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Nissan Maxima Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • arcometsarcomets Member Posts: 3
    Hey, can you share your different solutions with me? I don't think my problem is exactly yours, but here is mine:

    91 Max.... 190k miles... runs great.. never any problems.. EVER.. perfect car.

    For no good reason (so far), the beginning of the summer, my car just didn't start. My battery is good... it just didn't start. Radio works very well, good speed on windows and sunroof.... but no start. So I go back inside, wait 10 min. Come back out, it starts. So over the summer, it became increasingly worse. My car wouldn't start if I hadn't been driving it within the past few hours. Come to find out, now, 3 months later... it still happens. I hear a click, but it doesn't start. So, I've narrowed it down a little bit... It only happens when it's hot outside (88degrees or higher... more or less)

    When I park in the shade, it's a little cooler, and car usually starts on one time, or if not on 1st time, 10 min. later. It's the damndest thing. I take it to the mechanics, and it always starts for them.. with power. When it DOES start, it shows no hesitation at all. Been happening all summer now. Have a great bit of doubt that it's the starter or battery. I think it might be something electrical. Do you have any clues? Please share what other people have told you about your situation.

    Thanks,
    Steve
  • arcometsarcomets Member Posts: 3
    Hey, I have the same problem, but mine is a 91 max. It only seems to not start in hotter weather. I have no clue. I have to go give it a few tries and then wait 10 min. or so, and usually it just starts up. Did you ever find a resolve?
  • ltudorltudor Member Posts: 1
    Using a voltage meter we have narrowed the battery drain to the security system but what do we do about it now? Help would be appreciated.
    Thanks
  • highrollerhighroller Member Posts: 351
    Usually is the starter.
  • highrollerhighroller Member Posts: 351
    Happened to me also, i took it to the auto mechanic shop and disconnected the wires. That's the only way to stop draining the battery.
  • y2zay2za Member Posts: 7
    I answered my own question.
    When i turned off the TCS, there is even more wheel spin upon hard acceleration .
    I guess i just had higher expectations of the TCS.
    I hope there is eventually an AWD version of the Max - one that is not as expensive as the Infiniti G35.
  • hatemymaximahatemymaxima Member Posts: 1
    Yes, I have a 2000 Nissan Maxima (worst car I have ever owned) and the same thing happened to me, though my scenario was a bit different. I had the service engine light come on three different times. The first two times the dealer did transmission repairs(solenoids, coils) to the tune of about $900 but then for a third time the light came on. I took it back and this time they replaced the gas cap which seems to have done the trick. My car had about 60,000+ at the time. So in my case, it was the gas cap. Seems like our mechanics were on the same page at least. At least they didn't charge me for it since it was the third time within 2 months the light came on. Unfortunately, at the time, they also told me the automatic transmission may be wearing out(the car seems to jump between 2nd and 3rd) so I'll probably be out another $3,000 soon. Good luck.
  • bjacobsonbjacobson Member Posts: 1
    I have a '95 SE, and have a very similar problem. The car has a lot of trouble starting when it's hot outside, especially if it's been parked in the sun. Once it's been running for a while will generally restart fine.

    Perhaps relatedly, i feel a hesitation when i accelerate - there's a noticeable delay before it takes off. I'm thinking it has to do with the fuel injection somehow. If you've learned anything, please let me know.

    Thanks.
  • vynomvynom Member Posts: 11
    My clutch just starting making a clicking noise today when I depress the pedal, then again only softer when I fully release the pedal. This causes some concern to me, yet I haven't noticed anything different in the driving or the shifting. I have 53K miles on it, the car has a 60mo/60k drivetrain warrenty, does this cover the clutch as well? Will they look at/fix for free? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you
  • merdiemerdie Member Posts: 12
    Don't count on getting help from Nissan. They know there is a problem but they will not admit nor respond to you, except to say they are not going to help. Good luck, as for us, we are going to cut our losses and get out of the Nissan products, after owning 6 new ones in a row. Some of these 05's definitely have problems, too many people complaining on various forums, but Nissan doesn't care about the consumer. Ours vibrates so bad, you can't drive over 65 and then you can't get it to quit vibrating once it starts. Local technicians experienced the problem but Nissan N.A. told them not to fool with it other than to tighten the steering, thus making the car impossible to drive.
  • dkjk4dkjk4 Member Posts: 3
    I'm experiencing the same thing - The dealer has changed a wheel, replaced the rotors/brakes and still is going on - they are now telling me it doesn't vibrate - they've had it four times for the same thing in the past four weeks. Purchased car 7/26 and they've had it four times - considering the 'lemon law' on this one. This is the 05 SL Maxima - I really liked the car with this exception - I just can't believe they can't fix it!
  • nashvillenashville Member Posts: 3
    I just spent another hour at the dealer discussing the future of my 2005 SL. Fortunately, the dealer recognizes that there is a problem but Nissan keeps guessing as to what the problem could be. After 3 sets fo tires and multiple adjustments to the suspension system, we are going to "try" new wheels. Nissan has suggested that the suspension be replaced with an Altima suspension because the bushings are tighter. If this fails it was recommended that I pursue the lemon law, but you don't need to wait to long because the excess miles can work against you.
  • hwycrusrhwycrusr Member Posts: 1
    My 200 maxima SE has been experiencing hesitation for quite some time (last 50,000 miles). It has also shown signs of idle problems in mornings and requires a couple of minutes to warm up, but then it runs fine the rest of the day.
    However, yesterday I began to experience idling problems even after warm up. I have to put the car in neutral and shut off A/C at red lights and the rpm varies from about 600 to about 1200 at idle. I know I have had a bad 02 sensor for a while. Could this be the cause of the idle problems I am having now? The car has approx 115k miles.
  • warrior_prwarrior_pr Member Posts: 28
    Now my Maxima SL 2005 starts having shimmy and vibrations problems. Every time I press the brakes, front wheels start dancing. Every time I accelerate and stop; dry/hard noises start, like a little rock hitting Maxima chassis or something like that. What my dealer said about it???? Wait more miles because front pads look new no matter they dance and for the dry/hard noise....ummmmm No idea.

    This is my first Nissan. I think would be my last. I noted something about all people said Nissan Maxima is an excellent car....all of them have Maxima previously, all of them have only Nissan..... I believe its time they start seeing other brands. say GM .... Believe or not... My last Pontiac Grand Prix GTP, smooth transmission, good torque, my current Ford Explorer...believe or not better transmission shift than my SL Maxima..... I read something saying transmission shift goings better, I say ... No it's not... you start "used" the Nissan way.... Take a ride in other car and going back to your maxima.... :lemon: :cry: :mad:
  • gabaritgabarit Member Posts: 1
    Hi ,

    I live in Montreal, Canada and I'd appreciate it if anyone can give me advice on this.

    I have a 96 Maxima with the original Bose system. I had a problem recently where the battery died and I had to jump start it. Everything worked fine since then - including the battery - but when I start the CD player , it shows CD , if I press EJECT it turns off. I can use the radio and the cassette player without problems. It's as if there is a CD stuck in the player.

    Any advice how to fix this ? remove the CD ? If not , a name of a trustworthy repair shop who can fix this for a reasonable price.

    Thanks a lot !
  • dkjk4dkjk4 Member Posts: 3
    PLEASE..keep me posted. I LOVE this car with that exception. I just picked mine up again yesterday (8/15) - took it in 8/12 - they stated they didn't do anything; however, I noticed the two rear tires were discolored (white) because I had armor-alled the front ones - then I noticed the front passenger 'wheel' is on the back driver's side - the bill stated 'warranty work' -nothing else - I asked them what they did because of these things I noticed - they stated 'rotated the tires'. Also noticed the tires are Continental and stated 44 PSI and they had them at 30. I drove home and it rode nice. I drove to work today and fine again, but tonight on the way home it did it again - My husband had inflated them last night back to the 44 PSI. This is driving me crazy because it's an 'emotional' roller coaster. I did file a complaint with the BBB and NHTS. I've got a letter written to Nissan and also getting ready to file with the attorney general, but was pending this last trip yesterday. I'm going to try & deflate the tires back down to 32 and see if that helps. Mine was vibrating anywhere between 60 MPH and 80 MPH. Tonight as I was approaching 70 it vibrated rather rapidly and then went away?? I wish I could explain it or they would just FIX it! There's another person on mycarstats.com with the same problem - Keep me posted on the 'wheel's. My husband questioned that also - They did give me one to drive this past weekend while working on mine and it also vibrated! That wasn't very promising..
  • honda_salesmanhonda_salesman Member Posts: 4
    I have a 2000 SE and I have about 77k on it. Are you having any problems with your transmission?
  • nashvillenashville Member Posts: 3
    Yes, I certainly will. I am leaving my car with the dealer all week while I am on vacation. I told them to do whatever it takes to try to get rid of the vibration in the steering. In the beginning my car began with the steering wheel wobbling from 50-57 mph and then settled into seat vibration at 73-82 mph. I am told that if the steering wheel vibrates it comes from the front suspension, if it is in the seats it is in the rear suspension. The car is on its third set of tires, compliments of Nissan, but the third set are Michelins Pilot MHX. That did make a tremendous difference int the vibration in the seats but not the steering wheel at a lower rate of speed. The dealership is concerned with what do they have to do when it comes time to rotate and balance the tires now, because all the settings are thrown off. Do they have to go through the extensive road force tests again?! I am told that Nissan's acceptable rating for tires is 22 but the service dept. would not accept anything higher than a 15 which is what the Michelin tires delivered. I was told that the vibration issues is in the top 10% of all Maximas and I guess we are the lucky ones. If you have not gotten in touch with Nissan Customer Relations do so immediately, their number is 1-800-647-7261 to get the ball rolling. Keep a journal of everything that has been done and who you talked to to begin building your case. I honestly feel that this is an engineering problem that will ultimately be a recall when they have a sollution and we are the guinea pigs. I hate paying on this nightmare for 6 years! I will purse a the legal route when all else fails. You keep me posted on your progress.
  • cincywheelzcincywheelz Member Posts: 2
    The service engine soon light has come on at 800 miles on my brand new SE. I hope it's just the gas cap or something goofy, else I am bummed.
    Cracked windshield, too, after I got a tiny ding from a pebble.
    Off to a worrisome start.
    Too bad, cause I love the car!
    For some reason the phrase "extended warranty" has been popping into my head.
  • biobugbiobug Member Posts: 1
    I've been having trouble with my 96 Maxima lately. The symptoms are:

    --Engine stalls while it is warming up, often happens within 10 minutes after i start the car and it happens during driving...

    --The engine can be restarted after 2-3 tries, and will continue to run just fine...

    --Loss of power and acceleration across the gears..

    Just wondering if anyone else have similar symptoms, and what could be the causes of my cars problem... thanks... :sick:
  • beanctrbeanctr Member Posts: 99
    If I understand your story correctly, sounds like you paid for an expensive gas cap. I would have asked for a refund on the unnecessary repairs and offered to pay for the repair that actually fixed the problem, the gas cap. In my mind, why should you pay for something that didn't fix the problem? Perhaps there is more to the story. Just my $.02
  • mudallalmudallal Member Posts: 1
    Hi,

    I have a 2001 Maxima GLE with 34,000 miles and the "service engine soon" light just came on. The car warranty expired last month.....Any suggestions? Can I fix the problem myself? If not, should I take it to the dealer or to an independant mechanic?
  • warrior_prwarrior_pr Member Posts: 28
    If someone know what its the Customer Service or Customer Relations email address ?? All email I sent replied by server as "unknown" or "bad" server name.
  • charliekcharliek Member Posts: 3
    I had my 2004 SL in 3 times and went through 3 sets of tires because of the vibration. I finally got the regional service rep. tired of hearing from me and I constantly called or wrote the dealership owner. Nissan engingeers came out and put in a 2005 suspension and trans. That still didn't work. Finally after 3 weeks in the dealership, they paid for my rental car, the service manager tried the alloy wheels of an Altima after finding they were heavier. I just drove it 3,000 miles up and back to Chgo. and it handled perfect at every speed, I got stopped in ILL. doing 91. But I have had it to 110 without a problem. You just have to stay on these people or they try to tell you it's normal.
  • alozadaalozada Member Posts: 4
    It sounds like I had the same problem with my 97 Maxima. I've had the SES light on for a while, supposedly (from other dealers reports) for O2 sensor. The car started to misfire/sputter/loose power when I accelerated/etc. Just today I took it to a different dealer and they found that it was showing bad ignition coils (no sensor code). The dealership wanted to change all ignition coils and plugs for $1,000, the mechanic told me that only one was really bad, but that the other 5 should also be changed. I told him to change only the one that was bad and the plugs ($400). I can probably do the rest myself if needed. The dealer told me the light would not come up again....but guess what...after two hours of pulling off the dealer's parking lot the light came back on. Car is running fine though. I'll be calling them again tomorrow regarding the light, which I'm sure they will try to charge me another $80 to hook into the computer to check again. After reading some of the comments here, I might change the gas cap first to rule that one out. :)
  • johnnobjohnnob Member Posts: 3
    Check the AC outlet for condensate is not plugged up. We got this when the outlet - a small rubber outlet on the firewall against the engine was clogged - also had water inside the passenger side of the car as it had nowhere to go - but it was causing the car to misfire and chung as you said. Blew it out and the car ran fine again.
  • aliksonalikson Member Posts: 1
    It may be happening because of a bad alternator.
    In my Maxima this started happening after I've replaced the alternator with a remanufactured one. At low engine speeds (at idle) this alternator gives less Volts than it's supposed to. If I remember correctly, when the engine is off, on the battery contacts should be 12V, when the engine is in idle there should be 14-15V, when you rew the engine the voltage should go up to about 16V or so.
  • david001david001 Member Posts: 2
    I have a 00 Maxima SE with 70K miles. The check engine light came on the other day so I took it to the dealer, and he stated that the troubles codes were 400 and I believe 1320, meaning the car was misfiring (ignition problem) and an EGR issue. He stated that several of the coils were bad and he recommed that we replace all 6 of them for $650. He also said that the cars EGR ports were clogged and that he would need to remove the intake and clean the ports, which he stated was a manual process to clean them. I've seen many postings addressing the coil problem so thats reasonable, but has anyone ever heard of this type of EGR problem? The dealer stated that this is common and is a maintenance issue for these vehicles around the 70-100K mile range. Any suggestions or help you can provide would be appreciated.
  • supamaxsupamax Member Posts: 1
    i just got a 97 maxima last week, it runs fine but the service engine light came on 4 days after i bought it,i was wondering if anybody could tell me what it is,maybe a sensor,i dont know!!!!!
  • highrollerhighroller Member Posts: 351
    The only way to know is to pay a mechanic who has the computer equipment that can run a test to see what specifically is wrong with your engine. By running the test, they will tell u what's wrong by giving a code. That code will tell the mechanic the cause for the check engine light. You can tell us the code here and we can help you solve your problem.

    Best Regards,
    HighRoller
  • alozadaalozada Member Posts: 4
    My 97 Maxima was kind of acting the same way, trying to stall whenever I stopped or misfiring whenever I pressed on the gas pedal. Took it to the dealership and they found an ignition coil gone bad. They changed it (plus all spark plugs) for $400 (ouch!). They mentioned I should change the rest of the coils...but I think I'll do those myself. Car is hesitating no more. The service engine light came back on for Knock Sensor and Absolute Pressure Sensor...I'm doing some research on those to see if I can do them myself also.

    I hope this helps.
  • alozadaalozada Member Posts: 4
    I have reset the light about 3 times....Keep getting these codes.......are they relatively easy to do yourself?

    Thanks.
  • donnyeyesdonnyeyes Member Posts: 1
    I just bought the car it is a 2000 gle,77k miles on it, i put one of those gasoline additives in when filling it up, a few days later the service engine soon light came on. went to the mechanic he said the computer shows bank 1 upstream catalytic.
    now everyone i have spoken to said they never heard of a bad cat on a 2000 maxima. i was told that it could be a dirty air filter, should i just go and change the O2 sensor or is there another way to clear up the problem. The previous owner said the light never came on.

    Could it be the fuel additive (i forget which one it was)?
  • white96maximawhite96maxima Member Posts: 3
    You might try
    http://www.carstereohelp.com/strnissan.htm
    Great website. Showed me how to R&R my power antenna mast. I just went to the dealer and bought an OEM and did it myself.
  • kzakkzak Member Posts: 13
    yeah, my light came back on too....but I havent gone to get it checked yet....i havent had any other problem since I got the ignition coils replaced...
    although i am having a minor problem with my brakes...I bought bendix? brakes at discount auto parts and had my boyfriend put them on.... and ever since they will squeak when i first start driving ( the first couple of stops) then will be fine ...any suggestions????
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    Did he resurface the rotors or just replace the pads. If he only replaced the pads, that could be the reason for the initial squeaks. I'd get use to the squeaks unless you have the rotors resurfaced and buy another set of pads. Also did he apply the antisqueak compound on the backside of the new pads?
  • david67david67 Member Posts: 1
    I have a '00 Maxima SE with 65K miles. The Service Engine Soon, TCS Off, and Slip lights are all on. I took it to the dealer who ran diagnostics & told me it was an ignition coil issue. They could not, however, pinpoint which coil it was & recommended replacing all the coils at $750. I could not justify replacing 5 good coils to find the 1 bad coil. The dealer mentioned bringing it in again although they gave me no assurances that they could identify the bad coil. Is it worth getting them all replaced or trying to eventually identify the 1 bad coil?
  • cvwilliacvwillia Member Posts: 3
    I have a 96 maxima with about 187K on it. While driving home my check engine light came on. The local auto parts store read the code and it came back with DTC PO325 Knock Sensor 1 and P0725 Engine Speed Sensor.. I had the check light reset and the light came back on after driving about 15 miles. The car runs fine without any problems.. Any help??
  • highrollerhighroller Member Posts: 351
    Whenever i turn on the car ( 96 Maxima), day or night, there is a loud screeching noise coming from the engine that lasts about 3 seconds right from the time i turn on the car. Does anyone have any ideas where might this screeching sound be whenever turning on the car ? I'm thinking its the starter but i've had that replaced twice already in about a 3 months time. So far the car turns over well, haven't had any misfires or anything. Your suggestions are deeply welcomed.
  • alozadaalozada Member Posts: 4
    Have you checked the belts? I've heard worn out belts might cause that.
  • tom04se6sptom04se6sp Member Posts: 9
    Does anybody else think the headroom is a bit lacking in the 2004 Maxima? I wish I could get the seat about an inch or two lower than it goes! I'm not that tall (5'11") but I have a long torso.

    Other than the slouching I have gotten used to, has anyone heard of any way to lower the seat or modify it so it will go a bit lower?

    Thanks,

    Tom
  • mervette5mervette5 Member Posts: 2
    I do not know the email address, however even if you managed to email Customer Relations, chances are they will not respond or care about your problem. I have a 2004 Nissan Maxima with 14,000 miles. Supposedly, I burned a clutch out. Now, if I abused it , perhaps it is wear and tear. I want to know if anyone else has had this problem with their Nissan? I have owned 4 Maxima's and have been Nissan's biggest fan, until now. I have always owned a Maxima with a manual transmission and never had any issues. It cost me $1,500 to fix it. Customer Service was no help.
  • highrollerhighroller Member Posts: 351
    Nissan is known for their confusing or lack of help. They tried to make me pay for something that i didnt need several times. After confronting them about it, i got my money back ($900 total). I could of take them to court but decided not to.
  • johnny2003johnny2003 Member Posts: 24
    I had similiar shimmy problems when I purchased my 05 SE last December from day one. Once I hit 55MPH the car would start to shimmy. No one at the dealership, including a "specialist" flown in from Dallas, could figure it out. They tried various sets of tires, rims, balancing and rebalancing, all with no luck.

    No one that has recently posted mentioned this, but do any of you have a bra/mask on your car when driving? If so, take it off and the vibrations will stop. Even if it is one purchased from Nissan.

    I have had NO vibrations at any speed since then. Just a thought.

    Good luck. ">
  • cvwilliacvwillia Member Posts: 3
    I have a 96 maxima with about 187K on it. While driving home my check engine light came on. The local auto parts store read the code and it came back with DTC PO325 Knock Sensor 1 and P0725 Engine Speed Sensor.. I had the check light reset and the light came back on after driving about 15 miles. The car runs fine without any problems.. Any help??
  • al57al57 Member Posts: 67
    have a 2000 SE with 30,000 miles..recently am hearing a solenoid or electric motor sounding noise when starting, shutting off or while car is running,(the noise is heard for about 5 seconds goes out and comes back) could it be the electric fuel pump becoming noisier with age??car runs fine and the sound is coming from under the hood..Any help is appreciated..
  • kzakkzak Member Posts: 13
    I feel your pain :mad: I have a 2000 max se w/ 33k and I was having a similar prob...but my car would also shake/vibrate esp. when i first started it. It would get real bad (all the while SES light is on) when I accelerated and the SES {Service Engine soon} light would flash at me. took it to tires plus numerous times and they could not identify problem...took it to dealer and they told me random misfire = bad coil...same deal...replaced all coils for $600 and problem ceased...although SES light is still on (came back couple days after i left), need to get that checked...
  • kzakkzak Member Posts: 13
    I have a 2000 max se with 33k ... dont know how to fix it, but i also had a problem..my gas door was slightly out of alignment too when i bought it in march 03...but it worked fine...and eventually it started getting stuck and wouldnt open when i pressed the gas door button to open. I had to kinda Fonzie it, and bang it with my fist on the back end...and it would pop open...when i was having ignition coils replaced, they said they could fix it. it works now, but is still out of alignment...( and they didnt tell me to lube it ;) ...sorry im not much help
  • david001david001 Member Posts: 2
    I also have a 2000 SE and around 35,000 miles, I started hearing a strange noise like an electric motor when starting it and turning it off. The dealer said it was a bad engine mount and replaced it under warranty and it took care of the problem. If it wasn't under warranty it would have been around $500 to fix.
  • merdiemerdie Member Posts: 12
    The bra was removed by Nissan personnel, put on an identical 05 Maxima, no vibration. Ours still vibrated without the bra on it. AND THIS WAS A NISSAN BRA. Seems strange that we have had a bra on every car we have owned, never a problem. The vibration we had in our 05 was not caused by the bra, nor tires, and after reading www.nissanhelp.com, autoweek forums, and just going to google.com and puttin in 05 Nissan Maxima vibrations and delving into the sites, you can tell this is a common and expansive problem that Nissan has.
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