You guys helped me with a problem back last year so I am hoping you all can come through for me again.

In July 2003, I was having some minor brake squeal/squeak problems. I had the money so I went to Midas and got new brakes. After that my car (1999 Maxima) developed an excruciating grind/groan whenever I back up. It is loud and obnoxious. It almost sounds like it is grinding the brakes off. It only does it backing up. To me, it sounds like rear brakes.

I have taken it back to Midas 3 times and they can do nothing for me. They changed the pads twice and did something to the rotors, but the problem came back in a few minutes. They also sprayed something on the brakes?/rotor which took the problem away for about 4-5 days. It came back again.

I had my car in the shop on an unrelated problem and was backing it out to leave. The mechanic heard the grind/groan and told me it was rust on the rotor and that there was nothing that could really be done except let it wear off. It has been since July 2003 and it is now February 2004. The problem didn't start until Midas put the new brakes on. I am out of ideas.

Any help would be appreciated.

Shawn

 

im havin the same problem... dealer told me that they were just dusty. after they had removed the dust, they stopped groaning for about 1 day, then they were back to the same old noise.
now im hearing noises when i slow to stop, but i dont think thats much related to this problem...
the noise didnt really start for me until i had my rotors cut and put new pads, maybe not the right pads for the car, which might be causing the problem.
at least the brakes work though.

 

I just started having the same problem. It started the other day and has been getting worse

 

The problem is prolly in the type of pads you are using. For some reason you either have to use the factory pads or expensive ones from napa. Nissan sells them for about $50. I got a set from auto zone that worked well, but they were the carbon metallic type. Make sure that you have your rotors turned as well.

 

i have it too. alot of maxima's do this, its not that big of a deal i dont think. the breaks are pretty crappy overall in my opinion

 

Yeah, the brakes work fine. But, it is really embarassing to be backing out anywhere and have everyone look around to see where that terrible noise is coming from. Besides, how good can it be on the brakes if that grinding and groaning is going on? Mine doesn't make just a minor noise. It is loud and far-reaching. It almost sounds like a foghorn. Really irritating.

 

yea mine does that too, but i turn the stearing wheel a tad, it goes away, weird i know. but im pretty sure that my noise is coming from the front brakes.

 

I would have the rear calipers checked for the emergency brake. The emergency brake is built onto the rear calipers and if not used "regularly" will eventually start to seize up. I had the same problem with my rears and this is what the problem was. Not many manufacturers build the emergency brake onto the caliper itself. If the rear calipers are making this type of groan noise then the calipers will have to be replaced.

 

I've had the same exact problem until recently. Mine (96 GXE) made the embarassing loud noise but only when backing up. Well it seems to have finally gone, at least for now. I'm no mechanic so I can only tell you what has been done to my car.

A week ago I went to Midas to fix brakes because the max started to make a large noise (different from the one I hear when backing up) while driving. To make a long story short I ended up paying $750 to change front rotors/calipers and all front/rear pads. After they worked on my car I noticed the loud noise has gone. I've been dealing with the "backing up" noise for about 2 years and I did change the pads or re-surface rotors but this was the first time I spent that much money and made comprehensive parts replacement simultaneously.

I wish I knew more precisely what fixed it technically so you can try something to fix your problem but hopefully there is a some sort of clue in my story....

 

me 2. ever since i had my brake pads replaced I get the reverse fog horn.

maybe we can tell people it is to warn everyone the car is backing up. LOL

 

Dude, Hasei, YOu got taken on that brake job! $750 on that? NO way! You could have bought the nicest pads for like $65, rotors for like $20 each. So far you are out $170...and then just put them all on the car. It is really easy, and I am not all that mechanical.

I have the rear fog horn too. I was beginning to wonder if others have this as well. MIne does not do it but when you back up and it is just one blow on the fog horn. It just makes the noise for about a second, and then stops. Then, it doesn't make it again until you back up another time after going forward first. It is strange. It is not the emergency brake, in my case, because I use it all the time. I have to with a 5 spd. Every time I park it is up.

 

I had a similliar problem where it would make the groaning/grinding sound when coming to a stop while moving foward. The problem was that the new pads I installed had too much metal in it. Have you tried changing the pad brand?