Does any feel as if the brakes are not as "grabby" as they would like?

I wish the brakers had more bite when stepped on hard, especially at highway speeds.

Did anyone swap brake pads, rotors, or calipers?

Had the same issue on my 2005 Acura TSX, swapped pads for Hawk Ceramic pads and the car would stop on a dime.

Thoughts?

 

I also would like to know if anyone has swapped brakes..i feel the same way-- they bother me when coming to a complete stop (red light, stop signs) and it just doesnt grab like i feel it should. i notice having to slam the brakes sometimes and it just doesnt come smoothly to a stop

just after recently washing my car --i noticed them to grab better but still not enough for my taste

 

I've noticed the more miles I put on the better the brake "feel" is. I don't know the composition of the stock pads, but they did seem to take a while to "seat." Thankfully, I've yet to have to pull a "panic stop" but have had a few opportunities to get on them harder than I would like and found them better than any other car I've owned (after they seated themselves of course.) I like predictability and noticed they seem to have a pretty fair "linear" progression of pedal pressure to "grab" after break in.

 

This is also the inherent issue with a 3600 lbs car with small rotors. If you feel it is a safety issue then just go on to any online part vendor and buy some HAWK performance pads which will help a little. If you are looking for actual stop on a dime performance then upgraded rotor size would be the next step but I am pretty sure that isn't an option yet.

 

3,600 lbs is not all that heavy compared to many similar sized cars to the Maxima. The rotors are actually quite large (12.6" Front & 12.13" rear) when compared to competitors. In addition, a car sitting on 245 tires all around should stop better imo.

 

None of my post mentioned anything about "in comparison to competitors". And yes I am aware that stock a 12.3" is large for stock but by no means is it a large rotor. But anyways, if you don't like how it performs then change it. You could even try bedding your brakes if you think they aren't properly seated.

 

It's not the Rotors that are crap, it is the pads, I just bought some new Pads but I haven't put them on yet.

Once I do an assessment on them I will post what kind they are and how well (or not) they perform.

 

These '09 Maxima brakes have easily been the SMOOTHEST brakes I have ever had. After 7,000 miles, I have not had even the first hint of a vibration of any kind. I could not say that with my previous Maximas.

I was careful to break these brakes in very gently, and have not yet had to make a panic stop. But I try to take less-traveled roads, take my time, and stay away from as much traffic as possible. If I were not retired, I would have no choice but to join the rat race and face panic stops.

After reading some of the posts this thread, I will be very interested in noticing what happens whenever I do have to make a panic stop.

 

Which pads did you get?

 

i'm also not feeling all good about the breaks on my 2010 model. although i only have close to 900 miles on it. hopefully it is a "breaking in" thing and not bad engineering.

on a different note - has anyone experienced a noticeable "halt" when you take your foot off the accelerator from cruising? not sure if this is normal beacuse of the cvt thing.

 

The 'halt' is simply the Nissan 'thing' about letting engine compression take over when we let our foot totally off the accelerator. It is supposedly tied to 'sports driving.' This began with the '04 Maxima, and took me a few months to get used to. Once I found how to 'work' this (by not taking my foot completely off the accelerator unless I wanted the compression drag), I have grown to love it, and do much less braking that I used to do. For folks that simply use this car for transportation, I can see where this could be misunderstood and annoying.

 

thanks for clearing that up light!

 

good 2 know

 

Brakes on my 09 Sport are as good or better then the rotor pro rotors and hawk hps pads I had on my 06, but then again I bed the brakes in like no other, if it was not for my seat belt, being able to hold onto the steering wheel and brace myself with my feet I would fly through the windshield, my car stops like it just dropped anchor.

The entire point to bedding in breaks is to raise the break pad/rotor temperature and keep it their, then with several repeated high speed stops, the pad material rubs off and sticks to the hot rotors, hence your rotors should be tinted blue cause pad material is on them, I checked my stopping distance against an 09 G37X and the brakes felt identical, and so was stopping distance, as far as I could tell.

 

Why don't you hold any further replies until you actually put the new pads on

 

The brakes on my "09" are making a lot of noise, I have apx 30K miles on them and have had them to the dealer. He said that they normally make noise in the morning after the car sits all night. I can understand that but mine are noisy all of the time. Any ideas?

 

Describe the noise. Any feeling in the brake pedal?

 

http://www.federalmogul.com/en/After...e/Thermoquiet/

there you go Bro, these are some excellent pads with good stopping power and quiet.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Just a "squeaking" noise every time that I apply the brakes, this is what I would expect from a car with 60K plus miles not with 30K. Most of my driving is highway based in Houston so I do not get a lot of start and stop braking for them to wear already. The dealer said that they cleaned them off of brake dust and that may be whats causing the noise.