Last week I got into my X after not driving it for nearly a week and when I applied the brake there was a noticeable vibration in the brake pedal and a disturbing pull and swerve back in forth in the steering wheel. Also noticed recently that the brakes have begun to squeal after not driving it for a few hours.

Today I brought it in for an oil change and some minor stuff, and also described the brake issues and asked them to check it out. The tech got back to me and explained that the front rotors had grooves in them that pointed to something being stuck in the pads, and the pads should be replaced and the rotors should be turned. Also that the back rotors were rusted and should be turned. They wanted $290 to do the front brakes, and $105 to turn the rear. They also wanted suggested $220 for a transmission flush, $120 for a brake flush, $120 for a power steering flush, and my personal favorite $50 for "battery service" (aka cleaning with baking soda and putting $4 anti-corosion pads on the terminals). Now I'm a little cheap but $395 of brake work and another $510 of fluid changes seemed a lot for a vehicle I bought about 18 months ago. I do have a higher mileage for its age with 39,500 miles, and I also agree with preventative maintenance (Although not to the intensity that Nissan reccomends, I planned on flushing the fluids as I approached 50k or two years).

So for shiggles I began browsing our forum, looking for TSB's and such. Followed a link to Nissan's site and paid $20 to access Nissan's TSB database. Well found TSB "2005 Frontier and Xterra squeking noise from brakes", classification: BR06-006c, Reference: NTB06-037c. This TSB specifically applies to 05 Frontiers and Xterras built before August 15, applied VINS are listed. My X was born in July of 05. Simply put TSB says "IF you confirm a squeking noise from the brakes .... Actions... Perform all the repairs as follows: Replace front brake pads, replace rear brake pads. Next TSB of interest to me was "All Nissan:Brake Noise / Judder / Pedal feel diagnosis and repair". Classification: BR00-004c, Reference: NTB00-033c. This TSB covers a literal shit list of brake issues with Nissas. Of note to me was the Brake Judder section, including possible cause of "Vehicle Storage - If the vehicle is not operated for periods of time, the area of the brake rotors not covered by teh brake pads will rust / The friction characteristics between the rusted and un-rusted areas of the rotor braking surface will be different / This difference may cause brake judder at low and/or high mileage, even after the rust wears off". Goes on to outline "Brake Judder Repair - Brake judder incidents must be corrected by turning the rotors with a ProCut(tm) PFM series On-Car Brake Lathe - Refer to NTB04-094 for information on using this lathe - If the rotors are replaced, make sure you index them on the axle hub to ensure minimum runout". Both of these TSB were issued in October of 2006. These TSB's seem to acurately describe some of the issues facing my X, so I printed them and calmly went to the dealership.

Before I pulled out the printed TSBs I mentioned them, the TECH said no such bullentins existed, told me to step around the counter and see his screen for myself, I did... He was showing me the f#%&'n Titan bulletin page. Now the service manager comes over, explains that my X is 3500 miles beyond the warranty, and I am SOL. Then explains that there is a Nissan "Good will" something or other they can request for my vehicle to cover it, and they will call me after they make the inquiry. By the time I was pulling back into my office parking lot the Tech called and said my case was declined by the Nissan "good will" crap and even a 50% discount was "Not recommended". Well I'm a little hot hot under the collar at the moment, and realize I could be dead wrong in my thinking on all of this, I'd welcome some opinions.

Change the pads yourself, take the rotors to the local auto parts store to be turned and forget the Nissan dealer.

Brake service shocks the hell out of me. You can change the pads on all four wheels in under 1 hour. You can get the pads for less than $80 for all of them. Tunring a rotor takes about 10-15 mins per rotor (but less than 5 minutes of that is actual work).

Brake service at any garage should be at least half of what it is.

I took mine in a few months ago for squeaky brakes too. I expected to have to pay but they swapped them for free because of this TSB your talking about. They didn't say anything about warranty issues. I only had somewhere around 25,000 miles on it but I didn't think it had to do with the warranty. Just nissan's fault. I don't think you should have to pay for it anywhere. Get after that dealer.

Try another dealership. It was the service manager's call on how it was handled. Go to another and try again.

I have some problems with the brake pedal as well: It feels extra flimsy... The one on FJ Cruiser was much better...

usmcxterra said something about this a couple of months ago (he has an 05). His had about 30,000 miles on it... he said the dealer swapped all his pads out (maybe machined his rotars also).

GO TO ANOTHER DEALER AND TRY!!
or
CALL NISSAN REGIONAL SERVICE BRANCH AND BUGG THE CRAP OUT OF THEM... (is there such a thing?)

Remember there are always "higher ups" to talk to.

to be fair, your ride is out of warranty for brakes. You could do it yourself for $100 for all four corners. The places near me charge $7 or $8 per rotor/drum for maching. Buy a good brake pad from your nearest wholesaler supplying parts to repair shops example: napa or carquest etc. you can get good pads at the consumer stors like pep boys or autozone, but I give my business to my local pro.

most shadetree wrenches with a little common sense and experience should be able to pull your rotors off for you easily. gravy job for a mechanic.

I appreciate the input. I'm not opposed to putting the pads on myself, and I realize I have a fair amount of miles, along with mud-terrain tires that could lead to smoe extra pad wear. The one thing is that they kept going on about the warranty and not being covered by the TSBs, I did not think they were related. I was under the impression that TSBs were put out when Nissan realizes something wasn't made up to par and that they should assume responsibilty for correcting the problem. Also food for thought the first Tech I spoke with informed me that all nissans, every one, will get rust build up on the rotors if its not drivin for even just a few days.

Funny 2 dealers told me at 25K Nissan would not cover it after they called nissan.

Spoke with three other dealerships, all said the same thing, beyond 36,000 miles, so out of all warranty, which doesn't cover brakes anyway. Brakes are only covered for 12 months or 12,000 miles. And as far as the TSBs, they are not recalls, they are only to guide techs as to how to fix the problems promptly, they do not mean that Nissan or the dealership incur any of the cost of the repair.

Proceeded to call Nissan North America Consumer Affairs at 800-NISSAN-1. They spit out exactly all the same information as the dealerships, explaining I was on my own on this one. I've wasted enough time, I'll buy the pads and do that myself and take the rotors to shop I know. Although this whole process hasn't instilled much of a good feeling in me about Nissan or my dealership.

I only have 800 miles on my X and I noticed some loose cable sound when I apply the brake pedal. The brakes seem to work fine otherwise though. What do you think>??

OK, here's the deal. This is the delears way of saying "sorry, but my guys aren't willing to work that cheap" What was really said in the shop would probably involve words that begin with an f...but I digress.

Warranty work only pays a fraction of the normal rate and the shop can't get any profit on parts either. I think the service manager is balancing the profitable workload already in the shop vs. the likelyhood that the customer will say "screw it, brakes are a safety item" and will cave into giving them a full priced brake job. Who knows if they actually called Nissan. The service writer knows he'd get laughed out of the shop since a warranty brake job probably pays $12 vs. $100 labor for a full ticket gravy job.

Ok, this ordeal is now done, and it took a very interesting turn.

What Mike100 says is basically right, after talking and dealing with as many people as I could on this issue.

I brought my X to a Mieneke that used to work on my Jeep, did good work, and I know the guy who runs it and he is straight up. I was going to have him turn my rotors today and I was going to order some pads and do that myself this week.

MIENEKE CALLED ME BACK AND INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS NO NEED TO TURN MY ROTORS AND MY PADS WERE IN FINE SHAPE!!! AND THAT THEY SAW NO EVIDENCE OF GROOVING ON MY FRONT ROTORS!!! MY DEALERSHIP WAS FULL OF SHIT!!!

Went and picked up my truck, didn't have to pay a thing. Also got a price for my fluid flushes of 150 for the tranny, 70 for the brakes, and 50 for the power steering, as opposed to 240/120/120 from my dealership. I now have the lowest possible opinion of my dealership service department imaginable. I will never bring my vehicle back to get serviced there again, and certainly never purchase another vehicle from them. FYI this is Gates GMC / Nissan in Windham Connecticut. Good luck to anyone who continues to deal with Nissan service.

I hear you on the stealership front! Had the same issue with the brakes at 10000km or about 6000miles. Unfortunately I had to pay at the time as there was no bulletin out then. I also have the famous rust spots at the back and the dealership wouldn't cover that either. They did cover the window regulator and weatherstripping. Heck at 10000miles my engine protector skid plate flew off on the highway without provocation (obviously loose bolts) cost me another $100

Somehow I always end up leaving there paying hundreds of dollars for a vehicle under warranty. Now that the basic warranty is up, I won't be going back to nissan again for service!

Heck problems aside if I didn't love the truck so much I don't think I would ever deal with nissan again...including purchasing another vehicle in the future.

For such a great truck, nissan sure doen't stand behind it too well.

Rant over!