2009-2021 Nissan 370z Brake Caliper Problems and Replacement

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

Nissan built the 370Z with two very different caliper setups: a floating cast-iron caliper on the base car and a fixed aluminum 4-piston front, 2-piston rear Sport Brake system on Sport, Sport Touring and NISMO cars. Most 370Z caliper problems come down to a stuck piston, a torn dust boot, seized slide pins on the base caliper, or old fluid, and the right fix depends on which system your car has. Identify your brakes first, then diagnose.

Which Calipers Does Your 370Z Have?

Nissan's own press kits spell out two systems. The base 370Z uses a four-wheel vented disc setup with 12.6-inch rotors front and rear and floating cast-iron calipers. The optional Sport Package (Sport and Sport Touring trims) adds Nissan Sport Brakes: 14.0-inch front and 13.8-inch rear rotors clamped by 4-piston front and 2-piston rear aluminum calipers. Starting in 2013 those Sport calipers got a red finish. The NISMO uses the same 14.0/13.8-inch rotor sizes and fixed 4-piston/2-piston aluminum calipers, plus high-rigidity brake hoses and Nissan R35 Special II fluid.

The quick check: look through the wheel. A large red (2013 and later) or painted aluminum caliper that straddles the rotor with pistons on both sides is the Sport Brake. A plain cast-iron caliper on a bracket, with its piston only on the inboard side, is the base floating design. This matters because pads, rotors and calipers are not interchangeable between the two systems.

How the Two Designs Fail Differently

Base floating calipers

A floating caliper pushes the inner pad with its piston and slides on two guide pins to pull the outer pad into the rotor. When those pins corrode or their grease dries out, the caliper cannot center itself. The result is the classic uneven pad wear, one pad worn far thinner than the other, and a caliper that keeps dragging after you release the pedal. Torn pin boots let in water and road salt, which speeds this up.

Sport Brake fixed calipers

A fixed caliper does not slide at all. It has opposed pistons on both sides of the rotor, which is why Brembo describes opposed-piston designs as giving even brake force distribution, greater stiffness and uniform pad wear. With no slide pins to seize, the weak points move to the pistons themselves: a piston that rusts or sticks in its bore behind a split dust boot, or a seal that starts to weep fluid. On a 4-piston caliper one lazy piston shows up as a pad worn at an angle across its face, not just inner versus outer.

Symptoms of a Bad 370Z Caliper

• Pull under braking. The car steers toward one side when you brake because one wheel is clamping harder or releasing slower than the other.
• One hot wheel after a drive. A dragging caliper heats its rotor and wheel far more than the opposite side. Compare carefully by holding the back of your hand near each wheel, not on it.
• Burning smell or smoke from one corner after normal driving.
• Uneven pad wear when the wheels come off: one pad much thinner, or pads worn into a wedge shape.
• Fluid on the inside of the wheel or tire, or a dropping reservoir level. The 370Z owner's manual says the brake warning light also comes on for low fluid, and not to drive with the level below MIN until the system has been checked.
• Soft or long pedal. The manual warns to have the brake system checked if pedal height does not return to normal.

Do not confuse a caliper problem with the built-in pad wear warning. Nissan's manual explains the disc pads have audible wear warnings that make a high-pitched scraping sound, first only with the pedal pressed and then all the time as wear continues. That is a pad replacement signal, not a caliper failure, although a sticking caliper will often wear one wheel's pads down to that point early.

Common Causes

Old, wet brake fluid. Brake fluid absorbs moisture over time, and water inside the caliper bore is what rusts pistons. Nissan specifies Genuine NISSAN Super Heavy Duty Brake Fluid or an equivalent DOT 3 for non-NISMO cars, and Genuine NISSAN Brake Fluid R35 Special II for NISMO models, warning that the NISMO's stability control unit was designed around that fluid. The manual also says to use only new fluid from a sealed container.

Torn dust boots. Once a piston boot splits, grit and water get past it and score the piston. This is common on cars that sat for long periods or live where roads are salted.

Dry or corroded slide pins (base calipers). Pins that were never cleaned and re-greased at a pad change are the most common reason base-brake calipers drag.

Heat. Track days and hard canyon driving cook fluid and seals. The Sport Brakes were built to handle heat, but fluid that has boiled and then sat for months is a common source of a spongy pedal and sticky pistons later.

Collapsed flexible hose. A brake hose that has deteriorated internally can act like a one-way valve and hold pressure on the caliper. If a caliper drags but frees up when you crack the bleeder, suspect the hose, not the caliper.

The Fix: Rebuild or Replace

If a piston is merely stiff and the bore is clean, a seal and boot rebuild can work. If the piston is pitted, the bore is corroded, or fluid is leaking past the seal, replace the caliper. On base cars a replacement floating caliper often comes with its bracket; on Sport Brake cars the caliper is a larger aluminum unit, so confirm you are buying the Sport version for your year and side. Browse matching units in our brake calipers collection.

Replace calipers in pairs across the axle so both sides clamp the same. Replace the pads on that axle at the same time, because pads soaked in fluid or overheated by a dragging caliper will not stop properly again. Our brake pads and brake hardware kits cover the pad and clip side of the job.

Check the rotors too. A caliper that dragged for weeks usually leaves a heat-discolored, glazed or uneven rotor. Sport Brake owners have strong replacement options: we carry the DBA 5000 Series T3 front slotted 2-piece rotor for the 370Z Sport and the DBA Street Series T2 slotted rear rotor for 370Z Sport brakes. These fit the larger Sport Brake system only, not the 12.6-inch base brakes.

How Hard Is the Job?

Swapping a caliper is a moderate DIY job for anyone who has done a pad change. The steps are similar on both systems: support the car on stands, remove the wheel, clamp or plug the hose, disconnect the banjo bolt with new sealing washers ready, unbolt the caliper, install the new one, and bleed that corner until the fluid runs clean and bubble-free. Torque the caliper bolts and banjo bolt to the values in the factory service manual; do not guess on the bolts that hold your brakes on.

The fixed Sport calipers are heavy and the pads must seat correctly between both sets of pistons, so take your time. If the pedal is soft after the job, keep bleeding. If the fluid has not been changed in a few years, flush the whole system while you are in there. Stainless brake lines are a sensible add-on for cars that see track time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I put Sport Brake calipers on a base 370Z?

Not by themselves. The Sport Brake system uses larger 14.0-inch front and 13.8-inch rear rotors, so a conversion needs the matching rotors, pads and hardware, and your wheels must clear the larger calipers.

Should I replace one caliper or both?

Replace both on the same axle. A new caliper on one side and a worn one on the other can cause a pull and uneven pad wear.

What brake fluid does a 370Z use?

Nissan specifies Genuine NISSAN Super Heavy Duty Brake Fluid or equivalent DOT 3 for non-NISMO cars and Genuine NISSAN Brake Fluid R35 Special II for NISMO models. Confirm in the owner's manual for your year before adding fluid.

Why is my 370Z scraping when I brake?

The pads have audible wear warnings that scrape when replacement is due. Inspect the pads first; if only one wheel is worn down, look for a sticking caliper on that corner.

How do I tell if a sticking caliper damaged my rotor?

Look for blue or dark heat spots, deep grooves, a raised lip at the edge, or a pulsing pedal. Heat-damaged rotors should be replaced along with the pads.

Sources

1. Nissan USA - 2013 370Z Coupe Press Kit - base 12.6-inch rotors with floating cast-iron calipers; Sport and NISMO 4-piston/2-piston aluminum calipers, red finish for 2013, NISMO high-rigidity hoses and R35 Special II fluid
2. Nissan USA - 2020 370Z Coupe Press Kit - Sport and Sport Touring receive Sport Brakes with 14.0-inch front and 13.8-inch rear rotors; ABS with EBD and Brake Assist
3. Nissan - 2018 370Z Owner's Manual - brake fluid specification, low-fluid warning light, audible pad wear warning, pedal height warning
4. Brembo - GT Kit selection guide - opposed-piston fixed calipers give even brake force distribution, greater stiffness and uniform pad wear