2003-2005 Infiniti G35 Front vs Rear Brakes: What Wears First and What to Replace

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

On a 2003-2005 Infiniti G35, the front brakes wear out first, usually well before the rears, because the front axle does most of the stopping work. Plan on replacing front pads and rotors more often than the rears, inspect the rears every time the fronts are done, and always replace parts in axle pairs with rotors matched to your car's exact brake package.

How the G35 Brake System Is Laid Out

Every first-generation G35 uses disc brakes at all four corners. Infiniti's 2003 G Sedan press kit describes the system as power-assisted 4-wheel vented disc brakes with a 4-channel, 4-sensor anti-lock braking system, Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist. There are no rear drums on this car, so a rear brake job on a G35 means rear pads and rotors, not shoes.

The important detail for parts shopping is that not every G35 from these years has the same brakes:

Because of those splits, the single most useful thing you can do before ordering is confirm three facts: model year, body style (sedan or coupe), and whether the car has Brembo calipers. Brembo calipers are easy to spot through the wheel: they are large fixed calipers with the Brembo name on them. The standard brakes use a sliding caliper that bolts to a bracket.

Why the Front Brakes Wear First

When you brake, the car's weight shifts forward. That extra load on the front tires lets them put down more stopping force, so the brake system is designed to send more of the work to the front axle. The G35's EBD system manages that front-to-rear split electronically, adjusting brake force for load (passengers and cargo, as Infiniti describes it) so the rear wheels do not lock before the fronts.

The result is predictable: front pads and rotors absorb more heat and wear faster. On a G35 the rear axle also carries the drive wheels, but that does not change the basic pattern. Expect the fronts to need attention first, and treat it as a warning sign if the rears are wearing out faster than the fronts.

The first-generation G35 also built a reputation for going through front brakes quickly. Owner complaints filed with NHTSA and compiled by the Center for Auto Safety for the 2005 G35 describe repeat front pad and rotor replacements at low mileage, including one owner who needed front pads again only 19,000 miles after the last set. The practical takeaway is that friction material on these cars can wear quickly and rotors often get replaced along with the pads.

Symptoms: Front Brakes vs Rear Brakes

You can often tell which end needs work before you pull a wheel.

• Steering wheel shake under braking: almost always the front rotors. Uneven rotor thickness or pad material deposits show up in the steering wheel because the fronts are tied to the steering.
• Pulsing felt in the seat or pedal with a steady steering wheel: points more toward the rear rotors.
• High-pitched squeal while driving that stops when you brake: a pad wear indicator touching the rotor. Check which corner by looking through the wheel spokes at pad thickness.
• Grinding: pad material is gone and the backing plate is cutting the rotor. Replace pads and rotors on that axle together, and do it now.
• Heavy dust on the front wheels only: normal on this car, since the fronts do most of the work.
• Car pulls to one side under braking: a sticking caliper or slide pin, a collapsed hose, or contaminated pads on one side. Look at that axle's caliper, not just the pads.

A quick visual check: look at the pad through the caliper window and compare the friction material thickness to the steel backing plate. When the friction material gets close to the thickness of the backing plate, start planning the job. Also run a fingernail across the rotor face; a heavy lip at the outer edge or deep grooves mean the rotor is worn.

What to Replace, and What to Replace at the Same Time

Replace brake parts in axle pairs. Never do one front corner or one rear corner by itself; uneven friction left to right causes pulling.

Front brake job

• Front brake pads for your exact version (standard or Brembo)
• Front brake rotors, sized to your year and package. Given how quickly G35 rotors tend to wear, new rotors are usually better value than machining thin ones.
• New brake hardware clips and shims so new pads slide freely and stay quiet
• Clean and lubricate the caliper slide pins on standard brakes; check that the pistons retract smoothly on either type

Rear brake job

• Rear pads and rotors, again matched to your brake package
• Inspect the rear calipers for a sticking piston or torn boot; replace a seized unit with a replacement brake caliper, in pairs
• Check the parking brake while the rear is apart, since it works inside the rear rotor

Doing both ends at once

If the rears are at least half worn when you do the fronts, doing both ends in one job saves a second weekend and gives you a matched system. For a standard-brake 2003-2005 G35, our 2003-2005 Infiniti G35 front and rear brake kit includes two front rotors, two rear rotors, front and rear ceramic pads, and installation hardware. Confirm your trim and brake size before ordering, since Brembo-equipped cars take different parts. You can also browse our Detroit Axle brake parts for individual front or rear pieces.

How Hard Is the Job?

Front and rear pad and rotor replacement on a G35 is a moderate DIY job with basic hand tools, a torque wrench, jack stands and a piston compression tool. A few points specific to this car:

• Know your caliper type first. Brembo fixed calipers let you swap pads without unbolting the caliper, but rotor removal still means taking the caliper off the knuckle. Standard sliding calipers come off the bracket, then the bracket comes off to free the rotor.
• Stuck rotors are common. Rust can bond the rotor hat to the hub. Penetrating oil and firm taps on the hat (not the braking surface) usually free it.
• Clean the hub face. Rust scale left on the hub causes runout and a new vibration within a few hundred miles.
• Torque everything. Torque caliper bracket bolts and lug nuts to the values in the factory service manual, in a star pattern for the lugs. Lug nuts hammered on with an impact gun are a common cause of vibration after a brake job.
• Bed the new pads. A series of moderate stops followed by a few firmer ones, then cooling without holding the pedal at a stop, transfers an even layer of pad material to the rotor.
• Check the fluid. Pushing pistons back raises the reservoir level. Use the brake fluid type printed on the reservoir cap or in the owner's manual, and have old, dark fluid flushed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do the front brakes on a G35 really wear faster than the rears?

Yes. Weight shifts forward during braking, and the G35's brake force distribution sends most of the stopping work to the front axle, so front pads and rotors wear first. Rears that wear faster than fronts usually point to a sticking rear caliper or a dragging parking brake.

Are 2005 G35 brake parts the same as 2003-2004?

Not always. Infiniti increased the standard rotor size for 2005, so parts for a 2003-2004 car may not fit a 2005. Order by exact year and confirm the rotor size.

How do I know if my G35 has Brembo brakes?

Look through the wheel. Brembo brakes use large fixed calipers with the Brembo name on them. On first-generation coupes they came with the 6-speed manual, but check the actual car rather than assuming from the trim.

Should I replace rotors every time I replace pads on a G35?

Often, yes. If the rotors are grooved, lipped, cause vibration, or are near the minimum thickness stamped on the rotor, replace them with the pads. New rotors with new pads give the best bed-in and the quietest result.

Can I replace just the front brakes and leave the rears?

Yes, if the rears still have plenty of pad left and the rotors are smooth. Measure them while the car is on stands. If the rears are half worn or more, doing them at the same time is usually the better use of your time.

Sources

1. INFINITI USA Newsroom - 2003 INFINITI G Sedan Press Kit - 4-wheel vented disc brakes, 4-channel ABS, EBD and Brake Assist
2. INFINITI USA Newsroom - 2003 INFINITI G Coupe Press Kit - Brembo front and rear brakes on 6-speed manual coupes
3. INFINITI USA Newsroom - 2005 INFINITI G Sedan Press Kit - larger standard brake rotors for 2005, G35x AWD model
4. NICOclub - 2003-2004 Infiniti G35 Technical Data and Specifications - 11.7 x 0.9 in front and 11.5 x 0.6 in rear rotor sizes
5. Center for Auto Safety - 2005 INFINITI G35 Recalls, Complaints and Investigations - owner complaints of repeat front pad and rotor wear at low mileage