they talked to an "import" guru and this is what he said to do. But it went away for awhile and has returned. It's a nice car, but my wife won't drive it until the shaking stops and the brake shudder stops. Also it had all four tires balanced, and I additionally had a road force balance to see if a tire was bad. No luck. Someone said it could be the CV shafts, and potentially ruin my tranny. I need help, no import guys for at least an hour in any direction.

 

Also the "brake" lamp lights sometimes when it's wet outside, but I don't think this has anything to do with the vibration or brakes. I think this is a bad switch in the hand brake or something.

 

Does it shake when you press the brake or wneh you are driving around 70 mph?

 

both shakes rapidly at 70, but shudders when brakes applied.

 

If it only shakes at certain speeds, on the freeway doing 65-70 it is wheel balance. Get your wheels balanced at a tire shop.

 

when the tires are not balanced you should get the steering wheel movement at higher speeds while you are driving.

 

If your mechanic could move the axles up & down, that's not supposed to happen. Loose CV joints on those axles. Get new axles. Typical thing is to vibrate under power & get better when you lift off the gas pedal.

You may have a combination of things, including out-of-balance wheels. Swap wheels front-to-rear to see if that makes a difference. As a diagnostic, not a FIX.

If you still have no luck, find someplace that has a Hunter 9700 road-force balance machine. That can identifiy problems with the tire casing being goofy, crooked, warped, whatever...

 

hey john vibration at 70 probably means a bad wheel balance was done which is completely plausible considering how fantastic those kids at the tire shop are at doing their job. vibration when braking means the rotors are still warped so you got a bad brake job. only vibration under throttle would mean bad axles but that vibration will be present at All speeds. it sounds to me like you are cheaping out on your work that is getting done on your car. i understand times are tough im hurting too but you have to step up your game a little and you wife will be proud to drive the car.

 

I agree with most of the above:
Vibration at 70 - likely bad balance (balancing job may have been botched)
Vibratin when braking - likely warped rotors (brake job could have been botched)
Vibration under acceleration - CV axles
Is there another shop where you could take the car to be diagnosed? In the long run, it may be worth the effort to drive an hour to an import specialist if the local guys are all scratching their heads. I don't really get it though. Honda's are not really all that much more complicated than domestics. I used to be a die hard Ford guy and was terrified of popping the hood of a Honda. Then I found this forum and got confident. Now I probably wouldn't know jack about domestics anymore haha. But my point is: suspension components should not necessarily need an "import specialty" shop. Suspension is suspension. Whether it be import or domestic.

 

now I should say that the vibration at 70 comes while the cruise is on, but can't really tell if it's "throttling" that much when it does it. It does increase after it starts vibrating, like after a stop then start again....it's like you can slowly feel the vibration coming back.