Nissan Micra - Rattling front brake callipers?

I've had this problem twice over a period of some 10 years. First time was a 'light' sounding rattle and second time fooled me for a few weeks because it was a 'low' clunky sound. The cure is as follows:
Remove the wheel.
Insert a screwdriver through the brake pad inspection window and gently push a pad back against the piston so as to create a tiny clearance.
Remove the two 12mm calliper securing bolts and slide the calliper from the disc.
Apply a small amount of COPPER grease to the two sliding pins (mentioned in other answers) AND to the back of the pads where they contact the piston and the metal of the calliper.
Replace everything.
That's it.
Job should take about 30 mins to do both sides.
Such an easy solution after spending hours underneath and inside the car looking for the rattle.

David Clews
October 2014

Subsequent to my answer 20 mins ago, here are some measurement taken on a digital vernier caliper. Bolt shoulder diam = 7.72mm ( 0.312") Caliper hole diam = 8.11mm ( 0.328" ). Difference = 0.19mm or 013 thou - hence the sloppy fit - the hole is too big, or the bolt shoulder too small. Its particularly bad on re-manufactured calipers as they have been grit blasted to clean them up and this enlarges the hole even more. Measurements were taken on brand new items. Just shim the gap as I described before. Use 12 thou or 0.18mm steel or brass shim sheet if you can get it, but beer can material ( aluminium ) works just as well. lightly grease the shim with high temperature brake grease before inserting & torquing the bolts. Jacko

Jacko
June 2014

The answers to Mary by Jacko & Chrispy are both about bang on the money- however,Mary really defined the root problem as being a sloppy fit of the slider retaining bolts into the moving part of the caliper. these bolts have a plain shank-clean these up with a wire brush to remove any rust,then shim the bolt shoulders with a 5mm strip from an old beer can wrapped round once-this stops the rattle for good.I'm sure you are horrified but it works for good. Nissan deny there is a problem-4 new bolts are £14 from Nissan-they fix it for a while, but then you need to replace them again. My mod has fixed 2 Micra's for over 30,00 miles each - by the way, they are both 2002 reg.Its a common problem on this year. Nissan should increase the bolt shoulder diam by 10 thou or so but they deny there is a problem. My mod costs nothing & costs nothing and does not create any safety issues. Jacko

Jacko
June 2014

This is ALWAYS the brake pad anti rattle springs. If the rattle stops when you lightly apply the brake pedal, it IS the springs. Replace with new and lightly grease where the spring sits in the fixed caliper and where the pads sit in the springs with brake grease. Dont get any on pads or discs.If the brake pedal test works, forget all the rubbish about cv joints,bushes,ball
joints,anti-roll bar,struts on the web-its all wrong!

Jacko
May 2013

I am having a simelar problem on a 2001 Micra 1400sport.
I change front pads last year, and have recently had vibration and wobble after heavy braking.
Ive had pads / discs replaced but mechanic has advised the piston in the caliper has seized.
I cannot get new calipers anywhere fast.
Im in uk and Nissan can get 1caliper (that needs to come in from Netherlands-the European distribution centre, as there are non in the UK), the ther caliper needs to come from Japan!! It was early May 2010 when i was told this and am having to wait till end of MAy for the part!
Forget the motor factors- no one made bits for a 1400 micra sport with abs 2000-2002 model. Disc size 48mm!!

Anyone else had this with the same model?

chrispy
May 2010

Hi again,

I have found the problem with the front brakes and how to remedy it.

I replaced the pads and the discs, and this has stopped it. The old scored disks and pads did not help, but now they are smooth they seem to be working OK, and silent.

Another way to stop it is to bend the rear flange of the anti-rattle springs on the pads so that they lightly touch the sides of the floating part of the caliper when taking them apart, and then to spring them open while the floating part is carefully put back into place and the pins tightened up again. When the springs are let go they should LIGHTLY touch the floating parts.

As long as the contact with the springs is ONLY LIGHT, it will not seize up the brake calipers, or cause binding of the brakes, but it will stop the rattle.

After I did this I got through my MOT with no advisories.

Last year when I took my car somewhere else, they nearly failed it, because they said my wishbone bushes were failing, and rattling. I was issued with an advisory.

All this time it was the front brake calipers misleading them to think this.

So much for "qualified" MOT centres!

Mark

Mark
January 2009

Hi,

I have a 1999 micra and have rattling noise coming from the front of the car. at first i thought it was the gear box but thinking bout it now, it only started after i had my brake pads replaced. hmm...

miki
January 2009

Hi there,

I have the same problem with a 2003 Micra Diesel.

Every 1000 Miles or so I have to silicone seal the caliper pistons to the brake pads, and it is quiet for a short while until the seal breaks.

When it goes again it sounds like a bag of marbles on the front wheels whan driving on rough tarmac and small potholes.

I can't see a real answer to this problem, unless there is an "anti-rattle mod kit available.

I am looking to see if I can contact nissan with the issue, because I get the impression it affects 1000's of vehicles and they are keeping quiet.

When I took my car for an MOT they said my steering was rattling, but not enough to fail it.

After I "fixed" the calipers I couldn't hear a thing.

When it has gone bad again I can even hear them rattle if I kick the front tyre lightly!

If anyone else has experienced this please let me know.

Thanks,

Mark

Mark
December 2008