NismoEagleRock

well, i've had my car for about 5 and 1/2 months now, and there's been a sound coming from (i think) my brakes. it's very consistent, and i hear it everytime i leave my driveway. it makes the sound as soon as i'm about 1 1/2 yards away from my house. here's the spec's on my car:
- '03 350z
- track model with brembo's
- stock(w/ the exception of grounding kit)
- vin 3500 < xxxx < 4000
anyway, it's a pretty loud sound that only happens once i leave my driveway, after that, i never hear it. it happens EVERY time. it makes a rubbing/hesitating sound. sort of like the pistons are sticking to the rotors, and they break free after a certain amount of distance. i also notice that the brakes squeal sometimes. otherwise, the brakes feel fine. do you guys think that this is brake related? do any other track model owners experience this? do you think i should go to the dealer and have it checked out? help me out.

DrDrilZ

i have a touring but have a similar problem. except they dont make a squealing sound, but rather a "click" or a "clunk" sound. like you said though, it only does it once.

YourMomma

I've noticed the "CLUNK", but it hasn't been consistent. Usually only hear it in the morning when I'm leaving the house. I have no clue as to what it might be.

westpak

iTrader: (19)

There are a few threads on the clunk, if it is a clunk that you hear during hard breaking, going over speedbumps or hard u-turns, then it is probably lose upper control arm nuts/bolts that need to be tightened to spec.

NismoEagleRock

that's the sound i hear. i haven't noticed any weird sounds when i go over speed bumps, though. hard braking hasn't produced any weird sounds also. but i think that drdrilz, yourmomma, and i have the same problem. it only happens when i first take the car out. so... as for a resolution. do any of you guys think that it could be caused by westpak's theory? i hope that we can pin point it. thanks for the replies, guys. and thanks for the direction to a possible cause, westpak. at least now i know it's not just my car.

zmadnez

Just posted my experience with the brake squeaking:

https://my350z.com/forum/showthread....threadid=24882

Different symptom but may be related to your problem.

DB Track, VIN 8618. Delivered on Jan. 4th. Took delivery with the squeak (assumed it would go away after some hard braking). At 1200 mi. it got louder, dealer found no problem. At 3800 mi. got really loud and dealer fixed the problem.

NismoEagleRock

if you don't mind me asking zmadnez, which dealer did you take it to for the fix? and do you think it would be possible to take it to a dealer other than the one i purchased my car from, to service warranty issues? the reason being, is because i bought my car from glendale nissan, and i have found their service to be crappy, and their staff to be @ssholes. sorry to be so blunt, but after going there to get an oil change that was supposedly free, they made me wait more than an hour and a half (i was the first customer there at 7 am), and then followed that up with giving me a hard time about getting the free oil change. they lost my business after that incident.

zmadnez

I took the car to Irvine Nissan. It may be a bit of a haul for you if coming from LA. I purchased the car from Mossy Nissan in Oceanside. The warranty is good at any Nissan dealers.

The service advisor's name at Irvine is Sabina. Their telephone number is 949-951-7575.

PM me if you need more info.

rodH

iTrader: (2)

I have the SAME thing, I ONLY notice it when I am BRAKING over a speed bump or going DOWN a driveway, can this be done at home, I am sick of driving to the dealer (45 min away).???

westpak

iTrader: (19)

The noise just gets worse over time, I guess they get looser (sp?), you could do it yourself just remove the wheel and check the bolts that hold on the upper arm or wishbone, for that matter might as well check all of them on all arms and torque to the proper value.

37-44 ft-lbs on the two holding the whishbone to car
40-46 holdong the wishbone to control arm

This are numbers from my manual don;t if they have been revised but it is a start, it should be the 2 holding the wishbone to the car.

alex30327

This may be a very "dumb ****" question, but are you talking about your rotors (as in brake rotors) sticking to your pistons? Or is another part inside the engine called a rotor as well?

BROKE

This is a long shot but check the owners manual...page 5-21 (starting and driving). The ABS self-test feature. The on-board computer administers a test of all the ABS functions when the Z starts out after starting the engine in forward or reverse. The manual says these tests produce a clunking noise. Could it be that as miles are added and the brakes wear the clunking becomes more noticable?.. I have experienced these sounds myself but I have a performance model without the bigger brakes.

rodH

iTrader: (2)

I felt it again today, my first thought was "it kind of feels like the ABS brakes are on". it feels a bit different than some ABS brakes I have used (less pulsing), but it is ALWAY the 1st braking I do after backing up and starting to drive the car, and I only notice it when I am braking and turning at a stop. I am beginning to believe that it EXACTLY what it is.

Z350Lover

iTrader: (2)

I have ONE "CLUNK" sound as well.... I can feel and hear where about is that from everytime when it comes out.... always comes from my driver side front brake area (Australian spec).... It might happen once or twice aday while I turn or brake.... and sometimes I will not have any... and I believe it might be what WESTPAK said about the upper control arm... I will arrange a time to check it out at my dealer and will see how it goes!

I am sure that is not the ABS operating noise...

cheers,

richie

NismoEagleRock

hey alex. naw, not a dumb question. but yeah, i'm referring to my brake rotors sticking to my pistons. im was assuming that was what the noise was.

NismoEagleRock

hey broke. thanks for the info! i thought that after reading the entire manual, i thought i would not have over looked something like that. it's a great possibility that's what the noise may be. thanks for the help, my anxiety won't take over me every time i leave the garage from now on. well, except for the occasional squeal from the brembos.

BROKE

The first time I heard the ABS test clunk I was sure that I had a problem. Like you I thought I had memorized the owners manual. My brakes do produce occasional squeals at low speeds as I am coming to stop. Most likely due to that pesky brake dust these cars like to make.

Happy Z'ing

alex30327

Is it your ABS brakes recalibrating themselves?

bobbyz

iTrader: (1)

Yes...it is the ABS self test and recalibration.
My Porsche 968 did this as well and it is the exact same sound/feeling on the first pressure on the brake after start up. Dont feel stupid getting worried though. I freaked out when my Porsche did this and I did not know what it was. Now that I know what it is, it was second nature when my Z did this for the first time.

freshzz

I have this same problem. I noticed that when engine is warmed up, it doesn't cause this clunk.

Try it, give your Z about 3 min to warm up.

So, is this ABS issue? But, ABS calibration happens quietly during warm up???