Nissan Maxima Maintenance and Repair

sgrd0q

Thanks dklanecky! I too looked at tirerack, and my preference was based on the info there. But, I am glad I got some input from another Maxima owner.

I think I'll go for the Michelin Sport A/S. Thanks again!

nissangirl

I discovered this morning, that my son had left a purple crayon on the back seat (light grey cloth) and it had MELTED. Yes, it stained the seat in 2 places. Is this fixable, or is this a hopeless case?

Actually, my problem isn't near as bad as tl3 with his paint bubbling and flaking off - OMG!!

icstars

I've heard, though I've never tried, that you can get dried wax off of another cloth. You need another cloth (perhaps a cotton towel) and an iron.....iron through the towel and over the crayon, and hope the crayon partially melts and sticks to the towel. Is it possible to try this on something else first? Perhaps you might do a google.com search for confirmation of iron setting and cloth to use as a medium....

nissangirl

It just about completely came out. First we scraped the hard part off the seat, then along with a carpet shampooer and DENATURED ALCOHOL, there is hardly a noticeable spot. Not even enough to be noticed. That was scarey, I thought it was going to be hopeless. But, it did take alot of elbow grease.

ramos01

First of all...I LOVE THIS BULLETIN BOARD! Lot's of great info and answers.

My 95 GLE has intermitent difficulty starting...like it's flooded. It will crank, but not fire, until I let it crank for 20-30 seconds. Then it will sputter to a start with lots of blue/white smoke and fuel smell. I've noticed no pattern when the car is hot or cold, or wet/dry weather. It happens roughly every 5 - 10 starts. I was convinced it was fuel-delivery related (fuel pump, injectors), but the error codes point to the Coolant Temperature Sensor. (Those damn sensors!!!) I suppose the faulty sensor is sending too much fuel during starts, hence the "flooding".

My question...Is this something easy to fix myself? Meaning...Is it staring me in the face when I open the hood? Or is it way down deep, requiring taking apart several other parts to get to it.

Side question...Is it safe to replace the 3 easy-to-get-to fuel injectors, but not the other three? I could do 3 myself, but I've heard the other three require some high labor $$ to get to them.

Thanks!!

scriber97

My 2000 Maxima SE check engine light is on and the trouble code read by the guy who did my smog check is P0420.
Closest thing I could find to that was something called TWC Function, right hand bank.
Anyone have any idea what this is?
thanks for any help

alcan

P0420 = Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold (Bank 1)

Where did you get your code info? Try here for OBDII codes:

http://www.batauto.com/OBD2/Pcodes.shtml

blh7068

Took my max over to the dealer and he plugged the OBD II machine in and no codes were stored. Dealer said a possible problem could be a faulty printed circuit. Any thoughts?

jc86

I've tried a product called Pro Honda Spray Cleaner & Polish. I actually bought it from a motorcycle shop. You just spray it on, wait a little while and rub the bug out gently. I think it works great and no water needed.

pegasus17

I wax the front end (plastic though it is) more frequently than the rest of the car and bug guts seem to come off easier with normal washing (soapy warm water and sponge; not pressure washer). I use KIT carnauba wax (it's cheap) and it goes on, and comes off, with little effort. FWIW, just my opinion...

jc86

I use it for bug as well as tar build up on the lower panels behind each wheel and it works wonders.

nissangirl

Really? I was told that was the worst stuff for you car.....now I'm confused. I was also told to try something called Claybar, not sure on the spelling.

By the way, I love this TownHall, all the opinions are great and very helpful.

Now my next problem is I have been offered a really good price for my '00 SE which I love, and was thinking about getting an '03 GLE....is it worth the trouble and additional payments to make the switch? Help! Opinions! Advise!

killahn105

I JUST BOUGHT A 2002 MAXIMA PROBLEMS!!:

A: THE MERIDIAN SYSTEMS' STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT HEAT UP! THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT! WHAT'S THE DEAL?

B: THE DRIVER SIDE HAS LOUD WIND NOISE! THE DEALER DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO THEIR EITHER!

ANY SUGGESTIONS? ANYBODY ELSE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH MERIDIAN STEERING?

THANKS!!

sgrd0q

I can't help you with the meridian steering, but I can suggest you try parallel steering. The equator, of course, is the best of them all

obiwankenobi1

BWHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! sgrd0q...Funny!

But seriously, your dealer is full of crap. Once again, we have a dealer trying to weasel out of fixing something. What is the deal with these people?

Take it back, demand that they fix it, and if they don't call every damn Nissan Customer Service number in the book!

Obi

dirkdaddy

Yes, you can only replace the injectors that are not working properly, no reason to do otherwise. You can also try that Tech named injector cleaner from Wallmart in a few tanks of fuel, its only about $2 and my pop's car idles really smooth now after using it.

niceguy

Hello everyone !

The "brake" and "+ -" signs on my 99 Maxima all came up at the same time today and I'm not sure what's causing it. I had the battery replaced last week and the brake last year.

Any help is appreciated !
Thanks in advance !

niceguy

My Maxima now has the "Engine Service" light on and the "brake" & "+ -" are gone. While we were driving lastnight, the car suddently lost power completely, we had to pull over to the side, waited 10', and it started again.

To cut it short....we took the car to the dealer and still waiting for the call. I'll let you guys know the symptom once I found out from the dealer.

phaworth

I own a 2001 GLE and I have a few questions/problems. My sun roof will only retract/close in 2 inch increments. It just started a few days ago. Anyone else with the same problem? The other questions is about a clicking noise in the shifter area when you step on the brake pedal prior to shifting into gear. Maybe it happens on all Maxs and I just started noticing.Please fill me in if you know anything. Thanks.

niceguy

FYI --- the dealer has found the problem for our 99 Maxima, and that was a "bad alternator". We have to replace it and it costs $550.

blh7068

Dont know about the sunroof...but I'd bet that clicking is some sort of release of the shifter...since the brakes needs to be applied in order to shift out of park. But I dont think it should be too audible if at all. I dont think I hear it on my 02 max.

ccermak

That clicking is a mechanism that unlocks your shifter. The Max won't shift into gear from Park if you don't push on the brake. There's some sort of linkage between the brake pedal and the shift lever. All automatics do that, including my 00 SE Auto. Safety junk.

dmele1

i have 8,000 miles on my max, got it 5 months ago, however, i have a defective Bose radio with 6 indash cd player opton ($1000 upgrade from dealer) which is already defective, speakers fade in and out, and because i have a 7 speaker system it cannot be felt all the time, cause it depends on the position of where the sound is being difused from. Dealership has me waiting 2 months on the radio, any suggestions/?
i have also noticed that the paint job is chipping rather quickly, i only do handwash whenever i was the car, and i waxed it and polished it once since i bought it, but the paint job seems to be coming apart any suggestions???
Overall the car is not what i expected more hype than anything else, if anybody has similar problems or suggestions email me at DMELE72406@aol.com
thank you all

blh7068

I am awaiting( almost 2 mos. now)a new bose 6 disc stereo for my 02 max...though for a different reason(bad changer). Just stay on top of it by inquiring where it may be. I dont have any real paint problems...though I have heard that Nissans paint is pretty thin. My complaints really lie with the dealer. I bought mine as a 1700 mile demo. LOTS of scratches knicks, etc. for a 2 month old car. Wont buy a demo from them again, for sure. I like the car just fine, though.

slaggy76

I was just going to post the same problem having not seen anyone write about it before...the speakers on the left side fade out for periods at a time...i think it might be a problem with the changer too, but not sure...has anyone else had any defects with the Bose? If so, what were the results?

thanks for any advice...

wain

Our 99 infiniti
1st year the 6 disc changer failed - jumped and skipped. Dealer put in a new one.
In 3rd year (car has 4 year warranty) the Bose head unit in the dash failed completely. Dealer replaced it.

My Honda and Toyota radios never failed .
Bose has a problem.

KThomp100

Well, all factory stereo equipment can be junk. The CD changer failed in my Lexus within a year (Nakamichi) and I had the clicking sound when stepping on the brake and it was in park too. I don't remember the solution but they fixed it by either replacing some cable or lubing it up. For those of you with paint problems, what color Max do you have? Mine is 03 Max SE in Majestic Blue with no problems or scratches. Of course, I would NOT let the dealer wash it before he delivered it as it just came off the truck and I wanted to do it myself. 2 coats of Zaino so far and the car is stunning.

georged98

I just started having the same problem with the left side speakers cutting out while listening to a CD. First thing I thought is that the CD Disk has a problem but if I changed tracks or switched betweeen the radio and back to the CD player, the CD would play fine. Looking at the different posts here, I can see that the problem is with the radio and not with my disks. I'll have to call the dealer and make an appointment to have the radio replaced.
I have a 2002 GLE with 7,900 miles on it. So far the car has been great, except for now with the radio problem. Oh well, things happen.

kps0311

I have a '99 GXE 5-speed w/ 25K miles. A problem that I have had since new is that, when the car is first started and the engine is still cold, it is difficult (no, impossible) to drive the car smoothly at low speeds in 1st or 2nd gear. If you try to just "feather" the throttle at low speeds, the throttle acts like a trigger - either on or off. Once the engine warms up, the drivability problem disappears. I asked a Nissan mechanic about it once, and he essentially said that it is a "designed-in defect" that cannot be adjusted out. The problem is so annoying at times that I have considered dumping the car, which has been essentially "bulletproof" otherwise. Has anyone else with a manual tranny Max had the same problem? Apparently, this doesn't show up much in an auto tranny car. I would appreciate any insight or feedback that another reader/owner can provide. Thanks in advance.

stickguy

My '99 SE does the same thing. It only is a problem if I have to go 25-30 MPH when it's cold. Of course, I used to do that every morning, on a slight up hill grade. Never really found a way around the problem, but the severity varied wigh temp, whether AC was on, etc.

I believe it is true that you just have to live with it. Or drive faster.

nissangirl

What will take these out of the paint finish? It seems like I also can't remove water spots off my windows. Any suggestions?

dirkdaddy

My '00 SE 5speed had the well known throttle on/off problem like what you describe, except mine was all the time. Nissan came out with a new program for the car's engine computer and after that was loaded, under 1800rpms the problem is solved. Since you are less likely to have problems above 1800 and it increases fuel milage and/or emissions, I guess they left it alone there.

I'd complain and keep your eye open for software updates.

DD

jdriver

Need help. I have a 1995 Maxima that is doing the same things as message # 1,682,and 808. On last trip after driving 300 miles and coming to a quick stop engine stalled and later had a code of 1001. Checked and found nothing.

ycr1

I have a 2002 Maxima GLE that I purchased 6 months ago. I have put 6000 miles on it. I too am having problems with the CD changer. The speakers fade in and out, but only when playing a CD; it doesn't happen when playing the radio. I took to the dealer and was told I needed a new radio. It's on order. This is my 3rd maxima; had bose system in both and never had a problem. I also agree with those who think the paint job isn't too good on these late model maxs. I'm getting a lot of chips in the paint.

90max

I have an 02Se and agree with the comments re poor overall quality of the Maxima. The Blose cd changer has been a problem since day one -- it "swallowed" the first disc I put in it, and repeatedly skips while playing. The sunroof stopped working, the paint quality is terrible and the fabric seats suck (bent and misaligned). I owned a 90Se for 12 years, 150k miles, and have had more problems with the 02 in 11 months of ownership than in 12 years with the 90Se. Renault's ownership (44%) and management (president Carlos Ghosn) at Nissan IMO are beginning to show. This is a Renault with a Nissan motor. Yuck.

sivi1

bought new 95 gle with michelen mx tires never had any problems until i decided to relace them at 40k mi. replaced them with SEARS michelen roadhandlers. since then i have slow leaks in 2 of the tires. took back to SEARS and they tried to fix. told me this time that i might have to replace alloy wheels. i think they are blowing smoke up my a instead of fixing. any opinions? i also own 02 le pathfinder and 94 s-class m-benz both with alloys and never heard of or had this problem ?

qwerty23

Hi, everebody. I am new to the forum.
I have 02 SE, 3K. Love the car!

Please, help!!

Month ago left sunroof open and it was RAINING!
Spent next day drying. Yesterday discovered
leaking from passenger side. Pouring when i
am making left turn.
Is that connected or is this a separate problem?
How can I get rid of this water?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

merlotglow

I have a 2003 Maxima se that I bought three weeks ago. I've put 1000 miles on it already and noticed the hood shakes when I'm going 75 or higher. I took it back to the dealer and was told all maximas do that. Is that right? I told him had I noticed that on the test drive I never EVER would have bought the car. The mechanic tweaked the rubber stops under the hood, but the shake is still there. Anyone else have this issue? I'm thinking I should have bought an Acura TL, I put over 100,000 miles on an Integra and never had any issues like that. Thank you in advance for your replies.

ccermak

Many people have complained about the "hood shake" you mention. Some have been adjusted and fixed, some have not. I suggest searching on hood and you'll find a lot of info. I would also try the guys over at www.maxima.org. Go to their forum, it's the biggest one out there for Maxima drivers. Look for TSB's (Technical Service Bulletin) on this issue. Good luck.

roar1

TSB # 01-042 details various fixes for the hood. Your dealer should be
capable of fixing this, if not , find another dealer.

BTW, has anyone actually had their Pwr. window / locks problem
fixed with regards to usage of the remote keyfob. Sometimes , all
the doors won't unlock on the 2nd. hit of the button. Also, sometimes
the windows will only go down 1/4 of the way instead of all the way.
I've tried to figure out a pattern of failure but quite honestly,
there is none. Any thoughts !!!!!!!!!!!!

roar1

post # 891 is in reference to '01-02 Max's.

dirkdaddy

I have heard of porus aluminum castings allowing air to escape, but if you did not have trouble before, that sounds like its not the problem. Have them dip/spray tires in soapy water with extra pressure in the tires and see if they can find bubbles escaping. Could be the valve stem.

wain

like the man said change/check the valve stems to rm joint and the valve core in the stem regardless, and put the tire under water - they will leak at the flange to tire area too.

if a porosity in the rim. take the tire off and spray the nside with rustoleum and try it again.

harrisdad

My '98 SE has been showing a code PO744 and my mechanic says that this is an "internal transmission problem". Anyone know what this is?

alcan

P0744: Torque Converter Clutch Circuit Intermittent

rcmax

I have a 97'Maxima GXE with 75000 miles on it. I took it to the dealer as Nissan issued a recall on 97-98 Maximas for potential problem with the alternator.

While waiting for the alernator to be replaced, the technician comes to me and says "Sir, the belt needs replacement as its quite cracked up. We will do it $90 instead of the usual $120 because we have already removed the alternator, replacing the belt will be easier." The alternator replacement was free for me as it was a manufacturer recall. But somehow I was not convinced of the "new" cracked belt problem the dealer discovered. I felt he just wanted to make an extra $90 for a lark. Ofcourse I did not get the belt changed.

I still don't know if by "belt" he meant the timing belt or alternator belt. If its the alternator belt, has anyone of you had to replace it and if so after how many miles?

I will appreciate your feedback. Thanks in advance.

rcmax

djmarr Feb 11, 2002 12:20pm

I had a simialr problem once with my 97 Maxima GXE. Luckily it was still under warrantly and the dealer machined the lock and barrel mechanism within in the steering column and since then it has been fine.

js508

RCMax mentioned the issue he had with his dealer who replaced his alternator under a recall and then indicated that the belts had to be replaced. I had the same problem at IRA Nissan in Tewksbury, MA as the service dept. replaced the alternator and then told my wife that the belts (52000 miles on the '97 Maxima) needed to be replaced. The bill totalled $80.00 I'm becoming somewhat cynical about this particular Nissan dealer as it seems to me and RCMax that the dealers are charging Nissan for the time to replace the alternator and reinstall the belts that they removed to get to the alternator, then they are charging customers labor to install new belts. Seems like they collecting twice. Anyone else have a similar experience with the recall for the alternators?

warrenul

This morning the Service Engine Soon Lit up on my 2K 5 Speed Max. I restarted the car an hour later and the light was still on. Is there a way to display service codes like on GM cars? Also is there a way to reset the computer without having to disconnect battery and erasing radio presets and homelink controls? Thanks.

warrenul

I looked at some previous messages on this board. Post 717 stated that at 31,000 miles his SES light came on. Post 719 indicated that the engine needs the 30,000 mile checkup. Mine just went on at 30,414 miles. Can anyone verify that the SES light comes on at around 30,000 miles to advise of an engine check up? Another previous post stated that the light will reset itself after 50 starts. I am going to try turning on and off the igition switch 50 times (not starting engine) to see if the light will reset.