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Nissan Quest Brakes

2

Comments

  • carzzzcarzzz Member Posts: 282
    get the frozen rotors if it is due for replacement (remember to replace the pads too). I have a 05, too. The rotors were replaced again and again. My :lemon: could warp those Nissan upgraded Rotors in unless than 3k miles. Now i am using Frozen rotors with hawk pads on all corners, there is not a sign of vibration after 7k miles.
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    You disagree but support my argument by stating your 2006 Quest has had 3 sets of new rotors in 22k miles. This board is littered with posts about people having issues with the brakes and rotors. Your theory about the hubs is not original. Good luck getting Nissan to replace the hubs. BTW, you can't not simply put on bigger rotors. You would have to change out the calipers and other hardware.

    I'm not giving Nissan a free pass. WE all know the brakes stink on these vans. They are only obligated to replace the brakes up to 12k miles. And despite what you think, minivans are especially hard on because of the weight and the typical stop and go driving. The 4200# I put in my last post does not account for the driver, passenger and cargo. My sister in law has a Grand Caravan that needed new rotors at 15k miles. They drive about 7k miles a year. Your Ram brakes are designed with towing in mind. My guess is the calipers and rotors are just a tad bit larger then the Quest.

    Personally, I go to a private mechanic for brakes. it's cheaper and I get to pick quality aftermarket rotors.

    Good luck with your brakes. I would continue to complain about the rattle in the door. The door won't fly open but it is annoying.
  • xroadxroad Member Posts: 2
    Hi All,

    New here at the forum. Found this old thread. I hope some of the key people are still around.

    I have a similar problem with my 1999 Nissan Quest. The front left wheel is locking up. I have replaced the pads, caliper, rubber hose, and in the process of replacing the master cylinder now.

    If I release the hydraulic pressure by cracking the line, the caliper will free up the rotor. I did it at the caliper bleeder, then up the line to the ABS distributing block, then at the line between the master cylinder and the ABS block. Releaseing hydraulic pressure at all those points, the locked wheel will free up. So, my conclusion is the master cylinder have a clog preventing the back flow, (right?). If I use a C-clamp to push the caliper piston back, it is very difficult but can be done, after struggling to remove the caliper off the rotor! If I just leave it overnight, the hydraulic pressure releases a bit and the next morning, I can feel the grip is not as tight.

    This happens with and without the engine on. The ABS warning light never came on at any time. You would think the ABS would have a fail mode that would not put a hold on the brakes. When the ABS fails, I thought it would be "removed" from the brake system.

    HELP !!!

    -bill
  • xroadxroad Member Posts: 2
    So, the direct evidence of hydraulic pressure release on the line at the master cylinder would release the caliper. The nagging question is why only ONE wheel is locked. If it is the master cylinder, The one clog line would lock up two wheels. So, is it the ABS modulator/distribution block that is downstream of the master cylinder?

    Decided to go for the master cylinder, for a few reasons.

    1/ It is cheaper than a new ABS unit.
    2/ Less work than replacing the ABS, which I'll have to remove the air box and maybe the master cylinder to clear the way.
    3/ Suspicion of the ABS is just a nagging question, not a direct observation of release wheel by releasing the hydraulic.

    $200 master cylinder from the dealer later, it is fixed!

    BTW, AutoZone gave me a wrong master cylinder. I installed it and one of the line will not seal. Turns out their part is different from the original. Got my $40 back and bit the bullet on a $200 Nissan part.
  • tjshantjshan Member Posts: 28
    OK guys, need some help and direction here , quickly please.

    Here is the story, we have a 2006 quest with 24K miles. We have constantly battled a vibration problem, mostly brakes. We have been through 3 sets of new rotors and two turn downs, as well as countless (5-6?) 4 wheel balances. most recently we brought the car in for brake vibration and steering vibration again last month, the dealer rebalenced again and found no vibration in the brakes, take the car, on the way home I find the vibrations back...keep in mind this is only at highway speed and comes and goes, slight but feelable. OK, bring car back, go for ride with tecky and sure enough he feels it, OK two days later they replace another set of rotors and rebalence...go back to pickup car and as soon as I turn on the highway I feel it...this time not in the wheel or brakes, but a whole car vibration, turn around and bring it back...it was by then 6pm and no techs around but they will get to it...OK here is where I need the help

    the dealer calls today (Fri) and says they rebalenced the wheels and went for another ride and do not find a steering or brake vibration (as expected) the service maneger says he took it out himnself and does not feel an appreciable vibration, but attributes what little one there is to the back wheels being "chopped" on the inside tread. He insist there is no reason to replace the tires, the chopping he says will not get any worse as long as we keep the tires inflated and balenced properly. By the way, the tires have been rotated according to the recommended schedule. here is my question, why did they chop, there is plenty of tread, i would estimate 30-40K miles left on the original tires. Why do i see so many on this list replacing their tires at 20 or 30K miles?

    The manager is not in Sat so i am going to wait untill Monday to pick it up, even though he says there is nothing more they can do!? It means holding on to the loaner for another day but If they balk I will pay the extra days rental if need be...

    Whats the treadwear warrenty on the oem tires (goodyear 16" not sure of size cause I dont have the car) is it viable to expect goodyear to step in here? It seems rediculiouse that tires would go bad at 24K miles, even though there is plenty of tread.

    Please help here, I know there have been brake issues with the quest, but can they be attributed to the tires?

    Tom
    06 quest SE
  • cirrusscirruss Member Posts: 87
    Well with my experience, there are 2 issues on vibration. First is the vibration you get in the steering wheel WHILE DRIVING. The Goodyear tires were just garbage to begin with and didn't help the situation, and also wore out quickly. Mine was bald at about 29k. I have since replace them with Toyo Proxes tires and it seemed to have helped with reducing some of the vibration. If your tires are truly faulty according to the service manager, you can go to an authorized tire shop that sells that brand and have them replace it but you will have to pay for the pro rated price of the tire (depending how much tread you used).

    The vibration which you get WHILE BRAKING is due to some design problem with the brakes that no one can figure out. Everyone who has had there rotors machined, or replaced still gets the vibration. I myself have replaced them with the Frozen rotors and it still get some vibration here and there. The strange thing is if the rotors were truly warped, then you should feel the vibration each and every time. With my vehicle, I sometimes feel it and sometimes don't, so this leads me to believe it's not the rotors and maybe something else.I have pretty much given up on getting the dealer to fix anything and just live with the fact that there are some magical design flaw with the suspension/brake system. It's not because the dealer is not willing to help, but it's just that there is no fix for it.
  • tjshantjshan Member Posts: 28
    Cirruss,

    Thanks for the input, and I agree with the brake situation...on mine it seems consistent, when the rotors warp i can usually feel it. Funny because i nor my wife drive hard, and we have even become a bit gunshy while braking to insure we leave ourselves more then enough room to stop...but they seem to keep warping. If I have to replace a set my self I will definately go with high tech aftermarket like the frozens.

    I do not understand what the deal is with the tires though..Mine have almost no treadwear, are surely not worn at 24K miles but now have a inside tread chop? I also find it odd some folks have had such terrible wear and others not...driving habits can't be that much different.

    Anyway...I guess I will see what nissen says, i am going to ask the service manager for a way to get in touch with nissan...does anyone here have any insite how to go about doing that?
  • mbquestmbquest Member Posts: 1
    My 2004 Quest SE will crank but not start. This will not happen every time, but is getting to be most of time. Happens in both hot, cold, wet, dry weather.
    Dealer replaced fuel pump & immobilizer amplifier antenna (receives signal from coded keys) but still not fixed. So far I can get van started if turn key on (not cranking) for 2 seconds, off for 5 seconds & repeat three times - then the van will usually start. Any ideas? Nissan has no clue.
  • tgdillardtgdillard Member Posts: 1
    HELP!!! I hope you still check this forum! We are having the Exact same problem-the OTHER message board I sw you one did not make mention of the AutoZone issue, SO we went and bought the part from AUTOZONE today-at our wit's end really-exactly what was wrong with the AZ part-my husband is losing faith in me at this point b/c EVERYTHING i have found online that he has done-has just not worked....and he is driving me batty! Was the brake still locking up with the AZ part? Is that why you returned it or was it visibly not fitting properly? THANKS!
  • famof3kidsfamof3kids Member Posts: 160
    I've got 61k on my 04 Quest SE. Changed the rear pads at 45k and the front pads now need changing. At 45k miles, we did have some minor warping/surging from the rear rotors, but, once they turned them and put on the new rear pads, all has been ok.

    Also, I think I remember something about the SE having the system that directs the braking load to the rear if it detects weight in the back (?). Having three kids in the back most always might explain why my rear pads wore out first and the fronts are just now needing replacing.

    We did, at around 10k miles have the TSB performed for the front brake pads. Seems there is some issue with the calipers not fully releasing and the pads/roter scrubbing. Automotive oddities like this is exactly why I always return to the dealer for maintenance issues.

    I don't remember the TSB number, but, I'm sure you can find it via Google or somewhere.

    Mark
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    Also, I think I remember something about the SE having the system that directs the braking load to the rear if it detects weight in the back (?). Having three kids in the back most always might explain why my rear pads wore out first and the fronts are just now needing replacing.

    It's called electronic brake distribution. it's standard on the Quest.

    Where did you hear that Nissan extended the powertrain warranty to 100k miles for the 2004 Quest?
  • ckeoughckeough Member Posts: 15
    I just changed the fronts and rears on my 06 for the 1st time, van has 33K. I surprised the rears were worn more, is fact I think I could have front for a while longer. I was also surprised to see the the front rotors are much bigger than the ones on my former 98 Caravan; that along with dual piston calipers. I've not experienced the problems others have with the brakes on this van, we drive 70/30 city to highway.

    Chris
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    Nissan upgraded the braking system after the 2004 model year. (It may have been after the 2005 model year).
  • nzamnzam Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2000 Nissan Quest in which the left frot brake is sticking and at times smoking. It has done this before and goes away. But this time is staying around. Is it a loose wheel bearing or does the brake rod need to be adjusted. Thanks
  • famof3kidsfamof3kids Member Posts: 160
    Where did you hear that Nissan extended the powertrain warranty to 100k miles for the 2004 Quest?

    It's one of those hidden warranties...ha. They didn't really advertise it, but, if you push the issue with customer service, they'll honor it. It was a customer service initiative. I tried to get them to send me something in writing, but, only could get an email, which I saved.

    They screwed with this forum a few years ago, so, not sure where the messages from all 04 owners ended up, but, if you do a search you should be able to find the info regarding it.

    Mark
    04 Quest SE
    :shades:
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    Thanks famof3kids
  • pam48pam48 Member Posts: 3
    How hard is it to replace front brakes on our own?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Shouldn't be too hard if you just want to replace the pads and/or rotors. You'll need a bit C Clamp and a Torx socket (never can remember the size - T40?).

    This article covers the bases pretty well.
  • pedro32pedro32 Member Posts: 1
    I just bought a used Nissan Quest SE 2004 with 76,000 miles. I noticed that the front and back rotors are kind of worn out looks like (grooves) created on the rotors. Question what type of brake pads do I need? ceramic, extended wear or what type? and I believe I will need to repair the rotors as well right if it is not to late.
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    I've heard ceramic pads are the best to use as far as wear and durability. But they can be hard on cheaper rotors. I would talk to your mechanic about what rotors will hold up to ceramic pads. Because there are so many different brands of pads and rotors, i would go with what your mechanic uses regularly. this way if there is a problem he/she will likely stand behind the product.
  • tjshantjshan Member Posts: 28
    With our 2006 quest now out of Warrenty (40K mi) and the dealer replacing the rotors 6 times so far I think I will try this myself, any one doen this yet and know any pitfalls, tricks? thinking of going with frozen rotors any opinions? I have not even taken the wheels off yet to see whats there, are the rotors just slipped onto the hub? any chance anyone has a manual I can look at?

    Tom
    2006quest se
    tjshan68@aol
  • cirrusscirruss Member Posts: 87
    Just to let you know, my Frozen rotors warped after about 15,000 miles. They were expensive and not worth the money. I replaced them with all Raybestos rotors and ceramic pads. Not saying these new ones won't warp, but at half the cost, it's easier to swallow. The Raybestos rotors are still smooth after about 6000 miles. If you are doing the work yourself, check out the online store rockauto. I have used them for about 8 years and great price and excellent service.

    There is a caliper bracket that holds the rotor in. You will definitely need an impact wrench to take the bolts off this bracket. If you don't have one, go borrow one. The brake job itself is same as any other disc brake job - not any harder.
  • delthekingdeltheking Member Posts: 1,152
    Frozen rotors have supposedly a lifetime warranty which they dont advertise. It seems they support their product and stand behind it and they would replace them if they warp that soon.Did u contact them about this?
    I have an 04 Quest with OEM rotors and when it`s time to change,I want to use better ones rather than the crappy OEM`s.How are the raysbestos rotors and pads?Might give them a try if they are half the price of Frozen.
    Really,the Quest rotors are crappy.
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    We just had the rear brakes and pads replaced on our 2004 Quest. Our mechanic used NAPA parts. Honestly, I'm not sure any rotor will hold up any better. Nissan did a piss poor job with sizing the brakes for this vehicle esp. the 2004 models.
  • delthekingdeltheking Member Posts: 1,152
    Also, do you have the well documented steering wheel shimmy/shake/vibration??The rotors and pads were replaced and it still shakes.Probably a tire balance problem.
    Did u have any similar shimmy problems?If yes,what was the solution?
    Thanks.
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    Now that you mentioned this......

    I think I found the source of my steering wheel shimmy.....lower control arm bushings.

    I spoke with my mechanic today because I was having issues. he mentioned that during my inspection (end of June), there was some play in the bushings. he shared with me that he couldn't get the bushings through his normal local supply and tried calling the local Nissan dealership. They only sell the entire control arm which costs $$$$. he balked at this and told me if I can find just the bushings on the internet, he would install it for me. I saw that Rockauto.com sells them for $18: http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php

    This will definitely cure the "thuds" I feel when going over bumps and hopefully the shimmys as well. i tried balancing the tires and while one did need an additional weight, it didn't change much. i would also check the alignment as well. This minivan has a long wheelbase.
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    Looks like those bushings at Rockauto are for the rear. Checking a couple websites that claim you can replace just the bushings to see where to locate the parts. Will post my findings.
  • tjshantjshan Member Posts: 28
    Yes, since about 5K miles we have battles the shimmy shake. like i said, 6 sets of brakes, two calipers (hanging up) new tires...the works. about 6k miles ago we had the yoko's put on and at the same time replaced the front drivers caliper (second time) and supposedly new rotors (I never trust the dealer to be honest) and the car rode great, about 1K miles ago we rotated the tires and I began to feel a shake again...ahh...thought I figured it out...had the tires rebalanced (they were off a bit) bit shake still there...in fact worse...I now suspect the rotors. We are going on a long trip next weekend and was going to try to change them myself befor we went. thats why i was looking for the advise.

    Tom
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    It looks like the bushings in the front control arm are NOT serviceable on the 2004+ Quest. You have to replace the entire control arm. I'll order the control arm tonight and have it installed next week and report the results.
  • 02quest02quest Member Posts: 2
  • ihateminivansihateminivans Member Posts: 1
    I was at one point the biggest fan of nissan but up until this latest issue, I have come to the conclusion that Nissan product have a lot to be desired. I currently have an 07 Quest that I lease and let me tell you that once you cross that 30k point, the mini-van will literally fall apart in you hand if not in your driveway. First it started with both sliding doors then it was the strange noise from the undercarriage and last but not least, the brakes.
    The brakes are the hardest thing to have a dealer fix and I don't know why. This was my first mini-van that I leased brand new and I hoped that it would last alot longer than it has with out issues. i have already spent easily over $1200 in supposed repairs to the brakes only to have the problem of shaking and rattling come right back within days of picking the van up. The only answer i have been getting from the dealer is that I need to replace more that just the brake rotors and pads but now it could be the tires or the rims themselves. ultimately after doing all that was recommended, the van still has the original problem of shaking and rattling when you apply the brakes after being being used once or twice.
    So I started doing my own research and i am a little bit of a shade tree mechanic, so what i found out was that if i went out and purchased a performance rotors that are slotted for both the front and back. That would stop the problem of the shakes that comes from the small size of the original rotors and not being able to the heat that is created from the use. quoted price of after market performance rotor front and back $180 with tax.. amount already spent $1200. I think the choice is obvious. I'll will update when i'm done with the upgrade and the overall results.
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    How long is your lease? That is a lot of money to spend on a leased vehicle. I wouldn't expect any great results from these rotors. I find it hard to believe the rotors are the problem. Plus the original rotors (same as what the dealership is using now) lasted until 30k miles. So the size and brand of rotors is likely not the problem.

    Since you have so much already invested in this vehicle, I would find a good independent mechanic to look at the entire braking and suspension system. I think you have more going on than just the rotors.

    My 2004 Quest has 78k miles on it. I stopped taking it to the dealer for brakes about 4 years ago. My indy mechanic does a great job and is much cheaper. He used Napa brakes this past spring for the rear brakes. They work great. Plus he doesn't nickel and dime me.

    Good luck and keep us up to date.
  • questmom1questmom1 Member Posts: 1
    Did you ever get this worked out? I have an 04 Quest w/ broken CA bushings as well. My independent mechanics have been beating the bushes for two weeks but it they are telling me that Nissan does not make/sell the bushing separate from the LCA so it's a $700+ repair. If you found the bushings, could you let me know where to tell my guys to look for them (possibly w/ part numbers)?

    Thanks so much.

    Bettina
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    The bushings on the front lower control arms are not serviceable. You have to replace the entire control arm (thank you Nissan). I got my control arms from www.partsgeek.com. They arrived in two days via ground shipping. I believe they cost me $445 for both front control arms. They are genuine OEM parts. There is only one supplier that makes this part.

    http://www.partsgeek.com/catalog/2004/nissan/quest/suspension/control_arm.html

    Also do a google search on "Partsgeek discount codes". I found a 5% discount code for my order.

    What's interesting is the bushings for the REAR control arms can be replaced.

    Good luck
  • exploder750exploder750 Member Posts: 159
    Update on Raybestos QS Pads:

    Our '04 Quest now has 136,000 miles. After 49,000 miles of regular combined highway / city driving on Raybestos QS pads, the front pads are worn very thin, and the rear pads are worn about 75%. There is a slight shimmy in the steering wheel when the brakes are applied, so early spring I plan to replace the pads all the way around and replace the front rotors. What's the latest on rotors, is frozen still the way to go?
  • delthekingdeltheking Member Posts: 1,152
    It seems that the frozen rotors are the best way to go as the OEM rotors are very small and inferior. I have an 04 Quest with 66k miles. The dealer replaced the rotors at 59k miles under warranty 1 yr back.So the next time the rotors and pads are on me. :cry:

    I also had the steering shimmy after the rotor job. The dealer balanced and aligned them and could not fix the shimmy. I took it to a different Nissan dealer-he balanced them and now the vibration is fixed. So if one dealer can`t fix it take it to a different dealer. :shades:

    Also what tires did you use? I still have the Goodyear eagle LS2 OEM tires. I got the 04 Quest preowned,so the previous owner must have put those. But from what I have read,these are pathetic. The Yokohoma Avid TRZ are supposed to be good. CR rates the Michellin Primacy MX4 which are available for the -04 Quest as the best tires in that class- for comfort,ride,tread life--basically the topmost ranking. So what were your issues with the tires and what did you use??

    And did you have any other problems after 65k miles?? Thanks for the help. But as far as rotors--from all Quest discussions forums I have read here and elsewhere the Frozen rotors are supposed to be the best choice. Hope this helps.
  • exploder750exploder750 Member Posts: 159
    I see someone else posting that control arm bushings may contribute to the shimmy as well; our shimmy is extremely slight so I'll replace rotors alone first and see what happens. It appears that one person had frozen rotors warp at 15K, and someone else was having good luck with Raybestos rotors....Raybestos does have a higher grade rotor available, maybe that'll be worth a try.

    We got our '04 at 49K about 4 years ago. At that time it had the LS2 tires which absolutley sucked, and there was no other replacement available in that odd size. So, being in snow country I found a second set of rims and bought a set of 235-70-16 Blizzaks for winter (sized per someone's suggestion here) and those are fabulous in snow. After a couple of years Tire Rack had some other brand tires available (in tandem with the volume needed for new Chrysler minivan) so I went cheap and bought General brand. I'm not entirely happy with them, they don't seem to balance out very well, so would suggest spending extra on some better tires than General.

    Other than that, for what it is the van has been good. We had a transmission module replaced under warranty almost right after we bought it (traced the symptoms down right here on the forum). A new battery. The brakes. New belts (the alternator belt tensioner is a weak design, if yours breaks ask for the Altima replacement parts, otherwise they'll try to sell you an entire tensioner assembly for Quest). At about 120K, a cam sensor for the rear cylinder bank went out, symptoms are not serious (hard starting, runs a bit rough) and the check engine light code traces it down easily. Part is about 80 bucks at Nissan, and very easy to replace yourself. It's had all of the recalls for rattles and stuff. It still has rattles but for the use it gets we don't care. This tank will get us 29mpg on a good day doing about 60mph. Come to think of it, it's appearing that some rust is starting to pop thru down low on the right rear wheel well. Rust holes on something that new would really suck.
  • delthekingdeltheking Member Posts: 1,152
    Thanks for the reply. Regards frozen rotors-- I am pretty sure they have a lifetime warr on the rotors. So if the rotors wrap,they will send you a replacement free. Not sure on the warr on the Raybestos rotors.

    And yes - now there are much more options on the tires. Michelin Primacy is supposed to be the best but most expensive followed by the Yoko Avid TRZ. Michelin is supposed to be the quietest and the longest tread life. I still have about 25k tread left on the Goodyears..And as you said,it is good for it is. It is not my main commute- I just needed a spare minivan and it fits the bill perfectly. Got a great deal used as these depreciate horribly due to the quality problems.

    Minor rattles present--acceptable,not too disturbing... But if I had gotten the van brand new I would be extremely mad and disappointed as these problems should not occur in a 30k van. :shades:
    And right now I am getting 17mpg as I mostly do city stop and go driving and very rarely drive on the highways.

    But these forums have been so informative and useful--You pretty much read every problem that happens with the Quest and it`s solution. :P
  • exploder750exploder750 Member Posts: 159
    I hear you on getting the good deal on the Quest used. The '04+ is actually quite the diamond in the rough for the used minivan buyer. Because of the bad raps it does depreciate rapidly, and we bought into this thing cheap, knowing full well about the rattles and other potential problems. It's a big minivan, but second to none in cargo space, and the "fold somewhat flat" second row seats are great. I agree that if a person paid major money for a new '04 then rightfully they'd be livid about the problems, but for the 'used' money this thing has been great.
  • bitsy4643bitsy4643 Member Posts: 1
    1998 quest driver side rear drum brake dragging and not releasing causingwheel to heat up. Releasing fluid frees brake until brakes applied again and tne the same happens. Took off wheel cylinder and manually pushed in pin and seemed ok. Any advice greatly appreciated..
  • exploder750exploder750 Member Posts: 159
    I bought Raybestos Advanced Technology (upgrade from standard quality) front rotors and Raybestos Advanced Technology ceramic pads front and rear from Rockauto.com, $184 bottom line shipped. Installed them this past weekend, and with approximately 51,000 miles on the previous set of Raybestos pads they appeared to have about 1/4 life remaining before going totally metal to metal. So, not bad compared to the OEM pad life. The front rotors had a couple of hot spots on them, and the steering wheel did shake a bit when applying the brakes, so it's certain they were warped. the stopping is smooth as silk now and we'll see how long these rotors last. the van has 139,000 miles and is nearly paid off, we'd like to run it well over 200,000 miles.
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    The pads are not the problem with my 2004 Quest. it's the rotors. It seems like each year I'm replacing either the front or rear rotors. I currently have 80,000 miles on mine. I just want to reach 100k without a major repair.
  • delthekingdeltheking Member Posts: 1,152
    Yes,as dtown said-the problem with the 04+ Quests are the rotors.. So did your Raybestos rotors also last 51k miles?? If they did ,then that is a very good number..I had my rotors last replaced at 56k miles.Now I have 70k miles and these are OEM ones...I am just hoping they last atleast another 20k-25k miles.. So any other problems you have had with your Quest recently??
  • exploder750exploder750 Member Posts: 159
    Actually, the 51K miles were for Raybestos pads only. We bought the van used with 49K miles (it now has 139,000 miles) and when I replaced the pads the first time 51K ago, I left the rotors as is; speculating that they had been turned at least once. Doing that, it was about 10k ago that I started to notice a slight shake in the steering wheel when braking. It's smooth as silk now with the new Raybestos rotors up front, same original rotors in back.

    Other than that, no other problems to speak of. I did a radiator drain and refill, and at 139K the original antifreeze was still like new. There is a nickel sized rust bubble forming on the wheel well just to the front of the right rear wheel. Pretty disappointing,
  • vrmvrm Member Posts: 310
    My 2000 Quest GXE failed the state safety inspection due to rear brakes.

    The price difference between genuine Nissan brake shoe pads and generic 3rd party pads is more than 100%.

    I hope my brakes dont start squealing if I use brake pads bought from Auto Zone.
    Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks!
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    How many miles? My '99 just rolled over 138,000 yesterday and it's still on the original brakes.

    We don't have inspections here otherwise mine would be in the shop. My ebrake died last month, so I'm due for a complete brake job back there I'm sure.

    I'd go with aftermarket pads too. You know Nissan is just sourcing them from some outfit anyway, and just putting their brand on them. Who knows if the OEM ones are really any better.
  • cirrusscirruss Member Posts: 87
    To recap the history and update on recent brake status:

    33626 miles (11/19/2006):
    original front rotors warped
    installed front Frozen rotors
    installed front Raybestos QS ceramic pad
    installed rear Raybestos QS ceramic pad
    kept the factory rear rotors and did not machine them

    54000 miles (11/02/2008):
    rear rotors started warping and causing the back end to rumble when braking

    57400 miles (3/8/2009):
    front Frozen rotors warped causing shimmy when braking
    installed front Raybestos Advance Technology rotors
    installed front Raybestos Professional Grade Ceramic pads (Raybestos replaced the QS model with PG)

    64250 miles (4/24/2010):
    the rear rotors are really warped at this point but they were the original factory ones that never got machined - ever
    installed rear Raybestos Advance Technology rotors
    installed rear Raybestos Professional Grade Ceramic pads

    At this point, I have Raybestos Advance Technology rotors, and Raybestos PG Ceramic pads on all 4 corners, front rotors are still silky smooth, and good braking with very little wear on the pads. With the new brakes on the rear, the entire van stops like the first day I got it. For those of you who is not familiar with Raybestos, they have been around for a very long time in the brake business. I have been using their products for 20 years now. I find their stuff to meet or exceed the performance factory brakes, and very affordable. As for the ceramic pads, the main benefit is less brake dust. I purchased them from Rockauto.com.

    My thoughts on the Frozen rotors are way overpriced and more hype then anything else. For the price of a set of Frozen, you can get 3 sets of Raybestos. My other concern is where they are sourcing these rotors. I don't think they manufacture the rotors themselves. They just dunk them in a frozen bath and then charge you 3X the price.

    For those of you who are DIYs, the rear caliper bracket bolts are a lot easier to remove than the fronts when removing the rotors. You will however need to jack the van up, then jack the rear suspension to get access to the lower caliper bolt.

    I am feeling pretty good with the setup I have right now. I will keep you guys posted with any future findings.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I should clarify that I'm on my original rear brakes.

    Any issue with the parking brake setup back there?
  • cirrusscirruss Member Posts: 87
    edited April 2010
    The parking brake should not have any wear on it since it's only used to hold the wheel in place when the van is parked. It should never be used when the van is in motion unless you accidentally drove around with your e-brake engaged. Also many people don't use the e-brake in an automatic vehicle when parked on a flat surface. Mine definitely looked new. I didn't bother making any adjustments to e-brake.

    Here are some pics showing the removal of the rotor and exposing the e-brake.
    OLD ROTOR
    image
    E-BRAKE
    image
    E-BRAKE CLOSE UP
    image
    PICTURE SHOWING JACK USED TO PUSH SUSPENSION UP
    image
    FINISHED
    image
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    cirruss: Great pictures! I remember when you bought those Frozen rotors. I thought they would prove to be expensive. Unfortunately, I think the 2004 Quest are cursed with bad brake design. I generally go with whatever my mechanic is comfortable with. I think he uses Napa Gold (or something like that).
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