High speed braking and leaking coolant...

High speed braking and leaking coolant...
I drive a '96 Sunfire. While driving under 55 mph there is no problem braking. However, when driving on the highway the car shakes when braking at high speeds. The least it does is shake a little. Sometimes it is much worse and it kind of feels like the front right tire is wobbling. I have checked the lug nuts and they are all secure. I replaced the pads and rotors two years ago and replaced the struts a few months ago. This problem just began occuring a few days ago.

Also my car is leaking coolant. Looking under the car from the front it is leaking on the left side. It doesn't appear to be coming form the resevoir or the hoses connected to it. I flushed, cleaned, and put in a crack/hole sealant a month ago but it didn't help. I've been having to add fluid almost daily. Ideas?

Thanks a ton for all of your help!

  tbusic11

Check your water pump, and also on the tire, check and make sure the tierod/ball joints are ok on them.

  Lithium

when driving on the highway the car shakes when braking at high speeds.
you feel this shake/vibration cause one or both rotors have thick and thin areas have them machined or for the price replace them

as for the coolant leak we're not there to see it so is it the drivers side or passangers in front or behind the wheels
my thought here is a hole in then heater hose(s) from engine to the firewall/heater core rad sealant doesn't work well on hoses the flexiability of the hoses makes it hard to seal

  osborste

make sure you get that coolant problem fixed. its real easy to overheat those particular motors and crack a head.

  adamc44

When was the last time your brake pads were replaced? Your rotors could possibly be warped as well.

  SlipKnoT

I replaced both rotors, drums, and all brake pads 2 summers ago. I was guessing warped rotor's. I live in Cleveland and we've had an extremely hot summer this year. I do a lot of highway driving also. I'm going to replace the rotor's again and see if that fixes the problem. I'm making a road trip to Detroit and back to Cleveland tomorrow so I hope to have this fixed by then. I think I'll take the car into the shop and have them check out the coolant problem. It appears to be coming from passengers side, about even with the tire. Thanks a lot for everyones help. I'll be sure to check in on this site more often. You guys are great. :thumbs:

Terry

  tbusic11

I replaced the rotors and pads today and it seems to have fixed the jerking problem while braking.

I decided to put the car up on ramps and look for the leaking antifreeze. I can't see exactly where it is originating from but I can see it leaking pretty bad. Sometimes its just a drip, and then sometimes it comes gushing out. It doesn't appear to be coming from any hoses.

Pictures of the Leak.

Sorry, these are the best I could do. (http://www.angelfire.com/oh4/tbusic/leak) It appears to be coming from whatever is on the other side of that bracket? because its coming through the holes and dripping from there.

  tbusic11

check the water pump the leak could be following the engine block down to the bracket
do you find the leak is slow while engine is running and faster when shut down hot

  osborste

I discovered that while the engine is running hot it will drip slowly and then at times it will gush out. I'm replacing the water pump tomorrow, along with the belt since ive been hearing some squeeking. Figure the belt is coming off anyway to replace the pump, might as well replace that too. Thanks for all the help guys.

  tbusic11