There's an issue with rear brake drag on the 4th gen Max as outlined in this TSB # NTB99031B. I think I have this issue. The TSB suggests replacing the rear parking brake cables along with the rear pad retainers.

Anyone done this job ? Is cable replacement necessary or can you just grease them up and adjust the parking brake to fix it ?

Thanks,
Bob

 

Somebody out there must have dealt with the rear brake cable drag problem.... anyone ?

 

just so you think everyone is ignoring you...

When I bought my Max, the dealer that checked out the car said that everything was cool, except that the brake cable on the right side seemed
to not release properly...however, they also said that the cable appeared
to be crushed a little.

I'm actually surprised that there's a TSB, especially since the dealer
never mentioned it to me (ofcourse, after dealing with 4 different
stealerships, this doesn't surprise me that much).

FLO_BOY

 

Interesting...I noticed this with my car. My back brake pads wore out before my front ones did. Sorry, I can't contribute to this thread, but I just wanted to subscribe...

 

I just noticed recently that my right rear wheel has far more brake dust on it than any of the others. I had heard of the brake cable issue and thought it might have something to do with it. I don't have anything to offer, but will be following the thread.

 

Has any anyone had any success with just greasing the brake cables to resolved this issue? 1999 possible rear brake cable issue. just replaced driver side caliper and both rotors and new rear brakes. Doesn't happen all the though...any suggestion is helpful.

 

just noticed that our i30 drags in the back. the pad on the rear driver's side is almost gone. haven't checked the others yet. will check in the coming days.

p.s. i know, this thread is very old lol

 

Also check your slider pins. They can bind when dry/rusted. Look for heayier wear on the inside bad and rust on the outside roter.

 

both inner and outer pads are almost gone. haven't noticed any excessive dust. no rust on the rotors. it probably is a frozen cable, i'll need to check it out.

 

just a little update. pads were down to metal lol cables were fine.

 

If you in fact have excessive drag,and the pads are wearing evenly its likely the piston jamming on debris/rust, or the rubber line coming apart inside and acting like a check valve. Could also be the sliders sticking on the return.

clean/grease sliders. Then, if needed, bleed.

 

OK, I've got this same problem and it has recurred for the third time now and I'm going to fix this for good. I've had the car since new and an original rear caliper siezed on me at 137K miles (May '09) -- No big deal as thats a good long run on the original calipers. I had previously replaced all four rotors and pads back at 122K miles (Dec '06)

So in May '09 I bought a set of remanufactured rear calipers and installed them with new pads (From Rock Auto they were A-1 Cardone remanufactured calipers). I did check the e-brake lines to make sure there was no binding, there wasn't and I also squirted a little WD-40 up the lines from the rear for good measure. I have to say that I wasn't impressed with these rebuilt calipers - all four of them had a fully rusted outer surface within a couple of months of my installation and they looked as bad cosmetically as the original calipers after 11 years and 137K miles--this was one of the reasons I had replaced all the original calipers in the first place.

In Jan'10 at 142K miles one of the rear remanufactured calipers siezed. So I took it off, sent it back to the vendor, they sent a replacement, and I installed it along with new rear rotors and a set of pad. Now I've got a rear caliper siezing again ( Dec '10 146Kmiles).

I've never replaced the e-brake lines, now it looks as though i should do this to rule them out. I replaced the rear rotors last time to rule that out.

Here's my prescription: new ebrake cables AND new rear calipers (not remanufactured ones)and rear pads .

Anyone got any additional advice? Thanks, Rich

 

When my parking brake cables seized they would always result in not releasing. You would release the handbrake lever but there was a lot less or no tension at all in it. That's what I associate with the cables. I replaced those f'n cables 3 times - always found evidence that a shop pinched them against the trailing arm when putting it on a lift.

Frozen calipers (had a few of those too) will stick and run really hot. You can take them off the rotor, put a piece of plywood in there and press the brake pedal to see it it's frozen or still moves.

As for appearance you have unrealistic expectations. Calipers lose paint and rust unless you go to the trouble of cleaning it down to bare metal and painting with high temp paint. Cheap rebuilt calipers probably rust faster but overall they all rust after a few months to a year.

 

Dave, Thanks for the input. I'm going to have to bite the bullet and replace both cables and another rear caliper and another set of pads. I may yet go the route of the high temp paint as I don't like to look at the rusty calipers. See you in spring at the next autocross(I'm the blue 350Z!) Rich

 

I'm about to replace all four calipers & rotors (& all pads pf course) & was about to order reman calipers from Rock Auto. I was thinking about getting the A-1 Cardone powder coated calipers but not if they rust that quickly. Or did you get non-powder coated calipers? Guess I might get Raybestos or Beck/Arnley.

I can't seem to find NEW calipers anywhere. They're all reman.

 

I did not get the powder coated ones from Rock Auto, just the plain ones. I can't recommend them based upon my experiences above. In another thread someone identified NHT calipers that are also powder coated--I looked at them but they are ~$400-$500 a pair (yikes). Maybe try someone other than A-1 Cardone, I won't be using them again for brakes. Rich

 

If you guys can install remain calipers.... You can rebuild your original caliper. Less problems down the road with your original calipers and less $$$$. Cost me $50 total for both rear calipers and pads. Under a hour's labor. I do have a post of the job and parts needed.

Search!!! LOL

 

Rich, glad to hear from you. I just sold my Maxima this Sunday. Looking at a Jetta 5cyl or a Mazda 3 with 2.3L. The RX-7 is really actually getting repainted this year, my wife and I have set aside some money to get that moving forward.

I think the better reman calipers (OEMs) probably have a thicker galvanizing. Cheaper remans are probably spray painted silver or use a really thin coating by comparison. Powdercoating or the high temp brake paint seems to hold up best.

 

Dave, Yes, I remember you were thinking about selling. Good luck with the follow on vehicle choice.

I think the last reman calipers I purchased simply had no coating whatsoever. My Max is sidelined with one rear caliper having run its pads down to the squealer! Rich

 

[QUOTE=najee1062;7867665]If you guys can install remain calipers.... You can rebuild your original caliper. Less problems down the road with your original calipers and less $$$$. Cost me $50 total for both rear calipers and pads. Under a hour's labor. I do have a post of the job and parts needed.

Najee, you are absolutely right. I've rebuilt other calipers for my other cars in the past, but tried for the quick fix -- and now I'm going to wind up paying more for a job I could have done better myself for less. Sometimes we (me!) must re-learn the lessons life has taught us. Rich

 

did my rear pads yesterday and wanted to add some thoughts.
i had changed my rear calipers with remans along with pads/rotors abt 7k ago.
i've been getting very poor mileage and it was a result of dragging pads. the car feels like it has 20 more hp.

rear driver's side had seized and caused dragging. the adjustment nut was completely rusted and the part that cable pulls was seized and not moving as well.

i used liberal amounts of pb blaster and banged the "arm" that the cable pulls and it freed the caliper. only then was i able to turn the caliper piston.

i greased everything up installed the new pads. feels like a new car now. i can't wait till i get to check my mpg.

 

Every car has their issues and it seems with the a32 chassis that the rear brake calipers are prone to seizing. On my i30, I had to replace both sides at the first brake service due to seized pistons. Any any rate, it's under my opinion this is minor in the grand scheme of things. It's not a transmission issue that plagued a lot of honda/acuras in the late/early 90/200s or a head issue like my BMW (6k+ under warranty). The 4th gen maxima/i30 are solid; I feel like I see more of them on the road than old honda/camrys.