Ron, Sounds good, exactly what I do with my 2 current vehicles. 3 questions? I called Tire rack and they said only a few wheels have the clearance for the sensors. Which wheels did you purchase?
Then I called my dealer to ask about the programming cost and they said 1 hour EACH TIME I change my tires or about $60 and my time twice each year. Did your dealer tell you that the TPMS needs to be programmed each time you change tires?
I'm thinking of really asking my dealer if it's a cheaper 10 minute job or possibly going without Sensors in the winter. So, did the dashboard have an annoying blinking warning when the TPMS was not working?
I put Nokians on my soon to be departed Windstar and Blizzaks on my Maxima. They both are great in the snow. I fully recommend 4 snow tires for anyone driving in the snow. It's a risky place to try and save money.
FYI for those with sliding door rattles- we just had our SL in for its first oil change and to have the TSB on the door rattles done. The dealer notified me that they adjusted the sliding doors (and rear hatch as that wasn't latching properly) and that both upper sliding door seals on (the body) needed to be replaced. They need to be replaced because the doors, through their mis-adjustment, had overly compressed/gouged the leading edge of the seal and the door was not sealing evenly over its length. Apparently, the doors were somewhat angled in at the front edge and out at the trailing edge, leading to the rattles. The adjustment has eliminated most of the rattles and when the new seals come in, they will probably be eliminated. There also seems to be a slight rattle with the drivers door that I will also have adjusted when I have the seals replaced.
I got the Mille Miglia Spyders. Note that they are a 7.5" wide rim and that's the widest rim a 215/65 Blizzak can fit on (according to manufacturers specs)- my installer had a difficult time getting that tire on those rims but it can be done with a little persistance.
The TPMS display just read "#.#" instead of the normal psi read outs- no blinking or beeping. You could probably do without it but I thought it would be a worthwhile feature to have year round. I've had the experience of having a snow tire start to go flat and not feel it due to slushy driving conditions. It's not fun to have to change a tire in a pile of snow and slush when your vehicle is parked at the curb!
As for the charges and re-programming: I certainly hope it doesn't take an hour next spring when I reinstall the all seasons- maybe I got off lucky by not getting a charge for this service ( then again, this is the third car and second Nissan (2k1 Maxima for me too!) we've bought from this particular dealer). I'll have to find out about the reprogramming and charges for it when I take it in to have the sliding door seals installed.
Your hourly labor rates are much less than ours- they charge $85.00/hr at our dealership. No complaints with the quality of service -so far.
Thanks for your answer. We just ordered our van so I am not familiar with it's gauges yet. But I sure am looking forward to getting it, hopefully before our Christmas 700 mile trip to the grandparents.
Yes, I agree, I don't mind paying for the sensors to get year round protection. My wife was driving our minivan on a long trip and complained about how windy it was since we were swaying. When I started driving, I knew immediately something was wrong. Found one tire so low that we thought it was damaged so we scrapped it. But it could have led to a blow-out with our 3 kids in the car. I still remember a horrible news photo several years ago of a grieving dad next to his son's body with a flipped over Firestone-Explorer in the background.
Yeah, the $60 was just a guess, they probably charge more. I'm going to ask the service manager again how long it really takes to program it (probably 10 minutes)and would they do it for minimal cost if I go to them for an oil change at the same time. I'll let you know their answer.
Just came across this forum (wish I had seen it earlier) - I used Edmund's for pricing, but never saw these forums.
Anyways, I bought a 2004 Quest S model back in August and just like everyone else, I had those ANNOYING rattlying noises from the passenger sliding door and a clunking noise from the rear seat. I took it into the dealer I bought it from 3 times to no avail. Basically, I was resigned to living with these annoying sounds. Then, when I took the van in for an oil change, we took it to a different dealership and decided to have them take a look at the rattling sound as well.
Almost like a miracle, they adjusted something and those rattling and clunking noises went away - I don't know if it was fixed by the ntb03080 bulletin or not, but thank goodness it was fixed.
The latest thing at around 4500 miles that I've experienced is a leak in the transmission fluid tube (or hose) that ultimately led to the van being undriveable - had to get the van towed into the dealership. They ordered a new transmission and completely replaced it to be sure. Hopefully this was an isolated incident and not something defective in general.
By the way, to continue one of the other postings about the extended warranty, I got the Gold plan for 7 yrs/100K, $50 ded. for $1095. More for peace of mind - even though it probably isn't the best of plans (since it's just mechanical breakdown and not wear and tear - and it doesn't cover audio systems).
I put the Nokians on the stock rims. I was going to get a second set of rims just for the snows...but I wanted the pressure sensor to work.
The whole point of a second set of rims, IMHO, is to be able to swap the tires yourself at the end of the season vs. paying a tire shop. If you must go to the dealer for reprogramming...I'd just as soon pay the $40 for seasonal swapping onto the stock rims and get a rotation and balance out of it, which you typically need twice a year. Ultimately, the price for the convenience of a second set of rims was too high considering the TPMS issues.
Of course, you could just let the TPMS show ### and manage the tire pressure yourself just like you've done your whole life. When you don't have crappy OEM tires it isn't as critical a safety issue.
Has anyone had a problem with the washer on the rear window? Ours doesn't spray at all. As a matter of fact the front doesn't spray far enough up the windshield to do much good.
I am currently considering the SE, and after two test drives my major concern is the interior plastic material used in the center console, cup holder, door storage units, etc. I have a 19 month old child and another due in March, and I am concerned that over the course of the next five years these parts will undergo some significant wear and tear. Has anyone had any trouble with these pieces cracking or breaking off?
Because of posts 266-270, I am updating the progress made by Nissan on fixing the washers on my 3.5S. Since my earlier post #223, I have submitted an official complaint with NHTSA and established a case number with Nissan. Furthermore, the Dealer has been working with Nissan engineers in California.
About 2 weeks ago, the nozzles were replaced with new ones which were no improvement. Nissan then overnighted a new cowl with replacement nozzles which didn't work either. I was told by my dealer that now Nissan would send an engineer (engineers) to Minnesota to work directly on the problem this week. At this time I don't know if this happened.
The fact that the front washers are totally inadequate has been acknowledged by Nissan. Regarding post #267, I urge the frittob to try the washers at highway speeds. The spray put out by the washers is much too fine and is consequently swept away by the air stream before it hits the glass. When stopped, as noted by post 268, the spray hits only the bottom of the windshield.
There's only one speed for the back wipers, so (hopefully) you just have an isolated problem.
I've used the sprayers quite a few times (had some real slushy weather last weekend:), but admittedly not at top speed. I'll give that a try next time.
One thing that does bug me a bit, the passenger side wiper blade stops vertically right in the middle of the drivers line of sight. Usually not a problem, but on snowy or slushy days, it leaves the residual vertical line right in the drivers line of sight. Not a big deal (a little extra washer fluid usually cleans it up), but it is noticeable.
Dealer had factor specialist look at 2004 Quest S sliding doors noises. He found loosely routed cables (I assume wiring) in the bottom of the sliding door. After securing them the rattle went away. Quiet at last.
No, no...everythings fine as far as the doors is concerned. I think it will just be a minor maintainance item for me. 5 minutes with the WD40 once a month or so. No problem. I can deal with that.
Thanks for sharing your discovery with us. The reports seem to show that quite a few owners have gotten relief with you tip, whether they used the WD40, tried spray silicon, or used the White Lithium Grease that listed in the owners manual.
The rattles in the sliders continue. I took my van back to the shop and the service people did the following: 1. They did the procedures covered by TSB NTB03080, which essentially consists of realignment of the sliders and lubricating the hinges and latches. After this work was done, the technician working the problem and I went for a drive and found it did not correct the problem. 2. We came back and there was some other work done (not described to me) and we went for another drive and the rattles continued. The technician indicated that he was going to pull the door panels to see if anything was loose inside. He must have worked a full two hours. When he returned to me, he said that he had pulled the panels and had someone drive while he looked at the doors but he could find nothing that was loose and the rattles continued. 3. Meanwhile, they contacted the Nissan technical people who instructed them to insert a plastic hose around the rollers on the doors. After this was done, the service consultant wanted the technician to take another drive with me but he seemed reluctant (he seemed frustrated that he was unable to solve the problem) so I had little confidence that the plastic hose would work. At this point, the service consultant informed me that if inserting the plastic hose did not solve the problem, I was to bring the van back and that they would probably need the van for upwards two days providing me with a rental car. The rattles continued. So, I set up an appointment for after Christmas. I am really impressed with the service personnel; not only are they very apologetic for the problem but they seem to be determined to fix it.
But let me ask this. Did anyone ride in the back to try and pinpoint the source of the rattles?
I ask because, quite a few of the rattles that were thought to be coming from the doors, were acutally the 2nd and 3rd row seats.
The seats will rattle going over bumps, because they are not fully bolted to the floor, but merely latched and hinged so they can fold. There is a lot of play in them, and I've seen reports of the rattles going away when they were adjusted to fit more securely.
I'm not sure I understand why you call it a "bummer". I am working with the technicians who are responsible for fixing these problems. When I rode with the technician who sat in the back seat indicated to me that there was no question that the rattle was coming from the slider. I also rode in the back seat and although there is some noise coming from the rear, it is distinquishable to that coming from the slider. I am of the opinion that we should let these problems up to the technicians to solve rather than trying to solve them ourselves. Further, if we don't report these problems to the technicians who, in turn, report them to Nissan, it is my belief that we are doing the manufacturer a gross injustice in resolving these problems, particularly since we are dealing with a brand new design. I perfectly understand the desire of the owner to fix a problem because I am an owner. Let me give an example of what I am trying to say here. From day one, there was a loud poping noise when opening the passenger side door all the way. So, I tightened the bolt to the door stop. That lasted for about two months and it started again. This time I left it to the technicians to solve and guess what? There was a washer missing and no matter how many times I would have tightened that bolt, it would have continually come loose. If there is essentially a design flaw or a manufacturing flaw with these sliders, I do not believe that using WD40 will ultimately resolve the problem. Let me hasten to say, this is only my opinion and I could definitely be wrong because I am certainly not an expert, I am only a consumer. I believe that the technicians want to know these problems because as the technician said to me that because this van is a brand new design, they are just starting to learn how to fix these problems.
P. S. If I understand you correctly, I agree with you that it really is a bummer. But, I am still confident that things will work out to a positive conclusion.
raul4, loosen up man! I'm trying to let you know I'm with you. Offering moral support, in other words.
Please don't think you're being attacked all the time. What's the point in that? This is a forum. We're all in the same boat as Quest owners, and we're trying to be helpful to each other.
What was suggested about the WD40 (weeks ago, I might add) was just a good faith attempt to help you solve your problem. You've made it abundantly clear that you never believed in this very simple solution that solved the problem with the doors for some of us. But it did work for us, so please don't knock it just because it didn't work for you! That's what you call, sour grapes!
I sincerely hope your problem is solved soon...by any means necessary (to quote a famous american). But when you report problems you're having in these forums, and then jump on people when they offer possible solutions that may not conform to the way you see the situation, you run the risk of cutting yourself off from potentially valuable insight.
To get the most help, let people feel free to speculate on possible solutions without their opinions being trivialized. That's what the creative process looks like.
Clearly, the "technicians" have yet to find the answer to your problem. Maybe, just maybe, someone here has the answer. But you will likely miss it because you're expecting it can only come from a certain source, or wrapped a certain way. It's been often said, that a closed mind is the hardest thing to open.
Is anyone having this problem? The radio is fine, having a fm stereo sound, then goes down a few notches? It is not a volume type sound, it is the reception that goes down and it is hard to hear.
Hard to explain, but if you have experienced this problem, help me out please.... Does it more on one station, but does it on all stations. Doesn't matter how loud I have it or if I am moving or going over a bump...that doesn't effect it. Does it all day long...drives me nuts.
I have the SE and also have the rattles in the doors, 3rd row seat and occasionally have the navigation act up....
Haven't taken it in yet, waiting a while to do it all at once.
The Quest radio has a feature that allows it to automatically adjust the amount of sound coming out the speakers, based on the ambient noise in the van? I can't think of the name right now, but this may be what is going on with yours.
I had to turn mine off, cause it got too irritating...up and down every few minutes. You control it through the settings button on the dash, and with the joy stick.
Also, some of us (but not all) have had very good success in eliminating the door rattles by lubricating all the door hinges, sliders and connecters, and I've seen in some posts that the seat rattles have been eliminated by either lubricating and, or the dealer tightening the connection brackets to eliminate exessive seat movement over bumps.
shenkar - First of all I was simply trying to be pfunny when I asked about the "bummer". I'm sorry for being ambiguous. Secondly, I used the WD40 and it didn't work so I don't think that is indicative of having a closed mind. You yourself have posted on this thread that you have to use WD40 at frequent intervals to maintain the absence of rattles. That seems to me to be an unreasonable requirement for such a sophisticated machine particularly when it seems to me lubrication of hinges and latches need only be done at much wider intervals. I am certainly pleased to hear that WD40 works for some and it has nothing to do with the feeling of sour grapes. I just don't believe it is the long-term solution. You are right - this is a forum and we should be able to express our opinions "honestly" and "openly" which is what I thought I was doing. And, finally, I wholeheartly extend my sincere apologies for apparently upsetting you again. That was certainly not my intent. Happy "Santa's Day"!
I think what you are referring to is sensitive control volume (SSV). It looks as if there are a number of different settings, i.e., OFF, LOW, MID or HIGH. It is described on Page 4-34 of the owners manual. Good luck!
I just bought an SE and I'm quite satisfied. I do however have some questions that I'm hoping some of you seasoned Quest owners can help me with:
1. I've got rattles in the sliding door on the driver's side. Where exactly do I spray the WD-40?
2. What does the RPM gauge read when cruising at 80 mph? Do you find that the RPM gauge goes above 3K during normal acceleration?
3. When you turn on the AUTO temperature control, should the A/C go on? I thought A/C was only supposed to be used when you wanted cold air. I know this might sound stupid, but are you supposed to use the A/C for hot air as well?
4. Are the roof cross rails fixed or can you move them closer together?
5. Is it normal for the navigation system to freeze for about 5-10 seconds sometimes?
I would greatly appreciate if other owners might help me with these issues.
1. I've got rattles in the sliding door on the driver's side. Where exactly do I spray the WD-40?
---There are 3 points on the front door frame of each sliding door, and one point on the rear frame of each door. The upper and lower points on the front frame are the upper and lower dovetails. They simply guide the door into the correct position for latching. The middle connector in the front, and the one on the rear are the actual latching points. There are matching connectors on the front and rear edges of each of the sliding doors.
You want to spray all 4 connectors on the door frames and all 4 on the doors themselves. A total of 16 points in all, for both of the doors.
You may also choose to spray the transporter arms that the doors slides on in the track, for good measure.
You will also notice something on the front edge of the door frames that has 7 little copper nipples on it and a matching device on the door itself. This is the contact switch. Do not spray it.
You may also want to spray the latches on the rear tailgate and also the seat latches that secure the folding seats in the second and third rows.
After you do this, you will notice an immediate and dramatic reduction in "rattles" and clatter from these places.
2. What does the RPM gauge read when cruising at 80 mph?
---Around 2,800 RPM
Do you find that the RPM gauge goes above 3K during normal acceleration?
---For me, sure. But I don't know what's "normal acceleration" for you.
3. When you turn on the AUTO temperature control, should the A/C go on? I thought A/C was only supposed to be used when you wanted cold air. I know this might sound stupid, but are you supposed to use the A/C for hot air as well?
---A/C may cycle on until AUTO climate control is set to maintain temps higher than 78.
4. Are the roof cross rails fixed or can you move them closer together?
---Can be moved closer together, or removed completely. Highly recommend removal for much reduced wind noise from turbulence. Use Torx wrench located with spare tire.
5. Is it normal for the navigation system to freeze for about 5-10 seconds sometimes?
--- If you're under bridges, overpasses, trees or around a lot of tall buildings, this may occur somewhat often. It's just trying to "see" the sattelites, and figure out where it is, so it can let you know..
I'm in South Carolina, so extremely cold temps are not usually a problem. However, yesterday morning it was 20 degrees and the passenger side auto sliding door would not fully close and would return to the fully open position. After numerous attempts, I moved the van into the sun, and an hour later it finally shut when it warmed up enough. This happened one other frosty morning but did close on the 2nd attempt that day. Anyone experienced this? Of course, a call to my dealer yielded "we haven't heard of that". Is there a way to manually override the auto door? I checked the owners manual, but missed that part if it is there. Thanks.
One intermittent problem we continue to encounter is a silent radio. Start up the car and the radio controls work, volume visibly raises, but there is no sound! Nothing will correct the condition (steering wheel controls, rear controls, on/off) other than turning OFF the engine and... waiting a few seconds.. restarting. We brought it to dealer, who could not duplicate, then brought it in again when the condition existed, mechanics were dumbfounded and ordered in a new radio. Radio replaced, problem still exists. Will keep you posted as to outcome, but if anyone has any ideas, it would be appreciated.
P.S. We (my wife and I) have two other vehicles, both AWD. Our 91 Caravan, which my wife swears by in snow, has been retained to get us through the winter. What we have both noticed, however, is that on packed down, icy snow, the Caravan had some slippage and the Quest was rock-solid! Vince
I, too, have had this problem since buying the Quest in 9/03. I am convinced it has something to do with the driver's side sliding door (non-power for us). The problem always happens within a day of having used that door, which is not used often. Then, what has always fixed it was turning off the van, then opening and shutting the door. A co-worker experienced the problem in his Quest and tried my trick and it worked for him, too.
The problem actually happened this past Friday when I was scheduled for my first oil change. So, I drove to the dealer in silence and they got to experience the problem first hand. They have placed a call to Nissan, but no answers yet. Greg
I brought my 2004 Quest for service because I was getting cold air coming out from the 2nd row and 3rd row vents even though I had the heat on the front console. The mechanic said that all 2004 Quest don't have rear heater options. It's only AC. Does anybody with Winter low temp is encountering this problem??? I had the direction to be Bi-Level (between Blue and Red indicator on the rear). Even the Full RED or or underseat vent doesn't blow warm air.
My pleasure to help. I live in Georgia too (Atlanta) so we've got to help out the locals whenever we can(:^))
Oh, BTW, let us know how the WD40 (or any of the other suggested lubes) works for you. We're trying to get a fix on what percentage of the vans with rattles are being helped by this simple solution, and what percentage are requiring a more intensive solution.
Thanks for that input, but it is in the off position....I have tried that and it doesn't help. The sound decrease isn't like that feature, it is litteraly like loosing reception it is really weird. I am not sure how to explain, but I can duplicate to a tech when I bring it in. If anyone reads this and finds the same problem with theirs, please reply.
As far as the nav. freezing..mine has done that many times as well.
once upon a time, car radios had a manual stereo defeat button which put it into MONO when the signal became too weak for consistent stereo reception and presentation.
does this problem occur on all radio channels or just one of your favorites? if the latter, it's possible this is somewhat normal, perhaps your radio is doing a volume defeat so the static isn't overwhelming?
if the former (on all or most channels), perhaps your antenna has been disconnected or has an intermittent connection with the radio?
just a guess.
does it happen only when moving or also when stationary?
Thank you so much for your input. I am glad that you understand my problem. I have been trying to keep track of when this happens and what station. What you say does make sense and I will keep you posted.
Yes it does it all the time, and it happens more on one station than the others, but it does do it on all, but not sooooo obvious. I do not understand this because it is a well established radio station in the Bay Area and I have never had this problem in any of our other vehicles. I could start the car up and just sit there and it is fine. It is when I start to drive you can hear the difference.
I am wondering if something is not connected correctly as we do have the wireless antenna. I am wondering if the DVD player is somehow connected. I cannot seem to turn the thing off. My remote does not work...will try another set of batteries to diagnose that problem and some of the buttons do not seem to respond very well.
I tried something else today. If you push the button for the head phones to remain on, then it doesn't seem so obvious, but then you do not get the full sound coming from the rear. I am playing with that idea a little.
I definitely do know that something is not right, and I will have to have it checked because I need to crank it up so I don't have to listen to all the rattles in the doors, rear seat and overhead console that is a little loose.
Oh yeah, the passenger door sticks like crazy. You gotta give it a few good pulls before it opens up.
Anyone experience a noticably high number of paint chips appearing at the leading edge of the driver's side rear wheelwell?
Although we have mud flaps it appears the stones must kick up onto the painted area and hit just before the plastic sticker that is supposed to protect from stone chips.
My passenger side does not appear to have the problem as badly which leads me to wonder if it has more to do with oncoming traffic or if the door is not adjusted the same and that area does not get the same level of protection.
The upper courtesy light, passenger side, middle seat row was shorted on my van. This blows the battery saver fuse so none of the interior lights work.
Can somebody from the colder area of the US see if their 2004 Quest blows hot air from the back bottom of the front driver and passenger seats.
I can't seem to get any air heat from these outlets even though I have the vent control to the RED/DOWN position. I assumed that these vents are for the 2nd row passengers. I was told by my Nissan Service that it is the way as designed but I have doubts.
I can get heat coming out from the bottom vent located between the 2nd and 3rd row seat. This vent suppose to provide heat to the 3rd row passengers.
Does the Ceiling vents suppose to be able to vent warm air also??? I always get cold air from these areas too even though I had the bi-direction indicator on (Between BLUE and RED on the controls).
I've had my Quest for a couple of weeks now and have experienced absolutely no problems at all with hot air, creaks, etc.
I've read so many of your postings and I hope I do not have your problems as they sound awful and in many cases chronic.
The purpose of this post is simply to state that I have had a great experience with this car, I love it and at this particular point in time I have not one complaint.
Thanks for posting the good news about your van. I wholeheartedly suspect that your experience is the rule, while much of what you read hear are the exceptions. These forums are by their very nature, sounding boards for issues and problems which hopefully can be resolved by comisirating with and supporting each other.
The people like yourself, who have no problems, have no need to spend time here. They really don't have much to add to the discussion, as far as problem resolution is concerned. Besides...they're all too busy out riding in their sweet Nissan Quests! Merry Christmas!(:^))
It looks as if you have a few nasty problems. Certainly sounds like your radio has a connection problem somewhere. Have you had it back to the dealer yet? I would be interested in knowing how your problems are resolved. Good Luck and have a great Christmas and New Years.
I completely understand your opinion. Still please keep in mind that people looking at new cars might happen into a discussion like this and be disuaded from purchasing a quest.
For those who do have problems with their Quests, while it's true that positive comments do no good to help their specific problems, they might feel reassured by others who are either problem free or have resolved problems.
questowna says: "...people looking at new cars might happen into a discussion like this and be disuaded from purchasing a quest."
Sure hope that doesn't happen, cause, as you've found out, the Quest is a great ride!
questowna says: "...they might feel reassured by others who are either problem free or have resolved problems."
Yeah...that's the ticket! questowna makes a very good point. So why don't we all start talking more about the good points of our vans, instead of just the bad? We just might be distorting peoples perceptions with a thread full of nothing but carping and complaining.
It was because of this forum and the airing of the Quest problems that I gained the confidence to buy a Quest after comparing with the Sienna for about a month. Both have had some problems--both have their advantages and disadvanges.
Because of the door noises reported in the forum, I checked out the noises on my new van before I bought it. There didn't seem to be much in way of door noise but there was a thumping noise with every bump. I insisted on their fixing it before I bought it (I wanted no part of a "we-owe"), so they located a loose nut on the left-rear strut. Tightened it up, and the only rattle I have is from the seat belt at the far left-rear hiting the interior side wall--it is a click-clicking type of noise and can't be heard in the front seat if the radio is on. I see an easy fix for that noise anyway.
So I thank those of you who have aired their problems as it made my buying experience a better one as I was on the look-out for problem areas others had experienced. We love our new van and are prepared to face additional problems that may occur with a first-year model.
The purpose of this thread is to post problems; after all that is the name of it, "Nissan Quest 2004+ Problems". If one quantifies based on what has been reported on this board it is obvious that probably the most reported problem is rattles in the sliding doors. If nothing else was achieved by this thread, I am happy to see that you had the insight to include that in your negotiations of purchasing a Quest. Effectively, it gives the consumer to do what you did or walk away from that particular vehicle. Therefore, I think that the intended purpose is being served very well. So, by talking about the problems in an honest and open manner as a major objective of this thread, we are contributing to a positive impact to other consumers. And, at the same time, we are saying to the manufacturer, do your job and resolve these problems. What could be more appropriate?
Comments
I called Tire rack and they said only a few wheels have the clearance for the sensors. Which wheels did you purchase?
Then I called my dealer to ask about the programming cost and they said 1 hour EACH TIME I change my tires or about $60 and my time twice each year. Did your dealer tell you that the TPMS needs to be programmed each time you change tires?
I'm thinking of really asking my dealer if it's a cheaper 10 minute job or possibly going without Sensors in the winter. So, did the dashboard have an annoying blinking warning when the TPMS was not working?
I put Nokians on my soon to be departed Windstar and Blizzaks on my Maxima. They both are great in the snow. I fully recommend 4 snow tires for anyone driving in the snow. It's a risky place to try and save money.
The TPMS display just read "#.#" instead of the normal psi read outs- no blinking or beeping. You could probably do without it but I thought it would be a worthwhile feature to have year round. I've had the experience of having a snow tire start to go flat and not feel it due to slushy driving conditions. It's not fun to have to change a tire in a pile of snow and slush when your vehicle is parked at the curb!
As for the charges and re-programming: I certainly hope it doesn't take an hour next spring when I reinstall the all seasons- maybe I got off lucky by not getting a charge for this service ( then again, this is the third car and second Nissan (2k1 Maxima for me too!) we've bought from this particular dealer). I'll have to find out about the reprogramming and charges for it when I take it in to have the sliding door seals installed.
Your hourly labor rates are much less than ours- they charge $85.00/hr at our dealership. No complaints with the quality of service -so far.
Yes, I agree, I don't mind paying for the sensors to get year round protection. My wife was driving our minivan on a long trip and complained about how windy it was since we were swaying. When I started driving, I knew immediately something was wrong. Found one tire so low that we thought it was damaged so we scrapped it. But it could have led to a blow-out with our 3 kids in the car. I still remember a horrible news photo several years ago of a grieving dad next to his son's body with a flipped over Firestone-Explorer in the background.
Yeah, the $60 was just a guess, they probably charge more. I'm going to ask the service manager again how long it really takes to program it (probably 10 minutes)and would they do it for minimal cost if I go to them for an oil change at the same time. I'll let you know their answer.
thanks,gg
Anyways, I bought a 2004 Quest S model back in August and just like everyone else, I had those ANNOYING rattlying noises from the passenger sliding door and a clunking noise from the rear seat. I took it into the dealer I bought it from 3 times to no avail. Basically, I was resigned to living with these annoying sounds. Then, when I took the van in for an oil change, we took it to a different dealership and decided to have them take a look at the rattling sound as well.
Almost like a miracle, they adjusted something and those rattling and clunking noises went away - I don't know if it was fixed by the ntb03080 bulletin or not, but thank goodness it was fixed.
The latest thing at around 4500 miles that I've experienced is a leak in the transmission fluid tube (or hose) that ultimately led to the van being undriveable - had to get the van towed into the dealership. They ordered a new transmission and completely replaced it to be sure. Hopefully this was an isolated incident and not something defective in general.
Other than that, we love our Quest. If you're looking to buy one, see my review at http://www.epinions.com/content_119513583236.
By the way, to continue one of the other postings about the extended warranty, I got the Gold plan for 7 yrs/100K, $50 ded. for $1095. More for peace of mind - even though it probably isn't the best of plans (since it's just mechanical breakdown and not wear and tear - and it doesn't cover audio systems).
The whole point of a second set of rims, IMHO, is to be able to swap the tires yourself at the end of the season vs. paying a tire shop. If you must go to the dealer for reprogramming...I'd just as soon pay the $40 for seasonal swapping onto the stock rims and get a rotation and balance out of it, which you typically need twice a year. Ultimately, the price for the convenience of a second set of rims was too high considering the TPMS issues.
Of course, you could just let the TPMS show ### and manage the tire pressure yourself just like you've done your whole life. When you don't have crappy OEM tires it isn't as critical a safety issue.
Nay
No Problems with the front sprayer.
They spray comes down from a jet above the back window.
What has your dealer done about it?
washers on my 3.5S. Since my earlier post #223, I have submitted an official complaint
with NHTSA and established a case number with Nissan. Furthermore, the Dealer has
been working with Nissan engineers in California.
About 2 weeks ago, the nozzles were replaced with new ones which were no
improvement. Nissan then overnighted a new cowl with replacement nozzles which didn't
work either. I was told by my dealer that now Nissan would send an engineer (engineers)
to Minnesota to work directly on the problem this week. At this time I don't know if this
happened.
The fact that the front washers are totally inadequate has been acknowledged by Nissan.
Regarding post #267, I urge the frittob to try the washers at highway speeds. The
spray put out by the washers is much too fine and is consequently swept away by the air
stream before it hits the glass. When stopped, as noted by post 268, the spray hits only
the bottom of the windshield.
I've used the sprayers quite a few times (had some real slushy weather last weekend:), but admittedly not at top speed. I'll give that a try next time.
One thing that does bug me a bit, the passenger side wiper blade stops vertically right in the middle of the drivers line of sight. Usually not a problem, but on snowy or slushy days, it leaves the residual vertical line right in the drivers line of sight. Not a big deal (a little extra washer fluid usually cleans it up), but it is noticeable.
problem has not completely solved yours. I hope one day you get rid of yours for good.
Thanks for sharing your discovery with us. The reports seem to show that quite a few owners have gotten relief with you tip, whether they used the WD40, tried spray silicon, or used the White Lithium Grease that listed in the owners manual.
1. They did the procedures covered by TSB NTB03080, which essentially consists of realignment of the sliders and lubricating the hinges and latches. After this work was done, the technician working the problem and I went for a drive and found it did not correct the problem.
2. We came back and there was some other work done (not described to me) and we went for another drive and the rattles continued. The technician indicated that he was going to pull the door panels to see if anything was loose inside. He must have worked a full two hours. When he returned to me, he said that he had pulled the panels and had someone drive while he looked at the doors but he could find nothing that was loose and the rattles continued.
3. Meanwhile, they contacted the Nissan technical people who instructed them to insert a plastic hose around the rollers on the doors.
After this was done, the service consultant wanted the technician to take another drive with me but he seemed reluctant (he seemed frustrated that he was unable to solve the problem) so I had little confidence that the plastic hose would work. At this point, the service consultant informed me that if inserting the plastic hose did not solve the problem, I was to bring the van back and that they would probably need the van for upwards two days providing me with a rental car.
The rattles continued. So, I set up an appointment for after Christmas.
I am really impressed with the service personnel; not only are they very apologetic for the problem but they seem to be determined to fix it.
I ask because, quite a few of the rattles that were thought to be coming from the doors, were acutally the 2nd and 3rd row seats.
The seats will rattle going over bumps, because they are not fully bolted to the floor, but merely latched and hinged so they can fold. There is a lot of play in them, and I've seen reports of the rattles going away when they were adjusted to fit more securely.
Just another posibility to check out.
I am of the opinion that we should let these problems up to the technicians to solve rather than trying to solve them ourselves.
Further, if we don't report these problems to the
technicians who, in turn, report them to Nissan, it is my belief that we are doing the manufacturer a gross injustice in resolving these problems, particularly since we are dealing with a brand new design.
I perfectly understand the desire of the owner to fix a problem because I am an owner. Let me give an example of what I am trying to say here.
From day one, there was a loud poping noise when opening the passenger side door all the way. So, I tightened the bolt to the door stop. That lasted for about two months and it started again. This time I left it to the technicians to solve and guess what? There was a washer missing and no matter how many times I would have tightened that bolt, it would have continually come loose. If there is essentially a design flaw or a manufacturing flaw with these sliders, I do not believe that using WD40 will ultimately resolve the problem. Let me hasten to say, this is only my opinion and I could definitely be wrong because I am certainly not an expert, I am only a consumer.
I believe that the technicians want to know these problems because as the technician said to me that because this van is a brand new design, they are just starting to learn how to fix these problems.
Please don't think you're being attacked all the time. What's the point in that? This is a forum. We're all in the same boat as Quest owners, and we're trying to be helpful to each other.
What was suggested about the WD40 (weeks ago, I might add) was just a good faith attempt to help you solve your problem. You've made it abundantly clear that you never believed in this very simple solution that solved the problem with the doors for some of us. But it did work for us, so please don't knock it just because it didn't work for you! That's what you call, sour grapes!
I sincerely hope your problem is solved soon...by any means necessary (to quote a famous american). But when you report problems you're having in these forums, and then jump on people when they offer possible solutions that may not conform to the way you see the situation, you run the risk of cutting yourself off from potentially valuable insight.
To get the most help, let people feel free to speculate on possible solutions without their opinions being trivialized. That's what the creative process looks like.
Clearly, the "technicians" have yet to find the answer to your problem. Maybe, just maybe, someone here has the answer. But you will likely miss it because you're expecting it can only come from a certain source, or wrapped a certain way. It's been often said, that a closed mind is the hardest thing to open.
Hard to explain, but if you have experienced this problem, help me out please.... Does it more on one station, but does it on all stations. Doesn't matter how loud I have it or if I am moving or going over a bump...that doesn't effect it. Does it all day long...drives me nuts.
I have the SE and also have the rattles in the doors, 3rd row seat and occasionally have the navigation act up....
Haven't taken it in yet, waiting a while to do it all at once.
Thanks for your help.
I had to turn mine off, cause it got too irritating...up and down every few minutes. You control it through the settings button on the dash, and with the joy stick.
Also, some of us (but not all) have had very good success in eliminating the door rattles by lubricating all the door hinges, sliders and connecters, and I've seen in some posts that the seat rattles have been eliminated by either lubricating and, or the dealer tightening the connection brackets to eliminate exessive seat movement over bumps.
Hope this helps!
Secondly, I used the WD40 and it didn't work so I don't think that is indicative of having a closed mind. You yourself have posted on this thread that you have to use WD40 at frequent intervals to maintain the absence of rattles. That seems to me to be an unreasonable requirement for such a sophisticated machine particularly when it seems to me lubrication of hinges and latches need only be done at much wider intervals. I am certainly pleased to hear that WD40 works for some and it has nothing to do with the feeling of sour grapes. I just don't believe it is the long-term solution.
You are right - this is a forum and we should be able to express our opinions "honestly" and "openly" which is what I thought I was doing.
And, finally, I wholeheartly extend my sincere apologies for apparently upsetting you again. That was certainly not my intent.
Happy "Santa's Day"!
It is described on Page 4-34 of the owners manual.
Good luck!
1. I've got rattles in the sliding door on the driver's side. Where exactly do I spray the WD-40?
2. What does the RPM gauge read when cruising at 80 mph? Do you find that the RPM gauge goes above 3K during normal acceleration?
3. When you turn on the AUTO temperature control, should the A/C go on? I thought A/C was only supposed to be used when you wanted cold air. I know this might sound stupid, but are you supposed to use the A/C for hot air as well?
4. Are the roof cross rails fixed or can you move them closer together?
5. Is it normal for the navigation system to freeze for about 5-10 seconds sometimes?
I would greatly appreciate if other owners might help me with these issues.
Season's Greetings and Happy Holidays to All...
NOPE! 8,800 miles since new. Used WD40 TWICE! NO more door rattles. I can live with that!
Thank's for the Christmas wishes! Wishing you the same, and miles of smiles in 2004!(:^)
---There are 3 points on the front door frame of each sliding door, and one point on the rear frame of each door. The upper and lower points on the front frame are the upper and lower dovetails. They simply guide the door into the correct position for latching. The middle connector in the front, and the one on the rear are the actual latching points. There are matching connectors on the front and rear edges of each of the sliding doors.
You want to spray all 4 connectors on the door frames and all 4 on the doors themselves. A total of 16 points in all, for both of the doors.
You may also choose to spray the transporter arms that the doors slides on in the track, for good measure.
You will also notice something on the front edge of the door frames that has 7 little copper nipples on it and a matching device on the door itself. This is the contact switch. Do not spray it.
You may also want to spray the latches on the rear tailgate and also the seat latches that secure the folding seats in the second and third rows.
After you do this, you will notice an immediate and dramatic reduction in "rattles" and clatter from these places.
2. What does the RPM gauge read when cruising at 80 mph?
---Around 2,800 RPM
Do you find that the RPM gauge goes above 3K during normal acceleration?
---For me, sure. But I don't know what's "normal acceleration" for you.
3. When you turn on the AUTO temperature control, should the A/C go on? I thought A/C was only supposed to be used when you wanted cold air. I know this might sound stupid, but are you supposed to use the A/C for hot air as well?
---A/C may cycle on until AUTO climate control is set to maintain temps higher than 78.
4. Are the roof cross rails fixed or can you move them closer together?
---Can be moved closer together, or removed completely. Highly recommend removal for much reduced wind noise from turbulence. Use Torx wrench located with spare tire.
5. Is it normal for the navigation system to freeze for about 5-10 seconds sometimes?
--- If you're under bridges, overpasses, trees or around a lot of tall buildings, this may occur somewhat often. It's just trying to "see" the sattelites, and figure out where it is, so it can let you know..
Start up the car and the radio controls work, volume visibly raises, but there is no sound! Nothing will correct the condition (steering wheel controls, rear controls, on/off) other than turning OFF the engine and... waiting a few seconds.. restarting.
We brought it to dealer, who could not duplicate, then brought it in again when the condition existed, mechanics were dumbfounded and ordered in a new radio. Radio replaced, problem still exists.
Will keep you posted as to outcome, but if anyone has any ideas, it would be appreciated.
P.S. We (my wife and I) have two other vehicles, both AWD.
Our 91 Caravan, which my wife swears by in snow, has been retained to get us through the winter. What we have both noticed, however, is that on packed down, icy snow, the Caravan had some slippage and the Quest was rock-solid!
Vince
The problem actually happened this past Friday when I was scheduled for my first oil change. So, I drove to the dealer in silence and they got to experience the problem first hand. They have placed a call to Nissan, but no answers yet.
Greg
The mechanic said that all 2004 Quest don't have rear heater options. It's only AC. Does anybody with Winter low temp is encountering this problem???
I had the direction to be Bi-Level (between Blue and Red indicator on the rear). Even the Full RED or or underseat vent doesn't blow warm air.
Oh, BTW, let us know how the WD40 (or any of the other suggested lubes) works for you. We're trying to get a fix on what percentage of the vans with rattles are being helped by this simple solution, and what percentage are requiring a more intensive solution.
As far as the nav. freezing..mine has done that many times as well.
Has anyone else experienced this issue?
does this problem occur on all radio channels or just one of your favorites? if the latter, it's possible this is somewhat normal, perhaps your radio is doing a volume defeat so the static isn't overwhelming?
if the former (on all or most channels), perhaps your antenna has been disconnected or has an intermittent connection with the radio?
just a guess.
does it happen only when moving or also when stationary?
geesh, maybe the radio unit itself is defective.
Yes it does it all the time, and it happens more on one station than the others, but it does do it on all, but not sooooo obvious. I do not understand this because it is a well established radio station in the Bay Area and I have never had this problem in any of our other vehicles. I could start the car up and just sit there and it is fine. It is when I start to drive you can hear the difference.
I am wondering if something is not connected correctly as we do have the wireless antenna. I am wondering if the DVD player is somehow connected. I cannot seem to turn the thing off. My remote does not work...will try another set of batteries to diagnose that problem and some of the buttons do not seem to respond very well.
I tried something else today. If you push the button for the head phones to remain on, then it doesn't seem so obvious, but then you do not get the full sound coming from the rear. I am playing with that idea a little.
I definitely do know that something is not right, and I will have to have it checked because I need to crank it up so I don't have to listen to all the rattles in the doors, rear seat and overhead console that is a little loose.
Oh yeah, the passenger door sticks like crazy. You gotta give it a few good pulls before it opens up.
Although we have mud flaps it appears the stones must kick up onto the painted area and hit just before the plastic sticker that is supposed to protect from stone chips.
My passenger side does not appear to have the problem as badly which leads me to wonder if it has more to do with oncoming traffic or if the door is not adjusted the same and that area does not get the same level of protection.
I can't seem to get any air heat from these outlets even though I have the vent control to the RED/DOWN position. I assumed that these vents are for the 2nd row passengers. I was told by my Nissan Service that it is the way as designed but I have doubts.
I can get heat coming out from the bottom vent located between the 2nd and 3rd row seat. This vent suppose to provide heat to the 3rd row passengers.
Does the Ceiling vents suppose to be able to vent warm air also??? I always get cold air from these areas too even though I had the bi-direction indicator on (Between BLUE and RED on the controls).
I've read so many of your postings and I hope I do not have your problems as they sound awful and in many cases chronic.
The purpose of this post is simply to state that I have had a great experience with this car, I love it and at this particular point in time I have not one complaint.
Hope I'm not re-posting in a few weeks
Thanks
The people like yourself, who have no problems, have no need to spend time here. They really don't have much to add to the discussion, as far as problem resolution is concerned. Besides...they're all too busy out riding in their sweet Nissan Quests! Merry Christmas!(:^))
I completely understand your opinion. Still please keep in mind that people looking at new cars might happen into a discussion like this and be disuaded from purchasing a quest.
For those who do have problems with their Quests, while it's true that positive comments do no good to help their specific problems, they might feel reassured by others who are either problem free or have resolved problems.
Have a great holiday!
Sure hope that doesn't happen, cause, as you've found out, the Quest is a great ride!
questowna says: "...they might feel reassured by others who are either problem free or have resolved problems."
Yeah...that's the ticket! questowna makes a very good point. So why don't we all start talking more about the good points of our vans, instead of just the bad? We just might be distorting peoples perceptions with a thread full of nothing but carping and complaining.
Because of the door noises reported in the forum, I checked out the noises on my new van before I bought it. There didn't seem to be much in way of door noise but there was a thumping noise with every bump. I insisted on their fixing it before I bought it (I wanted no part of a "we-owe"), so they located a loose nut on the left-rear strut. Tightened it up, and the only rattle I have is from the seat belt at the far left-rear hiting the interior side wall--it is a click-clicking type of noise and can't be heard in the front seat if the radio is on. I see an easy fix for that noise anyway.
So I thank those of you who have aired their problems as it made my buying experience a better one as I was on the look-out for problem areas others had experienced. We love our new van and are prepared to face additional problems that may occur with a first-year model.
If nothing else was achieved by this thread, I am happy to see that you had the insight to include that in your negotiations of purchasing a Quest. Effectively, it gives the consumer to do what you did or walk away from that particular vehicle. Therefore, I think that the intended purpose is being served very well.
So, by talking about the problems in an honest and open manner as a major objective of this thread, we are contributing to a positive impact to other consumers. And, at the same time, we are saying to the manufacturer, do your job and resolve these problems.
What could be more appropriate?