I've been having this brake issue with my car for the past several months. I've taken the car to the dealer twice on this matter and everytime they've dismissed this as not part of warranty. Each time I can peak through my wheel and see I have more then enough pad so its not a pad issue. Clearly there's a problem with the calipers or the rotors. I mean my rear brakes don't make contact with the rotors or if they do, its hardly. But my rear brakes grind like I'm metal to metal. So I got new pads from Nissan and today I took the thing apart. Not only the caliper is frozen but also the plate that holds the brake pad is grinding against the rotor. I'm gonna have a talk with Nissan consumer affair about this tomorrow. They are closed for the day now.

 

ouch that doesn't look good.

 

some more

 

and more

 

and more

 

OEM disk are crap .!!

My buddy Spec-V got to change his after only 12K miles! wrap and used just like your!

time to ugrade to brembo disk.
for the metal bracket, couldn't be that they are in the wrong place? (my bet)

 

This is the rear brake pads/rotor. The problem is not the rotor, the problem is the caliper frozen and not allowing the pads to make contact with the rotors. Both sides are doing the same thing. the Handbrake works though. New rotors willnot fix this problem.

 

well unjammed the caliper, and you would need new rotor (or at least have them truned)

 

the Problem is beyond the caliper. You see those metal brackets that hold the pads in place. Well after the caliper screwed back in and cleaned with brake cleaner, that metal bracket is still hitting the rotor, so after spending $55 on brake pads, I'm no further then I was before I started the task.

 

I kinda had the same problem ... except when it happend my one pad was basically down to metal... i had metal to metal on the one caliper ... I work at a toyota dealership but one of the techs was actually a nissan master mechanic for like 15 years ...this guy is crazy sick with nissan stuff... actually raced with bob sharp racing when they raced the 280z's ...well anyways .... apparently he said that the rear calipers on the max do freeze up... so basically i ended up getting 2 new rear calipers new pads and rotors, flushed the lines etc etc for about 400 bux ... i love working at a dealership.... i havent had a problem since ... i drive roughly 700 miles a week .... Hopefully this Old Orger now turned lurker has helped you out somewhat...

Oh yea, i have a 4th gen ... like that really makes a diff ... lol

 

Neel you sure you didn't jam that one caliper from drifting the maxima

Update:- Got of the phone with Nissan N/A this morning. They asked me to make appt with the dealer and they'll work with the dealer in getting the issue resolved.

 

Are both rotor/caliper assemblies doing it? It would be interesting to see if the other side is "assembled" the same way (dragging and what not).

I changed out my pads and turned my rotors on my 01 about 3 months ago and everything "worked" ok. No freezing. But my pads were still 3/4 full.

Have you had pads replaced before? I see that its an 02 so not sure if you might have. If so, where the pads completely gone when they were replaced?

 

I just think you need to take a driving lesson.

 

Colonel:- Yes both of the rear are doing the same thing. About the same amount of ware. The calipers are frozen for sure.

 

My Calipers on my 00 did the same. My driver rear caliper had frozen through the time I have had my car (5 months) they were unevenly worn down, so they were completly silent until they wore down to the metal warning piece, and were riding on that. Amazed at my findings, I went into it. discovering not only that caliper had to be replaced but within time so does the other side. They passenger side could not even fit the new pads. They wont go in more. BTY I see a picture of your tools, and do not see the special rear caliper tool. Looks fairly like the one used for the fronts, to insert the pads back in. However they turn the pistons. Instead of just pushing them back in. If you use only that, you will fry your calipers too.

 

AbSoLooT:- good observation on the tools, but I do have the + required to turn the rear calipers, Just put a 3/8" socket wrench on it and turn til it goes all the way in. The other tool you see in the picture is for the front calipers. If someone thinks they can use that on the rear calipers, they need professional help


John, Whatever it takes brother, Whatever it takes

 

Update on the brakes

Just got back from our friendly Nissan Dealership. Their diagnosis is that my brake pads on the inside are wore out, and are about as thick as a credit card. Get new Pads for $60, Labor $100 and my problems will go away

Now, Lets look at those brake pads again and see where they are as thick as a credit card

 

Isnt that a faulty diagnosis? Meaning they are LYING! I mean come ON.

If those pics are the same pads (I have no reason to believe otherwise), then cant you go to management and show them and ask wtf is going on?

I really wish I could help you on this one.

EDIT: upon further inspection of the pic, its seems (could be camera angle) that the backing plate on the old pads are thicker than the backing plate on the new pads? Could the "feet" of the pad be of a different spec too? Only reason I ask is the pad "foot" could have bent the metal in further? Dunno. But even if that was the case, looks like they did not EVEN take the caliper apart to inspect. So what was the $86 charge for?

 

Colonel:- I tried the new brake pads just to see if that would fix the problem. Sprayed the caliper down with some brake parts cleaner, used the tool to spin the piston back into the caliper. It almost felt like it was not screwing back in. It was spinning but not going back in like they normally do. But eventualy it went back in. once I put the new pad on, put the caliper back on, spun the rotor and it was still making the noise. But its not the pad that rubs, it the metal bracket holding the pad grinding into the Rotor.

I'm just frustrated over this BS man. 3rd time now i've taken the car to the dealer. I mean they charged me $86 to look at brakes I already know have a problem, And then want to charge me $60+100 to put on brake pads I already have at home.

 

Did you leave the old worn out pads on? Or did you not install the new pads at all?

Sounds like you are going to have to turn up the heat. Is the car in warranty at all? If not, I am not sure why you are

EDIT: Maybe you are going to have to sit there when they pull it apart and do the same test. Pull the caliper and spin the rotor in front of them and then ask "Why?". You know you have to spoon feed these guys the whole thing.

 

I put the new pads on, it made the same noise. I took them off and put the old pads back on and took it to the dealer like that.

The car is under warranty. I have the 80K mile bumper to bumper so I'm not sweating it.

The problem is not me working on the car. I can pull the engine out of this car in 4 hours so changing the brakes is a no brainer. I just want the dealer to do it b/c it should be part of my bumper to bumper and its not normal ware and tare.

If nissan wants to by me new pads, calipers, and disk, I'll take care of this myself and not have to putup with the dealers BS.

 

I agree, that is some serious BS. I would be raging in there and kicking some people in the nutz. my rears were giving me a hard time too. And I had the same issue with, putting them back in. It just seems they just sit there and turn and never retract. took like a million rotations. But it was not as bad as yours, your brake deal is very unique and strange. Good luck to ya man