By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse
Most Infiniti G35 parking brake problems come down to three things: rear shoes that have worn or rusted inside the rotor hat, a cable that has stretched or seized, or a parking brake switch that keeps the dash light on after release. The fix is almost always the same factory sequence: adjust the small drum shoes through the hole in the rear rotor first, then set the cable at the console to the correct number of notches.
How the G35 Parking Brake Works
The G35 does not use the rear disc caliper as a parking brake. Instead, Infiniti used a drum-in-hat design: the hat section of each rear rotor doubles as a small brake drum, and a pair of dedicated parking brake shoes sits inside it on the backing plate. When you apply the parking brake, a front cable pulls on an equalizer (the "device assembly" in the service manual), which pulls the left and right rear cables. Each rear cable moves a toggle lever that spreads the shoes against the inside of the drum.
How you apply it depends on the transmission. The owner's manual lists two layouts:
- Automatic transmission cars use a foot pedal. You press it fully to apply, and press it again (with your foot on the service brake) to release.
- Manual transmission cars use a center-console hand lever. You pull it up to apply and push the button to lower it.
The shoe-side hardware inside the rotor hat is the same idea on both. What changes is the spec for how far the pedal or lever should travel, covered below.
Common Symptoms and What They Point To
| Symptom | Most likely cause | First check |
|---|---|---|
| Pedal goes nearly to the floor or lever pulls too high, car rolls on a hill | Worn shoes, shoes out of adjustment, stretched cable | Adjust shoes through rotor hole, then count notches |
| Normal pedal or lever travel but it still will not hold | Worn equalizer pivot, glazed or contaminated shoes, drum worn oversize | Pull rotor, inspect linings and drum |
| Rear brake drags or gets hot after release | Cable seized in its housing, shoes adjusted too tight, broken return spring | Spin rotor with brake released; inspect cable and springs |
| Rear rotor will not come off during a brake job | Rust ridge inside the drum holding the shoes | Back the adjuster off through the access hole |
| Brake warning light stays on with parking brake released | Parking brake switch damaged or out of position, or low brake fluid | Check fluid level, then the switch at the pedal or lever |
Do not ignore the warning light. The owner's manual explains that the same brake light covers the parking brake, low brake fluid and an ABS fault. If the light is on while driving with the parking brake fully released, check the brake fluid level before you blame the switch.
Why G35 Parking Brakes Fail
The biggest cause is simply not using it. On automatic cars many owners rely on Park and never press the pedal. Trade guidance from Brake and Front End notes that when the parking brake is not used, rust and corrosion build up inside the drum, and drum-in-hat rotors can end up stuck to the parking brake shoes. Idle cables also sit in one position for years, which is how they seize.
Other causes:
- Cable stretch. Cables stretch over time and create slack. If the adjustment is maxed out and the pedal or lever still travels too far, the cable needs replacing.
- Wrong cable treatment. Spraying lubricant or solvent into the cable housing can pull grime deeper into the sheath and make sticking worse.
- Adjusting the cable only. Tightening the console nut to take up slack from worn shoes skips the factory order and can leave the rear brake partly applied. The service procedure always sets the shoes first.
- Worn or damaged hardware. The service manual has you check the return spring for sagging, the anti-rattle pin for wear and corrosion, and the adjuster for rough operation.
Factory Adjustment Procedure, Step by Step
This follows the Infiniti service manual for the V35 G35. Read it through once before you start, and do not skip the order.
- Loosen the cable. At the device assembly under the console, use a deep-well socket to back off the self-locking nut so the cable is slack. Fully release the pedal or lever.
- Pull the rear wheels. Thread a wheel nut back on to hold the rotor flat against the hub.
- Adjust the shoes. Remove the rubber adjuster hole plug in the rotor. With a flat-bladed screwdriver, turn the adjuster in the direction the manual shows until it locks, then back it off 5 or 6 notches.
- Check for drag. Spin the rotor. It must turn with no drag. Reinstall the plug.
- Seat the cable. Apply the pedal or lever 10 or more times with firm force (the manual calls for 294 N, about 66 lb).
- Set the cable. Apply the brake far enough to reach the self-locking nut with the deep-well socket and turn it to set the stroke.
- Verify the stroke. Apply it 3 to 4 times at 196 N (about 44 lb), then count the notches. The spec is 2 to 3 notches on the foot pedal and 6 to 7 notches on the hand lever.
- Final check. With the brake fully released, confirm there is no drag at either rear wheel, and that the warning light comes on within one notch of applying it.
Brake and Front End makes the point that parking brake specs are not approximate: if the procedure says a certain number of notches, use exactly that number. Too tight and the shoes drag; too loose and the pedal travels too far.
The manual also warns not to reuse the self-locking nut once it has been removed. If you take it off completely, replace it.
Inspecting and Replacing the Shoes
If adjustment does not fix the holding problem, the rotor has to come off. With the parking brake fully released, pull the caliper and rotor. If the rotor is stuck on the shoes, do not beat it off. Back the adjuster off through the access hole to open up clearance first, then tap the rotor lightly if needed.
| G35 parking brake spec (V35 service manual) | Value |
|---|---|
| Drum brake type | DS17HF |
| Lining thickness, new | 3.2 mm (0.126 in) |
| Lining wear limit | 1.5 mm (0.059 in) |
| Drum inner diameter, standard | 172.0 mm (6.77 in) |
| Drum inner diameter, maximum | 173.0 mm (6.81 in) |
| Stroke at 196 N, foot pedal | 2 to 3 notches |
| Stroke at 196 N, hand lever | 6 to 7 notches |
| Warning lamp on at | 1 notch |
Replace the shoes if the lining is at or below the wear limit, peeling, or soaked with grease or brake fluid. Replace the rotor if the drum section is past its maximum inner diameter, cracked, or deeply scored. On reassembly, the manual has you apply brake grease to the shoe contact points and the adjuster threads. Note that the left and right adjusters are not interchangeable: each one is built to expand when turned in a specific direction.
These figures come from the V35-generation service manual. If you own a later G35 sedan, confirm the numbers in the service information for your exact model year before you rely on them.
Break in new shoes
New parking brake shoes, or a new rotor, need a short burnish before they hold at full strength. The factory procedure: on a safe, level, dry road with the car unloaded, hold the parking brake with light force (147 N, about 33 lb) and drive forward about 100 m (328 ft) at roughly 35 km/h (22 MPH). Let it cool about five minutes, then drive normally for two minutes. Repeat that cycle three times, do one more cool-down drive, then recheck the notch count. The manual cautions against overdoing the break-in, which can wear the linings unevenly.
What to Replace at the Same Time
Because the rear rotor has to come off to reach the shoes, parking brake work and a rear brake job go together. If your rear pads are low or the rotors are worn, this is the time to do them.
- Rear rotors: replace if the drum section is past its limit or the braking surface is below minimum. Browse replacement brake rotors.
- Rear pads: always in axle sets. See our brake pad selection.
- Springs and hardware: old return springs sag and adjusters seize. A fresh brake hardware kit costs little compared with doing the job twice.
If you are also doing the fronts, many G35s were built with Brembo front brakes, and we carry pads and rotors for them, including Hawk Ceramic Street front pads for Brembo-equipped G35s and EBC USR slotted front rotors for the G35 automatic. Confirm your caliper type before ordering.
How Hard Is the Job?
A shoe and cable adjustment is a moderate driveway job: jack stands, a flat screwdriver or brake spoon, and a deep-well socket. The awkward part is reaching the self-locking nut at the device assembly inside the cabin. Shoe replacement is harder. The rotor and caliper come off, and the springs, anti-rattle pins and adjuster take patience to reinstall. Replacing a cable is the biggest job, since the service manual calls for removing trim, the center console and even the airbag sensor unit bracket on the way to the device assembly. The manual directs airbag system work to an authorized dealer, so leave that part to a pro if you are not trained on it.
A good habit afterward: use the parking brake regularly, even on an automatic. It keeps the cables moving and the shoes scrubbing rust off the drum.
The parts that fix this — verified to fit your Infiniti G35 Parking
- Front Rear Brake Rotors Pads Kit for Nissan 370Z 350Z Infiniti G37 G35 EX35 — $292.99
- 2003-2005 Infiniti G35 Front & Rear Brake Kit - Detroit Axle — $258.99
- Front & Rear Ceramic Brake Pads Kit For INFINITI Nissan Murano G37 G35 EX35 FX35 — $64.99
Ships from our Circleville, OH warehouse. Free shipping over $75.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the G35 use the rear calipers as the parking brake?
No. The G35 uses a separate drum-in-hat parking brake. Small shoes inside the hat of each rear rotor do the holding, and the rear calipers are only for normal braking.
How many clicks should my G35 parking brake have?
Per the service manual, the foot pedal on automatic cars should travel 2 to 3 notches and the hand lever on manual cars 6 to 7 notches, measured with the specified force after the shoes are adjusted.
Why does my parking brake light stay on after I release it?
The same light warns of low brake fluid and ABS faults, so check the fluid level first. If the fluid is fine, the parking brake switch at the pedal or lever is the usual suspect, often knocked out of position so the released pedal no longer presses it.
Can I just tighten the cable to fix a weak parking brake?
Not correctly. The factory procedure adjusts the shoes through the rotor first and sets the cable second. Cranking the cable alone can leave the rear brakes dragging and wears the shoes and drum quickly.
My rear rotor is stuck. How do I get it off?
Release the parking brake, pull the rubber plug from the rotor's access hole, and back the adjuster off so the shoes retract from the rust ridge in the drum. Then tap the rotor off gently rather than hammering it.
Do I need to break in new parking brake shoes?
Yes. Infiniti specifies a short burnish of light parking-brake drag drives with cool-downs in between, followed by a notch recheck. Skipping it can leave the brake weaker than expected at first.
Sources
- Infiniti G35 Sedan Service Manual, Parking Brake System (PB section) - drum-in-hat layout, adjustment procedure, notch specs, lining and drum limits, break-in procedure
- 2006 Infiniti G35 Coupe/Sedan Owner's Manual - foot pedal on automatic, hand lever on manual, apply and release steps, brake warning light functions
- Brake and Front End: Parking Brake Diagnostics, Repair and Maintenance - cable stretch, lubricant and solvent warnings, exact adjustment, equalizer pivot wear
- Brake and Front End: Removing a Rear Rotor Stuck on the Parking Brake - rust buildup from unused parking brakes and backing off the adjuster to remove the rotor
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