Seems to be a weakness in brake wear. Mine needed replacement (pads + roters - $600) at 28K (kilometers, not miles). Service guy said they were doing most G35's at around 30K. Doesn't sound reasonable. I ran BMW's for 20 years and got 50-60K (km), and they have soft pads. I suggest we all complain to Infiniti; might have an impact on future pad quality.

<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small"><EM>Edited by menden on 07/18/03 10:03 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

OR. You can be like me and change to Wilwood brake kit! I calculated it already. You come out ahead eventually! It might not seem like it! Russell is selling Wilwood 6 piston brake kit! see my car for pics. Go to parts/acessories for description! TEll him i sent you!

 

Thanks for the info. I will definitly be replacing with after market. Infiniti provides no joy; their corporate line is "its a wear issue" and not their responsiblity. It will be if the car starts receiving bad press. I guess they are resting on their laurels (number 2 in customer satisfaction last year). In case anyone is interested, the brake wear isn't restricted to G35's; a college just had the same experience with a Maxima at 25,000 KM (around 15,000 miles), and stated that the same problem also exists for Altima's.

 

Been reading all the posts about brake pads and rotor wear recently. Got 4800 miles on my G35 6MT sedan and did 2 days of track time at Watkins Glen last week. Brakes were fine at the track, but I wanted to recheck them again when we got home. So, my boyfriend and I are looking at the rotors and the pad wear last night and there's still a decent amount of pad left, though the back is a good bit more worn than the front.

HOWEVER, when we're looking at the calipers, especially on the rear, we notice that there is a small metal clip on the inside of a caliper very close to the rotor. He says "you know even though you have ample pad left, this metal clip is gonna make contact with the rotor and score it before your pads are really worn to the point where you would normally replace them. Better keep an eye on this."

A bell goes off in my head as I recall numerous posts by folks who were surprised that they had to have rotors replaced with brake pads sooner than anyone would expect with no good explanation from Infiniti techs. We think this inside metal clip is scoring rotors before the brake pads are gone.

Anybody else have thoughts on this or notice that small clip that sticks out on the inside of the brake calipers?



Dreams garnet fire/graphite leather 6MT 2003.5 premium/aero/winter

 

Interesting discovery. I think the tab might be the wear indicator but if it scores the rotors as you state them we should bend it.[img]/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/img]

03.5 Sedan/B. Silver/Prem/Winter/Aero/Tint/Rims
69 Chevelle Hard Top BB/4.11's/Posi

 

"OR. You can be like me and change to Wilwood brake kit!"

hmmm, G35Lin, i remember reading your post (late june) about your brakes having a knocking noise after you changed to Wilwood. did you ever find out what is causing it?

<font color=purple>.g35girl.</font color=purple>

 

ah that! Its just the brake pads hitting the rotors early! Nothing much to worry about! Still works fine! Its Wilwood Calipers only!! Everything else is custom made for the car! The rotors and a set of mounting brackets and steel brake lines! Pretty nice! I am going to get the rears when they come out since i think its such a good deal!!

 

My brakes started warping at 5,350 miles and haven't stopped. My sedan now has 16,000 miles and the front rotors have been replaced twice. They have only cut the rear rotors so far. I won't be giving them any more chances. Next time the rotors warp, I'll be applying for relief through the N.J. Lemon Law. Infiniti said they would not service my rotors under warranty anymore, so I filed a federal complaint with the National Highway Safety Administration. The fight's on.

 

Save your energy there is no way that car is going to be declared a lemon. When your brakes first warped you should have demanded new rotors. I am sure they just kept turning them each time a little thinner which would make them warp again more quickly.

2003.5 5AT Sedan Black/Black Premium/Winter Packages

 

I'm taking my car in next week to check out the wear on the rotors and pads at 4800 miles. The rotors seem to have very slight ridges on them and the brakes have gotten a little grabby the past week. I've driven the car hard a couple of times, but the wear seems a bit excessive and I'm not typically hard on brakes. So I'm thinking, given what you said, I'll ask for new rotors.

With regard to rotor warping--be very careful not to wash the wheels unless they are totally cooled down after driving. While that's common sense, I have known folks who have hosed off brake dust before the wheels are adequately cooled down and seemed surprised that their rotors warped.


Dreams garnet fire/graphite leather 6MT 2003.5 premium/aero/winter

 

One other thought about getting satisfaction from Infiniti. Obviously, it's a great car and not likely to be declared a lemon. However, the brake issues with the stock brakes seem to be quite prevalent. Infiniti definitely would not want bad press and it would be a good idea to copy any complaints filed or issues raised with letters to the editors of Motor Trend, Car and Driver, and Autoweek, who have all given the car great press. I'm sure they would be interested and if I don't get a satisfactory response from my dealer, that's what I'll be doing. Strength in numbers.

Dreams garnet fire/graphite leather 6MT 2003.5 premium/aero/winter

 

That's kind of ridiculous... if this were true everytime you hit a puddle in the rain your rotors would warp.

One thing I was considering an IS300 before buying my G35. I searched their message board and found nothing about brake problems yet the IS300 stops nearly as quick as a G35 so I think it is possible to have a car that stops quick without using excessively soft brake pads.

2003.5 5AT Sedan Black/Black Premium/Winter Packages

 

Hitting a puddle while driving is totally different from directing a hose of cold water directly at very hot brake rotors as you wash your wheels.

Dreams garnet fire/graphite leather 6MT 2003.5 premium/aero/winter

 

Please tell me how it is different compared to hitting a puddle in Boston in the middle of November... Try it's not any different

2003.5 5AT Sedan Black/Black Premium/Winter Packages

 

alderran, if you read my post you would see I said they replaced them (rotors) twice, not cut. They also cut them a couple times to true them, and yes they warped again very quickly. I just feel that when brakes warp every 1,500-2,500 miles, it gets a little ridiculous. I drove my '95 Z28 a heck of a lot harder than this car and never had a mechanical failure.