2004-2012 Nissan Pathfinder Parking Brake Problems and Adjustment

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

If the parking brake on your 2004-2012 Nissan Pathfinder pulls up too far, will not hold on a slope, or drags after you release it, the fix is almost always adjustment, worn parking brake shoes, or a seized cable. The catch is that this span covers two different Pathfinders: the 2004 model (R50) and the 2005-2012 model (R51) use completely different parking brake designs, so the first step is knowing which one you have.

Two Generations, Two Different Parking Brakes

The 2004 Pathfinder is the last year of the R50 generation. Its factory service manual lists rear drum brakes, and the parking brake works the shoes inside those same rear drums. It is applied with a control lever, and Nissan specifies a stroke of 6 to 8 notches under 196 N (about 44 lb) of force.

The 2005-2012 Pathfinder (R51) went to rear disc brakes. Nissan describes the parking brake type as a "disc rotor with inner drum," which shops usually call a drum-in-hat design: the center hat of each rear rotor is machined as a small drum, and a separate pair of parking brake shoes sits inside it. It is applied with a foot pedal, and the specification is 4 to 5 notches under 196 N (20.0 kg-f, 44.1 lb-f).

Common Symptoms and What They Mean

• Pedal or lever travels too far before it holds. Count the ratchet clicks. Nissan's own check is to apply the brake with the specified force and listen to the clicks. If you are well past 5 notches on an R51 or 8 on the 2004, the shoes are worn, out of adjustment, or the cable has stretched.
• Vehicle rolls on a grade with the brake set. Same causes as above, plus contaminated linings. On an R51 the parking shoes do almost no work in normal driving, so the drum surface can rust and glaze, cutting holding power even when the shoes look thick.
• Drag, heat or a burning smell from one rear wheel after release. Usually a cable that is rusted in its sheath and does not return, or shoes adjusted too tight. On the R51 this can heat the rotor hat and is easy to mistake for a sticking caliper.
• Brake warning lamp stays on with the brake released. On both generations the lamp is switched by the parking brake mechanism and should come on within the first notch. A lamp that stays on can be a lever or pedal that is not fully returning, or a switch that needs adjustment or replacement.
• Grinding or scraping from the rear at low speed. On an R51, a broken hold-down or return spring can let a shoe rub inside the hat.

How to Adjust the 2005-2012 Pathfinder Parking Brake

The R51 is adjusted in two stages: the shoes first, then the cable. Adjusting only the cable on worn or under-adjusted shoes just pulls the equalizer to the end of its travel. The factory procedure runs like this:

1. Remove the lower instrument panel on the driver's side. Partly apply the pedal to reach the adjusting nut, use a deep socket to back the nut off until cable tension is released, then fully release the pedal.
2. Remove the wheel and the rear rotor. Nissan notes the rotor should only come off with the pedal completely released.
3. Measure the inner diameter of the drum in the rotor hat at its widest point with a brake drum clearance gauge.
4. Set the shoes to that measurement less 0.6 mm (0.024 in) by turning the star adjuster.
5. Reinstall the rotor, hold it flat against the hub with wheel nuts, and spin it to confirm there is no drag.
6. Work the pedal 10 or more times with about 490 N (110 lb-f) of force, then turn the adjusting nut until the stroke is within 4 to 5 notches.
7. Release the pedal fully and confirm there is no drag at either rear wheel.

Nissan cautions that the parking brake adjusting nut must not be reused once it has been removed completely. Backing it off for adjustment is fine; taking it all the way off means a new nut.

Bedding In New Shoes or Rotors

This step gets skipped constantly and is the reason many freshly serviced R51s still will not hold. After replacing the parking shoes or the rear rotors, or whenever the parking brake is not working properly, Nissan calls for a break-in:

• Adjust the pedal stroke to specification first.
• Drive forward at a steady 25 mph (40 km/h) and apply the parking brake pedal with about 44 lb-f (196 N) for 30 seconds, then release.
• Let the linings cool for roughly 5 minutes between applications.
• Do not overdo it; Nissan warns that excessive break-in runs cause uneven or early lining wear.
• Recheck the pedal stroke afterward and readjust if needed.

Only do this on an empty, straight road with no traffic behind you, and keep ready to release the brake at any moment.

Replacing Shoes, Cables and Hardware

On the R51, the parking shoes live behind the rotor on a backing plate. The factory procedure has you remove the rear rotor, the rear drive shaft, and the wheel hub and bearing assembly to reach the shoes and backing plate, so this is a bigger job than a pad change. While it is apart, Nissan says to check the shoe sliding surfaces, hold-down pins, return springs for sagging, and the adjuster for rough operation, and to grease the adjuster threads and the specified backing plate contact points. Replacing the springs and hold-down hardware with the shoes is cheap insurance; a brake hardware kit covers those small parts.

If the drum surface inside the rotor hat is badly rusted, scored or worn past its limit, the rotor is the part to replace, since the drum is part of the rotor. See our brake rotors for replacements.

On the 2004 R50, the parking brake shares shoes with the rear service brake, so worn rear shoes affect both. The adjustment procedure starts by releasing the lever and loosening the adjusting nut, then pumping the brake pedal fully at least 10 times with the engine running so the shoe clearance is taken up, before setting the lever stroke. Our brake shoes collection is the place to start for that job.

Cables on both generations rust where they pass under the body, especially in salt states. If a cable will not release after the shoes are correctly adjusted, replace it rather than trying to free it. On the R51 the system uses a front cable, an equalizer, and separate left and right rear cables.

What to Check at the Same Time

Since you are already pulling the rear rotors on an R51, inspect the rear pads and calipers before you button it up. If the front brakes are also due, the DBA SP Performance front brake pad set DB1835SP for the 2004-2012 Pathfinder fits these years, and 2008-2012 Pathfinders with the 5.6L V8 can use the DBA 5000 Series HD rotor ring DBA52321.1. Brake fluid that is dark or several years old is also worth replacing during a full brake service; for the 2004, the factory manual specifies DOT 3.

A search of NHTSA's recall data for the 2004 through 2012 Pathfinder returned no recalls filed under the brake system component, so parking brake problems on these trucks are usually wear and maintenance rather than a known defect. Run your own VIN at nhtsa.gov to be sure nothing applies to your vehicle.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many clicks should my Pathfinder parking brake take?

On a 2005-2012 Pathfinder, 4 to 5 notches with about 44 lb of force on the pedal. On a 2004 Pathfinder, 6 to 8 notches on the control lever with the same force.

Can I adjust the parking brake without removing the rear rotors?

You can take up cable slack at the adjusting nut, but on the 2005-2012 model Nissan's procedure sets the shoes to the drum first with the rotor off. If the shoes are not set, cable adjustment alone often will not give a proper hold.

Why does my parking brake still not hold after new shoes?

Most likely the break-in was skipped. New shoes on a 2005-2012 Pathfinder need the bedding procedure before they reach full holding power, then a stroke recheck.

Do I need new rotors if the parking brake drum is worn?

On the 2005-2012 model, yes. The parking brake drum is the inside of the rear rotor hat, so if the drum surface is damaged or worn beyond spec, the rotor is replaced.

Is the parking brake warning lamp the same as the brake fluid warning?

The parking brake switch lights the brake warning lamp when the brake is applied. If the lamp stays on with the brake fully released and the lever or pedal is returning properly, check the switch and the brake fluid level before driving.

Sources

1. Nissan Pathfinder (R51) factory service manual, Section PB - Parking Brake System - drum-in-hat type, 4-5 notch stroke, warning lamp at 1 notch, adjustment procedure, 0.6 mm shoe setting, break-in procedure, shoe removal steps, 190 mm drum and 3.8 mm lining specs
2. Nissan Pathfinder (R50) 2004 factory service manual, Section BR - Brake System - rear drum brake, 296.5 mm max drum diameter, 1.5 mm lining limit, control lever 6-8 notches, adjustment steps, DOT 3 fluid
3. NHTSA recall data, 2004 Nissan Pathfinder - no recalls under the brake component
4. NHTSA recall data, 2008 Nissan Pathfinder - no recalls under the brake component