I bought a 2000 Avenger about a week ago. It has 35,000 mles on it. It has such low miles becouse it sat at a dealer for almost 4 years. I purchased it thinkng it only needed brake rotors and new tires.

The problem is when I brake at slow speeds, under 20mph, i get a pulsating/thumping through the pedal. It also seems to increase in frequency when I brake while making a relatively tight turn (think jughandle). I put new rotors and pads on. Calipers were fine. New tires (they were balanced) and the prolem persists. I bleed the brakes, and still no change. I have no idea what could be wrong with it. Im about to take it to a dealer (but I dont want to becoue it wil cost a fortune.

Other then the brake problem the car is extreamly clean and unblwmished, Its not likely that this is a result of an accedent.

Any ideas what it could be?

Possibly the result of the ball joint recall?
Thanks

 

Dont know if you resolved your brake
problem but prehaps the caliper bolt
is missing a bushing.

 

I still have not resolved the problem. I have even taken it to a Dodge dealer and the dont know what to think of it. Thanks for the tip I will check it out.

 

1Still trying to find the problem. The Dodge dealer says it's definatly smthing with my ABS, but they dont know whats causing it. The car is not reading any trouble codes. Another mechanic I went to said it was also the ABS , but again he couldnt figure out the problem. I brought it to the indipendant mechic firt. Then I brought it to the Dodge dealer and they said it was the ABS without me mentioning what the other mechanic said.

Any Ideas?

 

It's probably because it's not the ABS Most of the time the rotors warp because of the lug nuts being tightened too tight (tightened with air tools and not with torque wrench).
You most likely need new rotors and pads with properly torqued lug nuts. This happens ALL the time and is ALWAYS missed.

 

I replaced to rotors myself. I didnt use an air wrench and the problem persisted. No change what so ever. I did this like 3 weeks ago.

 

Did you check your brake lines while you were at the rotors? Did they feel spongy? Do you know what type of brake fluid was used (I'm gonna assume it's DOT3 type fluid).
It could be the wheel speed sensor(s)..sending wrong info to the ABS computer about each wheel. How about the ABS computer?