# Just bought a 2006, rear brake starts clicking noise



## marcel_g (Sep 10, 2007)

On the first trip to the grocery store. It didn't happen for either of my test drives when I was looking at the car, and the independent shop I took it to for an inspection didn't find anything wrong either.

I hear a clicking noise from the rear that is consistent with the wheel speed, and it goes away as soon as I step on the brakes. At first it was intermittent, but now it's louder and all the time, after about 50km of driving.

I took it to the dealer's mechanic today, and they said they found a piece of rust in the brake, and it was all fixed, but the noise started up again as soon as I pulled away from the first stop light. By that point, the garage was closed, so I have to call them tomorrow.

Anyone else have this problem? It's pretty cold here now in Ottawa (-14C), so I'm not keen on inspecting the brakes myself. I'm also not keen on repeatedly going back to garages to get it fixed, especially since there's a bus strike on here and it's hard to get there and back. 

Thanks,
Marcel


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## tbk (Dec 29, 2008)

It's possible that a maybe more rust got in there, or its also possible the original piece of rust scored your rotor and now the score mark is ticking against the pad. If your rotors are in good shape, your pads are in good shape, and you don't have any hydraulic leaks. don't worry too much. If your fronts are still working, you have plenty of stopping power for every day driving.


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## ValBoo (May 19, 2003)

could be brakes ... but also could be rear wheel bearings.


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## marcel_g (Sep 10, 2007)

I doubt that it's the bearings, since the vehicle's been inspected 3 times by mechanics in the last week, and also since the ticking goes away when the brakes are applied. 

Pads and rotors are in good shape and it isn't leaking, but it is a pretty annoying noise, made more annoying by the fact that it started as soon as I got the car.

It's possible that the dealer got some water in something in the brakes when they washed it just before I picked it up, (it was -20 something at the time) which maybe froze up and broke something or caused something to come loose. Like I said before, I don't really want to spend a few hours in the dark outside when it's -18C crouched in a wheel well disassembling a brake caliper, and I don't think I should have to when I've just purchased it from a dealer.

There's lots of stopping power, but it's gone all of 50 km and the noise has become a lot louder and more annoying, so it seems likely that it'll continue to get worse until something in there actually breaks.

I guess I will have to try to take it back to the same garage and hope that they'll actually fix it this time.


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## marcel_g (Sep 10, 2007)

I've just got the XT back again. The noise stopped on the way to drop it off at the garage, but I left it there anyway. They took the brakes apart and checked the parking brakes inside the hub, and cleaned them, but didn't find anything else. So far there's no more clicking noise. Possibly the piece of rust they were talking about misaligned one of the pads or something, and it just needed a bit of use to seat it properly, or something like that.


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## babaXtrail (Jan 23, 2009)

Hi guys, I've got the same problem. My wife just got her rear brakes replaced last month and i've gotta clicking noise coming from what it sounds like, the rear passenger side. it only happens when i go forward, never in reverse. you don't hear it all the time, only when you're slowing down gradually to a stoplight or something and when you slowly let go of the brake from a full stop and also when you kind of coast (with some brake). it sounds like the intervals of the clicking is related to speed....when you slow down, the intervals get bigger. Should I throw up the car and clean the brakes? I checked the cvjoints...thought that could've been it, but no cracks.


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## ValBoo (May 19, 2003)

.......Actually I now recall something that happened when I changed my brake (& brakes pads) that could be happening creating this clicking/rotating noise.

I found that after cleaning everything and brushing to a new condition that the new rear pads I installed were a "looser" fit in the slide cradles (actually called "pad retainer") than the older ones were. With each rotation of the wheel this allowed the pad to shift up and down creating the reported clicking noise. This was remedied by very slightly "bending" the pad retainer until the loose clearance was no more.

I will try to find some pictures or sketches to explain this better.


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## bingerz (Jan 1, 2008)

Thanks ValBoo, looking forward to them pictures! i don't hear it whenever i drive her car, cuz i have the music up, but whenever she's with me...it's annoying to hear.:thumbup:


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## dSly (Jan 4, 2009)

*Same Problem Here*

Same thing for me even though rear brakes/rotors were just replaced. I took it back to the dealer and they found nothing. Looks like ValBoo knows what is going on...


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## ValBoo (May 19, 2003)

Following my last post...

This was my problem and how I fixed it.

I replaced my entire brake system last summer.
I am using the original calipers but with after market pads and discs.
My problem was with the *rear only* where I am using "Hawk" pads. As mentioned above they fit looser than the original in the pad retainers.

I found some pictures to illustrate this. *These pictures were taken from another member Claude-XTRAIL*, and I marked them up to explain better. Also the pictures are of front brakes but I use them just to explain the principle.

Below is the first pic to show the pad inserted in the pad retainer. I marked the pad retainer in red:



The second picture shows how the aftermarket looser pad fits in the retainer with clearance which allowed the pad to move up & down with each wheel rotation:




The last picture shows how I fixed the problem by slightly pinching & bending the retainer ever so slightly so that the fit was snug. This eliminated my clicking problem for good:



I am not saying for sure this is what's happening with reported problems above but I think its a good hunch.


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## aussietrail (Sep 24, 2004)

Marc,

I'm not sure if you have used the shims (pad retainers) that came with the pads or re-used the original ones, but I found that using the original ones with the aftermarket pads doesn't produce this clicking problem and they grab the pads real good. The also eliminate any possible chance of brake squeal.


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## ValBoo (May 19, 2003)

I used the original retainer and shims...


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## bingerz (Jan 1, 2008)

im still having this problem. took it to nissan, they did r/r on the brakes and pulled out the axle...lube splines. clicking sound was gone for a couple weeks..but now its back agen. pulled off the tire and the rotor has some left and right play at the bottom. as if it feels loose. 

valboo, i was going to try your solution before we bring it in tomorrow, but the brake caliper (with the 2 -14mm bolts) were stuck in there. couldn't take it off to try and bend those retainers. guess i'll have to wait till tomorrow to see wat they say at the stealership. i feel like they're d*ckin me...try to squeeze every penny outta me and makin me do multiple trips to fix. 

are rotors supposed to have that loose play at the bottom (6 oclock position). the only way i could describe it, is if im facing the wheel...and i pull at the bottom..it's like it's loose and comes towards me...in and out. any advice greatly appreciated!


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## tbk (Dec 29, 2008)

It's not uncommon to have a little play in the rotor when the wheel is off. The wheel (lugnuts) is what holds the rotor on. It sounds to me like what valboo was saying, the pads are loose. If it was me, and it was really bothering me, start with replacing the rear rotor and pads. You can buy aftermarket rotors and pads for a pretty reasonable rate.

If the noise goes away when you step on the brakes, it has to be something the brake system. Start with the basics and go from there.


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## pdub (Apr 24, 2015)

I also heard a clicking noise from the rear that was consistent with the wheel speed. I thought it was maybe a rock stuck in the tire, but it stopped as soon as I applied the brakes, even lightly.

I followed ValBoo's post #10, bending the retainer clips to reduce the free play in the brake pads and VOILA.....no more noise. My pads are "Raybestos" brand. Also did a cleaning/lube/inspection of the rear calipers as suggested in other threads. 

Thanks for the excellent post ValBoo.


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Welcome to the joys of the rear brakes of the X trail. Glad you got yours sorted out. In my experience problems have been more related to badly formed tabs on brake pads that require filing and cleaned or new slides, so as not to stick. Its important to stay on top of what is happening with your brakes, because if you neglect them when they are binding, the heat generated will take out either the caliper, or the wheel bearing at some point.
Other weird point, is that the rubber bushing on the end of the lower caliper slide pin bolt is meant for noise reduction. If its missing or misplaced it could result in noisy brakes. I guess I should double check whether it goes on the top or bottom pin, but I am 90% sure its the bottom one. I bought a rear brake kit that came with new little o rings for the caliper pins as well as new boot covers for the slide pins. The rubber was quite degraded on the originals.


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## pdub (Apr 24, 2015)

Thanks for the heads up Quadraria. I checked the rubber boots on the slide bolts and they seemed to be in decent shape. Everything was well greased and there was even a suction and a pop sound when I pulled them out. Will keep an eye on them.

Do you feel your rotors after driving to check for excessive heat? After all the warnings I'm reading, I may make it policy to check them regularly when I get out of the vehicle.


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## chadn (Jan 28, 2010)

pdub said:


> Do you feel your rotors after driving to check for excessive heat? After all the warnings I'm reading, I may make it policy to check them regularly when I get out of the vehicle.


Just be careful. The wear surfaces of the rotors can get extremely hot just after braking. In my mind, it would be better to check the rotor temp after prolonged highway driving with only one stop. That should be a better indicator of potential drag causing heat build up versus stop and go city driving.


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