_DRU_

i read that the brakes on most cars have an audible warning when worn out, it will make a whining or screeching noise when the brake is applied. my question is, is the whole brake made to be audible when worn or just a certain section? the reason i ask is because when i brake, under 15 mph, i hear a whining noise but it slows down as the car slows, as if it happen at a certain point of the revoltions of the wheels. so i think my brakes might be worn but braking feels fine (but, only had my maxima for almost one month) thanks

Nismo

iTrader: (18)

is the car new? new brake pads? if they are then they need some time to break in and thats probably the noise you hear

Daniel B. Martin

This shrill sound could be coming from the brake pad wear indicators. These indicators are small pieces of springy steel sheet metal which are attached to the corner of the brake pads.

Here is a quote from the Owner's Manual.

<font color='blue'>Brake pad wear indicators
The disc brake pads on your vehicle have audible wear indicators. When a brake pad requires replacement, it will make a high pitched scraping or screeching sound when the vehicle is in motion whether or not the brake pedal is depressed. Have the brakes checked as soon as possible if the wear indicator sound is heard. </font>

Front pads typically wear out sooner than rear pads, so check the fronts first. If the rotors are not conspicuously worn and you have not felt any pulsation in the brake pedal, you may need nothing more than new pads. Replacing worn brake pads is something which may be done by the home mechanic. You will find good coverage of this subject in the Haynes manual, pages 9-5 through 9-9. Doing the front pads is easier than the rears because the rear calipers have the complication of the hand brake mechanism.

_DRU_

my car has 60k miles and i think they are the stock brake pads. would i be able to see the springy steel sheet metal? and my car only makes this high pitch noise when i press the brakes and am going liess the 15 mph, ie. coming to stopsigns or parking at parking lots. so could it not be brake wear and something else? thanks

Daniel B. Martin

It's time to check your pads. When you do this, pay no attention to the "springy steel sheet metal". Look at the thickness of the friction material. If the friction material on any pad is thinner than its metal plate backing, you should replace all the pads on that axle (all fronts or all rears).

Brake pads can wear out in 25K miles or 100K miles. It depends on your car (brakes wear faster with automatic transmission), your driving style, your driving environment. In a stop-and-go urban area brakes wear quickly. In 100% highway driving the brake pads never wear out because they are lightly used.

plrod Black 95 SE

Get yourself some Axxi pads and replace them yourself, it's very easy. You can get them from Phuong at http://www.eatricezone.com/

they work very well.

Daniel B. Martin

Replacing brake pads is a job the home mechanic can do. It would be
helpful, but not essential, to have a knowledgeable friend work with you the
first time you do it.

One picture is worth 1,000 words. Buy (or borrow from your public library) a Chilton or Haynes manual for your car. It will have words and pictures to guide you. Haynes is the better of the two books.

You will need a jack, a pair of jackstands, a socket wrench set, a large C-clamp, and (for rear brakes) a pair of long-nosed pliers. If your brake master cylinder is full, you will have to remove some of the brake fluid. A clean turkey baster is a simple and inexpensive tool for this purpose.

Some contributors to this newsgroup insist that you must use Nissan factory
brake parts to avoid brake squeal. However, I've had good results with
name-brand replacement parts such as Raybestos.

Be sure to apply the "blue goo" anti-squeal product on the steel backing of
the new brake pads. Some brands provide a tube of the goo in the box with
the pads.