Brake Bleeding pattern - Nissan Maxima

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Hi,

I'm about to do my DOT3 brake fluid flush with my Motive Bleeder (love that tool)

The FSM for my 2013 Maxima says to bleed brakes as follows:
FL / FR / RR / LR

This is different than my usual pattern of RR/LR/RF/LF I've used for over 30 years of DIY. What's your view?

Thanks in advance, Ken
 
Toyota recommends right rear,left front, left rear, right front. With dual circuit hydraulics systems(most vehicles on road today), I think you do the brake the farthest from the master cylinder and then the other brake for that circuit. In reality, I don't think it makes any difference. I don't know what Nissan recommends. Regards
 
They could be concerned about a high spot in the MC or ABS module. If you let a MC run dry you can get an air bubble in its far end-- if you look at them, they "ramp down" to the firewall and you'd have to bench bleed them to get the air out.

There just might be something to their method, which, if you (almost) run it dry, would correct itself better. With everything on the line, it's good you looked it up.
 
Follow the FSM. The old R/R, L/R, R/F, L/F method is long gone. Some of it has to do with the ABS distribution system and today the R/R is no longer necessarily the longest line (the original reason for R/R first) on some vehicles the R/F or L/F is.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
Follow the FSM. The old R/R, L/R, R/F, L/F method is long gone. Some of it has to do with the ABS distribution system and today the R/R is no longer necessarily the longest line (the original reason for R/R first) on some vehicles the R/F or L/F is.

+1
 
Bleeding pattern doesn't matter much, as long as you bleed the brake system once in a while, like every 2-5 years, all patterns are good.

Vast majority of all vehicles all the road have 5-15 years old brake fluid, they were never bleed and brake system didn't fail.
 
Use the proper pattern, it matters a TON. I have seen people use the more standard pattern on a car that requires a specific one and the pedal was only back to being hard when the proper pattern was followed.
 
I didn't bother to look at owner manual for the pattern of any car I own/bleed the brake system. Sometimes I bleed the front first because I was changing the pads, other time I did the rear first. Either case the brake pedal felt the same after bleeding.

Do you know why a car requires a specific pattern and if you don't follow that pattern the brake system will not work properly ?

All my cars have ABS so it is not the culprit.
 
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Different manufacturers ABS systems, or just a weird layout in the proportioning valve.

Like my 98 Mustang for example wanted RR, LR, RF, LF, 2 bleeders on the master, RR, LR, RF, LF. If I followed that sequence the pedal was perfect. I had to modify it a little since I had the Cobra R Brembos on front, so I did the inboard bleeder before the outboard.
 
Originally Posted By: Tundragod
It doesn't matter as long as air never get into the system.


It's possible old fluid "spills over" into the new fluid if done wrong so the bleed won't be as effective.
 
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