Nissan Maxima Maintenance and Repair

gtspec · January 2002

Just want to double check with you to see if we are getting the same vibration; I only notice the slight vibration on the steering wheel when I shift to "D" and the car is at a stand still (e.g. Stopping for a red light.) Let me know if we've the same situation.

I need to bring it to my dealer and have them check it out. I'm not sure if the idling RPM (about 500 rpm) is a bit low or what? I'll find out the next time I'm at the dealership. Maybe you can ask your dealer about this problem too!
Will keep you updated : )

dklanecky · January 2002

I have a 00 Maxima SE with 78,000 miles on it and haven't had any issues with any of the sensors yet.

On the other hand, I also have a 95 Maxima GLE with 180,000 miles on it that has had multiple sensor failures (exhaust gas, crank position, and cam position).

In tracing back the original failures on the 95 I discovered that "someone" had filled the car up with gas WHILE IT WAS RUNNING.

Now I'm far from sure but my guess has always been that that filling up while it was running might have had something to do with the failures. (They all failed within the same month.)

Since we don't fill the cars up with the engines running anymore, we haven't had any additional sensor failures.

Just my 2 cents.

jaepil · January 2002

Yeah I am going to go see my dealer. I dunno if they'll do anything about it though. yeah when it's in D, it vibrates... it's worse first five minutes of driving. and I noticed that my steering wheel is not aligned... is yours?

okay... give me as much feed back as you can. Thanks

bazzball · January 2002

Last year about Feb 2001 I purchased a 95 SE with 45k. The Car has worked and driven perfectly until a couple of weeks ago during early morning cold weather. I started noticing a chain like sound on start up for one revolution. I took it to the service Center where I purchased the car and the tech said that there had been notes in his data base on Maxima timing chain tensioners going bad and it was going to cost approx 800-900$to replace both Timing chains/with labor. Has anyone else had similar problems??? Solutions? Is there a recall on this??? Hope so. thanks.

serrej · January 2002

I am looking at purchasing a 95 GXE , manual transmission with 50,000 miles from a private party. Any specific problem areas or concerns that I should check out in detail or definitely not over look. He is asking $7,350 a little over the Edmunds TMV any thoughts on the price.

wain · January 2002

Do you use nissan oil filters?

I had a prob with loud noise at startup only at times - like after an overnight sit- switched to aftermarket oil filter (Purolater Pure one0 with good antidrainback valve.

96owner · January 2002

I have had (2) 1996 Maximas and on both of them the 02 sensors were bad. It seems this is a design flaw that has followed through to all of the Maximas.

I have also had the shimmy in the steering wheel in both of them, in this one (the SE) it is getting very bad. I have had (2) 4 wheel alignments in 9 months and I still have this problem when I reach speeds in excess of 65MPH.

Yet, 3 different mechanics tell me they can find nothing wrong.

I found an entire list of TSB's on AllData.com but you have to pay for a subscription to look at the sull TSB wordings. I also read a post from an owner on Yahoo who said there was gas tank recall. Has anyone heard of this??? Does anyone know where I can get a full list of the full TSB's and recalls for my Maxima? If so please send info to lowecn@email.uc.edu

I would appreciate it very much!!

gtspec · January 2002

I haven't had the time to let the dealer check it out, but in my case the slight vibration is always there, didn't feel any worst on the first 5 min. I did call up the dealer yesterday and they ask me "Did I used premium gas?", of course I did! Need to stop by and have them check it out. By the way, my wheels are aligned!

wlee8 · January 2002

Hello,

I have a 98 Maxima which had a slight vibration when the car is idling during stoplights. If you have this problem, change the gas station you are currently using. I had this problem resolved when I stop using a specific gas station that was causing the car to idle too low. The idle should be above 500rpm. The gas station that I was using might have been cheating the customers with cheap gas.

gtspec · January 2002

wlee8 - I get my gas from 3 or more different gas stations randomly since I purchased the 2002 SE last Oct. I beleive the vibration exist from the first day I got the car. Anyway, thanks for your suggestion!
FYI: I've always used "Amoco" gas (93 Octane), don't know if brand (Amoco) has anything to do with the problem.

wlee8 · January 2002

Hello,

I seem to remember on the old Nissan board that somepeople stated that they were having problems with using BP. It could be possible that Amoco is
using the same formula since they merged a couple of years ago. I think you should try a different gas company. Maybe you should try Shell, Mobile or Sunco. I previous used Amoco is my Honda Accord before I got the Maxima and it cause the Accord to Vibrate intensely when I shift the car in reverse. The service advisor at Honda told me to first change the gas that I was using, and then use dry gas to help take out the excess containments in my gas tank. Since your Maxima is new, I don't think you should use dry gas, but I think you should use another brand. If this does not help, I think you should visit Nissan Service to try to find out what is going on.

Regards
Will

virgil85 · January 2002

Does anyone have any success stories in finding reasonably priced tires for the SE Maximas? Mine (a 1998 SE) has OEM 215/55R16s. Replacing with same size is expensive--around 140 per tire. I am looking at similar sizes, maybe 215/60R16s. Any recommendations on well-priced brands that will last (and still handle the way these cars are supposed to)? Thanks in advance.

stickguy · January 2002

The Toyo original equipment are very expensive to replace. Go to tirerack.com and do some looking for other choice. Take a close look at the Yokohama Avids (they come in a few different speed ratings, at least T and H). They have had some good reviews and are very well priced.

cyranno99 · January 2002

this is probably old news, but we have a '96 Maxima that has a problem with the proper closing of the moonroof. A friend also has a '97 Maxima with the same problem. The dealer inspected and charged almost 80 dollars just to diagnose the problem. The estimate for fixing... 1200 bucks!!! Might as well go out and buy a new moonroof. Is there a cheaper place somewhere that would fix for less than a hundred dollars? My guess is that those moonroofs have not be proper maintain... still.. charging that much for fixing the problem!!!!... ok... just ranting.

will38 · January 2002

I have a 2002 SE with the Bose stereo. The subwoofer rattles. Has anyone else experienced this problem? Has anyone had this problem fixed? I would appreciate any suggestions.

knapp3 · January 2002

Does anyone know how to remove one of the engine block coolant drain plugs so that all the antifreeze can be drained? I can see the darn things from under the car. But with all the other components, hoses, exhaust pipes and the like around it, reaching it with my hand is tough. With a ratchet or wrench, impossible! This can't be THAT hard! What am I missing?
Thanks, Chuck

jimxo · January 2002

Only one repair to report at 55k miles. Right front wheel bearing/hub was replaced. $300.00, but hey it's only money. Otherwise no paint problems or trany problems. One thing that really stands out as a surprise is the traction in the snow-wow who needs AWD? I love this car.

raaizin · January 2002

I posted this in the sedans section also,
Has anyone noticed that their hood flutters slightly when going over 70MPH. It occurs on the drivers side behind the front left wheelwell. My hood is properly closed and there are no gaps to suggest it is misaligned. Car is a 2k2 SE, are there any fixes for this.

ax135 · January 2002

I think your hood just needs some adjustment. My 2000 Maxima SE use to do that. I just adjusted the rubber screws on each side of the hood.

Dealer can take care of it for you also.

raitses · January 2002

Does anybody know what is the correct gas mileage for my Maxima 2001 SE?
I have 15.5/gl in the variance of the City/HW.
Tried to play with regular and premium gas as well as no differences at all, including performance. Use Mobil or Exxon Unleaded.
I would really appreciated if someone can share with me in this issue.

ol12.1@netzero.net

maxcat3 · January 2002

1995 Maxima's have no timing chain. They were replaced that year or a prior year with timing belts that don't cause the trouble chains do.

I have a '95 GXE which has never had a timing problem. I have 113K miles on it. Since I bought it new, I've replaced the starter, the battery once and the tires twice. No other major repairs. Regular oil changes,plug changes and a couple of alignments is all I recall doing. It's been a sweet car...low maintence.

foreignguy · January 2002

I had a similar problem with my 95Maxima GLE. I purchased it new and after about 18 months it started making a slight rattle at startup in the cold (Wisconsin). The dealer replaced the chain, tensioner and a lot of other things which did correct the problem. It was repaired under warranty and I was under the impression that it was somewhat common. Perhaps Nissan would help you out with it under the powertrain warranty. I ended up with an oil leak after the repair which the dealer never could eliminate. Overall if I had to do it again I wouldn't fix it, especially if I had to pay myself.

q45man · January 2002

"OEM 215/55R16s. Replacing with same size is expensive--around 140 per tire... recommendations on well-priced brands that will last (and still handle the way these cars are supposed to)?

Gee Nissan spent a lot of engineering time picking a low cost tire that would optimize handling and braking.
So now you want to change the design to save money.
If they could have found a cheaper tire they would have!
The current trend towards performance and magazine comparison tests is making PREMIUM SOFT TREADS MANDANTORY!
Tires that last are not soft and thus have poorer friction specs, thus take longer to brake and handle less well in the rain.
How much less do you want to buy is 10 feet longer stopping ok, what about 15 feet, how much slower do you want the max speed in wet to be than factory spec? Are you willing to compromise you driving for tires?

gerapau · January 2002

I doubt that Nissan spent much time at all picking a tire for the Max! I have a 2000 SE with the 17" Bridgestone tires and believe me, these are not the best tires out there. If the roads are even slightly wet the tires are almost impossible to keep from spinning. Even when the roads are dry, these tires are not all that good. These tires have to be the worst performance tires that I have ever owned. The fact that Nissan chose a tire size that is almost impossible to match with any other brand is frustrating.

dklanecky · January 2002

My 1995 Maxima GLE has 180,000 miles on it and I bought it new with 4 miles on the odometer. I believe the Maximas from the 1994 and earlier period had belts but I am certain the from 1995 and forward they absolutely have a timing chain.

I've actually been thinking about checking with my dealer about whether or not I should consider changing/replacing the chain before it reaches it's expected 200,000 mile life cycle.

I'm too chicken to ask what it would cost.

cgmax2k · January 2002

Will38,

I had the same annoying problem in my 2000 SE. It was annoying as hell because it was more noticeable when the volume was lower. I took it to the dealer three times and they still couldn't fix it so I did it myself. All the dealer did was put insulating tape on the edges where the sub woofer mounts which of course did nothing. The problem is the rear deck which is too thin, causing it to vibrate from the bass in the woofer. I'm surprised that Nissan hasn't figured it out yet. As mentioned, the dealer had no idea what to do so I fixed it with about $4 in carpet padding and about 2 hours of careful work.

If you're handy then you should be able to do it because you have to basically take apart the rear section of the interior of your car. You have to take off the two rear grey plastic panels first because these panels hook on to the rear deck lid. You have to be very careful not to rip or break the rivets that snap into place. Then knock down the rear seats and pop off the plastic caps and all of the screws. You can then "pop off" the panel. You may need to go through the trunk also to help you a bit. The material I used was carpet padding which I bought at Home depot. I think I spent $4 on the piece, which they sell by the sq. yard. Be sure to buy the grey padding. Dont get that colorful spongy crap. Its about 3/8" thick and feels like its made out of a felt or cotton material, its tough to cut and insulates very well. Then all you have to do is cut out the holes to match the rear deck, including cutting out the holes for the snaps. The deck should snap back into place snug and absorb the vibration noise you here. The material is very tough to cut so you will need atleast a couple of very sharp blades. Again if your're handy and with some patience you can do it. Your other option is to have a car stereo place do it although that will be a lot more expensive. You never know, maybe Nissan will even pay for a shop to do it. Trust me, you'll think you just got a new subwoofer. The bass will be so much deeper and clean, just like it is supposed to sound according to the Maxima Brochure! (The Bose techs must have had their headphones on when they were testing the subwoofer!) Good luck! let me know how you make out

will38 · January 2002

Thanks for the info. Do I glue the padding to the rear deck? I live in Illinois and don't have a heated garage, so if I do this myself I'll have to wait until it warms up. It is amazing that Nissan didn't correct this. It is such a simple cure. Thanks again for the info. will38

q45man · January 2002

"The fact that Nissan chose a tire size that is almost impossible to match with any other brand is frustrating."
"2000 SE with the 17" Bridgestone tire" assume RE92 215/55/16

There are at least a dozen engineers whose sole job is to evaluate tires and write specifications for tires. They eat and sleep tires at Nissan.
Performance tires are not designed to last much more than 12 months as the soft compounds turn harder fast when exposed to heat [above 68F] and ozone. Unfortunately most performance tires are way out of spec by 10,000 miles oe when 1/2 worn down to 5-6 /32".
Take a SHORE A Durometer and compare new tires to the aged ones you have.

brucer2 · January 2002

I don't know what the Nissan tire engineers are eating or sleeping, but they should try something else. As soon as Nissan started using these Bridgestone tires on the 2K Maximas, I've read complaints about their performance, particularly in the wet.
I doubt they would be putting a "215/55/16" on a 17" wheel. I do suspect that they wanted to maintain the same dia. (as the original 205/65-15)
and Bridgestone was willing to make the odd-ball 17" size that they needed. The whole thing was driven by fashion (big wheels), and not performance.

azhelipilot · January 2002

Hi--Neat site. First is Question of Which O2 sensor is the one that goes bad first ?? My 95 Maxima has two. Other than changeing rear two window up/down assy's myself($160), Fixing CD which is a Clarion, and is easy to pop out the electronic dash($120), and changeing halfshaft boots($40) all is going OK at 100000 miles. AL

gerapau · January 2002

q45man: They are the RE92 but are 225/50/17. As brucer2 mentioned, the 215/55/16 would be difficult to mount on the 17" wheels ;^) As for the engineers eating and sleeping tires at Nissan, if this is true then maybe they should find another job. They sure didn't do a very good job picking the RE92s for the Max.

As I have already stated, these tires do not perform very well. They never have. Not even when brand new. At best, I would rate them as average when the roads are dry, and much worse then average whenever the roads are wet.

Before you comment about how good a job the engineers at Nissan did, why don't you try taking a Max SE out for a drive when the roads are wet. Maybe then you will agree with most SE owners that these are not the greatest tires in the world.

dirkdaddy · January 2002

If these bridgestones on my 2000 SE are like ones I had on a Mazda pickup truck, you can expect long treadwear life, very good steering response and tracking, stiff ride, very few problems with build quality. My tires were still decent at 75,000 miles. I heard of some owners ordering more from Japan they liked them so much VS what is available here. With a harder rubber compound like is necessary for such long tread life, ice/snow/wet traction is compromised.

Here in Houston with a majority of concrete roads, I have not had issue with wet traction. I think the tires are a bit skinny for the application -- but skinnyer treads improve fuel milage and increases snow/wet weather ability.

robertr · January 2002

gerapau:

I have a 2000 SE also. Any tires you put on it are going to spin on wet roads because of the power of the car. You have to modulate it with the clutch, throttle, and gear selection.

Concerning the Bridgestone 17" RE-92s: They actually have pretty good lateral adhesion when cornering on wet roads. The only real problem is that the tires tend to hydroplane sooner than others when there is a layer of water on the road, so I have to drive slower under those conditions.

Otherwise, I like the tires and think Nissan made a good choice overall. I plan to buy them again when/if I have to replace my tires on the aftermarket.

gerapau · January 2002

I doubt that these tires are the same as the ones on your pickup truck. The RE92s that come on the SE are V-rated (good for up to 149 mph) performance tires. They have a fairly soft tread compound and tend not to last very long. Most people will be lucky to get much more then 30,000 miles out of them (but I have heard of a few getting closer to 40,000). I currently have about 25,000 miles (the exact number is hard to tell since I put winter tires on in the late fall) on mine and they are very close to the end of their usefull life. The short life was expected since the tires are classed as performance tires. The bad wet traction was not expected though. When it comes time to replace these tires I will definately be looking at other alternatives (even if Nissan engineers believe that these are the best tires for this car).

robertr: I realize that the Max has alot of power on tap. Thet said, I used to be able to accelerate quicker with my Dodge Caravan when the roads were wet then I can with the Maxima. I currently have some Michelin Alpins on my SE and feel that they accelerate just as well as the RE92s when the road is wet even though they are simple winter tires. Unlike your SE (if you are an American) my 2000 SE came standard with a limited slip differential. Even with this, the RE92s have very limited grip on wet surfaces. There are many performance tires that are much better then the RE92s in both wet and dry conditions. Unfortunately, not many of them come in the same size (225/50/17) so I will have to look at going to a different size tire. Even that will be difficult since Nissan decided to put a 7" wheel on the SE. Finding anything larger then 225 that will fit a 7" wheel is difficult.

cgmax2k · January 2002

Hi,

Do not glue it just make the cut-outs and lay the the padding on the rear deck. It will fit snug and should take care of the problem.

cgmax2k

q45man · January 2002

Hard to talk about RE92 since there are 57 different tires which happen to use the SAME RE92 designation. Some are S,T, H, and V - each is very different construction different ply side walls, different everything except name.
Hydroplane speed is a function of foot print so the higher the psi [up to 44] the higher the speed before breakaway.
Most tires are nowhere near new spec after 8,000 miles!
The problem with using even Tirerack comparison tests is they only apply to the exact size and model and comparable weight and drive type cars with the same camber and suspension.
Assuming a good BMW wet tire will be the same on a FWD Nissan is worthless since the BMW uses a lot of rear camber.

crissy1 · January 2002

Am considering either a '97 Maxima or a '97 Altima as a first car for my 19-year old daughter. She's a new driver, and I want the safest, most dependable car I can afford. My question is: Which is safer: the larger, 190 HP Maxima, or the smaller, less powerful Altima? She's cautious, but inexperienced. Is the Maxima too powerful? Would it still be safer than the smaller Altima? I also have a question about timing belts vs. timing chains. Is the longer-lasting chain a better bet? I understand the belts have to be changed more frequently, and labor is very expensive. Do cars other than newer Nissans use chains? Are there other advantages to timing belts? Appreciate any input. Thanks!

bianca2 · January 2002

For a teenager getting her first car, personally I would recommend the Altima. The more-powerful Maxima could prove to be more than she could safely handle, and might be more tempting to her to "let 'er rip." Or to future boyfriends...you don't know who might potentially be driving this car besides your daughter. (Having had a few wild boyfriends in my youth, I speak from experience!) Most important in making your decision actually is where will she be doing most of her driving - around a college campus area? Long commutes on the highway? Short distance trips? I would bet that the Altima would serve her needs well for a few years, and then she can buy her own Max for a step-up car in her mid-20's.

markg11 · January 2002

A Maxima is definatey too much for an inexperienced driver...just my 2 cents :-)

guiduan · February 2002

I just have had my 02 SE for about one week. Everything is wonderful except that there is a noise from the front tires once I release my brake padel, no matter the car is running or not. Is it normal? The sound is not very big, but you can hear it clearly if you turn off the radio. Any input and help will be highly appreciated.

hank28 · February 2002

The Maxima is definitely to much power for an inexperienced driver. Also, you need to use premium fuel per owners manual, but I suspect most folks do not. I have both vehicles and the Altima should be fine for her.

markg11 · February 2002

If anyone else is having paint chipping problems on their 2000-2002 Maxima,as I and many other 5th generation Maxima owners are, there may be help out there for us. I am a member of www.maxima.org and have found a website for Maxima owners to register their paint problem complaints; the site is www.nissanpaint.com.This site is NOT a Nissan owned site it was started by a Maxima owner that is experiencing severe paint chipping and just got fed up with the problem. If there are enough complaints filed by Maxima owners maybe Nissan will provide repairs or reimbursement for paint problems that owners have paid for themselves.
There are obviously no guarantee that Nissan will admit to this problem but if the consumer yells loud enough someone is bound to hear!! There is strength in numbers so if you are disgusted with an expensive car built by a manufacturer that makes claims about quality and reliability visit the site and fill out the form. The person that set up this site works for a Nissan dealer and has a Nissan rep contact he is using to funnel the complaints back to Nissan Corp.

sgrd0q · February 2002

guiduan - I have a 2001 GLE, and have no such noises coming from the tires. Check with your dealer.

crissy1 · February 2002

Thanks everybody for your input. I think we'll be going with the Altima, probably a '97.

kagedude · February 2002

Does anyone have this problem? I have the auto temp on my 2K1 max se and anytime the fan goes to the highest level, it makes this vibrating noise. Sounds like an airplane engine when they're doing their pre-flight checks.

jmaxe · February 2002

I have a similar problem on my 2K1 GLE. At the highest fan speed it sounds like paper flapping against the fan.

gtspec · February 2002

wlee8 - I just tried with a full tank of Sunnoco Ultra 94 (94 octane) fuel last week, and the slight steering wheel vibration is still there (no improvement). Well, I guess I would have to bring it to the dealer on my next scheduled maintainence at 4000 miles. Right now the car is at 1700 miles without any problem besides the slight steering wheel vibration. Love the POWER of a VQ engine!!!

By the way, I had notice a paint chip on the hood last week while washing the car. I guess I'll keep an eye on how many paint chips I'll get within a year. 1 paint chip for 4 months of driving is not too bad I guess consider I only have 1700 miles on it. I'll goto the suggested website (www.nissanpaint.com) to file a complain to Nissan once I get enough paint chips on it : (

markg11 · February 2002

its probably the fan motor. I have a 2K and mine makes a squeeking noise on low and 2 speed. I have read that many Maximas have probems with noisy fan motors..well later ones anyways I dont know about pre 2K cars.
People have had the fan motors replaced for the squeeking probem like I have with my car but the noise has returned after about a year or so; the motor brushes are lousy on OEM motors. I am searching for another type of motor that will fit my car.

lssomlai · February 2002

I own a 1993 Maxima GXE with 75K miles. I am totally impressed with this car, it's options, and reliability. I have several minor problems that I would like advice on:

1. Noisy rear brakes.
Especially when cold I get excessive brake squeal. A Nissan mechanic told me this is normal for maxima's. Is this true? I believe the rear brakes are drum (the brake shoes were fine).

2. Windows going down (when pushing up on console)
This one is weird. I use the driver's console to raise any window other than my own, the window goes down further. BUT, the control on the door itself works and will take the window up. Is this a ground problem on my console? modules?
The problem is sporatic.

3. Lower(?) engine idle.
Air filter ok. Just changed the spark plugs, still no improvement. O2 sensor? Exhaust flow is not even (puff's irregularly), which lead me to replace the spark plugs.

4. Security system (don't know code)
(inherited the vehicle from wife's grandmother). Can a dealership reset the console? Or could I possibly do it myself?

5. Bose Stereo: No power to radio and display does not illuminate. I think this is a cracked circuit board, but I wanted to know if anyone has had similar problems.

6. Just today: Driver's side door will not unlock. It's stuck in the lock position and I have to crawl through the passenger side to get in.

Other than 6, which will be fixed ASAP, these problems are just annoyances. The car runs like a champ and is extremely reliable.

One more question. How does the outside temperature sensor in my car work? Where is the sensor located?

Thanks,

Louis

gsleve · February 2002

of throttle body clearner with a toothbrush and wipe clean you'll have to do this repeatedly yet it works quite well

Nissan Maxima Maintenance and Repair

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