2021 Nissan Kicks Rear Brake Noise

[dogememe]

My partner drives a 2021 Nissan Kicks he bought new. Since shortly after he got the car, the rear brakes make a whale noise, typically when cold/first starting the vehicle and going in reverse.

The car has about 46K miles on it now but apparently the issue has been happening for a long time. He did apparently bring the vehicle to the dealer under warranty for the noise at least once, but they didn't find anything, and he didn't pursue it.

However, I am wondering if there is something we can do about it now. If there is documentation of the issue while under warranty at the service department, even though the vehicle is now out of the 3yr/36k mile bumper-to-bumper warranty?

Alternately, instead of trying to pursue this with the dealer which is likely a waste of time, I could just throw a set of rear brake pads and rotors at it. I looked up the service procedure since it has an electronic parking brake and apparently requires dealer level scan tool to do some sort of procedure. Is there an alternative to this?

 

[FowVay]

This is an excellent topic to search youtube for. I have seen many videos of people simply removing the electric motor and winding the caliper back without the need for a scan tool. You will need a hexagonal socket (allen wrench) or possibly a torx of the correct size to do this. But, seek and you shall find.

 

[dtownfb]

Since you are 10k miles out of warranty, don't expect anything from Nissan. I would find an independent mechanic that specializes in Aisian cars to look at it. You should have no problem finding one in your part of California. (I have a mechanic who specializes in Honda and Acura in south central PA.) It could be a number of things or it could be nothing. But an independent will be more forthcoming and likely cheaper simply because their labor rate is less than the dealer.

Good luck.

 

[nomas]

It makes this noise when going in reverse from a cold start ? I hear a lot of vehicles do this .

 

[dogememe]

It makes this noise when going in reverse from a cold start ? I hear a lot of vehicles do this .

Yes, it does it a little sometimes when the vehicle has been driven and is reversed but mainly on a cold start. I don't know how to describe it, it's not a squeal, it's a deeper tone, that's why i called it a whale noise

 

[camrydriver111]

If it only happens when cold, when going in reverse the first time, and you had it checked already I would not worry about.

My civic does the exact same thing, but it is a squeak.

I know the brakes are working fine I just ignore it.

If it is a knocking noise, then it's different, and pads are moving in the bracket.

You could try greasing the backs of the pads, this can reduce noise.

 

[JTK]

I live in the rustbelt, but any FWD based Nissan I've owned would blow through rear pads and rotors between 30-40K miles, so you may be due for them anyway. The fronts will last almost double that.

In terms of putting E-parking brakes in service mode, check youtube like suggested above. The two 2021 Chevy products in my sig can be put into service mode with a series of p-brake button and brake pedal presses.

 

[dogememe]

I live in the rustbelt, but any FWD based Nissan I've owned would blow through rear pads and rotors between 30-40K miles, so you may be due for them anyway. The fronts will last almost double that.

In terms of putting E-parking brakes in service mode, check youtube like suggested above. The two 2021 Chevy products in my sig can be put into service mode with a series of p-brake button and brake pedal presses.

Wow, that seems really short lifespan for rear brakes. I wonder if they just undersized them or it's something else?

 

[JTK]

Wow, that seems really short lifespan for rear brakes. I wonder if they just undersized them or it's something else?

I found this to be the case with any later model Nissan and Subaru product myself or any family/friends owned. IMO, it has to do more with being in the rustbelt than anything.

My 2022 Nissan Frontier is the exception. I'm pushing 50K miles with it on all original and untouched brakes.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Wow, that seems really short lifespan for rear brakes. I wonder if they just undersized them or it's something else?

My mom has had two recent Escapes with rear discs and it's usually every 18 months. The rotors rust up because they aren't used hard enough to be cleaned off then it chews the pads.

There is supposed to be a sequence to put the parking brake in "service" mode on the escape but I've never had luck with it.

 

[The Critic]

Wow, that seems really short lifespan for rear brakes. I wonder if they just undersized them or it's something else?

Normal for Nissan products. OE pads can also be extremely noisy.

 

[D60]

My wife's '08 F150 often does this when cold and reversing. Since it only happens under those conditions, I've ignored it.