2016 QX60 - Need Help In Diagnosing Front Brake Issues

Discussion forum for the Infiniti JX35 / Infiniti QX60 - This 7-seat premium crossover dominates the class.
texasqx4
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Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2009 7:49 pm
Car: 2016 QX60 2WD
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I have a 2016 QX60 with 90K miles. Original brakes lasted about 70K miles. I had the rotors turned and I installed ceramic brake pads. After about 5K miles it started have a vibration / pulsing issue, but not like anti-lock brake pulsing. Additionally there was a grinding / whirring noise but no inidication of any metal-to-metal grinding on the rotors or pads. Both symptoms got worse the longer it was driven. Nothing that was so severe to impact breaking or daily driving but causing an annoying rough stop and noises. I decided to replace the old turned rotors with new rotors and metallic pads. Soon afterward same symptoms. So I had the new rotors turned but kept the metallic pads. Same symptoms.

I took it to the Infiniti dealer to get an assessement of what they thought might be wrong. It only consists of a test drive. They heard / felt the symptoms but had no definitive idea of the issue. They did suggest that it might be due to misalignment which I was skeptical of but I took it to be aligned for the first time since it was purchased. The front alignment was within spec and needed know adjustmnet and the rear alignment was slightly out. After alignment same brake symptoms.

It may be my imagination but it almost feels / sounds like the whirring noise / grinding is from the transmission when braking. I've had no known issues with the transmission but I know the automatic centrifigual transmissions have had issues and just recently received the extension to the factory warranty based on the results actions of the Federal lawsuit against Nissan.

Has anyone had similar braking symptoms and does anybody have any suggestions as to what the issue is and how to fix it. My next step is to take it back to the Infiniti dealer and/or local brake specialty shop and have them do a deepr dive into what may be causing the symptoms I described. I just need them diagnose the problem and propose a solution and then I can source the parts and provide the labor for the fix.


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VStar650CL
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Problems that happen only when braking are usually in the brake system itself, suspension shakes will tend to happen with a speed change on both accel and decel and wheel/tire shakes will tend to happen with road speed. Those symptoms would be weird for a CVT issue, but the TCM does respond to braking so I won't say it's impossible, just unlikely. When something happens coincident with a repair, it's almost almost always something touched by the repair process that's causing it. You need to go over your work and not only make sure the pads, rotors and hardware are all the right ones and all properly installed, but also inspect everything touched by the repair. Chances are your answer is in there someplace.

texasqx4
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Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2009 7:49 pm
Car: 2016 QX60 2WD
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Thank you for your reply. I don't believe it's an installation or parts issue for the following 4 reasons:

1. I've been doing my own brakes for over 50 years on a wide variety of vehicles. I've never had to redue a brake job, disc or drum or had symptoms like I've described.

2. Within a year I replaced the QX60 brakes with different parts 3 times (e.g. Original rotors turned, New rotors, New rotars turned, ceramic pads, metallic pads). Same brake symptoms occur. The chances of an incorrect installation 3 times are remote.

3. Disc brakes are probably one of the easiest and least error prone automotove repair tasks. Pads can only be installed one way into the caliper with clips and alignment tabs and are self aligning. Caliper mounts with two bolts to the mounting bracket over the disc. The pads self-align there depth / spacing to rotor. All grease points on clips and pins done.

4. If you look at repair issues for the QX60 you'll find there are various brake issues but none that exactly match what I'm encountering. So the chances are more likely its a factory brake flaw that needs to be diagnoses and fixed.

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Ilya
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I will say that I had something similar happen just 2 months ago after I purchased two Brake Motive kits - one for my '16 QX60 and one for my '11 M56x. I had grinding, smoking, squealing, etc. and I too have been installing my own brakes for the better part of 20 years. After doing my QX60 and having the issues - I moved on to do my M56x and realized that I used the M56x hardware and pads on the QX60...so during install it looked like everything cleared but during braking and vibration, the hardware was contacting the rotor on the very very edge (so you can't tell there is metal/metal contact happening just by looking through the wheel). After examining the QX60 again, I don't know how I missed it, but the hardware ends that slide into the calipers were definitely different (not as fat or wide or whatever). I was doing my work in the evening and just simply didn't notice it.

Now, I agree with you - 3 brake jobs with the same results is pretty damning proof it's not an installation issue for a seasoned DIY'er such as yourself. But did just want to share that, for the sake of it being on the internet, in case others come across this thread.


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