Nissan Brakes Problems

Brakes issues make up roughly 3% of all Nissan owner complaints. The majority of the issues have been reported by Altima owners.

The complaint we hear about most often is brake noise/squealing in the 2013 Altima.

Common Nissan Brakes Problems

  1. Murano Soft Brakes

    The 2009 Nissan Murano has an issue with soft and spongy brake pedals that go all the way to the floor and dangerously increase stopping distances. Owners say it happens after hitting a pothole or riding over other rough surfaces. It took y…

    Continue reading article "Murano Soft Brakes" A brake symbol super-imposed over a picture of the back of a Murano

Where Brakes Complaints Happen

Sometimes it helps just to tally up the complaints and see where the biggest stacks are. Use this information to learn about troublespots or to run for the hills.

Worst Issues

Worst Models

What Nissan Owners Say About Their Brakes

Soft and Spongy Brake Pedals Make the 2009 Murano Tough to Stop

I was three to four car-lengths from the SUV in front of me that was stopped at the red light; therefore, put on my brakes to stop. However, when I put on my brakes, my brake pedal seemed to had slipped and went all the way down to the floor board. On impact into the rear of the SUV that was sitting at the red light, my left hand took the entire impact of the accident. Consequently, my hand is currently swollen to double its normal size.

Soft and Spongy Brake Pedals Make the 2009 Murano Tough to Stop

Brake pedal is soft, dealer replaced master cylinder, didn't fix issue. Now dealership says ABS actuator with a WHOOPING cost of $2400. Are you kidding me. I love my Nissans and this is my third but this has shaken my confidence in them and is going to be my last one!

Recent Brakes News

There's a lot of news out there, but not all of it matters. We try to boil down it to the most important bits about things that actually help you with your car problem. Interested in getting these stories in an email? Signup for free email alerts over at CarComplaints.com.

  1. Nissan is recalling the 2021 Rogue after learning that the rear brake calipers might be missing bushings.

    The automaker's brake supplier says one of their technicians forgot to install the bushings. Whoops! Without them, the caliper's O-ring will eventually move and allow brake fluid to leak out and potentially short-circuit electrical components. Nissan selected 80 SUVs to audit after learning about the problem and 28 were missing the part.…

    keep reading article "A Technician Forgot to Install Rear Brake Caliper Bushings in some 2021 Rogue SUVs"

  3. A lawsuit claiming Nissan's automatic emergency braking (AEB) system has dangerous defects will continue in court

    following a U.S. District Court judge tossing out the automaker's motion to dismiss. AEB systems monitor the road and can apply the brakes if the system detects a collision is imminnent. But according to the lawsuit, Nissan's AEB detects items that aren't there and can randomly bring the car to a screeching halt.…

    keep reading article "Nissan Wanted An Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) Lawsuit Tossed. It Didn't Work."

  6. Does Nissan's automatic emergency braking (AEB) system have a defective radar?

    A California lawsuit says malfunctions in the system create random emergency braking situations when the radar detects objects that aren’t really there.

    The owner's manuals for many of the vehicles admit the automatic emergency braking systems do "not function in all driving, traffic, weather and road conditions.” But the plaintiff says the manual leaves out the part about how the systems can cause vehicles to suddenly stop even when no objects are in the driving lane.

    It’s scary to think that a safety system might actually create more crash scenarios than it prevents.

    keep reading article "AEB Lawsuit Says System Can Randomly Stop Vehicles"

  7. I have some choice words for Nissan’s anti-lock brake actuator pump.

    And yes, I realize that is an odd thing to say, but hear me out. The pump leaks brake fluid onto internal circuit boards which starts fires. And it’s been a problem more than once.

    The pumps were first recalled back in 2016. However the seals used to “fix” the leak have failed and now the pumps have been recalled again.

    Nissan is even worried enough to ask owners of the 2015-2017 Murano, 2016-2017 Maxima, 2017-2018 Pathfinder and the 2017 Infiniti QX60 vehicles to park their cars outside and away from things you wouldn’t like to see turned to ash.

    Maybe I should direct my choice words at Nissan instead.

    keep reading article "Nissan ABS Actuator Recalled for Starting Fires. Again."

  8. The 2nd-generation Leaf is due out later this year and, according to reports, it may be trying to kill off the brake pedal.

    Steph Willems from TheTruthAboutCars.com says Nissan promises a brake pedal designed to gather dust. The brand’s new e-Pedal, found in the 2018 Leaf, allows — with the push of a button — the ability to speed up, slow down, and hold a stop via the pedal on the right.

    The car will come to a complete stop when you lift your foot off the e-Pedal, which Nissan says will be a more "exciting and engaging way to drive." The only exciting about it will be watching traffic swerve around the Leaf driver who tried to coast but instead came to a screeching halt.

    Marketing Image From Nissan

    "Drivers can cover 90% of their driving needs with the e-Pedal, making the process of driving more exciting. In heavy traffic and during city commutes, drivers will greatly reduce the need to shift from one pedal to the other, making your drive simpler and more engaging."

    I'd argue that one pedal isn't simpler. Hell, some people still can't tell the difference between the pedals we have now.

    keep reading article "Nissan Might be Trying to Ditch the Brake Pedal in the Next Gen Leaf"

  9. If you're driving a 2013-2015 Leaf, head south.

    That's because cold weather has been known to freeze the electronic brake booster, making the car a whole heck of a lot harder to stop. The recall was ordered after Nissan launched a "service campaign" in October 2015 on 2013-2015 LEAF cars. The voluntary service campaign was issued in the U.S. and Canada after Nissan said the problem wasn't related to safety.

    Say what you will about Nissan, but arguing that a brake defect isn't a safety defect takes a certain amount of gravitas.

    The affected cars were built between 11/192012 and 07/31/2015.

    keep reading article "The Leaf’s Electronic Brake Booster Can Freeze in Cold Weather"

  10. Last year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation into braking issues in over 600,000 vehicles.

    Owners with certain 2013 and 2014 cars had been complaining that their pedals went to the floor in a terrifying moment of complete brake failure.

    Nissan said the problem was likely a bad seal inside the master cylinder and they changed the design in September 2013. Guess what happened when they did that? Yep, a sudden decrease in warranty claims.

    Despite the evidence, NHTSA says it could only link three crashes to the pre-redesigned master cylinders and opted to close the investigation without requesting a recall.

    keep reading article "NHTSA Says Nissan Doesn't Have to Recall Cars with Potential Brake Problems"