i've tried searching for an answer to my question in the forums, but no one has reported my exact problem. my '98 max makes a squealing sound that sounds like the squealing sound commonly associated with braking, except it only occurs as i'm driving, and goes away as soon as i apply slight pressure on the brakes. it increases and decreases with velocity (not engine speed), and even changes in pitch and intensity. i've determined that it must have something to with the brakes or wheels. i've always had an on-going deal with the brakes, whether it be squealing or warping rotors, and have basically concluded that nissan brakes suck. my mom's '96 infiniti never had this problem. anyway, can anyone possibly diagnose my problem? is it the brakes, is it not? thanks in advance.

craig

check the pads. U can also try using that brake quiet stuff. Never used it before.

When your driving and turns the wheels, If the noise gets louder or softer, it could be the sheild behind the rotor. Last week my 95 was doing it. I just tood a flat head screw driver an bent the shield away from the rotor. If its not that then I don't kno what to tell you. Hope I helped.

i'm 90% sure its your brake pads. Mine did the same thing. check the rim making the most noise and see if u find brake dust or if it looks dirtier than the rest. Its a signal that the pads are done and now its eating the rotors.

My 95 does the same thing although I know it is my dust shield that is the culprit. . . It is really annoying and even though I keep knocking it away from the rotor it still comes back for some reason or another (I was told that this condition started because I had bad wheel bearing). At least it will go away when I put my new brakes on and get rid of the shields altogether.

I had something similar on my 99. Nissan installed some brake spring kit and it fixed the problem (took them a hell of a long time to diagnose it though). The problem started again when I got the brakes changed and the kit wasn't installed by my mechanic. They called it a rear shim kit and a spring kit (guess it's two kits). Part numbers 44083-4U025 and 44080-54C29. Cost $35 for all the parts. Mention this to a dealer and see if he thinks it'll fix your prob.

i haven't had time to utilize any of your suggestions yet, but thanks for your help so far. i just wanted to mention that i recently replaced the rear pads (as i had all four rotors re-grinded from warping). let me know if this changes anything.

craig

I had a similar problem...I don't know that it changed that much with my speed but problem was the caliper was hanging...caused the pad to wear to the point where the noise maker was in constant contact with the rotor...so could just be your pads are really worn...how long since they were changed?

if they squeal when not braking its probably worn pads. pads have this metal clip will rub against your rotor when your pads are running low.when u change your pads you may want to use new pad return springs, they tend to wear down over time and if you dont replace them u may get brake grinding while dirving, this will kill some milage and make your car feel alil slower. also when u cahnge the pads, just use the factory shims or the shims that come witht he pads.. dont use both.

the pads ought to be fine. as i said, i just had the rears replaced (from where i suspecting the sound is coming), and the mechanic said the front pads had plenty of life left. i'm sure he would have sold me on new front pads if he felt there were any need. perhaps they didn't put the new ones on correctly. i wonder if there's some sort of warranty on their labor...

craig

**** I am having this exact problem so that makes two of us, riding normal after 10 mins of driving I hear that whislting noise coming from the drivers side wheel. I hate that noise it irritates me. Will go look into this spring kit tomorrow.

I had the same problem and it was my pads. The metal warning piece kept coming into contact with the rotor. If not, I hear that the spring kit works pretty well.

i have the same problem, when first driving off in the morning, its like a pulsating high pitched squeak that varies with speed. goes away immediately after applying the brakes once. my mechanic told me that my rotors are glazed and need resurfacing.

i know that my pads are relatively new front and back, so my rotors are probably just damaged or warped.

are those aftermark stock replacment rotors any good??? the non drilled or slotted ones?

I found the problem to my noise, and I am more then sure this is it. MaxPursuit thanks for those part numbers the front kit is $28.00 at my dealership. Took the right brakes apart and one of the clips that separates the front pads snapped in half making the high pitch whistling noise plus it is not scuffing.

okay went and bought this so called spring kit, and all it is a bunch of shims and the retainers that hold the brake pads in place hows that suppose to stop all that brake noise?


hmmm Ill install them and lets see if it works. If it does not work then I guess is not the brakes.

Well it worked for me (both times). The second time it got quieter right away and the "rubbing" sound was totally gone in a day or two. I'm not sure if it just holds the pads in a better position (further out from the rotor to stop rubbing when the brakes aren't depressed) but it definitely solved my problem. Hope it works for you too (it took me 3-4 trips to the dealer for them to figure this stuff out).

Nope is not brakes it is something else, and it just got louder this morning.

ball bearings maybe?

my car had the same symptoms. turns out the rear pads had worn and were eating into the rotors. i had to replace the rear rotors.... check to see if the pads are scraping into your rotors digging out a ring.

I just replaced all rotors, pads, shims, brake lines, fluid and cleaned the inside of the front calipers, the noise is clearly from the front left wheel, in the inner side. It goes and comes

JAY25,
please keep this thread up to date because it sound like the same symptoms as my sister's maxima.

thanks,
chiggarmax

sorry I started another since now I have noise on the right hand side as well, I am starting to blame the quaife, shimmed it perfectly like a stock differential and was later contacted by Cattmans tech to leave 1000ths of an inch play causing the the quaife to shift from side to side applying pressure to either side when one side is slipping making the wheel bearings whistle

same thing happened to me, when i took the pads out, they were in pieces!

replace em asap, and you may need to resurface the rotors

In my case I have brand new brakes, rotors, clean Motul dot 4 oil, New SS lines that I just installed on Sunday morning and the squealing has been going on since.

I had the same problem (squeaking while driving, quiet while braking). It went on for about a year...at that time i had about 35K on the car, and the brakes were the originals (car is a 97). It all started after I got a car wash...I now think that it all started when the car wash removed the anti-squeel grease. Pads still had life on them. I just waited it out until they pads were done, got new pads and now the noise is gone. I had the new shim kits installed, front and rear, with front and rear pads (rear brake kit comes with pads, shims, springs, etc, and anti-squeel stuff).

Now the only problem i got is the entire car shakes when I'm cruising abobve 70mph...tried everything but still have the problem...my brake pedal is smooth when i brake at all speeds, but i think the rotors are out of round or something...gotta get them resurfaced to see if that solves it.

I've been having the same problem as Jay since April. My annoyance is on the passanger side though. I've only put 1,500 miles on the car since...I've been driving my other car. I thought it was my brakes (Brembo Gran Turismo kit) since my pads were looking thin. I replaced them and turned my 2 piece X-drilled rotors.

The sounds I was having was a rubbing/grinding sound from 40 MPH - Stop. It gets louder as I come to a stop and is louder some days that others...in fact some days there's no sound at all. I thought it was the brakes, but even if I just coast in neutral, the noise may still sound. Braking feels smooth when the noise is not present, but when the noise is there, it feels like the rotors are warped (which they are not).

When I changed my pads, I took the calipers and the rotors off (I took them to Kragen for turning). Just for fun I thought I'd start the car and spin the wheel...err wheel hubs (wheels and brakes are off the car). The noise was still there.

I THINK IT MIGHT BE THE WHEEL BEARINGS, AXLE, OR CV JOINT. My boots are not torn. Now here's the annoying part, everytime I take it to my mechanics' place, the noise is not there. I bought new wheel bearings and strut bearing. I'm planning on ordering through raxles.com for new axles. I want this problem solved.

when yur pads are low it makes that sound

I am one hard headed son of a bish and some way some how that noise is going to get fixed. I am getting three days off next week I am going to break everything apart for the 4th time. Is not the quaife diff thats fine if it was that then my tranny would have leaqed out and broken. Ill keep you guys posted

I'm saying, even with the pads, rotors, dust shield, and calipers off the car, it still makes the same noise.

That is correct, we both have new rotors, clean oil, clean calipers brand new pads, brand new lines, new brake oil, no air in the brake lines. Something gets hot and slightly touches, can be the bearings(which I doubt) maybe a bit dirty on the inner side of the bearings because today it made the noise for a quick second and went away. Yesterday it rained so leaves me to believe break cleaner and lube something down in that are. Thats exaclty what I am going to do by looking at the FSM.