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Nissan Altima Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • tarnmastertarnmaster Member Posts: 12
    Greetings ... as far as the clicking noise when applying the brake to put the car in gear, that audible click is the actuator releasing the shift interlock ... I've heard that on all makes, so it is not unique to your car ... Audi introduced it in the '80's when people unjustly accused the car of unintended acceleration because they were pressing the accelerator pedal instead of the brake pedal - the interlock assures your foot is on the brake and not the accelerator when you put the car in gear ...

    The Bose radio, and many others, have SSV - Speed Sensitive Volume ... the volume increases as the noise level in the car increases ... this can happen as you increase speed which can increase noise from tires, engine, wind noise, even crying babies or kids acting up, and will raise if you yell at them to stop ... you can adjust the sensivity level from the "audio" button on your radio ...

    When slowing down, CVT transmission will "give way" a little as the belt and cones adjust themselves ... happened to me first when I was selling the old Subaru Justy ... it's a little unnerving at first - just have to get accustomed to it, sorta like getting used to the car's behavior when the Dyncmic Control activates, or, in the case of the Altima Hybrid, when the car shifts into and out of electric mode ... just one of those things technology brings into play which we are not accustomed to ...
  • write2diazwrite2diaz Member Posts: 2
    So I have a 2005 nissa altima and it has 115k miles. I haven't given it a major tune up and now of course its making funny noises. Help me please.

    The AC doesn't do its job anymore...when i turn it on, it makes a "dzzzzzz"...sorta like a hose emptying its last amount of gas....no cold air.

    When I drive, I can hear a da-dump, da-dump, da-dump sound coming from my back tires....the back tires have slight bumps found in the middle of tire tread.

    When I try to start the car, it fails to turn on immediately...rather it sounds like the motor doesnt have gas, after pumping the gas peddle it turns on and when it does the motor shakes.

    when the motor is in park and idles, it now makes a noticible bu-bump, bu-bump sound until I place it in drive.

    I never done a spark plug change....

    I now jack about car maintenance...what do i do? help
  • Find a good local mechanic and take it in for service.

    New tires and recharging the AC may solve two of the problems. You may want them to check with die for a freon leak in the AC system.

    Other problems will need someone to look at. Can be a number of possibilities.

    Ken
  • write2diazwrite2diaz Member Posts: 2
    Thanks Ken,
    I thought I could just take it to a mechanic, but I wonder how I could do this on my own....where do I look for information about these basics and more advanced things? I'm trying to cut on costs. I'm quick learner, but I need info.
  • You can google each separate problem or ask friends and coworkers. Problem with trying to fix problems over the net is that a symptom can have a different resolution on two different cars. If you have plenty of time you can experiment with the different answers you get. I don't have that time or expertise, so I take it to my mechanic. I do some googles on the symptoms, because on occasion I have found a loose hose or very easy to replace part. But, very seldom has this occurred. Most of the problems you listed are not in my opinion very easy to diagnose over the net. But, someone with exact same car and symptom may have a suggestion.

    Good Luck,

    Ken
  • POSAltimaSERPOSAltimaSER Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2006 Altima SE-R that developed a whining from the engine at about 64,000 miles (warranty expires at 60,000). It starts at about 2,000 RPMs and gets louder up until about 3,000 RPMs. I took it to my local mechanic for an oil change and asked him to look into the problem. We both figured it was a bearing that went bad on a belt pulley. He took off the belt to see if he could isolate the pulley, but to his surprise the noise was still there. After some research he finds a TSB (classification EM07-001 Reference: NTB07-042 dated 7-17-07) describing the exact noise and the resolution which is to replace both secondary timing chains and tensioners. Parts are not bad at about $125 but the labor is a killer: 13 hours total repair $1,900 to $2,000.

    I contact Nissan NA to ask for some assistance, they say I need a dealer to diagnose the problem. So I take it to my local dealer, pay the $110 diagnostic fee which confirms what we already know. I get back in touch with Nissan and they open a file and tell me someone will get back to me shortly. Emma calls me with a robotic scripted response that she is obviously accustomed to reciting. "After a review of your file, Nissan is not in a position to provide any financial assistance". I asked her what the decision was based on, but received no details. I offered her copies of all of the maintenance records (oil changed every 5,000 miles but not at the dealer) but she doesn't want to see them. I ask her to have a supervisor to contact me.

    About 2 hours later I receive a call from the supervisor, Christopher Lucci. What a beauty! I explain the situation to him and let him know that I can supply him with the service records and let him know that this is my second Nissan and that I will be purchasing a new vehicle in 2010 so their decision will weigh heavily on whether or not I purchase another Nissan. I explain that there is no way a timing chain should fail with just over 60,000 miles and that I hope Nissan will stand behind their product. I also explain that I'm 45 years old and probably in a demographic that they want to attract. He states that as Emma stated "Nissan will not be able to provide any financial assistance and we did stand behind our product by honoring the warranty". I ask if there would any additional consideration or is this decision final. His response is that the decision is final.

    So I say "thank you for your consideration, but you lost me as a future customer and I will make it my business to make sure I tell everyone I encounter not to buy a Nissan". His response "that is awesome!, it's great that we live in a country where you can do that, spread the word if you like". I said "excuse me?" He repeats it with a real smug attitude. So I respond 'with a customer service attitude like this, I think its time a start buying cars that are made in this great country, after all, they stand behind their product (GM 100K, Chrysler Lifetime). The bonehead could care less.
  • quicksilvaquicksilva Member Posts: 15
    This is quite common for Nissan and, seemingly why an extended warranty is needed. You mention Chrysler but, I've noted per consumer reports that they aren't among the most reliable nor do they have very good re-sale value. Honda/Acura,Toyota/Lexus,Subaru seem the way of the future!
  • dsantos0815dsantos0815 Member Posts: 4
    i have a 05 altima s. the steering wheel doesnt have the radio controls therefore i would like to change the steering wheel with the radio controls. does anyone know if this will give me any problems? plz write back. :confuse:
  • karsickkarsick Member Posts: 312
    We put Blizzak ice tires on our stock 16" alloys for the Seattle winter (worked great in our record snow-packed January).

    Now that spring is almost here, I'm hoping to get a second set of 16" wheels to put our summer tires on (to avoid mounting & balance charges each year).

    I was hoping to get a matching set to our existing 2008 6-spoke OEM alloys, but since it has a very common bolt pattern (5x114.3), I've considered 16" wheels from other cars (Mazda6, Ford Mustang, Mitsubishi, etc).

    Would I encounter problems with hub sizing or offsets using wheels other than Nissan's????

    BTW- If anyone in the Seattle/Portland area wants to sell their current Altima wheels & tires, I'd consider buying.
  • quicksilvaquicksilva Member Posts: 15
    I have 64K miles on my 05 Altimas 3.5 and, notice a popping noise coming from the front end although not noted when in a turn it normally does it at take off or while still and, turning the wheel. I've never had a lube and, hopefully I don't need CV joints already. Any ideas??
    Help
  • shead_dayshead_day Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2002 Altima 3.5 V6 that I bought used with 84k miles on it in Jan 2007. I was the 3rd owner and this car had everything I wanted so I was excited thinking I was buying a reliable brand...WRONG! I thought maybe the person that had it before me ran it too hard but I've been reading the reports and maybe that's not the case and I'm afraid what will happen next. At about 3 months after purchase the AC went out so I took it back where I bought it and after 2 separate visits it was fixed no cost. At about a year after purchase it started doing this thing where it won't stay started when you first start it up unless you give it gas so I thought it needed a tune up so I had that done to the tune of $800 and they told me there was a recall on the headlights so they replaced them no charge and they said there was an oil leak behind the engine, but I couldn't afford to have it fixed and have yet to have it fixed (can't afford it). It does take alot of oil so I figured there was one but there was never any oil on the ground. So after the tune up I hoped the starting problem would be fixed NOPE it still does it. So a few months later the windshield washer sprayers stopped working on the passenger side and now the driver side barely works. In December 08 I had the battery replaced and again hoped that would help my starting problem and still doesn't stay started and now the lights dim quickly when the car's engine kicks in harder, it's sluggish to power when it first is started up also, and now it's doing this thing where the car will be warmed up but the heater isn't blowing warm air unless I have my foot on the gas then it heats up, but if I'm stopped at a light it starts blowing cold until I go again and I've seen others with that particular problem and it really sucks in the winter. And the other thing is when you're in stop and go traffic and you're barely pushing the brake you can hear it click in the gear shift (automatic) it's very strange. It has almost 122k miles on it now and I'm afraid it'll start that stalling out on the freeway at 65 mph thing I've read so much about or I'll have to replace the crankshaft and the motor like all these other people I've been seeing. I can't afford to dump so much money into a car and I know that's true for almost everyone. So to anyone who's thinking about buying a Nissan and haven't DON'T they may look great on the outside but under the hood they're crap, I'd rather have my FORD back and I'm not a big fan of American made cars because they're usually the ones with the problems.
  • shead_dayshead_day Member Posts: 2
    Also go along with my long list above I thought of 2 more things. The driver side door will never stay open I was told by a mechanic friend that it seemed as if the clip or whatever is in there (I know next to nothing about parts sorry) to hold it seems to be broken and the inside door marker lights like to fall out of the door and they're not noticed until the door is closed on the them and they break, I've had both sides replaced a time a piece already.
  • quicksilvaquicksilva Member Posts: 15
    It is very expensive to buy new and, perhaps it's better to get rid of it or put a new engine in it.
  • jd10013jd10013 Member Posts: 779
    your car is a very reliable car. especially with the 3.5VQ engine in it. the most likely problem is, this car had three other owners, and 84k miles on it. buying a used car is risky enough, but one that three other people had owned and possibly abused?

    and a bit of advice for the furture. people tend to sell higher milage cars becase they know there is something wrong.
  • catluvercatluver Member Posts: 2
    I, too, am having the same problem with my 2003 Altima 3.5. I have taken it to the dealership and they said it is normal. However, it only started after having coolant flushed and they have purged the system twice to remove any air in there. I also had them check into whether the tube is clogged or not. They said the only way to stop this is to slow down the amount of water going into heater box with a filter. Unsure if this is the way to go but I'm going to call nissan and see what they have to say. I don't feel that this is normal.
  • catluvercatluver Member Posts: 2
    Wondering if your rushing water noise has been resolved after you had your radiator bled or not. I have a 2003 altima 3.5 and it just started making this sound after having coolant flushed in dec 2008. the dealership has vacuum the air out twice and still the noise. just wanted to know if i should have radiator bled and refilled and noise will go away. Help?
  • bear26bear26 Member Posts: 12
    Hi, the rushing water noise went away after they bled out the radiator. I would suggest trying this as it seemed to be a fairly common problem according to what I heard. Thanks
  • elnino2783elnino2783 Member Posts: 5
    My 2005 Altima 3.5 SE had the same bubbling water noise. I read a little about the problem and found out it was probably air in the coolant. I just topped it off and I haven't heard the noise since. I'm currently at 47,000 miles and topped it off over 20,000 miles ago. Bought the car at 22,000 miles.
  • elnino2783elnino2783 Member Posts: 5
    This review of the 2005 Altima mentions that at the time they started manufacturing it there were two plants making it, one being a mature plant with experienced workers, the second being a brand new plant that was experiencing growing pains and having quality issues, at least in the beginning.

    Anyways the way to tell if your Altima was made in the good plant is if the 11th position in your VIN # is a C or an N.

    N is for Canton, Mississippi which is the type of 04/05 Altima you probably don't want as they had problems when they first opened
    .
    C is for Smyrna (Nashville), Tennessee which represents an Altima that will most likely have very few quality problems. This plant had been in operation since 1992.

    This is where I got my info, and I haven't looked any more into it, but it seemed reputable enough:
    http://www.texas-cars-and-dealerships.com/nissanaltima2005.html
  • str8nutzstr8nutz Member Posts: 1
    THIS IS A REPLY TO WRITE2DIAZ remarks on his 05 altima

    I have the same problem with the sound coming from the front wheels.i have 18 inch rims and new tires on all of them. I have an 05 altima v6.if you also have 18s then it solves both our problems.if not then im hoping its nothing major for the sake of both of us.

    And In terms of the sound that you hear coming from the ac, i believe its a leaking hose.That what the nissan dealer told me.I have the same problem.dealer estimated $599 to repair. Damn stealerships!

    And does any one know why when i put my car from park to drive it jerks? done a transmission flush but its still the same.Can it be the filter?
  • smartdessertssmartdesserts Member Posts: 1
    My 2003 3.5 Altima has a problem. When I exited from the vehicle and turned off the ignition, the fog lights remained on and the chiming was coming from the dash when I removed the key. I made sure all the lights were in the off position but the fog lights stayed on. I also noticed when I turned the engine back on, the dashboard light by the spedometer and tachometer wasn't lighting up. Any ideas?
  • marie2535marie2535 Member Posts: 1
    We start being sick in our Altima 6 month ago. Chess pain and raw throat, but no smell in the car. We’ve been to 4 different mechanics. Doctor's agree with us that something is irritating lungs, Right now we do not know what the problem is, we do know something is affecting our lungs, it is something that takes time to take effect, it is not happening over night.
    We got the car tested for Carbon monoxide, it was negative. We don’t know what to do anymore; anyone experienced that kind of issues??
  • Do you have another car to drive for a week or get a rental and see if things clear up. Then go back to the Altima and see if symptoms return. See if there is a freon leak.
    Find a person who can take an air sample of your car on the inside while running and maybe with the AC on then off. It could be off-gassing from the fabric or carpet flooring.
    You could also google your problem and see what comes up.

    Good Luck,

    Ken
  • msahmedmsahmed Member Posts: 13
    I had the check engine light on and got the DTC code P0400 (Exhaust Gas Recirculation Flow).

    Any one can help me further clarify this code or help me with further trouble shoot.

    Thanks.
  • madhusudanmadhusudan Member Posts: 1
    Hello guys,

    I have a Nissan altima 2003 model, bought this couple of months ago. it has 37K miles on it. for some reason am not getting a good mileage on this one at all.the max is around 16mpg.other thing is i dont drive much on this one. very few times do i travel on interstates.its mainly used for city use. even then, i would expect any thing around 20+ mpg. any known issues with car ??
  • skinsfan3skinsfan3 Member Posts: 78
    Mine was bought new. I get the same crappy local mileage you do, but on the highway, I get around 33. My low mileage for local driving depends upon how and where I go (That is normal). I use an honest repair shop and have talked to them about a tune up. They told me that this is a typical complaint from others (not altimas) and is due to the gasoline blend these days, methanol, etc. and to save my money. Also said with those platinum plugs, I should be able to go 100,000 miles before changing them.

    Stay away from jackrabbitt starts. Think about how much it takes for an engine to start from a stop and get up yo speed you are looking for. I try to time my stopping for lights by slowing down or coasting to them. I am now at 70k miles and think the 03 is perhaps the best altima nissan produced. You hardly ever see them up or sale.
  • altimadude00altimadude00 Member Posts: 5
    The cabin Climate Control fan in my '05 Altima has been making a clicking noise at all speeds. A number of things could be wrong with it, but it sounds like it's rubbing against something.

    Would it be an easy DIY job for me to look at it, or should I take it to the dealer? If I were to look at it, how would I get to it?

    It's the only thing in the car that's making noise and it's driving me up the wall.
  • skinsfan3skinsfan3 Member Posts: 78
    thee days of car dealers not making sales (I will bet they have to go "check with the general manager", the oldest rtick in the book, I am sure that there is tremendous pressure on service departments to find work." If I were you, absent of a good local repair shop, I would tun the volume up on my radio, Good luck.
  • orion123orion123 Member Posts: 1
    Has anyone out there experienced seat discomfort with the 09 Altima SL? Specifically the lack of support the lower back has on the driver side? Seems like the seat gives way too much and my back is sore after 20 mins of driving. The lumbar support really doesnt help since it is just pushing in all the way at the bottom. Seems like the seat from about half way down caves in...

    Anyone else feel this or is it just me? Thanks
  • My 94 has a similar noise. If I reach around the right side of my center console and reach directly up under the dash I can feel what seems to be a relay clicking and I can feel the click. Will have my mechanic look at it. He thinKs it may be the fan motor.

    Ken
  • whitallwhitall Member Posts: 190
    Helping my son make decisions. He will spend $12,000 to 15,000 on a used car. He really likes the Altima and can get a 2006 with mid-high 30,000 miles for about 12k. He can get a 2008 with mid 20,000 mileage for 15k+. These are all pretty entry level cars without upgrades.

    I vote for the 2008 because it had warranty left on it and comes with lots of airbags and ABS. Some of the 2006's have ABS, but not side airbags. He is 19 and could care less about safety.

    He will (without a doubt) be putting bigger rims on it, I've heard him mention 20's, 18's minimum. He WILL be putting in a sub, amp and head unit (wants some DVD thing). So there is no point in getting one with upgraded sound and steering wheel controls.

    This stuff will void out parts of his warranty, right? Making the warranty on the '08 less of an issue.

    Altima redesigned in 2007? Is that year one to stay away from? I had told him re-design years are usually bad. I have an 06 Murano that is great (really low miles though) and read horror stories on the early model years, that is why I am afraid of the 2007. SHould we be afraid of the '07? 2007 would give him a little warranty...I like the idea of him getting the "newer" design for value, but the '06 has a nice price! (most of the cars with good prices are fleet or rentals)

    OR, he hasn't looked at the Accord. HOw does that compare safety wise, price wise?
  • skinsfan3skinsfan3 Member Posts: 78
    I have a 2003 Altima. This car is well put together. It is hard to find one in the classified sections. This ought to be a pretty good time for him to buy. It is tricky with used cars. The old adage is that people don't want to get rid of cars they are pleased with. If you are going to consider fleet rentals, why not go to an auction with someone who knows about cars. I think, nowadays, you could actually check with your local bank and find out what they are doing with their company cars. They are usually maintained well.
  • bsmartbsmart Member Posts: 8
    I vote for the 2008 Altima.
    I own a 1995 Altima bought new that now has 287,000 miles on it( still runs great and everything works on it ) and I have a 2008 Altima that will be 2 years old in Nov , has 20,000 on it now.
    I love that car. My aunt had a 2006 and had multiple problems with it, you may want to check this forum for 2006 problems.
    The 08 also drives, and handles better than the 06. If you test drive both models, I think you will see a difference in the response of the engine and handling.
  • jd10013jd10013 Member Posts: 779
    Deffinitly the 2008. Nissan made huge improvements with the 4th gen. the interior, overall quality, smart key system and a lot of other things makes the 2008 a much beter car than the 2006.
  • skinsfan3skinsfan3 Member Posts: 78
    I opt for the 20032.5.
  • johnnycashishjohnnycashish Member Posts: 1
    Hello! I’m hoping someone can help me with my mystery ailment. I read previous posts and didn't find my "exact situation". I have a 2003 Nissan Altima 3.5 with 70,000 miles on it. My lights (headlights, internal lights, dashboard, radio display, etc.) are pulsing/flickering/blinking when the engine is running. They seem to pulse with engine revs. They otherwise work fine.

    8 months ago my oil change guy noticed my battery (original factory install) was not keeping a good charge and recommended that I replace it. Of course, I didn’t take him up on his advice… So two days ago the light pulsing started and I assumed that it might be the battery (which I needed, anyway). I installed a new battery last night but the lights are still blinking.

    I almost wish the lights were “completely dead” so I would have a better idea about a fuse or something. The blinking isn’t random – it’s a pattern – so I don’t think it’s a short. There isn’t any engine clicking or anything and I haven’t had any problems starting the car. No “check XYZ” lights are lit up on my dash. I haven’t installed a new anti-theft device or anything like that. I have had satellite radio in the car for three years with no issues.

    The headlights (and interior lights) aren’t dim but the blinking is driving me crazy. And I'm worried that at some point the engine will have problems and I'll get stranded somewhere. If anyone can point me in the right direction I would appreciate it. Thanks!!

    JC
  • polly5931polly5931 Member Posts: 1
    It's a little late now for car4dell, but for anyone else ... The 94 and 95 Altimas (at least) have little rubber buttons on the brake and clutch pedals. After about 10 years they are brittle enough to break up and fall off. You'll see litlle crumbs of it under the driver's feet.

    The effect of the clutch button is to prevent starting the car. The effect of the brake button is that the brake lights will stay on. It may affect using cruise control too. The buttons (called plungers) are a dealer item but are inexpensive. Getting them installed is tricky.

    It's awkward to drive around with the brake lights always on, but when you park you'll want to pull the fuse for the relevant circuit so as not to burn out the battery, and put it back in next time you drive.

    (Seems like there is a third such button but I forgot what it was for. Maybe the cruise control has its own button on the clutch.)
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I'd test the alternator on the car and see if there are voltage ebbs and flows. I'm not sure how your alternator is regulated but if you see fluctuations in voltage coming out of the alternator then track the source of alternator regulation and that might do it.
  • cdubs13cdubs13 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2003 Altima that is loosing approximately 2 quarts of oil per week. A while back I had the manifold replaced due to a crack. At that time the car was burning about a half a quart to a quart per month. Recently it has gotten extremely worse. I noticed that I was having difficulty starting the vehicle and I was loosing coolant. At the same time the service engine light came on and I began loosing a lot of oil. I brought the vehcile to a mechanic to have it checked. He did a compression test and found that the coolant was shooting out of cylinder 3 causing the ignition difficulties and misfires. Futher tests showed the compression on the head was fine, there were no leaks, and the car is not smoking through the exhaust. He replaced the head gasket and timing chain(which was stretched). The car is still burning oil. Maybe even a little more then it was before. Running out of money and I still owe on my loan. Does anyone have any similar experiences, advice, or possible causes? Please help.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Grab a sandwich and read through this topic (about 400 posts, but it will open your eyes).

    NISSAN ENGINE FAILURES
  • msahmedmsahmed Member Posts: 13
    I was getting Code P0400 (EGR Flow) and and it seems to be due to bad/broken/disintegrated foam filter inside the Back Pressure Transducer (BPT) Valve.

    Once the material from the disintegrated filter in the BPT valve was cleaned up, the EGR system checked OK (used Actron CP9180 Scanner) , and the MIL (check engine light) indicator has not come back since then.

    Any one has any idea if (where) I can get some foam to cut in the right shape and use that as the filter (I am sure that that driving the car without the filter/foam would cause issues down the road). Local parts stores do carry this item (neither the BPT valve nor the filter/foam). This seems to a dealer item and is sold as the complete assembly ($90 ~$100); the foam/filter is not sold separately. Is this even a good idea to try to buy the foam/filter (to save some good money)?

    Any help/fedback is appreciated.
  • redwagon3redwagon3 Member Posts: 1
    My nissan Altima 2003 has a passenger window that will close but immediately reopen 3 to 4 inches any suggestions
  • whitallwhitall Member Posts: 190
    Just bought a 2008 w/19000 miles for 15,999 plus tax. It's really clean and nice. They are even fixing a few paint blemished for me. It's not "certified" but I figured that certification wouldn't mean much since it still has 2 years and 17000 miles of warranty left.

    Am I missing something?

    ALSO, I thought the oil looked a little darker than it should for recently being changed. It seemed darker near the tip of the stick too. Is this a sign that the previous owner (lease--now thinking he may have skipped maintenance!) or is it possible that it gets a little darker from sitting around? I may even be wrong. It's not black or anything....

    I'm going to ask them to change it again. QUESTION is, IF it hadn't been maintained up till now, am I screwed in any way? Should I switch to synthetic?
    Since it is under warranty, is there anything i should have checked out now?

    Dealer is fairly large, and seemed really great. (no haggle pricing). I hope it is all as good as it seems!
  • stacyshousestacyshouse Member Posts: 7
    I pasted this information from JD Power's website. Hopw this helps ya.

    To qualify for our definition of a "certified used" vehicle, the warranty must be backed by the original vehicle manufacturer. The original manufacturer of the vehicle is using its dealer network to inspect the car, determine if it is worth certifying and then offer support for the vehicle for a period of time beyond the original warranty. Not all used cars can qualify for certified pre-owned programs, and terms vary from one brand to the next, but any true certified pre-owned program will include at least a 100-point inspection of the car. If problems are found, the factory-trained technicians will fix it or disqualify the car from the program. The certified warranty protection typically takes effect when the original warranty expires and, like a new car warranty, offers coverage for a certain number of years or miles, whichever comes first.

    Used cars sold with third-party warranties are sometimes advertised as "certified" but are not truly factory-certified because the authority and expertise of the vehicle's manufacturer is not standing behind the "warranty" in any way. In fact, the term "warranty" may be misleading, as third-party warranties are really just extended service contracts that the buyer must purchase at an additional cost. Extended service contracts can usually be purchased for any vehicle, and the vehicle's manufacturer is not involved in any coverage promised by the aftermarket service contract. A true warranty offers coverage that is included in the original purchase price.

    The major downside to third-party service contracts is that they often obligate the customer to pay for needed repairs up front, and then wait for a reimbursement check; some require the payment of a deductible that can vary from $50 to $400. In addition, there is always the risk that the insurance company or other underwriter of the service contract will not be around to honor the warranty when a claim is made — this risk is much less when the responsible party is a vehicle manufacturer. Also, most extended service contracts do not require the rigorous inspection and repair procedures that a real certified program offers.
  • whitallwhitall Member Posts: 190
    Bought our new used Altima 2.5S w/ 19500 miles on Monday night. All was fine during test drive. On the ride home of about 30 miles (my son-the owner driving) he said the tire light w/exclamation point came on. It has stayed on since. It was on dealer lot for about a month or less, before that don't know how long it sat.

    We checked the pressure about 20 minutes after he got home from school, about 1.5 mile ride and the driver front was 32 and the others were about 37. I think they are the original tires. They are Conti-something.

    I've read that even though the door says 32, that many people keep them higher.

    So, is the light most likely on because 3 are over-filled, one is under-filled, or because one of the four doesn't match the other 3??

    Never had this type of monitoring system before...

    Also, I think the back two have more tread than the front two. Have no records on it to speak of. Is it best to rotate them now going into summer. Son drives about 10k year. No idea if they've ever been rotated. I'm thinking that since it's front wheel drive, and the front are more worn that the owner (private lease) might not have ever rotated causing the front to wear more. Does this make proper sense?

    I want to get him started off right. Thanks
  • mz6greyghostmz6greyghost Member Posts: 1,230
    The light could be on for a few reasons, but not because they aren't the same pressure, nor are they over-inflated. The light won't go on for those reasons.

    Inflate them all to 35 psi, then give it up to 20 miles. If the light does not go off, there may be a problem with the TPMS system itself...

    Good luck.
  • whitallwhitall Member Posts: 190
    I'll have my son do that. Can it be a serious problem? Should any problem with the system itself (not inflation levels) be under warranty? The car has a "limited" (powertrain I think) warranty with the dealer we bought it from, but is still under the new car warranty from Nissan. Also, we bought it on Monday evening and the dealer has a 4 day 300 mile return policy, so if it was really bad we could change our mind. He really likes it and we feel we got a good price.

    Lastly, this tpms is not going to affect anything regarding safety or driveability right? I mean could we drive without the sensors and be fine? We'd just have a light on.

    I live in NJ. It's known to be a bit of a "nanny" state. You fail inspection if the check engine light is on, I'm sure it's a matter of time before they fail us for the tire light!

    Thanks for your help. We just got rid of an older car that made me neurotic about what could go wrong next or what maintenance/repair was needed. Got this much newer one to avoid that! (and of course I find something to obsess over anyway!)
  • mz6greyghostmz6greyghost Member Posts: 1,230
    I'll have my son do that. Can it be a serious problem? Should any problem with the system itself (not inflation levels) be under warranty? The car has a "limited" (powertrain I think) warranty with the dealer we bought it from, but is still under the new car warranty from Nissan

    If the light stays on, in MOST cases it's a sensor in the wheel itself that can go bad, which isn't too expensive to fix. If it's still under the Nissan warranty, it should be covered fully under the Nissan warranty.

    Lastly, this tpms is not going to affect anything regarding safety or driveability right? I mean could we drive without the sensors and be fine? We'd just have a light on.

    It'll be fine. Case in point: we bought separate winter tires/wheels for my wife's '07 Altima, and at the time, the TPMS sensors were WAY too expensive (over $100 apiece!) to even consider, so we go without them for the winter. The only thing that happens is the TPMS light flashing for the first 30 seconds after start-up, then it stays on. It doesn't affect any other system, and since I check the tire pressure religiously...

    I live in NJ. It's known to be a bit of a "nanny" state. You fail inspection if the check engine light is on, I'm sure it's a matter of time before they fail us for the tire light!

    If NY doesn't fail you (where I live), then I highly doubt that NJ would, although I could be wrong... :)

    Thanks for your help. We just got rid of an older car that made me neurotic about what could go wrong next or what maintenance/repair was needed. Got this much newer one to avoid that! (and of course I find something to obsess over anyway!)

    You're not alone. I obsess over NEW cars just as much. ;)
  • jd10013jd10013 Member Posts: 779
    just inflate your tires and they should be fine. I'd also recomend a new tire guage. they're cheap, and can start giving inacurate readings over time.

    keep in mind, air does pass through the tires (in very small amounts), and over time you tires will go flat.

    And if I'm not mistaken, a 10% drop in tire pressure will trigger the TPMS light.
  • jkipejkipe Member Posts: 1
    My son has purchased an oil pressure switch for his 2000 Nissan Altima. Where is it located on the engine? Is there a drawing, picture, etc. available?
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