Nissan Murano Maintenance and Repair

fhrabetin

I have a 2003 SL with 67000 miles. Starting having trouble with the AWD light coming on and staying on for no reason (dry roads) at start up approx the 1st month. Brought into dealer, first Ashland OR then Bend OR several times, reason ukn/can't repeat it. Had it checked out last time before 60000 mile warranty up-no problems. At 66000 miles during winter light went on and stayed on. The AWD transmission "piece" went bad, out of warranty, my cost $1400, looking at OR lemon law now as Nissan won't cover the repair. Any similar problems with the AWD? :lemon:

easym1

I'll be happy to sign in a petition.

homeouner

I also would be glad to sign a petition to stop this recall of an ugly remedy to a serious problem. As much thought went into this as there dash board, looks like a Harley- Davidson, but I accepted that, not an air dam hanging down like that!! Where do I sign???

jodyro

I seem to have a similar problem, but my acceleration is fine until I come to a complete stop. Then, if I press the gas to the floor, I have no acceleration - I only idle - for about 3-5 seconds. Then I very slowly start to accelerate. It has happened about 8 times so far. If I turn the car off then on again it still occurs, but if I turn it off for about 20 minutes the problem corrects itself. I can now usually tell when it is going to happen because the acceleration is sluggish and if I take my foot off the gas it engine brakes very heavily. It usually starts happening after highway driving for a while (30 min at least) although the last time it happened I was making a left turn across a very busy 2 lanes of traffic. I just coasted into traffic since I couldnt get the car moving - almost caused an accident.

Took it to my dealer 4 times. Said he reproduced it once but fixed the problem (2nd visit) Today he told me he couldnt fix it unless I could make it happen for him. I have no idea what to do at this point.

I should probably add that there are no warning lights ever come on and the dealer claims that no failure codes are stored in the computer.

chucho79

Your problem sounds IDENTICAL to the problem my wife was having with her Murano. I know it's a long shot, but I think that these CVT transmissions are so new and unless you get your oil changed at the dealership, one of the young technicians may have placed the wrong (red) transmission fluid in your car...it should be green. My wife took her Murano into 3 different dealerships...all of which thought she was crazy because they couldn't duplicate the problem and no codes showed up on the computer. After reading post after post, I finally told the technicians what I wanted done. 2 very simple things fixed the problem...here is my latest update to my situation.

I just wanted to follow up on this for any of you who have a Murano that is acting sluggish and making some grinding noises in the engine. I was originally told by Nissan that I needed to replace my transmission ($5,000) because the wrong transmission fluid had been put in it. They said it was ruined and there was nothing that could be done to salvage it...it was irreversible. I didn't believe them and had it towed to a transmission specialist....they did a transmission service (drained all of the fluid out, let it sit for a couple hours, replaced the filter and gasket, and filled with new fluid), and replace the TPS under my extended warranty...just as a precaution. Well, I'm happy to report that $350 later (including the tow) my wife's Murano is fixed, not acting sluggish, no more grinding noises, and I saved a ton of money. This could or could not be your problem. Just thought I'd follow up for those of you experiencing similar issues.

I hope it helps. If the car isn't under warranty, the TPS is only a $258 part...which may seem like a lot, but I thought it was cheap for the part that I was getting. If it is under warranty, it is covered 100%.

1979280zx

I have a 2004 Murano SL and it started driving hot. Then I noticed it was leaking coolant. The leak appears to be in a hose between the engine and the coolant reservoir. The problem may be caused by the placement of the hose by Nissan--I'm not sure. There is a bolt on one side of the hose and the hose is pinned against it tightly. It looks like the side of the hose was eaten into by the bolt over time because it appears to be leaking there. Because the area is so tight, I can not fit my hands in there and inspect the hose thoroughly. However, I did notice the hose is wet in that specific area. I have about 15,000 miles on the car.

Anyway, I will have it towed on a flatbed on Monday morning so that the dealer can check it out and do the 15,000 mile servicing. Maybe this is a "my car" only issue. Has anyone else experienced this problem? Does your Murano have the same hose pinned against this bolt?

Thanks. I'll let you know about the answers I receive from the dealer.

lipshitz

We are also having the same issues. I drove the '03 Murano and thought it was running out of gas. I filled it up and drove home fine. The next day my wife was driving home from work (63 miles) and the car wouldn't move after she stopped at a light. She called AAA and they towed it to the dealership. The next day they called and said the service Mngr and "Master Mech" drove the car and found nothing wrong and no service codes on the computer. She told them she was driving for 45 min before it happened. They let the car run for 30 min. and then took it up to 75 MPH and still nothing until they turned around and stopped at a light. The car wouldn't move, they cycled though the gears and shut if off. Upon restarting, the engine light came on and after cycling through the gears again got the car to move and "drove it back" to the shop. Then they called my wife and told her there was 12 code issues on the computer and we need a $5700.00 transmission job. I new the car went from 0-60 in 12 seconds but didn't realize it also went from $0 to $6000.00 in 30 min!!. It ran out of it's extended warrenty 4000 miles ago.

user777

Suggest that you request the exact diagnostic codes pulled from the vehicles.
http://www.nissanhelp.com/Ownership/Bulletins/Nissan/2005/NTB05-084.htm
http://www.nissanhelp.com/Ownership/Bulletins/Nissan/2004/NTB04-060.htm
http://www.nissanhelp.com/Ownership/Bulletins/Nissan/2004/NTB04-061.htm
http://www.nissanhelp.com/Ownership/Bulletins/Nissan/2002/NTB02-114.htm

Seems like they are trying to stick you with $$$ for something they should cover.

Frankly I don't see how the transmission would work, not work, work again after cycling power, etc.

I'd take it to another Nissan Dealership. Maybe you need a new TCM programming, or at the most, a solenoid assembly - but a whole new transmission? It's possible, but it's possible it's being misdiagnosed as well.

brentb

Just bought a 2006 Murano, and asked the dealer to make a fourth key (it comes with a valet key). After 3 hours they gave up...After programing all the keys, none of them would start the car. They would unlock the door and fit in the ignition.

Has anyone else managed to get 4 keys that work?

baldwin3

Looking at recent posts, I can only say that the start-stop issue which cures itself after turning off the ignition for 30 seconds is classic for throttle position sensor, which I had, and which other previous posts alerted me to. I am certainly no expert, but transmission failure really is not common to my dealership....but TPS certainly is and was. On the coolant overflow hose...that is a tight spot. I took out my overflow box and checked it..no bolt rubbing and all OK. Great of everyone to share their experiences. I must say, some of these reports are really discouraging and make one wonder whether to keep a Murano after warranty is over. I am glad I have a lease that ends when warranty does...that will be decision month for me..January 08... John B

grooveo

I have a 2003 Murano SE with 42,000 miles. The dealership is telling me that they need to replace the motor mounts. 3 years and 42K? Does that seem extreme or is it just me? Has anyone else had this issue? I just had the fuel dampers replaced last month for about $950.

chucho79

I had a grinding problem in my engine and the dealership said it was because of a faulty motor mount. My extended warranty is through Lexus, not Nissan. They replaced the motor under my warranty...but the grinding still persisted. I trust that there really was a motor mount issue, it just didn't fix the problem I had. So, to answer your question, yes, I was told we had a faulty motor mount at 50,000 miles on our '03 Murano.

chucho79

DO NOT TRUST THE DEALERSHIP! I know that everyone says that the dealership is the only place to have repairs done on your vehicle; however, there are other trustworthy, reputible service companies out there. I'd get a second opinion before dropping $6000.

texan8

Help! I have a 2003 Murano and have recently started having problems with the gas filler lid. It won't open even after I unlock the doors. I've checked the fuse and its good. I've beaten it and done everything I can think of to no avail. I'm going on vacation and I'm afraid I won't be able to get it open. Anyone else had this problem, if so what's the fix. Thanks

1979280zx

Well, I had the Murano towed to the dealer on Monday morning. They said that the pulley from the fan broke loose and leaned up against the hose I mentioned. That split the hose. The dealer has not been able to locate a replacement hose yet. I also had 3 recall issues corrected. One was the gas tank guard and another was the alternator. I don't know what the third one was. Maybe the dealer will find a hose replacement tomorrow.

By the way, I have a 1979 280ZX in my garage. It needed several alternator replacements in its life. I also had a 240Z and 260Z but cannot remember if they needed alternators. The 1979 is a fine car with the original clutch still in it at 89,000 miles.

fhrabetin

This happened to me a few months back, some sort of solenoid died and needs to be replaced. Call the dealer, describe the problem and ask if they have the part in stock. In the interim if you pull the trim in the rear of the car in back of the gas cap lid this problem has a manual fix. They'll probably do this at the dealership or knowledgeable local repair shop so you can keep it filled. On the whole, considering the expense of other repairs, this isn't to expensive.

vprial

This sounds familiar, I am having the same issues with my '03 Murano (in Canada)with the drive train just 9000 miles out of warranty. Took it to the dealer, they diagnosed a failure of one sensor, replaced it & then got 12 error codes. They called head office for help, one week and $400 later the condition has not improved. Now they are telling me I need a new transmission - $6000! I intend to persue this with Nissan - in following the thread this is beginning to sound like a design defect.

augusta2

Whenever I drive on the highway, then get into stop and go traffic, I have absolutely no acceleration. The difference between this and what others have posted is none of my lights come on "service engine soon", etc. Do you think this is the TPS?

susan15

Susan: looks like your part # and the # assigned to the TPS unit replaced for me are the same. Looks like yours is fixed...you can thank me, and I thank the guys who posted before my TPS went out last year...without the clue, (or perhaps a smart dealer service dept)...I might have had all kinds of things replaced...unnecessarily. Good luck. For the record, going to the hospital today, I parked next to a maroon Murano, asked the departing driver how he liked it...it's 2003 he replied, with 33,000 miles. "I have never had a problem." JBBaldwin3:

Well it's been over a month since the throttle body was replaced on my car...and I'm happy to say that so far so good. The day after I got your first email, I called Nissan and asked the service tech if the throttle body included the TPS. He said it didn't. I told him that I was aware that many Murano owners were having the same problem and that the fix was replacing the TPS. He said they wouldn't do it. I asked to speak with the manager. I explained the situation and told him that after 3 failed attempts by their svc dept to fix my car, I would think that they would humor me and replace the TPS before I filed under the Lemon Law. He said he would replace it for me. A few minutes later, he called me back and said that tech told him that the TPS is part of the throttle body which had already been changed 2 days ago. I haven't had any further problems since it was replaced. Thank you again for your help. The info you gave me empowered to speak up.
For anyone else who is having similar or exact problems with acceleration on their Murano, DEMAND THAT THE TPS BE REPLACED!!!!!!
I love my Murano and I'm so happy that this problem is behind me.
Good luck to others in the same situation.
Susan

mbenton

Hi all, I have a 2005 Murano which was great until a couple of months ago when it started experiencing some odd warning light issues. Whenever I have been sitting in stop /start traffic for a while, a number of warning lights will suddenly illuminate all together and the speedo and sat nav also stop functioning. The warning lights are ESP Off, ABS, 4 Wheel Drive Warning and also the picture of a skidding car. Once this has happened the 4WD and ESP buttons do not function and the car generally feels a little less stable on the road. The lights reset with the ignition but will continue to re-appear until the car has been turned off for about an hour.

I have taken the car into our Nissan Dealership who managed to reproduce the problem by stop start driving it round the car park for 20 mins, but their computer diagnostics did not identify any problems. The issue is now happening more and more frequently (sometimes within 5 mins of starting a drive) . I am planning to take it back to the dealer for another look, but as they currently have no idea, I wondered if anyone else had experienced this issue and had any gems of wisdom to offer.

Many thanks

Marion

ckutsmode

I had the same issue the first year I had my 2003 Murano. I was stranded in rural Illinois on business and running on gas fumes when I pulled into a gas station / repair shop. The guy there put silver electrical tape on the latch so that the hook could not grab it.. I recommend this appraoch as your temporary fix before your vacation until you can get a dealer to fix it. I never bothered with the dealer since the electrical tape worked so well:)

good Luck.

Carl

chucho79

Our Murano did the acceleration thing without the service engine light coming on. The guy at the shop thought my wife was crazy (there were no codes in the computer), but replaced the TPS under the warranty to appease her. It fixed the problem. I think it's time that Nissan recalled the TPS on their Muranos...this is too big to be a coincidence.

chucho79

This happened to us 3 weeks after we bought our '03 Murano...the dealership replaced the gas cap and it fixed the problem.

grump_78

Does anyone out there know if you can get the Nissan nav unit installed in a unit that did not have one from the factory? Has anyone installed an aftermarket unit? What is the price of these options roughly and the doability of this? Thanks,

augusta2

I have 38k miles on my car - is TPS still covered under warranty?

ashie

Has anyone had their Murano serviced for the fuel tank recall? I have and I am very disappointed with the outcome. They have changed the appearance of my vehicle in that it now has a piece of plastic visible and mounted to the undercarriage. It is an eyesore! I only purchased my vehicle 5 months ago and I am extremely disappointed if this is the way Nissan amends their fuel tank "problem". Anyone else experienced this?

homeouner

I found out this bit of info today on fuel tank recall. Stopped at Victory Nissan to look at the shield. The two pieces of black plastic clipped into two Mfg. holes in the floor stiffener can be seen from the side,not a pretty view,but it does not hang lower than the exh. pipe. This shield plastic is the one that is being installed on the tank campaign. I looked under 7 MO and 5 of them had a neat alum.shield formed over the front and side of the tank and apx. one third of the bottom of each lobe of the tank. I told the service mgnr. I wanted one of the alum. shields like the 5 out in the yard. He said the alum. was on all wheel drives. Not so, two whl. drives have the alum. shield also. The nice alum. parts are probley installed at the factory. There is already an alum. shields protecting the tank tunnel and the new shields are incorporated. Let object to the plastic and demand the alum. shield.

lisa05

So did you ask and receive the alum shield? or did they give you the plastic one? I also have my 05 MO serviced at Victory and I need to have all 3 recalls (seat belts, new gas tank and tank shield) done. I'm nervous about letting them mess with a car that has worked well. I'm reluctant to give up my car for a whole day until I'm sure this is the right thing to do and that they really know what they're doing. Does anyone know what happens if we choose NOT to have these recalls fixed? Any liability? does it affect resale or lease turn in value?

ccappy

I have a 2003 Murano with Transfer case problem at 65K miles. Can anyone direct me to a discussion thread about this. Thanks.

tidester

Type the words "transfer case" (without the quotes) into the search box at the top of this page. You'll find several items on the subject.

tidester, host

chucho79

I'm not sure...most manufacturers warranties are only 36K...we bought an extended warranty. I think you can still buy an extended warranty through Nissan, even if it's past the 36K.

nikeshox

Hi,
I have a 06 Murano. The hazard warning light doesn't work. Has anyone encountered this problem with a 06 Murano?

Thanks

ccappy

Has anyone had their transfer case go bad after warranty? My 2003 Murano has 65K and requires over $3000 repair. Please let me know.
CCappy

augusta2

I first called them about this problem at 35k and they wouldn't make an appointment for me unless I could bring the car there while the problem was happening. I'll be putting up quite a fight if they try to charge me for this.

easym1

I have been holding back on my recall for fuel shield with hope that there will be a nice replacement shield other than the plastic one.

Let us know if you're able to get the aluminum one.

ashie

I went back to the dealer and told them that I was not happy with the changes to my car with this lovely plastic piece attached. The service agent told me that I need to take it up with Nissan directly since the plastic piece is the only apparatus given to the dealer to amend the situation. Apparently no other Murano owner who has gotten the recall service at this dealership has reported a complaint about the appearance. I guess they do not like the look of the Murano as much as I do or did. I will report any news from Nissan once I get it.

homeouner

Re: Tank shield; The service manager at Victory indicated the plastic was the one to be installed. I did not buy the MO there,so I did not press him on it: he said he would be happy to install it,its work for them. I will call Hall where I purchased it,I know the serv. mngr. there, mabey he can get me an alum.shield. After the plastic shield is installed one could use aviation tin snips to cut the lower corner of the shield, the lower outside end that shows.I dont think the exposure of a little of the tank would catch any debrise, altho one would be tampering with the intended safety purpose of the shield. I feel the only way to get the alum shield is to complain enmass to the company to get the alum. shield. After all we early owners are just as entitled to receive a nice looking safety shield as later buyers.

satrista

Tomorrow I'm going in for my 7500 mile service on my 2005 Murano. Anything special I should ask for or inquire about? I've been lurking on this board since my purchase and have been impressed with the knowledge of all that participate. Thanks in advance for any advice or wisdom that you can share.

1cando

I just had my tank replaced for my '05 Murano and though the shield is unsightly, my concern is the very loud rattle sound coming from below the cargo area, which was not present b4 the replacement. I was hesitant to go ahead with the recall, and now I wish I would have stuck with my "gut" instinct". My local Nissan dealer will be hearing an earful come morning. BTW, I dropped my Murano with a 1/2 tank of fuel, and they said it wouldn't be a problem and it was returned with a half tank.

baldwin3

Yesterday I was at the dealer for my faithful 01 Pathfinder...and saw a 06 Murano, got down and really looked at the tank. It was a FWD, but they are coming from the factory with "stick-on" 1/4" plastic "shields" on the front sides, dribbling a bit back onto the flat surface. The dealer (Central Valley Nissan, Modesto, CA)...service guys probably know less than we do, but they install for those who wish, the plastic vertical barriers...self-threading screws, ugly, so what. That is what they are told to put on. The factory-stick ons are not available to dealers.
Personally, the odds of a hole-out from a shooter nail or rock from the front tire are so much less than a rear-ender from an illegal Mexican where we live, that I cannot bother to worry about the "problem"..which, is lawyers and so forth, not really worth my time. As long as the Murano runs, the check lights stay off and the TPS goes...fine with me... John B. in Twain Harte, CA

crystiea

My '03 murano has 24,000 miles on it. I took it to the dealer because my trans. was slipping. They said they reprogrammed it, but now I've found that my tranny is leaking. I'm taking it back to them tomorrow.

kariuki

Hi I have a 04 murano and I just purchased it in january, I have had like 6 wheel alignments and the vibration and shaking has not gone away, also when I hit speeds of 60mph it produces some very wierd sound, it does not idle well.

kariuki

I just bought an 04 murano se fully loaded, I have been having problems with it. I have had it aligned almost 6 times and I just got it in January of this year. It shakes and vibrates when I hit 55mph and also I hear some funny noises when I start up, also when I hit a bump or pot hole I can hear a knocking sound, I really dont know what is wrong with my car, anytime I take to the dealership they always say it is the alignment that needs to be fixed but that has not solved any problem. I am so tired, I even regret to why I bought it, can someone help me with this. I would really appreciate.

easym1

I suggest you find another dealership. Just make sure you document all the repairs. I believe that USA got a lemon law in case you reside there. Unfortunately for us here in Canada, I don't believe that we have the same consumer protection. Some of our friends on this site might know more on how you could qualify for the lemon law. Good luck and keep us informed. We have alot of smart people on this site and hopefully someone can help you.

art234

I have a 2003 Murano with 41K miles. At 36600, the transmission was replaced. Now the replacement tranny acts a little wierd-a clunk when going into reverse sometimes (like it missed going in and fell into gear), and when decelerating from about 40Mph in some cases the engine revs up to about 3000.

I am probably trading it for a Lexus RX400H.

Any thoughts?

alanpgh

Was your MO still in warranty when the transmission failed?
What was the cost?
That's enough for me to take out the extended warranty before I reach 36,000 miles!

Thanks,
Alan

art234

Alan,

The vehicle has a 60,000 mile power train warranty, so it was covered, but I also have a 100K extended warranty (because I bought new technology first year).

A bigger issue is that the failure of the original tranny was more due to a pressure sensor on board, rather than the actual mechanical unit. The CVT is a sealed unit, according to the lead mechanic at my dealership, and if a failure code is read by the computer, in most cases, they have to change the transmission.

My symptom was that the car would not reverse--engine would only go to 1500 RPM and was not enough to back up my driveway, which is 300 ft on a hill. First it wouldn't go forward either, but I cleared the problem by turning the car off and on again. The code was read at the dealership and they ordered a transmission.

baldwin3

Well, I got the famous recall for a tank shield and rear seat belts-05 Murano. I have coated the front of the
tank(s) with rubber spray undercoating, building up about 1/4 inch of protection. In doing so, I am sure that I correctly observed that the gas tanks (my AWD is "split" by the driveshaft into two) are PLASTIC.
Right there, weight-saving measures and design-putting the tank where it is instead of in back-creates the problem. From the posts, I remain steadfast in refusing to put a plastic "shield" in front of my plastic gas tank for a 1/million nail shot and frankly, the rear seat belt item, as it reads, is another million chance thing. Again, if it ain't broken, don't fix it...you might make it worse. As to resale, or if your car burns up from a shooter nail without the shield...well, the heck with it. As long as the CVT works and the lights on the dash don't indicate doomsday, I love the Murano. I still say they make cars too complicated and now the chickens are coming home to roost, not just for Murano, but read Audi, VW and BMW to get the same, and much worse threads of failure. John B

fourputt

I had bad vibration problems on my '04 Murano after I had the tires balanced at a local tire dealer. I took it back three times and they could not get the vibration out. I finally took it to another dealer, one that specializes in alignments and balancing and they fixed my problem. Seems the first dealer used clamp-on weights on the wheels instead of stick-on, the kind it had from the dealer. Once the tires were rebalanced (two plane) with the right weights I have no more vibration. None what so ever.

all19

I have an '06 Murano. For the past 3-4 months the brake pedal has been very squeaky. It's not the brake itself screeching, it's the pedal inside the car.

I've brought it to Nissan three times now and each time they say they've fixed it, but no improvement. First time they said it was the spring which they oiled up and it didn't help. Next week I brought it back and they said the same thing. But when I insisted that it didn't help the week before they decided that it was definitely the cruise control switch. So they order a cruise control switch. Three weeks later it was installed. And again no improvement.

Has anyone else had this annoying problem and has anyone found a solution?