Hi all i am new to this forum, thanks for reading this thread.
I just bought a 2004 sebring touring a few days ago. i didn't test drive it much but yesterday and today whenever i press the brake pedal, the front end would vibrate.
I assumed it was rotor issue, so i had a brief look at rotors, it didn't look as bad as i thought it would be. So i jacked up the front end so i could rotate front wheel for more observation. It was still in park, not neutral so i couldnt rotate wheel freely. But when i tried rotating wheel, i noticed the engine was moving as well? It kinda jerks when i rotate wheel (wheel has about 1/2 - 1inch play). Is that normal? Could that be the cause of the vibration when i brake, due to the engine jerking/vibrating while slowing down? am not sure how much play there should be or maybe i should investigate further on the rotors.

Please advise, any help is muchly appreciated

 

There are lots of possible causes for front end vibration, but you were probably on the right track by suspecting the rotors for vibration while braking. You can't really see rotor runout via a visual inspection, you'd need some special tools to actually measure it. Rotors are relatively cheap and if you are at all handy and have the right tools, it's a DIY project that could take care of the problem. Might as well replace the brake shoes as long as you've got it apart.
Some "slop" in the driveline is to be expected since putting the car in "Park" is not like setting the parking brake. What you describe does not seem out of line. If you get some vibration while accelerating like on a freeway ramp, then it could be a sign that your CV joints are going bad.
Other vibration causes can be bad tires, bad wheel balance, bad tierod ends, bad ball joints, etc, but those would manifest themselves pretty much all the time, not just while braking.

 

thank you so much for replying,
so it is normal for some play on engine as i rotate the front wheels?
i have not encountered that before maybe because of experience but ill take note. i will try to replace rotors and brake pads today. what should i check and look for when inspecting calipers? thank you

 

Yes, a little free rotation of the wheel while the transmission is in park is normal.
Caliper inspection:
- Brake fluid leaks in and around boot area and inboard lining.
- Ruptures, brittleness or damage to the piston dust boot
- Damaged, dry or brittle guide pin dust boots
- Lubrication of guide pins
- Any other obvious sign of trouble, such as broken or missing anti-rattle springs, leaks, etc.