2009 Nissan GT-R Brake Noise: Squeal, Grinding and Pulsation Causes

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

Brake noise on a 2009 Nissan GT-R almost always comes from one of three places: pads that are worn thin or glazed, rotors with uneven thickness or pad deposits, or loose or dry hardware in the big Brembo calipers. A high squeal usually points to pad condition or hardware, a metal-on-metal grind means the friction material is gone, and a pulsing pedal or shaking wheel points to the rotors. Here is how to tell which one you have and what fixes it.

How the 2009 GT-R Brake System Is Built

The first GT-R sold in North America went on sale in June 2008 as a 2009 model, and Nissan fitted it with a serious brake package. According to Nissan's launch release, it uses Brembo monoblock six-piston front calipers and four-piston rear calipers, radially mounted to limit caliper flex, clamping 15-inch Brembo full-floating, cross-drilled two-piece rotors with low-steel, high-stiffness pads. It rides on 20-inch run-flat summer tires and sends power through the ATTESA E-TS all-wheel-drive system.

That design matters for diagnosis. A two-piece floating rotor has a separate hat and friction ring, and cross-drilled holes change how pad material transfers onto the rotor face. The car is also heavy and fast, so it builds a lot of brake heat. Many of the noise and vibration problems owners see come from heat and installation habits, not from a defective part.

Squealing: Pads, Hardware and Wear Indicators

A high-pitched squeal is vibration between the pad and the rotor. DBA's troubleshooting guide lists squeal as coming from movement between pad and rotor, and says the cure is a rotor in good condition, pads that fit correctly, secure hardware and proper lubrication at the contact points. On a GT-R, check these in order:

• Pad thickness. Brembo notes that many modern pads carry acoustic wear indicators that squeak when the pad gets thin, and that pads under roughly 3 to 4 mm should be replaced. A squeal that started slowly and got steadily worse often means the pads are simply done.
• Pad retaining hardware. The pins, springs and anti-rattle clips that hold the pads in a monoblock caliper can loosen or lose their lubricant. Missing or tired hardware lets the pad buzz against the caliper.
• Glazed pads. If the car has been driven hard and then held on the brakes, or the pads were never properly bedded, the pad surface can glaze and squeal even with plenty of material left.
• Pad compound. Aggressive track compounds are noisier on the street than a street pad. Squeal right after switching to a race pad is often normal for that compound.

Grinding and Scraping Noises

A grinding or scraping noise is more urgent. Brembo describes a loud metallic noise as a red alert: the friction material is gone and the pad's steel backing is cutting into the rotor. On a GT-R that damage adds up quickly because the rotors are large two-piece parts. Stop driving the car on those brakes and inspect them.

Not every scrape is a worn-out pad, though. DBA lists other scraping causes worth ruling out: a bent dust shield touching the rotor, debris trapped between shield and rotor, scored rotor faces, and damaged hardware. If you hear a scrape that comes and goes with wheel rotation but the pads have life left, look behind the rotor for a bent shield or a stone before buying parts.

Pulsation, Shudder and Steering Shake

A pulsing brake pedal is the classic sign people call warped rotors, but DBA's technical material explains the real cause is usually disc thickness variation, or DTV. When the rotor is thicker in some spots than others, hydraulic pressure keeps the pads in contact with the uneven surface and the pedal pushes back as the thick spots pass through the caliper. DBA says variation as small as 20 microns can be felt, and that the pulse tends to get worse as the brakes heat up.

The causes DBA lists are the same ones a GT-R owner should check:

• Uneven lug nut torque. Running wheels on with an impact gun can clamp the rotor unevenly and distort it. DBA recommends a star pattern, a calibrated torque wrench set to the manufacturer's spec, and a torque recheck after about 50 miles.
• Dirty or rusty hub faces. Rust or debris between the hub and rotor hat creates runout that turns into thickness variation over time.
• Worn wheel bearings or bent studs. Any runout at the hub is passed straight to the rotor.
• Friction material deposits. DBA identifies uneven pad deposits as a common cause of steering wheel vibration under braking. It happens when pads are pushed past their temperature range and smear softened material onto the rotor, and DBA notes that slotted or drilled rotors paired with the wrong pad can make it worse.

DBA also points out that worn suspension parts can produce vibrations that feel like brake problems, so a shake that is there even when you are not braking needs a suspension check first.

The Fix and Which Parts to Replace

Match the repair to what you found:

• Thin, glazed or noisy pads: replace the pads on both sides of the axle and fit new retaining hardware. Browse brake pads and brake hardware kits, and confirm fitment for the 2009 GT-R before you order.
• Grinding into the rotor, deep scoring or cracks around the drilled holes: replace the rotors as an axle pair along with the pads. For owners who want a drilled and slotted option, the DBA 5000 Series XS two-piece front rotor for the 2009 GT-R fits the R35, and our brake rotor collection has more options.
• Pulsation from DTV or deposits: light deposits can clear up with the right pad and normal driving, according to DBA. Heavier deposits need resurfacing within the rotor's minimum thickness, and heat-damaged rotors must be replaced.

Whatever you replace, fix the root cause at the same time: clean the hub faces, torque the wheels by hand with a torque wrench, and bed the new pads in so they lay down an even transfer layer. Skipping any of those steps is how a fresh set of rotors starts pulsing again within a few thousand miles.

How Hard Is This Job?

Pad replacement on the GT-R is a moderate job for a home mechanic with a torque wrench and a good jack. Fixed monoblock calipers do not slide, so once the retaining hardware is out the pads come free and the pistons need to be pushed back evenly to make room for new material. Rotor replacement is more work because the caliper has to come off, and the caliper bolts and wheel nuts must be torqued to the values in the factory service manual. Test-drive gently after any job and bed the pads before hard driving. If you find a leaking caliper or a soft pedal while you are in there, that is a hydraulic repair to handle before the car goes back on the road.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is some brake noise normal on a GT-R?

A light squeal from performance pads, especially when cold, can be normal. A noise that gets steadily louder, a metal grind, or a pulsing pedal is not, and should be inspected.

Are my rotors warped if the pedal pulses?

Usually the rotor has uneven thickness or uneven pad deposits rather than true warping. The fix depends on the cause, so check lug torque, hub faces and pad deposits before replacing parts.

Should I replace pads and rotors together?

If the rotors are scored, cracked, below minimum thickness or causing pulsation, yes. Brembo estimates rotors typically last about two to three sets of pads, but a GT-R driven hard can wear them faster.

Why do my brakes scrape after the car sits?

Surface rust forms on bare rotor faces after rain or washing and can make a brief scraping noise for the first few stops. If it disappears after a few stops, it is harmless.

Can I use slotted or drilled rotors with any pad?

You can, but DBA warns that slotted or drilled rotors paired with a pad that runs past its temperature range can leave uneven deposits. Choose a pad rated for how you actually drive the car.

Sources

1. Nissan News - All-New 2009 Nissan GT-R Comes to North America - factory brake, tire and drivetrain specs, June 2008 on-sale date
2. DBA - Common Brake Problems - causes of squeal, scraping and pulsation
3. DBA - Disc Thickness Variation - 20 micron DTV threshold and its causes
4. DBA - Friction Material Deposits - deposits causing steering shake and how to fix them
5. DBA - Wheel Lug Nut Torque and Rotor Distortion - star pattern, torque wrench, 50-mile recheck
6. Brembo - When to Replace Pads and Discs - acoustic wear indicators, metallic noise warning, 3-4 mm pad limit, rotor life