Does your 370Z suffer badly from brake fade?

Zed123 · 05-23-2012, 05:36 AM

Hi

I'm close to purchasing a 370Z (auto trans with sports pack). I have tested a car and read a lot of reviews. I'm concerned about a 2011 370Z review by Car and Driver, they had big issues with brake fade on their test 370Z?

Quote:

And that braking feat comes with a caveat: The Z exhibited the worst fade in our standard five-stop, 70-to-0-mph braking test. Twenty-nine feet separated its shortest stops from the longest, and the Z’s brakes proved to be the car’s Achilles’ heel.

Even on the road drive, and despite the fitment of $580 NISMO brake pads and the $3030 Sport package, the Z’s brakes faded noticeably. We had to cool the stoppers repeatedly out of fear of failure. Then, while lapping Grattan, the engine-oil temperature reached roughly 290 degrees, and the car adopted a low-power mode for self-preservation. This required even more low-speed driving to cool things down. Not fun.

http://http://www.caranddriver.com/f...an-370z-page-4

Is this a common problem?

Thanks in advance.

Mike · 05-23-2012, 06:02 AM

on the track, yes, on the street no. just upgrade the fluid to Motul or the like and you will be fine on the street.

kenchan · 05-23-2012, 06:45 AM

As mike said, no. For street for me. I have sport brakes on mine.

spearfish25 · 05-23-2012, 07:56 AM

You should never have an issue on the street. If you do, you'll have bigger problems with law enforcement than your brakes. On track, you'll have to give the car a little TLC (pads and fluid change) before you can go out there and have at it.

edub370 · 05-23-2012, 08:04 AM

took me 6 laps at heartland park to get any fade.

SPOHN · 05-23-2012, 08:25 AM

Not really. I have Motul fluid, Carbotech pads, and brake ducts. So even at the track I go to I really never get fade. I've had very very little fade I can hardly tell threw the pedal. But everything seems to trap great.

osbornsm · 05-23-2012, 09:19 AM

Now with decent pads and fluid... is "Ice Mode" still an issue? I hear that's the vacuum assist issue.

cossie1600 · 05-23-2012, 10:39 AM

I think it is a programming issue

SPOHN · 05-23-2012, 10:46 AM

I still haven't seen ice mode. And I've done plenty of variations to trigger it and can't. So........

edub370 · 05-23-2012, 11:31 AM

wtf is ice mode?

Red__Zed · 05-23-2012, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edub370

wtf is ice mode?

the brakes will basically let up to about 30% of capacity under heavy braking on less-than-smooth surfaces. It is (most likely) a fault with the ABS controller

Mt Tam I am · 05-23-2012, 01:05 PM

I had stock pads for two years without any hint of brake fade. I also have been aware of it (fade) and do not like that thought in my brain while having fun. I am always in a lower gear to help mitigate brake fade too.

You can not be truly competitive at the track with the stock sport brakes. I had to coast into a turn vs standing on the brakes at the last moment.

It hurt racing times, but by managing my brakes the way I have done, no brake fade has occured. I also had about a third of my brakes left after 4 track sessions. After Leguna Seca I had brake material melted onto my rotors.

Now I have new pads and fluid and will try them out this Sunday at Leguna. I hope to be able to really get on it and gas it into the turns vs coasting.

Zed123 · 05-23-2012, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mt Tam I am

Now I have new pads and fluid and will try them out this Sunday at Leguna. I hope to be able to really get on it and gas it into the turns vs coasting.

Let us know how it goes if you can. Have a great day.

Thanks for the informative replies to all.

I want some track time so I'll have to closely monitor things.

UNKNOWN_370 · 05-23-2012, 11:14 PM

Street I had NO FADE with regular fluid. But now I have upgraded Stop tech brake pkg for my akebono and motul rbf600. Also about to purchase the stillen brake cooling kit as soon as I'm done with some other mods... the Z brakes are near perfect with this kit and stillen's brake cooling will make it flawless. Total cost of upgrades... $1000

TheGreatOne · 05-24-2012, 12:00 AM

Street with sport brakes, no issues at all

I've actually had the 2 people I let drive my car say the brakes are super aggressive

05-23-2012, 06:02 AM	#2 (permalink)
Mike The370Z.com Sponsor Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Loganville, GA Posts: 5,944 Drives: 370z Rep Power: 2185	on the track, yes, on the street no. just upgrade the fluid to Motul or the like and you will be fine on the street. __________________ NISSAN: 75 280Z / 86 300ZX GLL /87 Sentra SE / 03 350Z / 23 Z Porsche: 93 968 / 23 Macan GTS / 93 968

05-23-2012, 07:56 AM	#4 (permalink)
spearfish25 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Naples, FL Posts: 4,117 Drives: to work Rep Power: 1856	You should never have an issue on the street. If you do, you'll have bigger problems with law enforcement than your brakes. On track, you'll have to give the car a little TLC (pads and fluid change) before you can go out there and have at it. __________________ 2013 Cadillac V-Wagon, RIP Z

05-23-2012, 08:04 AM	#5 (permalink)
edub370 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: May 2011 Location: KCMO Posts: 3,458 Drives: 09 370z S/T 6MT Rep Power: 19	took me 6 laps at heartland park to get any fade. __________________ 09 370Z ST 6MT//Injen CAI//Greddy CBE//TP//TSW's//Swifts//Stillen lip//Whiteline sways 326whp/268tq

05-23-2012, 08:25 AM	#6 (permalink)
SPOHN A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Covington, GA Age: 45 Posts: 14,844 Drives: Waiting on next Z Rep Power: 221	Not really. I have Motul fluid, Carbotech pads, and brake ducts. So even at the track I go to I really never get fade. I've had very very little fade I can hardly tell threw the pedal. But everything seems to trap great. __________________

05-23-2012, 09:19 AM	#7 (permalink)
osbornsm A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: WHAT Posts: 2,551 Drives: 2018 Camaro SS 1LE Rep Power: 423	Now with decent pads and fluid... is "Ice Mode" still an issue? I hear that's the vacuum assist issue. __________________ 2018 Camaro SS 1LE (455hp) - 2011 Nissan 370z (333hp) - 2004 VW R32 (240hp) - 2000 Civic Si (160hp)

05-23-2012, 06:45 AM	#3 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141520	As mike said, no. For street for me. I have sport brakes on mine.

05-23-2012, 10:39 AM	#8 (permalink)
cossie1600 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: californee way Posts: 5,380 Drives: 370, Leaf Rep Power: 29	I think it is a programming issue

05-23-2012, 10:46 AM	#9 (permalink)
SPOHN A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Covington, GA Age: 45 Posts: 14,844 Drives: Waiting on next Z Rep Power: 221	I still haven't seen ice mode. And I've done plenty of variations to trigger it and can't. So........ __________________

05-23-2012, 11:31 AM	#10 (permalink)
edub370 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: May 2011 Location: KCMO Posts: 3,458 Drives: 09 370z S/T 6MT Rep Power: 19	wtf is ice mode? __________________ 09 370Z ST 6MT//Injen CAI//Greddy CBE//TP//TSW's//Swifts//Stillen lip//Whiteline sways 326whp/268tq

05-23-2012, 01:05 PM	#12 (permalink)
Mt Tam I am A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: California Posts: 10,709 Drives: 370Z T/S/N 6MT & XKE Rep Power: 3842	I had stock pads for two years without any hint of brake fade. I also have been aware of it (fade) and do not like that thought in my brain while having fun. I am always in a lower gear to help mitigate brake fade too. You can not be truly competitive at the track with the stock sport brakes. I had to coast into a turn vs standing on the brakes at the last moment. It hurt racing times, but by managing my brakes the way I have done, no brake fade has occured. I also had about a third of my brakes left after 4 track sessions. After Leguna Seca I had brake material melted onto my rotors. Now I have new pads and fluid and will try them out this Sunday at Leguna. I hope to be able to really get on it and gas it into the turns vs coasting. __________________ "Does the carpet match the drapes? NO!!! I don't date bald women." Nissan Motorsports 34R Oil Cooler. Stillen CBE. Hotchkis Sport Sway Bars. KW Variant 3 Coilover System. Stillen Gen3 CAI. Michelin Pilot Super Sport. Stillen Brake Ducts. Carbotech™ XP10/XP8 Pads. Z1 Front Rotors. Z1 Stainless Brake Lines. Two degrees of camber

05-23-2012, 11:14 PM	#14 (permalink)
UNKNOWN_370 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: ny'r livn in tx Posts: 8,687 Drives: well over 130m.p.h. Rep Power: 14857	Street I had NO FADE with regular fluid. But now I have upgraded Stop tech brake pkg for my akebono and motul rbf600. Also about to purchase the stillen brake cooling kit as soon as I'm done with some other mods... the Z brakes are near perfect with this kit and stillen's brake cooling will make it flawless. Total cost of upgrades... $1000

05-24-2012, 12:00 AM	#15 (permalink)
TheGreatOne A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Montreal, Canada Age: 46 Posts: 1,980 Drives: E60 BMW M5 Rep Power: 21	Street with sport brakes, no issues at all I've actually had the 2 people I let drive my car say the brakes are super aggressive __________________ 2017 SUBARU STI 2008 E60 M5 - SOLD 2010 40th Anniversary 370Z - SOLD (and missing her)

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