Brake feel. Is this normal?

Alfer · 05-13-2014, 08:36 AM

My mom (70's) bought herself a 2010 Touring model convertible from CarMax last summer. Great car and she lets me drive it around now and then as well.

My question is this...when I apply the brakes, I am noticing an odd faint pulsation feeling in the brake pedal. I'm not hearing any brake noise and it seems to stop just fine. This happens no matter what speed I've been driving/stopping.

I'm wondering if I need to bring it to Nissan to have it inspected or is this just normal for this kind of car? Note it's the first true sports car in the family so I don't have much to compare it to.

The car has approx. 18K miles on it.

Any thoughts on what's going on?

Thanks for any help you can offer us.

jcosta79 · 05-13-2014, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alfer

My mom (70's) bought herself a 2010 Touring model convertible from CarMax last summer. Great car and she lets me drive it around now and then as well.

My question is this...when I apply the brakes, I am noticing an odd faint pulsation feeling in the brake pedal. I'm not hearing any brake noise and it seems to stop just fine. This happens no matter what speed I've been driving/stopping.

I'm wondering if I need to bring it to Nissan to have it inspected or is this just normal for this kind of car? Note it's the first true sports car in the family so I don't have much to compare it to.

The car has approx. 18K miles on it.

Any thoughts on what's going on?

Thanks for any help you can offer us.

Deposits on the rotors. Just take the car to a local shop and have them turn the front rotors. Should only cost you about $100 and that will take care of the problem.

JARblue · 05-13-2014, 08:42 AM

My suspicion on a used car like that would be excess pad deposits on the rotors. Any good shop should be able to turn them for you

DEpointfive0 · 05-13-2014, 09:01 AM

Your mom is in her 70's and bought a 370Z? God bless her

SouthArk370Z · 05-13-2014, 09:06 AM

I agree with it probably being glazing/deposits on the rotors but you may not need to have them turned. Do a few 60-5 mph hard braking runs (don't come to a complete stop or you may compound the problem) and that may clear up the problem. If that doesn't help, take it to a brake pro - they can turn/replace them if needed.

JARblue · 05-13-2014, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DEpointfive0

Your mom is in her 70's and bought a 370Z? God bless her

I going to add that upgrading the rotors and pads might not be a bad idea before I noticed this fact. Probably not necessary

Quote:

Originally Posted by SouthArk370Z

I agree with it probably being glazing/deposits on the rotors but you may not need to have them turned. Do a few 60-5 mph hard braking runs (don't come to a complete stop or you may compound the problem) and that may clear up the problem. If that doesn't help, take it to a brake pro - they can turn/replace them if needed.

The only reason I wouldn't bother with that is because he mentioned it happens at any speed. I had success with that method when the vibration only happens during high speed braking. My wife appears to be pretty hard on the brakes because this issue popped up around 12K miles on our Z. When I started DD the Z around 20K miles it was happening when braking from 20 mph or faster. I tried re-bedding the brakes with zero success (I might have had more success if I had done it when the issue first appeared). I ended up just replacing the front rotors and pads because I wanted slotted rotors, but turning the rotors was most definitely an option.

SouthArk370Z · 05-13-2014, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JARblue

... The only reason I wouldn't bother with that is because he mentioned it happens at any speed. ...

Good point.

But "burning off" the glaze is, for all intents and purposes, free (just a few minutes of your time and a little gas), so why not give it a try? Just don't do it in traffic.

kenchan · 05-13-2014, 01:17 PM

then he will ask about another pulsation... abs... is that normal?

Alfer · 05-14-2014, 08:45 AM

Thanks for the info folks. I will give the quick stop method a try.

Oh and yes, I'm well aware of what the ABS pulsation feels like.

kenchan · 05-14-2014, 09:01 AM

btw, that was just a joke...

05-13-2014, 08:36 AM	#1 (permalink)
Alfer Base Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: USA Posts: 5 Drives: 2010 370Z Conv Rep Power: 11	Brake feel. Is this normal? My mom (70's) bought herself a 2010 Touring model convertible from CarMax last summer. Great car and she lets me drive it around now and then as well. My question is this...when I apply the brakes, I am noticing an odd faint pulsation feeling in the brake pedal. I'm not hearing any brake noise and it seems to stop just fine. This happens no matter what speed I've been driving/stopping. I'm wondering if I need to bring it to Nissan to have it inspected or is this just normal for this kind of car? Note it's the first true sports car in the family so I don't have much to compare it to. The car has approx. 18K miles on it. Any thoughts on what's going on? Thanks for any help you can offer us.

05-13-2014, 08:42 AM	#3 (permalink)
JARblue A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Austin, TX Age: 43 Posts: 36,449 Drives: 11 Z34, 98 E36 M3 Rep Power: 2684440	My suspicion on a used car like that would be excess pad deposits on the rotors. Any good shop should be able to turn them for you __________________ 2011 370Z 6MT Sport Gun Metallic \| ARC \| CJM \| Ecutek \| FI \| Fujimura \| R2C \| SPL \| Stillen \| TWM \| Z1 \| ZSpeed \|

05-13-2014, 09:01 AM	#4 (permalink)
DEpointfive0 Premium Member Bitches Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: SoCal Posts: 14,824 Drives: a lot Rep Power: 17151	Your mom is in her 70's and bought a 370Z? God bless her my2004Z, fuct, kenchan and 9 others like this. __________________ Do YOU want to know what/where I got my username from? ( Click to show/hide ) NSFW due to language:

05-13-2014, 09:06 AM	#5 (permalink)
SouthArk370Z Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: South Arkansas Posts: 8,435 Drives: 2014 Challenger Rep Power: 324197	I agree with it probably being glazing/deposits on the rotors but you may not need to have them turned. Do a few 60-5 mph hard braking runs (don't come to a complete stop or you may compound the problem) and that may clear up the problem. If that doesn't help, take it to a brake pro - they can turn/replace them if needed. Chuck33079 likes this. __________________ Steering Lock Links - Search The370Z Bookmarklet - FSM @ NICOclub Mankind has progressed past the need for war but we haven't evolved that far. - NachoMahma

05-13-2014, 01:17 PM	#8 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141520	then he will ask about another pulsation... abs... is that normal? SouthArk370Z likes this.

05-14-2014, 08:45 AM	#9 (permalink)
Alfer Base Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: USA Posts: 5 Drives: 2010 370Z Conv Rep Power: 11	Thanks for the info folks. I will give the quick stop method a try. Oh and yes, I'm well aware of what the ABS pulsation feels like. kenchan likes this.

05-14-2014, 09:01 AM	#10 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141520	btw, that was just a joke...

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