4th Generation Maxima (1995-1999) Visit the 4th Generation forum to ask specific questions or find out more about the 4th Generation Maxima.

E-Brake Barely Works...

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 01-11-2009, 09:24 PM
  #1  
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
 
92gxe/cg2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Chicago
Posts: 464
E-Brake Barely Works...

Hey guys, I changed my rear calipers and pads about a week ago due to worn pads and stuck calipers and now my e brake barely works. When pulled all the way up it will slow the car down a bit while moving but not even close to locking the wheels in rain. It also has alot less resistance than before. Before it worked great and felt great, but now not so much. I bled the brakes and I can see the cable move a good amount when the lever is pulled. Maybe I turned the piston too far back in the caliper or maybe the brakes need to be bled better? I've put alot of miles on since with no improvement. I thought maybe the calipers would self adjust after a while but nothing seemed to happen. If anyone has any ideas or can help me out I'd appreciate it, thanks.
92gxe/cg2 is offline  
Old 01-11-2009, 09:45 PM
  #2  
No more Maximas...
iTrader: (26)
 
pmohr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Oak Ridge, TN
Posts: 14,331
Have you tried adjusting it?
pmohr is offline  
Old 01-11-2009, 10:04 PM
  #3  
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
 
92gxe/cg2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Chicago
Posts: 464
Adjusting the cable or moving the piston outwards more?
92gxe/cg2 is offline  
Old 01-11-2009, 10:07 PM
  #4  
No more Maximas...
iTrader: (26)
 
pmohr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Oak Ridge, TN
Posts: 14,331
Originally Posted by 92gxe/cg2
Adjusting the cable or moving the piston outwards more?
The cable.

The piston moves out as far as it can when you hit the brakes, you can't adjust that.
pmohr is offline  
Old 01-11-2009, 10:12 PM
  #5  
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
 
92gxe/cg2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Chicago
Posts: 464
I figured it moved as far out as it could (I mean it would have too, but at the same time I dont know these things for sure so i have to ask) so I will try adjusting the cable. Thanks for the help. Could you give me a brief description on how to do that?
92gxe/cg2 is offline  
Old 01-11-2009, 10:15 PM
  #6  
Senior Member
iTrader: (3)
 
Reece616's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 403
I'm in just about the same situation...

I read a thread a while ago about tightening the ebrake but it didnt do anything.

how do you mean adjusting the cable?
Reece616 is offline  
Old 01-11-2009, 10:16 PM
  #7  
No more Maximas...
iTrader: (26)
 
pmohr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Oak Ridge, TN
Posts: 14,331
Originally Posted by 92gxe/cg2
I figured it moved as far out as it could (I mean it would have too, but at the same time I dont know these things for sure so i have to ask) so I will try adjusting the cable. Thanks for the help. Could you give me a brief description on how to do that?
As shown in the FSM:
pmohr is offline  
Old 01-11-2009, 10:22 PM
  #8  
Senior Member
iTrader: (3)
 
Reece616's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 403
thanks pmohr, ill try that tomorrow.

The method i tried before was similar but without pressing the brake pedal or pulling the ebrake lever.

hopefully this does the trick,
Reece616 is offline  
Old 01-11-2009, 11:18 PM
  #9  
a.k.a. STuNtMAN
iTrader: (11)
 
JonBlz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Br00kLyN N.Y.
Posts: 1,382
pmohr thats the same thing i had did totally fix that issue less than 2minz
JonBlz is offline  
Old 01-12-2009, 04:18 AM
  #10  
Senior Member
 
S1cTech's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Lowell/Boston, MA
Posts: 1,613
You might want ot check the Ebrake cables too. They are know to have the brackets brake off the trailing arm and also rust up if they are pitched between the control arm.
S1cTech is offline  
Old 01-12-2009, 12:58 PM
  #11  
Member
iTrader: (2)
 
em2_walsh's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Plymouth, MA
Posts: 59
i had to do the same thing when i first got my car, (same thing, replace calipers and pads, parking break didn't work) it's a simple fix.

just some advice, if you read any directions on how to do it they say that you need to take off pieces of the trim to get to the adjusting nut, but you should be fine if you just take off the cover and do it with the handle all the way up
em2_walsh is offline  
Old 01-12-2009, 12:59 PM
  #12  
No more Maximas...
iTrader: (26)
 
pmohr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Oak Ridge, TN
Posts: 14,331
Originally Posted by em2_walsh
i had to do the same thing when i first got my car, (same thing, replace calipers and pads, parking break didn't work) it's a simple fix.

just some advice, if you read any directions on how to do it they say that you need to take off pieces of the trim to get to the adjusting nut, but you should be fine if you just take off the cover and do it with the handle all the way up


Hell, in most cases the threaded rod has already worn it's own hole in the ebrake boot.
pmohr is offline  
Old 01-12-2009, 01:06 PM
  #13  
Senior Member
iTrader: (2)
 
whiteSE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Sacramento
Posts: 2,599
Originally Posted by pmohr

Hell, in most cases the threaded rod has already worn it's own hole in the ebrake boot.

i had that when i bought the maxipad.

this is pretty cool, that we can adjust it here, and dont gotta get under the car
whiteSE is offline  
Old 01-12-2009, 05:51 PM
  #14  
Senior Member
iTrader: (2)
 
96nismoSE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 842
Originally Posted by pmohr


Hell, in most cases the threaded rod has already worn it's own hole in the ebrake boot.
so true my e-brake boot is a piece of shat i'd replace it but im so poor
96nismoSE is offline  
Old 01-12-2009, 06:13 PM
  #15  
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
Feldman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Posts: 1,062
considering you just replaced your rear pads and your e brake used to work fine i am going to assume you the piston is oriented wrong. the rear calipers have what looks like a + symbol on it and it is supposed to be oriented so it is straight up and down. in otherwords so it looks like + not x
Feldman is offline  
Old 01-12-2009, 06:16 PM
  #16  
No more Maximas...
iTrader: (26)
 
pmohr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Oak Ridge, TN
Posts: 14,331
Originally Posted by Feldman
considering you just replaced your rear pads and your e brake used to work fine i am going to assume you the piston is oriented wrong. the rear calipers have what looks like a + symbol on it and it is supposed to be oriented so it is straight up and down. in otherwords so it looks like + not x
That's really just to line up the piston with the nub on the pad, but it would be a good thing to check.
pmohr is offline  
Old 01-12-2009, 08:20 PM
  #17  
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
 
92gxe/cg2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Chicago
Posts: 464
The pistons were lined up right thanks though. I had some time today and i adjusted it. Took no time and was easy, which was nice, and now the e brake works great, thanks for the help guys.
92gxe/cg2 is offline  
Old 01-15-2009, 10:15 AM
  #18  
Senior Member
iTrader: (3)
 
Reece616's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 403
I tired this earlier and it didn't make it any better.
Actually, now the ebrake light on the dash doesn't come on every time i pull it.
Is there any other cause/ fix for this problem?
thanks
Reece616 is offline  
Old 01-15-2009, 10:18 AM
  #19  
No more Maximas...
iTrader: (26)
 
pmohr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Oak Ridge, TN
Posts: 14,331
Originally Posted by Reece616
I tired this earlier and it didn't make it any better.
Actually, now the ebrake light on the dash doesn't come on every time i pull it.
Is there any other cause/ fix for this problem?
thanks
Did you adjust the parking brake light switch as shown in the above FSM image?

From here all you can really do is tear apart the rear brakes and look over everything.
pmohr is offline  
Old 01-15-2009, 10:32 AM
  #20  
Senior Member
iTrader: (3)
 
Reece616's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 403
Originally Posted by pmohr
Did you adjust the parking brake light switch as shown in the above FSM image?

From here all you can really do is tear apart the rear brakes and look over everything.
I didn't see where the parking brake light switch was. But the brake doesn't work any better either, so i think i'll have to check the rear brakes out.
Reece616 is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
KabirUTA13
5th Generation Classifieds (2000-2003)
19
10-17-2015 02:15 AM
HerpDerp1919
3rd Generation Maxima (1989-1994)
2
09-29-2015 02:02 PM
Nv2dmaxmd
Other For Sale/Wanted
4
09-23-2015 02:12 PM
pears
5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003)
15
09-18-2015 05:25 AM
220k+ A32
5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003)
14
09-11-2015 02:18 AM



Quick Reply: E-Brake Barely Works...



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 03:58 PM.