Hey guys,

I just got my brake pads installed. This was the first time changing them out since buying the car in 08, and the fronts still had plenty of life left, the rears were toast, which is weird since I heard the fronts go by pretty quickly.

Anyways, got them installed, and tried reversing.......could not stop. The guy had to run behind my car to stop it. Tried going forward/reverse a couple times, brakes dont work. They then added brake fluid and tried moving and stopping, brakes still don't work.

They then took off each wheel, and slowly unbolted/let out some fluid/air while depressing the brakes. After doing this on all four wheels, the brakes felt a little better.

When i drive now, the pedal feels a bit mushy/soft, the car doesnt stop on a dime when I press the brakes, it will move a bit foward before stopping, not sure how to explain. I know aftermarket brake pads aren't as good as oem, but if I were to tailgate(which i don't) someone and brake suddenly, I wouldn't be able to prevent an accident. Also, when I press on the brakes quickly, I can hear air, every single time i press it. Never did this before. Any ideas on what I should do??

I always thought changing out brake pads was simple, but it wasn't at all. The caliper wouldnt fit after installing the brake pads, so they had to unbolt the thing behind the caliper, drain out fluid, and press it so it could create room to fit over the brake pads. There is no way I would have known how to do that by myself. Again, I am not sure how easy it is to change out brake pads on a z, but there were so many hiccups and obstacles along the way I would not have been able to do it myself.

 

Sounds like you need to learn what a bleed port does and how to use it

 

^^I just read up on bedding: http://www.stoptech.com/technical-su...-system-bed-in

I assumed that brake pads bed in by themselves after a few miles of driving. I already drove almost an hour with stops and go's. Should I just do the bed in process or just keep driving?

 

I don't think bed-in is your problem.

Looks like there's still some air in your lines. I would look into bleeding the system again.

Its normal for calipers to not fit after new pads. You are supposed to push in the pistons either with a brake piston tool or a clamp. No need to touch the brake lines at all. Your problems most likely came from them messing with the lines.

 

weird.. i changed my pads myself for the first time 3 weeks ago and didn't have any of these problems. really don't know what you could have messed up, its pretty straight forward.

 

^^Naut, I will have to go back to the shop to get it done. Do you think if I drove around it will fix itself? Or should I go back immediately to get it bled.

Also, is it okay to touch the lines and unbolt the pistons as they did? Nothing can go wrong if they just let the air out again and retorque it right?

 

it will not fix itself, go back to the shop and make them fix it for free

 

Lines do not need to get touched, just puch the pistons back in with the tool. Bleed port is is needed to get the air out now.

 

^^Well they have already been touched....The pistons wouldnt fit over the brake pads, so they have been pushed back to fit over the brake pads. Do I still use the tool even now?? I just need to get the air out correct? I do that with a bleed port? Sorry, first time working on brakes. I want to get all the info I can before going back to the shop, they never worked with z's.

 

Bleeding a Z is the same as bleeding any other car, motorcycle or mountain bike.

Bleed port and lines should have never been touched, same as working on other cars. Find a new shop, yours is clueless.

 

this is probably the worst shop I have ever heard of when it comes to brake pads, and I seriously doubt they have ever changed brake pads before. 2 monkeys with a wrench could do it. google search how to change 350z brake pads and you will see it is very simple. I personally wouldn't trust this shop again.

 

brake*