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Nissan Maxima Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • ccermakccermak Member Posts: 260
    Not sure on the reset. I calculate mine the old fashioned way, by hand. I fill up until the pump clicks off by itself and that's it. Then I divide the number of miles on my trip meter by the number of gallons I used to fill up. Then I reset the trip meter with each fill up. I go out to 3 decimal places so I know I'm accurate. I'd do that if I were you to check the accuracy of your computer. I've heard people in the maxima.org saying their's are off by a mile or two per gallon.

    Once again, just my .02.
  • bglebgle Member Posts: 5
    I have a 02 GLE with 17,000 miles and live in a rural area. I just visited my in-laws in Tulsa OK and with 10 days in town driving I calculated 18 MPG. The entire 4600 mile trip from SC to OK, to NM and back gave me a calculated average of 25.8 MPH including the Tulsa driving. For the trip my computer read about 3.5 MPH HIGHER. I have contacted Nissan twice with no satisfactory results. Hope the 03 is better. Don't depend on the MPG computer, mine has been that high since new.

    You can reset the computer by holding down the button on the steering wheel(when it is reading Avg MPG) for for about 3 seconds. You can also reset the driving time and avg speed the same way.
  • smankowsmankow Member Posts: 15
    I have started to get an engine whine in low gears. You can hear the deep engine noise, as well as a higher whine or hum. Dealer and Nissan are trying to tell me that this noise is normal. I don't agree since it just became quite noticeable.

    Has anyone else had this problem? I heard that it could be caused by a vacuum leak.

    Thanks,

    Steve
  • alexg4alexg4 Member Posts: 14
    Very helpful posts, thank you. I will try to do it both ways, calculate manually and reset the computer than compare the two. Will follow up with results.
  • lmp180psulmp180psu Member Posts: 399
    Hello everyone, hope you are enjoying your maxima's! But I have a question concerning knock sensor failure and replacement. My friend Anthony has a 99 maxima SE and he brought it in to have his throttle looked at because he felt the pedal was not smooth when depressed; the dealer said the cable was a little loose so they tightened it, but the mechanic also put the car on a computer and said that a code came up that said the knock sensor failed.

    Anthony said that he hasn't noticed any obvious hesitation (but it doesn't feel as quick as it has in the past), but of course he seems to be sensitive to any noise, bump etc. concerning his car.

    My questions are: 1)If the knock sensor goes bad, should the CEL come on, because his hasn't. 2) Has anyone else had this problem, or has the dealer tried to rip you off by saying that it needs replacement( because he was told it would cost $250 to replace it.)

    Thanks for any help or advice you can give!
  • williamm53williamm53 Member Posts: 8
    My 2000 GLE came with 215/55-16" tires and recommended tire pressures are 33 psi front/31 psi rear. I've switched to 205/65-15" snow tires. Can a GXE/GLE owner with 15" original equipment tires tell me the correct tire pressures? The tire information label is located on the bottom of the center console storage compartment lid. Thanks
  • williamm53williamm53 Member Posts: 8
    My front rotors were warped and required replacing at 20k kms (12.5K miles). At 40K kms, I've got the same problem. Is anyone else having similar experiences? Is there something wrong with Nissan brake rotors? Should I try after-market rotors? Would appreciate any advice/comments/suggestions. Thanks
  • wainwain Member Posts: 479
    which brand of rotors is the best.
    maxima.org has had some discussions on that. i would like to hear from other people too.
  • ccermakccermak Member Posts: 260
    Most everybody knows, first hand unfortunately, that Nissan's rotors are toilet. Get aftermarket ones because they'll just keep going bad. I'd get slotted ones from Stillen and be done with it. I plan on doing just that when my stockers crap out. I've got 41K on my 2000 SE and they're not great but I break easy all the time to try to conserve them. I believe there was a really good brake kit for sale for the Max on a website called something like eatrice.com. Search on rotors in the Forums/5thGeneration section of the maxima.org website and you'll find more posts and info than you can read in a day.

    Seeya
  • sgrd0qsgrd0q Member Posts: 398
    Actually, I've heard the pads are the problem. Apparently they will warp any rotor.
  • dirkdaddydirkdaddy Member Posts: 313
    Brake rotors used to last a long time, didn't they? I think the reason is probably mostly that pad compounds have gotten harder and more abrasive in order improve braking performance, and that wears the rotors faster. The rotors might be also designed lighter for less rotating mass and performance / fuel economy. Most tests are not repeated high-speed stops, and most drivers don't stress the brakes in normal driving, so most cars and trucks have pretty marginally designed brakes compared to the high tech brakes on motorcycles (full floating disks with 6 piston dual-acting calipers for example). The MFG's save money.

    As a result, you get brakes that are stressed at a higher % of maximum and wear faster. This is not a Maxima problem. I have been to many other brand performance sedan discussions and heard the same thing you guys are saying. The worst braking system for a modern era highperformance car was the early 90's Ford SHO. My buddy had one and it would fly down the road but it had undersized brakes and would burn them up in 20,000 miles or less.

    If you're having problems, an upgrade wouldn't hurt!

    ps Thanks for those on the list who posted about the wierd sound from their engaging clutch on 00-01 Max 5spds, mine made that noise the other day and I knew what it was right after I heard it.
  • williamm53williamm53 Member Posts: 8
    Thanks to all who offered advice. The referals to Maxima.org and eatricezone.com were very helpful. I'm still uncertain as to the 'weak link' - Is it the rotors, the pads or both? I've written to eatricezone and I'll post their two cents worth here. - Bill
  • wainwain Member Posts: 479
    which commonly available rotors , like say bendix or raybestos or NAPA are best?
  • brooks1005brooks1005 Member Posts: 1
    nissan put out a TSB about the rotors and the problems the dealers should expect from these rotors.i complained loud enough and mine were fixed for free.
  • williamm53williamm53 Member Posts: 8
    For brooks1005 - What do you mean by "fixed"? Were your front rotors turned using an on-car brake lathe as recommended in the TSB (# NTB00-088 - I have a copy) or were they simply replaced? How many miles have you put on the car since the repair and is there any sign of 'brake judder' now?
  • ahlinahlin Member Posts: 30
    2000 gle 26000 miles After much haggling with the dealer the rotors were replaced at no charge. The dealer at first denied there was a problem even after I gave tnem the TSB numbers. Be careful. They like to play games.
  • wainwain Member Posts: 479
    what years does the tsb apply to?
  • williamm53williamm53 Member Posts: 8
    The TSB applies to the 2000 model year.
  • bartalk2bartalk2 Member Posts: 326
    I'm sure this one's been done to death, but this is my first time here. I have a '97 Maxima and normally buy Nissan oil filters, but the price has gone up, and I wonder what the recommendations are here for an equal or superior filter (for less money, preferably).

    Thanks.
  • cornellpinoycornellpinoy Member Posts: 196
    I just had the OEM xenon headlights on my 2003 Maxima SE stolen. Both headlight assemblies, the hood, both fenders and front bumpers were damaged in the process. The body shop told me this type of theft is very common on the new Maximas. Anyone else have this problem? Any idea how I can avoid this very expensive problem from happening again? Does anyone know if I can rewire the headlights to use normal halogen bulbs instead? The dealer said this is not possible. Any help would my much appreciated!
  • dirkdaddydirkdaddy Member Posts: 313
    Man that bites &$#*!

    I can just see some $*%& head doing that. Man, I feel for you. 12volts = 12 volts, I doubt the electrical part is much different save for the sockets. BUT, You'd need the whole light mount and reflector, everything. Wow, that's going to run a few bucks when combined with your bodywork. Good luck. Ouch.
  • 92drexel92drexel Member Posts: 153
    Sorry to hear about that. Are you in the North Jersey/NY area? That's common there I hear.

    Tim on www.maxima.org sells headlamp bolts that's suppose to make it a little harder to steal them. You should check them out...

    http://www.maxima.org
  • cornellpinoycornellpinoy Member Posts: 196
    Yes, my '03 Maxima SE that had its xenon headlights stolen is a NJ car. The body shop actually had 6 Maximas there for the same damage. It seems thieves are hitting these cars to take the xenon bulb and the ballast (igniter) and then install them into other imports. They destroy the entire assembly (which is plastic) and have no intention of re-using the assembly, so installing theft-deterrent bolts are useless - they break off the assembly right below the mounting bolts. All the Nissan dealers here have an unbelievable backorder on replacement bulbs/assemblies and the necessary repair kit for the wiring harnesses. My car has less than 3000 miles and I'd hate to see this happen again. Again, the dealerships state it is not possible to install the regular halogen assemblies in place of the xenon units, which I find very, very hard to believe. Can anyone tell me why? Or better yet, where I can go to buy these stolen parts back? Autobodypartsonline.com didn't have any available. Any Nissan employees out there listening?
  • knapp3knapp3 Member Posts: 112
    BARTALK2: Alternative filters include Mobil M1-110 (more $$$), STP S6941 (less $$$), and Bosch 3323 (similar $$$) for the VQ V6 engine.
  • tony1034tony1034 Member Posts: 32
    I posted many months back about my 2000 Maxima Brake rotor problem and automatic transmission problem. They replaced the solenoid and TCM to fix the tranny. As for the brakes, my car started its problem around 15k miles. I brought the car in and they said the rotors were warped. They cut the rotors on the car and replaced the pads. About 7k miles later the car shook and shuddered again when I applied the brakes. They cut the rotors once again. I told them I wanted them replaced because after doing some research I heard that some 2000 Maxima rotors were defective. They refused to replace them. I was told by the idiot service manager that if you brake very hard it will cause the rotors to overheat and warp. What a moron! Like I'm supposed to just hit whats in front of me to avoid warping the rotors. This is a $26k performance sedan car w/ a 222Hp motor. It better have good brakes. I later spoke to my friend in Va. going through the same problem with his 2000 GLX. The service manager there was at a Nissan Service Managers meeting where they discussed the KNOWN brake rotor problem. I had the problem again and they told me I needed new rotors. The rotors, pads and labor came out to a ridiculous $580.

    I called 1800NISSAN1 and reported the issue. They contacted the dealer and approved the rotor replacement. By that time I racked up serious mileage commuting to work since I bought my wife a new car. They replaced everything at 52k miles. I now have 73K miles on it and have had no front brake problems (crossing my fingers). If I keep this car and replace the brakes I'll get the Stillen rotors and pads and stainless steel lines kit. Found it on the Internet for like $525. Anyone with this problem on a 2000 Maxima, don't take any crap from the dealer. If they won't replace them for free call Nissan Corp and SCREAM!

    Tony
  • kennyg5kennyg5 Member Posts: 360
    One of my Max GLE just past 30k miles and the brake indicator light came on and then went off. I took the car to the mechanic and he said I needed new front brake pads. He replaced the original pads that came with the car and put on some non-OEM pads, which cost me $100. I am hearing slight screeching sounds very time I brake, particularly at low speed -- the same sounds I heard when the car was new. Is this normal? I was told metallic brakes make that noise. True? I am not sure whether the new pads come with the sensors when the pad wears thin. Do all pads come with sensors? Kindly advise.
  • jg28jg28 Member Posts: 257
    I can't believe that it wouldn't be possible for you to replace the HID headlamps that were stolen with the halogen headlamps that were standard for the 2000-2001 model years. They should fit exactly. Also, with this HID, only the main lamps are HID. All the others are halogen, so I can't imagine there would be incompatibility there either.
  • nissangirlnissangirl Member Posts: 186
    I have had my '03 SE for about 4 weeks now. I ran it thru a car wash last night (touchless, of course) and felt a few sprinkles of water come thru the back side of my sunroof. It does not do this during rain or home washing. But what scares me is taking it in to my Nissan dealer and they screwing it up worse.

    Maybe I should just avoid car washes?? Or take the risk and take in it to my dealer??
  • ccermakccermak Member Posts: 260
    My 2000 SE does the same thing. It leaks slightly when in those powerful car washes. I'm up in MN so I use them periodically in the winter. I wash at home in driveway all summer. I try to use the wash on my way home and then I crack the sunroof and try to let it dry out in the garage. I'm thinking of washing only at the do-it-yourself place, but it's such a pain compared to the gas station ones. Is it just poor seals? Kind of an obvious question I guess....
  • nissangirlnissangirl Member Posts: 186
    This is my 4th Maxima, all had Sunroofs, and this is the 1st one that p-p'd on me going thru that car wash. I hope this isn't a bad sign that I will discover other imperfections of this car I adore.....as of today.
  • obiwankenobi1obiwankenobi1 Member Posts: 290
    My 2002 SE has never leaked going through a high powered "touchless" car wash, HOWEVER....It makes me wonder if I hadn't had the moonroof shade closed, I would feel a leak.

    Did you have the shade closed Nissangirl?

    Obi
  • nissangirlnissangirl Member Posts: 186
    I pretty much keep it slid back. Unless it's a hot day (I'm down south) then I close it. But I just don't know about carrying it in, just afraid they will tinker too much and make it worse. I realize I have a warranty, but I don't want to spend most of my time in their shop, if you know what I mean. It's fine with rain, or even when I wash it myself. Just don't know.....
  • daniel46daniel46 Member Posts: 1
    I just purchased a Maxima 1992 GXE with only 60,000 miles. The original invoice says the car was manufactured on 9/01/91...does this mean it is the first day's production of 92 model year? If so, were there any running changes/improvements/problems I should be aware of. Also, what are the facts about the timing belt change; is it absolutely necessary, or is it hearsay for this amount of miles? Car has auto. trans. and has been mildly driven in So. Cal. Alas, owner's manual makes no mention of this.
  • jcw915jcw915 Member Posts: 31
    I have a 01 and a 03 Maxima, and I do believe the leaking is normal (from nissan standards). I took my 03 maxima in after two weeks from purchase and they told me that it's normal because the sunroof isn't designed to withstand highpressure blasts...well BS!! My 01 maxima doesn't leak water in car cashes.

    To the person that got his hid stolen: Go to a car accident repair place and tell them to order the headlights for the 00-01 model year and replace it with that. It's IDENTICAL.
  • tahon54tahon54 Member Posts: 1
    I have been tryig to get heat from my 91 max but it will not blow heat. Once the car is wrm the air is still slightly cool. What is this problem?
  • usmj1usmj1 Member Posts: 16
    Had front and back brake pads replaced and rotors resurfaced for $300 on 2000 Maxima in Sept. 2002 at 35K. Just learned here of TSB re "brake judder". Anyone have resurfacing covered by TSB? I'll probably request refund.
  • jander111jander111 Member Posts: 31
    Has the thermostat ever been replaced and coolant changed?
  • juniper9803juniper9803 Member Posts: 1
    cant compare the two. first try to find a 5sp alt
    with all the goodies only 5% are being built that
    way.fit and finish dont compare 6sp vs 5sp better
    radio bigger tires 15 more hp my money went to max
    with rebate price was close.i know because i tryed finding one the dealer did a three state locate and couldnt find one and if he did the dealer didnt want to dealer trade
  • alexg4alexg4 Member Posts: 14
    Cornellpinoy, I feel your pain, my lights were stolen too... ('03 GLE)

    As much as I tried looking for a device to prevent that, I couldn't find anything that I felt would adequately protect the lights. And here I am, with no lights and hating Brooklyn.
    I am now considering installing 2001 model headlights, dealer said it will require some rewiring but they can do it. I really hate to do that, I love those HID lights and my Max won't look the same but I don't see any other solution.

    I am curios to know what you did, were you successful in installing regular helogen bulbs? if yes, how does the car look now?

    For those concerned on this board, the cost to replace stolen HID is $3,500 (minimum damage) and up.

    Good luck all.
  • nissangirlnissangirl Member Posts: 186
    That is awful. So you live in Brooklyn...NY, I hope? I live in Southern Mississippi, there is a Brooklyn down here also, but I'm sure you are talking about NY. I have an '03 SE, and I would die if someone damaged my new car and stole my lights. Can these people be caught? Will insurance cover it, after deductable? Geez, I hate hearing about this problem, makes me not want to park my car anywhere but in my garage.

    Well, I hope you can find a way to enjoy your Christmas, I know this makes you sick!
  • pegasus17pegasus17 Member Posts: 536
    I don't want to seem trivial when so many seem to be having serious problems with rotors, HID robbery and leaky sunroofs but i am thoroughly enjoying my 2003 SE and have only had 4 minor problems/concerns. 1) gas mileage to date isn't close to EPA 20/26. 2)trip computer MPG is off by ~2 mpg. 3)there is a metallic noise when i open/close the trunk emanating from the linked bars and 4)performance tires on the SE spin easily when the road is wet.
  • alexg4alexg4 Member Posts: 14
    That's right, Brooklyn, NY. The best you can do in this case is to ALWAYS park your car in the garage for the night. I don't think they would try to still the lights in daylight, but be careful when its dark. Most likely this should not even be a concern to you as you live in Southern Mississippi, a low crime area I presume, but it's good to be aware of this problem and take the necessary precautions.

    Happy Holidays to you too.
  • kennyg5kennyg5 Member Posts: 360
    $3,500 is obscene. That is more than 15% of the base GXE price!! How can that be, unless Nissan and/or the dealers are ripping people off. Are there any less expensive non-OEM HIDs that can be fitted? I see a couple of new MAXs driving around w/o headlights and I feel sorry for the unfortunate owners. Can the HIDs be fitted onto the 00 and 01 models? If yes, this might be one of the reasons for the theft.
  • alexg4alexg4 Member Posts: 14
    The headlights themselves cost around $725 each. To that cost you have to add labor to replace the lights and fix any damage to the hood, under the hood, wiring,painting and finishing. Believe it or not, those thieves don't care much for the condition that they leave the car in.

    As far as stealing HID's to install them on 00, 01models, I find that unlikely. What is usually needed is the xenon bulb and the ballast (igniter), not necesserelly the whole headlight. The bulb and the ballast then can easily be installed on any car. I assume these could be sold for a couple of hundred bucks each.

    My car is being fixed now and I am installing 01 headlights. Can't afford to have this happen to me again. It's too bad, I loved the new lights...
  • bigmoneymikebigmoneymike Member Posts: 6
    I own a '96 Max GXE. Just the other day, I noticed that when I turn on the washer fluid, nothing comes out. The wipers go back and forth, but no washer fluid. I had the fluid tank filled up in the engine so it's not low. I didn't see a separate fuse for the washer fluid - or is there one? Has anyone had this problem or know what the cause maybe? Hopefully it's something a non mechanic like myself can fix. Thanks for any advice.
  • redd39redd39 Member Posts: 1
    I just bought a 1992 Nissan Maximum. I thought that everything was okay with the car, but I found out that only the driver's window rolls down. All other windows quit rolling down. My speakers quit working, except for the passengers from side. I also found out that my sunroof has a crack in glass part and cover is off of track. I also found out that the person took the Nissan owners guide out of glove box, with the key less security code in it. I also found out that the driver's front lock has wood stuck in it, so key won't fit in lock. I just wish that I can do something. Please help me. I really need someone's help on what to do. Thanks for any advice.
  • rpadi78412rpadi78412 Member Posts: 1
    I can not seem to find a coolant leak that seems to come and go. At one point I could see it coming out from under the car in a large puddle and when I refilled the radiator I could see it come out also. I can not figure where it is coming from. At first I thought it was from the water pump pulley area but did not see any sign of liquid. I took the wheel off to get better look at the pulley area and still could not find the leak. I re seated the radiator cap and put some red die into the coolant so as to make it more visible. After I did that, the leak went away for couple months . Then the leak came back. It does seem to be coming from the pulley area by the water pump but why goes it come and go? I can see visible signs of the die but can not see the origin. Any suggestion>
  • cgmax2kcgmax2k Member Posts: 27
    Hello,

    My car now has 44K on it and it is finally time toget new tires. I still have the original Bridgestone 17" on the car!! I was able to get that much out of these tires by rotating them every 7-10K miles and keeping the tire pressure at 32 PSI. In the market for new tires I have done some research on Tire Rack and found that for the money, the Sumitomo HTR+ are the best all-season high performance tire. It gets excellent reviews for snow and wet traction, which is what I am most concerned with. I never liked the Bridgestones that cam with the car, especially in the rain. Also, I am putting on 235/45WR17, slightly bigger than the 225/50VR17 that came with the car. Does anyone have any feedback on the Sumitomo tire and should I expect and problems with the slightly wider tire?

    Thanks.
  • hnguyen6_ushnguyen6_us Member Posts: 3
    Hi all,

     Just want to pass the word on this 2000 Maxima brake problem. If you brake hard on high speed, it sounds like metal grind on metal.

     The problem is the rotor, there is a TSB(Technical Service Bulletin) # NTB00-088 out at their dealers.

     I called the dealers and they said they will not paid for it. But after several calls to Nissan directly, I was able to get them to promise to fix it for free. One time deal is what they said.

     The thing is you have to be persistent and complain loud enough to get them fix it for free.

     My 2K MAX has 47000 miles on it and they said they will fix it. Have not get it fixed yet, but just want to let owners of 2K MAX out there know that they can get it fix for free if they complained loud enough :).

     Also, here is the link to a copy of the TSB:

     http://apollo799.50megs.com/Maxima/Maxima.htm
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