Brake fluid leaking

JunoonX · 04-25-2009, 04:34 PM

Guys - This just baffled me, today morning I start my Z and this ride has 1225 mi on it. The brake lights still on, no parking brake, vdc lights off and traction control lights are on. I try to drive it out and brakes are all soft, and it wouldn't brake at all. I had to use the parking brake to drive it to the dealership (painful!!) . I am at the dealership right now while they look at this. I'm clearly baffled by what just happened here, though, still waiting on the inspection to hear what's the deal here really. I'll update this thread back again, but anyone else ran into this or is my car just an anomaly?

P.S: Yes I'm in MN and puddles are a daily encounter so could it be a bad encounter with a puddle :/ This just makes no sense to me.

alan93rsa · 04-25-2009, 05:56 PM

How soft? Does the pedal feel like it's going down to the floor? I'd want a real good answer on this issue. It's possible for a seal to fail.

Good luck.

semtex · 04-25-2009, 06:35 PM

If you're still waiting on the inspection to find out what the cause is, how do you know the brake fluid is leaking? Or is that just a guess?

JunoonX · 04-26-2009, 12:18 AM

@semtex: I failed to mention above that I saw some fluid in my garage today, n that was my hunch due to it. Turned out I was right, the only thing they could find out b4 closing shop tonight was that the brake fluids low but didn't know if it was a leak or something else ( I got there just 30mins before closeout).

@alan: it hits the floor and no response from thew brakes at all

I won't know what really happened ubntil monday though, since they'll be working with nissan on this as well perform a full diagnostic.

Right now I'm hoping it isn't something big because they might not have parts stocked and might have to order. I have a track event on friday and wouldn't want to miss on it, but I'm more worried about my car now. I'll keep you all posted.

joeyz10 · 04-26-2009, 12:46 AM

are you sure nobody got envy on your new ride and punctured your brake lines? just wondering

JunoonX · 04-26-2009, 02:17 AM

At work, its in a secure parking ramp, and at home its in my garage. I doubt the above, but my mum's a bit superstitious, she said the same thing :P. Regardless, I'll keep you all posted. I'm just hoping it was some crazy bad luck - first my tires and now this.

imag · 04-30-2009, 05:56 PM

Do people really do that? That's f_ed up (not to mention, attempted murder).

JunoonX · 04-30-2009, 07:00 PM

Finally got my car back after a full inspection, etc. Turned out there were air pockets in the brake system, which is extremely odd for a brand new car, and why did it happen after driving 1200 mi, don't ask me, I honestly don't know what to make of this. No leaks anywhere. All the dealer had to do was bleed it a bit to get that out, fill the brake fluid to full levels, test drive it, let it sit in a tilted position (the way it sits on my driveway) and test drive it again, leave it on a dry floor and leave it up for another night - nothing.
I ended up not going to the track, and might just hit it up tomorrow, I'm just concerned for this and perhaps until I drive it a few more miles, I won't really get rid of this worry.

joeyz10 · 05-01-2009, 12:03 AM

I would worry too. we are talking about brakes here on a fast car!!!

ChrisSlicks · 05-01-2009, 12:51 PM

I wonder how they fill and bleed these at the factory? If you're brakes went soft while being parked it would imply that one of the bleed values wasn't fully closed or there was a leak at one of the connection points. I would be watching your brake fluid level like a hawk for a few days just to make sure it doesn't move.

I'm still trying to figure out how to resolve my weird braking issue. I think I'm going to do a full bleed tomorrow.

JunoonX · 05-04-2009, 09:29 AM

So after driving nearly 1100 additional miles, I'm not as worried as I was when I got my car back. I'm in Canada for the next 2 weeks and my dealership already talked to the Nissan dealer here in Sauga, ON in case of any troubles etc - so I think I should be ok as long as that is covered.

I'll keep you all posted and Chris I'm hoping your brake oddities solve from the bleeding work. I don't know why I ended up with the my brake troubles originally, but I hope no one else goes through it.

ChrisSlicks · 05-05-2009, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JunoonX

So after driving nearly 1100 additional miles, I'm not as worried as I was when I got my car back. I'm in Canada for the next 2 weeks and my dealership already talked to the Nissan dealer here in Sauga, ON in case of any troubles etc - so I think I should be ok as long as that is covered.

I'll keep you all posted and Chris I'm hoping your brake oddities solve from the bleeding work. I don't know why I ended up with the my brake troubles originally, but I hope no one else goes through it.

I think you will be fine now. You probably had a loose fitting or bleed valve.

Bleeding the brakes did not solve my problem unfortunately. I didn't think it would but I had to rule it out.

westpak · 05-05-2009, 08:14 AM

my guess is that the fluid was probably low from the factory and as brake pads wear the fluid will go down and if it was already low it will allow air to get into the system

if this was the case the dealer failed in their predelivery inspection

ZYUL8R · 05-10-2009, 02:42 AM

hmmm...out to check my brake fluid...geez...Guess ill get under the car for the first time tommorrow...and bleed my brakes for fun.

04-25-2009, 04:34 PM	#1 (permalink)
JunoonX Base Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 79 Drives: 350z sold,370z sold Rep Power: 16	Brake fluid leaking Guys - This just baffled me, today morning I start my Z and this ride has 1225 mi on it. The brake lights still on, no parking brake, vdc lights off and traction control lights are on. I try to drive it out and brakes are all soft, and it wouldn't brake at all. I had to use the parking brake to drive it to the dealership (painful!!) . I am at the dealership right now while they look at this. I'm clearly baffled by what just happened here, though, still waiting on the inspection to hear what's the deal here really. I'll update this thread back again, but anyone else ran into this or is my car just an anomaly? P.S: Yes I'm in MN and puddles are a daily encounter so could it be a bad encounter with a puddle :/ This just makes no sense to me.

04-25-2009, 05:56 PM	#2 (permalink)
alan93rsa Enthusiast Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 412 Drives: 16 Cayman GT4 Red Rep Power: 220	How soft? Does the pedal feel like it's going down to the floor? I'd want a real good answer on this issue. It's possible for a seal to fail. Good luck. __________________ 16 Cayman GT4, Carmine Red, Buckets, PCCB etc.

04-25-2009, 06:35 PM	#3 (permalink)
semtex A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Behind enemy lines Age: 53 Posts: 5,995 Drives: People to drink Rep Power: 32	If you're still waiting on the inspection to find out what the cause is, how do you know the brake fluid is leaking? Or is that just a guess? __________________ "There are no small accidents on this circuit." -- Ayrton Senna 316.8whp & 248 ft/lbs (Dyno Dynamics) \| 319whp & 256 ft/lbs (DynoJet) (04/23/10) Stillen G3 CAI, CBE, Pulley / F.I. LTH / GTSpec Ladder Brace / Setrab Oil Cooler / UpRev-tuned by Forged Perf.

05-05-2009, 08:14 AM	#13 (permalink)
westpak Enthusiast Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Lake Worth, FL Posts: 405 Drives: 2003 350Z DB Rep Power: 16	my guess is that the fluid was probably low from the factory and as brake pads wear the fluid will go down and if it was already low it will allow air to get into the system if this was the case the dealer failed in their predelivery inspection __________________ 03 350Z 587 RWHP - May 2009 Dsport Feature

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04-26-2009, 12:18 AM	#4 (permalink)
JunoonX Base Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 79 Drives: 350z sold,370z sold Rep Power: 16	@semtex: I failed to mention above that I saw some fluid in my garage today, n that was my hunch due to it. Turned out I was right, the only thing they could find out b4 closing shop tonight was that the brake fluids low but didn't know if it was a leak or something else ( I got there just 30mins before closeout). @alan: it hits the floor and no response from thew brakes at all I won't know what really happened ubntil monday though, since they'll be working with nissan on this as well perform a full diagnostic. Right now I'm hoping it isn't something big because they might not have parts stocked and might have to order. I have a track event on friday and wouldn't want to miss on it, but I'm more worried about my car now. I'll keep you all posted.

04-26-2009, 12:46 AM	#5 (permalink)
joeyz10 Base Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: SoCal Posts: 248 Drives: 09 370z AT/ RRSS 08/ Rep Power: 16	are you sure nobody got envy on your new ride and punctured your brake lines? just wondering

04-26-2009, 02:17 AM	#6 (permalink)
JunoonX Base Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 79 Drives: 350z sold,370z sold Rep Power: 16	At work, its in a secure parking ramp, and at home its in my garage. I doubt the above, but my mum's a bit superstitious, she said the same thing :P. Regardless, I'll keep you all posted. I'm just hoping it was some crazy bad luck - first my tires and now this.

04-30-2009, 05:56 PM	#7 (permalink)
imag Enthusiast Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Oakland, CA Posts: 446 Drives: up the wall Rep Power: 16	Do people really do that? That's f_ed up (not to mention, attempted murder).

04-30-2009, 07:00 PM	#8 (permalink)
JunoonX Base Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 79 Drives: 350z sold,370z sold Rep Power: 16	Finally got my car back after a full inspection, etc. Turned out there were air pockets in the brake system, which is extremely odd for a brand new car, and why did it happen after driving 1200 mi, don't ask me, I honestly don't know what to make of this. No leaks anywhere. All the dealer had to do was bleed it a bit to get that out, fill the brake fluid to full levels, test drive it, let it sit in a tilted position (the way it sits on my driveway) and test drive it again, leave it on a dry floor and leave it up for another night - nothing. I ended up not going to the track, and might just hit it up tomorrow, I'm just concerned for this and perhaps until I drive it a few more miles, I won't really get rid of this worry.

05-01-2009, 12:03 AM	#9 (permalink)
joeyz10 Base Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: SoCal Posts: 248 Drives: 09 370z AT/ RRSS 08/ Rep Power: 16	I would worry too. we are talking about brakes here on a fast car!!!

05-01-2009, 12:51 PM	#10 (permalink)
ChrisSlicks A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: North East Posts: 6,203 Drives: 09 370Z Sport M6 Rep Power: 653	I wonder how they fill and bleed these at the factory? If you're brakes went soft while being parked it would imply that one of the bleed values wasn't fully closed or there was a leak at one of the connection points. I would be watching your brake fluid level like a hawk for a few days just to make sure it doesn't move. I'm still trying to figure out how to resolve my weird braking issue. I think I'm going to do a full bleed tomorrow.

05-04-2009, 09:29 AM	#11 (permalink)
JunoonX Base Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 79 Drives: 350z sold,370z sold Rep Power: 16	So after driving nearly 1100 additional miles, I'm not as worried as I was when I got my car back. I'm in Canada for the next 2 weeks and my dealership already talked to the Nissan dealer here in Sauga, ON in case of any troubles etc - so I think I should be ok as long as that is covered. I'll keep you all posted and Chris I'm hoping your brake oddities solve from the bleeding work. I don't know why I ended up with the my brake troubles originally, but I hope no one else goes through it.

05-10-2009, 02:42 AM	#14 (permalink)
ZYUL8R Base Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Corpus Christi, tx Posts: 140 Drives: 09 370z T/S, 03 S2K Rep Power: 16	hmmm...out to check my brake fluid...geez...Guess ill get under the car for the first time tommorrow...and bleed my brakes for fun.