Parts for your 2017 Nissan X-trail-Brake shoes

2017 Nissan X-TRAIL brake shoes — are they used, and what owners should know

Technical references confirm that many 2017 Nissan X-TRAIL (T32) models in Australia and New Zealand do use brake shoes — specifically for the parking brake inside the rear brake discs (a “drum-in-disc” design). The Nissan X-TRAIL T32 Service Manual (Brake and Parking Brake sections, 2014–2017) specifies an internal expanding parking brake shoe arrangement on Series 1 vehicles. Nissan’s Electronic Parts Catalogue (EPC) and AU/NZ aftermarket catalogues (e.g., Bendix, DBA, Repco) also list park-brake shoe kits for T32 up to the mid‑2017 update. By contrast, the late‑2017 facelift (Series 2) introduced an electronic parking brake (EPB) with motorised rear calipers, which does not use separate brake shoes. So, brake shoes are relevant for 2017 X‑TRAILs built prior to the EPB change, for late‑2017 EPB models, they’re not used.

When fitted, the brake shoes on a 2017 X‑TRAIL handle the holding duty when parked. They live inside the “hat” section of the rear discs and aren’t involved in everyday stopping — that’s the job of the pads and rotors. Because they’re mostly for holding on hills and when parked, they wear slowly, but they can glaze, rust, or go out of adjustment, which reduces holding power.

Good servicing keeps them sharp. During regular brake work (every 20,000–30,000 km or at least every 12 months), a technician should remove the rear rotors, inspect shoe thickness and lining condition, clean and lubricate the shoe contact points and adjusters, and check the cables. If the inner drum surface of the rotor is scored or rusty, it may need machining or replacement to give the new shoes a proper surface to bite on. Shoes should be replaced in axle sets along with fresh hardware (springs/retainers), then adjusted so the lever or pedal travel is firm and the car holds confidently on a hill. A short bed‑in — a few gentle applications at low speed — helps the linings seat.

Signs it’s time to act include a high handbrake lever or long pedal travel, weak holding on inclines, scraping noises from the rear, or uneven holding side to side. For late‑2017 EPB cars, the above doesn’t apply — those use the rear pads for the park brake, so servicing focuses on pads/rotors and EPB service mode procedures rather than shoes.

• Best practice: inspect/adjust the park-brake mechanism at each rear brake service.
• Replace shoes in pairs and renew hardware for even, quiet operation.
• Confirm build date: EPB-equipped late‑2017 cars won’t have brake shoes.

Popular questions

Does my 2017 X‑TRAIL have brake shoes or just pads?
Many early‑2017 (Series 1) vehicles have drum‑in‑disc parking brake shoes. Late‑2017 (Series 2) models with an electronic parking brake use the rear pads to hold the vehicle and don’t have separate shoes. A quick check: if there’s an EPB switch near the gear selector, it likely has no shoes, if there’s a lever or foot pedal and rear discs, it likely uses shoes inside the rotor.

How often should the parking brake shoes be replaced?
They typically last a long time because they only hold, not stop. Have them inspected and adjusted during routine services (around 20,000–30,000 km). Replace if the linings are thin, glazed, contaminated, or if the inner drum surface is damaged and holding power is poor even after adjustment.

Can the parking brake be adjusted?
Yes. On shoe‑type systems there’s a star wheel adjuster behind the rotor hat and a cable adjustment. Proper adjustment gives firm lever/pedal feel and solid hill‑hold. For EPB models, adjustment and servicing are done via the caliper motors using the correct EPB service procedure, not by adjusting shoes.