Nissan Armada

rsholland

Any news on any '05 Armada upgrades?

Bob

bowke28

2005s should arrive around the end of september.

sub9904

Dude you mean no upgrades on the brakes either? How bogus. Guess I'll be sticking with the ole burb. Bummer.

bowke28

dont put words in my mouth. im not talking about brakes or tires or anything. im addressing the question about product changes. i dont know if they will change the brakes or not. i just know they wont add the kitchen sink to the LE.

soldaustin

Well, I was driving down the interstate today and the front end started shaking pretty bad between 60-70 mph. I changed lanes, as I had the tires balanced on Saturday. No change. I slowed down a bit and it stopped. I went faster and it started shaking hard. I had an appointment but afterwards took it back to Sears. The tech called me out to look. All 4 tires were dead on the mark as far as balance. Another tech came over and said that the alignment alone wasn't what my problem was. He said I have a suspension problem. The tires are all cupped but of course they have been rotated 3 times now so it is hard to say if it is the front only. He drove it for about 30 minutes and said he felt the problem, but the weird thing is when you slow down to about 30, it starts to shake again. He said to take it to the dealership because now the alignmet and the balance is perfect so he feels strongly it is something with the front suspension. Of course, this was one of the reasons why I took it to the dealership in the first place because of the steering wheel shaking back and forth over bumps. (dealer said that was normal) Well, now it does it all the time at certain speeds starting at about 4:00 today. (I thought I threw a weight is why I took it back to check the balance) They told me to go to a different dealership and talk to the service manager also as there is a problem. Oh, also since the brake parts are on order they looked at my brakes. There is hardly any pads left and they are squealing. (about 1/8 if I had to guess, I mean nothing!) I was looking for the pad but was so low it was hard to see. I have had the one token rotor turn and am getting another one. Hopefully the rotors will get ruined before the parts come in. It is grinding as of today and I am easy on my brakes. I now have 12,750 miles and this will be the first set of pads. They should have been replaced a while ago it looks like. Tonight the wife told me to look into the 2005 model when it comes out as I like the power and the looks of the truck. The other problems though I just can't overcome. I have lost confidence. Nissan factory didn't call me back as they promised also. (friday or yesterday) So they don't care either. Heck the 2005 isn't going to take care of poor customer relations. ANy other ideas on what kind of vehicle to get?? I drove the Sequoia but they are a little to dated. I don't see anything new out there and I don't want GM as resale is bad here on them. Every other vehicle is a Tahoe. Sorry again for the long post. Back to below square one. I envy you guys who have had no problems!!

soldaustin

Thanks Bowke for the tip. I will try. You know I really want to make this thing work out. If I did decide to trade on a 2005 do you think I would take a beating. I am talking about if I trade on a 2005 Armada. Maybe dumb but it seems the later ones aren't having the problems as my early build. At least not as many. Hopefully they will have these things worked out. You know the funny thing is they are treatng me this way after all the business I sent them. I posted this I am sure before but here it is again. I bought mine, then my friend liked it so much, I went and made the deal for him to buy one (cash for a LE) then just last month, he went back and bought a new Titan for cash (around 30k) He is not happy to say the least. He said he won't deal with them after the way I was treated and he will tell them that. You are talking a combined total of sales of over 100k. You would think they would at least give me the benefit of a doubt to not think I am an idiot just complaining about every little thing that I "think" I hear or feel. I really am not that picky. I think I mentioned earlier that my last vehicle (Isuzu Trooper) was only in the shop one time for warranty work and this was for a tear in the leather seat! Thats it. Anyway, back to my question. I tend to wander these days, haha. Do you think it is worth trading up to a 2005? Or will I get beat up too much even trying after the experiences I have had?

norbn

I think that if you bought your Armada early, you'll take a beating cause right now, they are advertising $7000 off a new 2004 Armada.

aggiedog

I'll not try to steer you one way or the other but you asked for options so here goes...

1st in JD Power customer satisfaction is the Lincoln Navigator. They gotta be doing something right. 2005 has new 6 speed auto and they tweaked the front a little but it is still a Ford.

The new Sequoia has bumped the hp to over 280 and added a navigation system but yes, it's still dated.

You know suv's this size are not that plentiful and if you've ruled out GM then you've ruled out the Escalade, Denali, Yukon XL, Suburban, etc... that means you're back to the Armada or QX56.

I'm still waiting until Oct/Nov. The Armada is still at the top of my list because I think the 05's will be much better than the 04's, but at this moment I think the Nav is the best of the bunch if you're willing to part with that kind of money. Or just wait for the 05's to hit the lots like me etal.

twinbladesz

You do have a (to me) good looking and lower price alternative in the new Durango. I just took my mom to a Dodge dealer lastnite. After looking and talking he said he would sell them a Limited Durango for $29,995. This Limited is pretty much one with just the standard equipment, 6 disc MP3 changer, heated seats. It doesn't have the rear DVD, or Sunroof. Thats the dont thing I dont like about the Armada as much as I love the thing. To get the Nav and a few other nice options I have to get the sunroof in the Tech package. I dont want a sunroof, nor do I need a sunroof. If Nissan would drop that part of the package I would be all for getting an LE Armada with the Nav system.

aggiedog

I forgot about the Durango. I'm not a Dodge guy so it's not been on my radar although I do like the looks of the new Magnum and 300C but only with the Hemi.

bowke28

the durango, although powerful, isnt full size.

alohasurfer1

Just picked up my smoke/graphite LE...love it. Just wish it had some more well thought out features such as:
-lit up controls on steering wheel
-lit up sunroof controls
-full trip computer (ie..miles to empty/avg mpg)
-factory racks do not support Thule rack system on the forward bar, you can only put the Thule on the back section which does not give enought room for a cargo box/bikes etc.

Great truck, just for $40K it should have some more std featues that were on my $30K VW Passat

llajumpvid

"the durango, although powerful, isnt full size"

huh? what's not full sized about it? It's only 6" shorter and 3" narrower than the Armada. It's larger than the Landcruiser and almost equal to the Sequoia. I know when I pull up next to one it looks everybit the "full size" as my Armada does....
I'd agree with that statement if you are talking about the older Durango model but not the 2004, it's full sized.

bowke28

"6" shorter and 3" narrower"

do you know how much that is? vehicle dimensions are compared in FRACTIONS of an inch.

the size difference is the same as the difference between the dakota and the titan.

the dakota is HARDLY full-size.

sub9904

I'd have to agree with Bowke that the new Durango isn't full size. But then I'm not sure the Armada is full size either. It's all relative. To me there are only two "full size" SUV's on the market; Suburban and Excursion. Both can carry 8 or more people plus a bunch of luggage/junk w/out having to get a cargo carrier. Don't get me wrong I still like the Armada hands down over the Suburban but imo it's not really a "full size" SUV and believe it's about 13" shorter than the Suburban.

What is the definition of "full size"? Is it the ability to seat 7 or more? If so, then Suzuki would fall into that category as well as Honda. I'm sure we'd all agree that neither are "full size".

bowke28

i think i define a full size truck/suv as 1/2 ton or better.

rshe

I just got the Yakima MegaWarrior rack with extension.. It fits fine.. The regular Warrior would not fit, without the extension... Does Thule make an extension for your rack?

I am selling my Sears SV-20 for the reason you mentioned above... It seemed gigantic on my 4Runner, but doesn't fit the Armada.

twinbladesz

Is kinda in between. Which is how they classed the last one. Bigger then all other midsizers but not as big as some full sizes. Both the Armada and the Durango can be equipped similarly. Both drive extremely well. Although I can understand the quibble with the steering wheel controls not lighting up. Just about everything else on the Armada is very nice. Just wish they get rid of the sunroof as part of the Tech Package. After testing a Hemi Durango yesterday I have to say both are extremely quick and easy to maneuver. There are a few things that the Dodge comes with that I like over the Armada. Both good trucks. Now if they fix all the reported problems we hear of the Armada is a great vehicle.

prelec

I have an le w/nav. I picked it up 3 weeks ago, thought i had gotten a lemon. it was shakin like a leaf . I looked at my tire guage and the tires were at 48 psi. Dropped them to 35, what a difference. It is a nice car. The steering wheel controls should be lit, as should the seat memory ctrls, snrf ctrl, etc. Other than that its a great car. I'd buy it again.

llajumpvid

Alright I'll concede that it's not as "full size" as the others, but I still feel its in the full-size class (it may be the smallest there though).

I think its to big to be stuck in the mid-size catagory with its storage and seating capacity though.

twinbladesz

Looking at the specs. Its Longer then the Tahoe but shorter then the others. Tahoe has always been considered a full size SUV. It also has the 2nd longest wheelbase with the Armada being #1, although is not as wide as the others. Its also the lightest. Both are good trucks. Ok Back to Armada talk lol.

issyshari

I live in the Pacific Northwest where a basket and bag do not offer enough water protection. Has anyone gotten a cargo box on their Armada? How did you customize? Does anyone have reliable info on development at Yakima or Thule? I have called Nissan 3 times and no one can answer how to do this. I love my Armada, but I can't believe you can make a SUV that can't carry a cargo box!!! Everyone that I have talked to at the dealer and at Nissan NA are stunned when I call this to their attention. I would love any ideas on how to carry bulky but light items that can't get wet (sleeping bags, air mattresses, etc) on top because I've got bikes on my hitch. Thanks for your suggestions!!!

crazyeyes

The Yakima cargo carriers work very well on the Armada. Either the Pro 18 or Pro 21 will carry a decent amount of luggage and cargo. Softer luggage, duffel bags etc. is easier to place than hard cases because of Yakima's design. You can get several hard pieces of luggage in, but then there is alot of other room that softer luggage can fill up.

I have the 18 (dealer didn't have the 21) and it worked well hauling all our camping gear this summer. The carrier opens on either side for easy accesss.

It is very easy to put on (with two people).

We had it loaded up and didn't notice any problems with the roof and you couldn't tell it was on the vehicle other than a small reduction in fuel economy.

They are long, so if you have a wind deflector on your sunroof, it may have to be removed before you use the carrier.

issyshari

So can I assume from your message that the Pro18 or 21 spans the 42 inches between the front and back crossbars? Why doesn't Yakima know that? All they say fits up there is the basket with the extension. I don't want to put an additional crossbar across the back because the tailgate wont open if a box is attached to the rear section only due to the box's overhang. If you have used the standard rack to attach a cargo box, you have the answered the question COUNTLESS people have not been able to answer. Thanks.

btill1

I already had a Thule Evolution 1800 before I purchased my Armada, needless to say it did not fit. What I did was purchase another roof cross arm $80 for the rear rack so i had two cross bars on the back, then I drilled holes into the bottom of the box so it would be longer and reach the two cross bars. It works fine just as good as on my old van, I do not think the people at Thule would like what I have done though.

Also I believe my window has finally been cured from always coming off the track, the service manager glued some of the pieces so they do not interfere with the track anymore.

crazyeyes

Yep, you don't need an additional crossbar with the Yakima. And there is no overhang on the rear so the tailgate opens fine.

I think I had the rear bar all the way forward and the front bar is stationary of course.

The store I bought it from didn't know if it would fit either, but since it's so easy to put on, they just brought it out and popped it right on.

rrachapudi

I have my Armada for about 2 weeks now, put about 1300 miles on it. So far I have not had any problems that have been described or talked about in the forum. Hope it continues this way. The fuel efficiency from the first tank has been 16-17. Not too bad compared to my old Pathfinder. I do feel sorry for other owners who are having several problems.

tiggerguy

My tire pressure monitor freaked out on me today and told me I was getting a flat tire, and lo and behold, it was right! I was about to stuff it with a can of fix a flat, but thought for a second and actually checked the owner's manual, and it claims that you cannot use fix a flat of it will screw up the tire pressure monitoring system. My question, is should I actually go to the dealership for a leaky tire, or just let my backwoods garage play with it and risk frigging something up. I have never had a vehicle with a pressure monitoring system before. It's not leaking bad, but enough that I have to do something before I go too far from civilization.

cpp

Definitely shouldn't use fix-a-flat, Slime, etc, but a trip to the dealer shouldn't be necessary. I cut a tire on my FX and went to my favorite local tire store. If it's a place you'd trust to be careful enough not to gouge your wheel, there should be no problem.

llajumpvid

I believe the sensor is connected to the air valve so it shouldn't be anything that a normal tire repair would hurt.

dklanecky

I think the big deal is to make sure they KNOW there's a TPMS installed on the back side of the valve stem.

I believe you can do some damage to the sending unit if your not careful in removing the tire.

armadabyr

I had my lite come on a week ago. Went to Mobil station and filled up on free air...problem solved.
The things I have had to deal with are:
   Tranny failure at 6000 miles, squeaks in rear, replaced radio (tuner buttons faulty, brakes toast at 14,000 (vdc lite, slip lites came on, could not turn off...dealer fixed all )but was without my vehicle for nearly a month. The front seats lack real comfort (I have the tan leather, that funny thatch look is beginning to tear where the creases are...uh oh (hi dealer...it's me again) The specs on this truck are awesome...too bad mississippi, missed the boat on quality. I'm calling Carlos!

tiggerguy

Took the leaker off this morning and brought it to my tire guy, he fixed it no problem- there was a monster nail in it- gotta love that tire pressure sensor thingie- I am prepping for a 500 mile trip this weekend, glad it gave me the heads up! A word about the jack...I haven't changed a tire using the factory supplied jack since my '78 GMC, so this was kinda pleasurable, if it weren't for the brake dust and hundred pound tire. (My
Mercedes gave me a pair of gloves with the tool kit for this LOL) Really well thought out equipment, the lug nut wrench could be longer, but pretty good otherwise.

   I have about 13,000 miles on mine now. I really can't understand what these people are doing to wear out their tires so fast. Having the spare out from under the truck gave me a chance to compare it to the tires on the truck. Not a heck of a lot of difference, in my opinion. I think I can get another 15 thou out of them, and I do not baby this thing. Otherwise, it's been good, the brakes have had the TSB done on them, I'm living with a few creaks and groans in the body that really shouldn't be there- they gotta do something about the structural strength on this thing. It's been good to me overall, I love the drivetrain. I'm planning on trading in a couple years anyways, was hoping that they can work out the bugs by then so I can upgrade to a QX56, we'll have to see what happens I guess.

aggiedog

I'm not sure exactly what "Revised Sand interior color" means but it may help with the tearing leather. Unless of course, they simply made it lighter or darker.

The 2005 Nissan Lineup - Charting the Changes [Sept. 1, 04]

Enhancements to the 2005 Armada include:
· Standard illuminated key ring
· Standard active head restraints for front driver and passenger and seatbelt pretensioners for the 1st row
· Unique wheel finish for SE models
· “metallic” accent trim for LE and SE models
· New exterior color – Red Brawn
· New power liftgate added to the SE Sunroof Package, SE Upgrade Package is now standard on SE models
· Revised Sand interior color
· LE Upgrade Package is now standard on LE models
· New RearView Monitor added to the Technology Package

scott174

Why can't they change the color selection? The choice of colors are lousy. Why can't they have a color like "Bronze mettalic" like on the pathfinder. Most of there colors are too loud. How can we chart the changes on the mechanical side??? Brakes, resonance,overall quality control,etc,etc.
P.S I heard that NISSAN is "over budget" for vehical buy backs model year 2004!! Guess that means that the quality issue isn't just me.

warrant_ero

Does anybody know what the SE upgrade package is? I looked at the list of available options for the Armada SE and did not see it listed.

warrant_ero

I completely agree with you about improvements on the mechanical side. Hopefully nissan will put something out about this. They are supposed to be test driving the 05's to test all the "fixes". Nissan needs to get this right or they will lose a lot of potential customers, including me. I am currently deployed overseas and looking to get a dependable vehicle for my family. The last thing I need is to buy a problematic vehicle. I do not think that dependability is too much to ask in a vehicle.

aggiedog

I doubt you'll ever see a press release regarding mechanical fixes. You may see something in trade papers or car mags about the success of the "200 Engineers" or a reporter may ask some manager or CEO about the fixes but that will probably be it. And I have no idea what the SE upgrade package is. Can't find it anywhere.

rshe

I just picked up my Armada for the overhead console fix and I was bitching.. My service writer showed me a Quest service order that had 13 complaints, 9 of which were recall items. I have a feeling Nissan is going right back in the Crapper and Renault is going to pull the flush handle...

bowke28

keep it in perspective...

the ford focus had double digit recalls in its first year, and is now one of the most solid and reliable cars on the road now.

the ford escape also had lots of recalls initially, and is the most popular small SUV in the world, and has a better PPU (problems per unit) than even the CRV and Rav-4.

if ford can do it, i think nissan is bound to as well.

rshe

Just installed the Megawarrior w/ extension on my Armada.. Looks great and boy can it carry a ton of stuff....Got the whole thing at a great price at a co. called OSR Racks direct, if any one else is interested...As a matter of fact the price is cheaper than people on ebay were paying! ???

golfhack

Somewhere on this forum I saw a link to a nissan site with complete descriptions of the TSR's (I least I think its TSR's). Would someone be so kind as to repost the link?
Thanks
BTW picked up my LE with the tech package last nite, enjoyed the ride home, little noisy compared to my 99 Yukon

golfhack

My error, I'm looking for the link to TSB's.

indy93

Ford's problem is always execution and shoddy materials. At least they don't start with major structural design flaws that will require major changes to correct. Which they tried to ignore along with their dealers... The interior of the Armada's head liner where all the overhead accessories are installed and the resonance vibration occurs will require more than glue or sound insulating material to fix.(as the roof of the the QX56s/Armadas go wobbling down the the road...) Renault have never been a stellar performer in QC. All three Nissan's Quest, Titan , and Armada are all being cited for shoddy quality.

bowke28

"All three Nissan's Quest, Titan , and Armada are all being cited for shoddy quality."

dont you think that this might be more likely connected to the fact that its a new plant with new workers than the fact that renault dropped 31% cash on nissan 6 years ago?

renault has had no input into product development thus far (might change with the 2006/2007 sentra). nissan had the ideas and renault had the cash. thats it.

adjmcloon

Not only that, but Mississippi mandated that Nissan hire 80% local people. That's 80% of the plant workforce with no experience putting together vehicles.

Things will get better. And by the way, the TSB for the roof fixed my problem. There is no design flaw, only inexperienced workers putting together vehicles. From what I've read things have improved a great deal after June due to the QC engineers coming in. I bet the 05's will be really great. My 04 has been in the shop, but the dealer has solved the issues and all have been pretty minor.

scott174

My Armada has had the "Roof fix" TWICE NOW and is still the same. The Dealer is still stumped, as the structural sealant they used became soft/melted, and flowed onto the Headliner causing greasy stains on it!! When you drive the Armada now over bumpy roads, you can hear the sticky/tacky sealant above the Headliner. QUITE IRRITATING!! I live in California where we have been having warmer temps as of late. Maybe this was Nissans cooler climate fix. I had this supposed TSB fix about 3 weeks ago. This just amplifies the fast that there is an obvious structural defect with the armadas roof design. Regarding Nissan becoming more "Renault like" in quality, It does seem quite apparent. Have you noticed how easily the plastic pieces scratch? My "old school Nissan" interior held up much better.

bayareadude

Has any body installed an aftermarket DVD player in a SE? I am thinking to buy a base model SE 4X4 probably with Bose sound and install an after market DVD player. I was just wondering if the base SE comes with a place holder for DVD player. Thanks

mikef13

Just wondering when the pricing for the 2005 Armada will be out. Going by last year the pricing should be out around the end of September but I am not sure if there will be delays due to the engineers correcting problems with the 2004 models. Any insight will be helpful.

bowke28

we've done several. there are screens that go right in the panel that holds the factory screen, and the DVD player can go anywhere you want. normally, its put in the front-center console if you have little ones, or in the rear console (in capt. chairs models) if your kids are older.