2004 Quest Brake trouble

briankmizell's picture

I need some help figuring out ABS brake problmes on a 2004 Nissan Quest Van

To try and make a long story short, I will just say that the van keeps eating through high dollar brake pads (ceramic pads) very very quickly.

It only wears out the right front and the left rear. It also keeps warping these two rotors because of the intense demands being placed on them to stop the vehicle. (even worse when there is 8 people in the van and enough lugage for those 8 to last 7 days.)

I changed the front & rear pads just before going on our cruise, We drove from Fort Smith Arkansas to Galveston Texas & back (approx 1200 round trip)

When we left Galveston (we got a late start because the boat had engine trouble and we were delayed about 3 hours) everything seemed fine.

By the time I started hearing the brakes making noises we were no where near a parts store and when we got to one it was closed. So I had to drive the rest of the way home without replacing them.

After getting home and inspecting them, the front right rotor is warped again, and the pads had heat stress cracks in them. The left rear pad on the inside had wore all the way off and the rotor is trashed (beyond re-surfacing it) It also got so hot the seal on the caliper piston had burnt and caused it to stop working.

I have replace the rotors, rear caliper and all pads (AGAIN!!!)

In the past my problem was always that i couldnt get the left front & right rear to bleed, no fluid will come out when you try to bleed them. but if i just open the bleeders and let it sit, the fluid will sooner or later begin to drip. I dont know what the problem is here. I do this and then put it back together and drive it a while and they seem to work out the problem on their own.

This time the same thing happened as before (not being able to properly bleed left front and right rear) but the left rear this time gave me a different problem.

I put on the new rotor and caliper, (left rear) when I start tightening the bolts to hold the caliper to the bracket the rotor would not turn. The odd thing is that I looked at the piston on that caliper and it was not even making contact with the brake pad.

Everything is on correctly, I checked all the parts numbers and they are the correct parts.

I put everything back together and took it for a drive. The left rear brake drags all the time and is getting hot, (only after 1/2 mile I can smell the hot brake pads) the right front brake now makes a clanking noies when applied, like something is loose (metal hitting against metal), if i gradualy applie more pressure the clanking noise goes away.

There are post all over the net about 2004 Nissan Quest having brake issues, but none of them talk about the brakes acting like mine does.

If anyone is knowledgeable about ABS brake systems and could help me out, please private message me or reply here.

markathome's picture

Master Cylinder

Yep, you've got a master cylinder problem, I agree.

warrant_ero's picture

2004 Quest Brake trouble

To me it sounds like a problem with your MASTER CYL, if you have problems with fluid draining out. Usually when bleeding your brakes pump the pedal until it's firm have someone keep pressure on the brake pedal then open your bleeder screws to bleed your brakes.