Nissan Maxima Maintenance and Repair

qstick777 · March 2004

This might seem silly, but is this car supposed to have the hinged metal flap on the filler tube? I've had the car since Dec 01 and don't remember ever seeing it. I've mentioned it to the dealer a couple of times, but its always as an "oh by the way," and I never get a definite answer.

Thanks!

BTW: List of problems I've had since buying new - bought Dec01, currently ~27k (most recent first):

1) Front left speaker sounds "blown" - I've never had the volume above say 13 or 15 and 10 is about where it needs to be to actually hear anything. The blown or distorted sound is actually more noticable at lower levels and especially on talk radio. Will take it to the dealer in the next week or two to have it replaced.

2) Crankshaft sensor replaced - Car stalled on me twice and had noticable power loss. After reading this forum last night I noticed this was a recall. I never received notification from Nissan. Dealer fixed problem quick enough and was apologetic, but never told me it was a recall.

3) ABS light has come on twice - once after a rain storm, and once after a car wash. Had a noticable loss of brake pedal and stopping distance. Light went out before dealer could take a look, so of course it was always fine by the time they did look at it. I'll assume it was caused by water getting into the sensor.

4) Have been fighting with Nissan since about 2 months after owning the car about a noticable shimmy/vibration. Was told by the dealer that 2 of the tires are "out of round" - Goodyear RS-A's. Goodyear claimed the wheels were bent and improperly balanced, also claimed tie-rods were loose. Also, no warranty on the RS-A tires. Returned to dealer with the claim from Goodyear and dealer ended up replacing the steering rack. Have since determined that the tires need to be re-balanced with every rotation (at a nice $40 out of pocket expense). Car still has a slight shimmy, but after 2+ years I guess I am getting used to it. Not ready to spend $600 to get new tires and see if the problem goes away.

5) Selling dealer sold me an aftermarket warranty that didn't exist (wrong length and mileage). After fighting with Nissan for 6+ months, Nissan refunding the money and gave me their Silver warranty/service package.

So far everything has been either warranty or included with the service package. Only out of pocket expenses have been the tire balancing and a lug bolt that needed to be replaced (thanks to the safety inspector putting on the wrong lug nut! - don't ask, I wondered the same thing!) Other than the above problems, its been a decent car. Wouldn't call it great, but its been okay. Wish I had spent a little extra and bought the TL. Have turned 3 co-workers away from the Maxima (due to the troubles with the dealer and service) - all 3 bought Acura CL or TL.

ccermak · March 2004

Dropping car off at Midas today over lunch for a so called free inspection. We'll see what they turn up. I'm hoping rotors are fine and it's just pads that need replacing. Anybody used Midas for brakes for their Maxima? Any pros or cons to using Midas? Nissan's OEM brakes seem to be poop so I figure I'll try Midas.

ccermak · March 2004

Got back from Midas. Was told 10-15% pad left on the rears, and 15-20% left on the fronts. The rotors are "glazed" which can be causing noise. They want to "turn" the rotors and put on new pads. Total price $380 including labor and tax. I just called the dealer to comparison shop, told them straight up what I wanted done, turn rotors and replace pads. Dealer says $189.95!! Can that be right? Why is Midas so much higher? Glad I didn't just do it at Midas.

vcarreras · March 2004

I have a 1999 Maxima SE Limited with 50,800 miles. Car built 3/99. SES light came on and took it to AutoZone and checked. P1320 Ignition malfunction/misfire! Called Nissan and the same story as I have read on Town Hall - Ignition Coils and to change all 6. Cost $700+!!

I've read that driving the car could cause more damage, CO2 sensor and cadalitic converter replacement! Is this true?

I read somewhere here that there was a place where you could buy the coils for much cheaper cost ~$56. This person/place has them stocked. Does anyone have their number? Website? I checked Maxima.org and could not find. Please help. Thanks in advance..

maxsteel · March 2004

I can't seem to find performance front and rear brake pads for my 2001 Maxima GXE online, anyone have any recommendations? Also, for ignition coils as well, I'll probably have to do those, the TSB applies to my vehicle even though I haven't noticed any problem yet, 24,000 miles.

maxsteel · March 2004

I just found a vendor, http://www.importrp.com/index.php,
I got basic Brembo rotors, and Axxis metal master pads.
Thanks anyway!

jskho · March 2004

I bought mine in Canada.
Got the ones for the 00-01 model for about C$32 each (which is about US$24) from a Canadian Nissan dealer. 99 uses different coils though but I think price should be similar. If you live close to the border, it is worth the drive.
Otherwise, I like this site:
http://www.jerryromenissan.com
Enter discount code "MAXIMA" for extra discount.
I got OEM NGK spark plugs here for only $6.6 each.

ccermak · March 2004

I've posted several times about getting good deals on coils. There's a guy named DaveB on that .org site (mentioned above) that works for a volume Nissan parts dealer. He sells coils for a very good price, just mention you're a member of the "org". If you look hard enough on the .org you should be able to find his #, otherwise put a post on there saying Hey DaveB I need coils. With some effort you should be able to get a # and have them shipped. I heard Autozone had them too, but they and DaveB had exact same price so I recommend DaveB because those guys on the .org know Maxis like nobody else and you'll surely get the correct ones. Seeya

mikef208 · March 2004

Okay I just recentlly purchased a 1997 Maxima SE. During the test drive I noticed it pulled a bit to the right, I figured it just needed alligned or maybe even some air pressure adjustment in the tires. Well now after having the driven the car for a couple weeks I have noticed something odd. Now I could be wrong, but it seems to me that when I turn hard in one direction, say like making a left hand turn, the car when then pull to the left, where as if I make a right hand turn after that it makes the car pull to the left.

The car does seem more prone to pulling to the right and harder then when it pulls to the left, so it may still need to be aligned, but what is causing this? When it pulls to the left the steering wheel is about 5-10 degrees off center, but when it pulls to the right it is a bit more mayeb as much as 15%. But it can vary, sometimes it can pull a lot and other times its barely noticable.

Not sure if its related and I have yet to find the cause(will get it looked at this weekend)but when I turn the wheel(I notice it most when parked, since its harder to hear while actually driving and I may not turn that hard during actual driving)all the way in one direction and then turn it back the other way, at about 1/3 of the wayI hear a noise. The noise can be best described as the wheel catching against a piece of plastic or soemthing and then popping past it.

Hopefully that makes some sense to some of you. I have looked at the wheel well area while doing this and I see nothing unusual, but I have not been able to actually look under the car or at the inside of the tire, so i have no idea what it is or if it is causing part of the pulling problem.

ccermak · March 2004

I'm no mechanic, but it sounds like a steering rack issue to me. I had similar thing on my 1990 Regal and ended up getting a new steering rack. Wasn't cheap either. Hopefully yours is something easier than that. Good luck.

ericu · March 2004

Nail in my tire! I was pissed when I saw it. Took it to Nissan as soon as I saw it and they fixed it right away for only $15. It would have been $30 at the local tire place. How long do these tire repairs last anyway??

p100 · March 2004

If properly repaired, this tire should be good for its service life. The best repair is a patch glued on from the inside of the tire. Nowadays they often use a combination patch/plug, which requires reaming out the existing hole to push the plug through. Personally I do not like tire plugs which are inserted from outside the tire, as they too require reaming out of the hole to accomodate the plug. They are not as good as patches or patch/plug repairs.

You should never patch or plug a damaged tire sidewall. As long as the puncture is located in the tire tread, the repair should last.

capriracer · March 2004

Just a clarification:

Since this repair is on a practically new vehicle, it is extremely important that the repair be done correctly.

First, a combination repair is the ONLY approved repair by the tire manufacturers.

Second, they only approve the repair in the tread EXCLUDING the outermost ribs. If the tire is speed rated the outermost groove is also excluded.

Third, if the tire ran underinflated for any length of time, the tire may have been compromised, so its durability is questionable.

Hope this helps.

mikef208 · March 2004

If it is indeed the steering rack, should it be replaced ASAP or does it not matter? If its expensive and doesn't really matter then i will probablly just deal with it.

ccermak · March 2004

I'd defer that question to p100 as he seems more the mechanic, might even actually be a mechanic. I'm just throwing things out there with minimal knowledge. My .02 would be to decide on how long you plan on keeping the vehicle. If long time then fix it and bite the bullet. Would also depend if it's a safety concern and who rides in the car with me, like if I had wife and kids. Did you do a "used car inspection" with a mechanic before you bought the car? Was the best $60 I ever spent last time I bought used.

mikef208 · March 2004

Yes I did get it looked at, but it was close to closing time, so it may not have been the worlds greatest inspection, plus I got the warranty with it, so I figured worst case senario, I have that to fall back on. Although I am not sure if this would be considered preexsisting or not. Most likely would be.

Yes I do have a wife and kid who occasionally ride in the car with me. I do plan to keep the car for a while and will get it fixed. What I want to know(yes I need to actually find out whats actually wrong with it)is if the steering rack, if that is the problem is a safety problem. If it is then I will have to get it fixed. If its not then it can wait till I get a bit more cash.

transport · March 2004

I have a similar problem of late. During the 1st 1/2 mile or so, when I turn to left, there is a rear rubbing that sounds awful. The problem quickly clears up...until the next time I start the car. 2001 Maxima (108K).
No answers yet

#1848 of 1866 Maxi brakes by ccermak Mar 22, 2004 (6:33 pm)
I have an early build 2000 SE Auto with 64K miles. Brakes are 100% original. I'm getting a nasty grinding & scraping noise from what sounds like the rear, but it only does it once or twice during my 1st and 2nd stops after the car sits parked. I'm well aware of this happening with "surface rust" on the rotors and this ain't the deal, at least it ain't visible like after the rain. I can leave the car for a couple hours and it does it again, then goes away after a stop or two. Usually squeaks in front and scrapes in rear and then work fine. Any ideas? I've now tried pumping my brakes 3 times in park after I started the car and before I backed up and hit the brakes to maneuver out of a parking spot and it seemed like it actually helped. I'll try again to see if I'm loony. Any ideas? Could it be invisible surface rust? There are no bad grooves in the rotors, no shimmy during hard stops, just a bad grind or scrape that sounds terrible and then goes away. Pads from what I can tell look like they have a decent amount left, especially in the rear, but I'm not 100% sure I'm looking correctly either.

ges4 · March 2004

My '01 Maxima SE has done it twice - driving along the interstate and when I press on the accelerator to pass nothing happens. Then the tach shows the engine revving up and down and on one occasion it even stalled. It continued to run poorly, forcing me on to the shoulder to the next exit. Both times the fuel gauge showed a third of a tank left but I stopped and put more fuel in and the problem went away. Seems almost like a vapor lock. Any thoughts?

mirth · March 2004

Anyone with an '02 or '03 Max having a problem with the clock? Mine seems to creep ahead about a minute every month. Kind of annoying when you think you're five minutes late for something and then find out that you're on time and didn't need to stress.

aggiedog · March 2004

Yea, it creeps ahead. I just reset mine periodically. (02 SE)

mirth · March 2004

At least I know it's not my personal car's problem ('02 GXE). ;-)

luky92104 · March 2004

ECN's are generally implemented ASAP to correct a known issue. They will need to be discussed, tested and then implemented. But that may mean working through current levels of inventory before the "upgrade" is fully implemented. Unless it is a catastrophic failure where they might expect to have a recall, then old inventory would get scrapped out. A lot of ECN's are minor issues to improve fit/finish of parts and assemblies. An auto is a complicated assembly of hundreds of thousands of parts and some things may get rushed just to make a product lauch date. Cheaper to fix it later than miss a launch (a major assembly factory can loose millions of dollars an hour if the line stops). Always better to give them a year to "work the bugs out". A given model year car built later durring a run (say a 2004 model built in july or Aug of 2004 rather than Dec of 2003) is more likely to have less of these issues.

#1850 of 1871 luky92104 by ericu Mar 22, 2004 (9:56 pm)
These ECN's (Engineering Change Notices)... Do they just collect all of them and improve the following year's model or do they affect the production of the current model?

ericu · March 2004

Thank you for the explaination on the ECN's. I am a current '04 max owner and I am very happy and problem free, which may be because I waited until Dec 03 to buy the 04 which came out in Feb 03.

therck · March 2004

As I drove away from the dealer after picking up my new 2004 Maxima SL two weeks ago, I could hear a "bong" noise coming from the front end. The noise occurs whenever I ride over minor road joints, tar strips, a uniformly rough road surface, or the curb leading to my garage. On a generally rough road, the noise becomes a continuous reverberating sound like a steel drum. Great on a Caribbean island. Nerve-wracking on the way home from work. Large bumps don't seem to cause the noise, but maybe the thumping from the bump drowns the other sound out. And, the noise only comes from the front. I drove four other exact model cars before making the purchase, and never heard this sound.

The dealer checked the noise out and decided it was from cracked front calipers, which they changed yesterday. Nice try, but not the answer. Other car geeks at work have suggested that the noise might be coming from defective (poorly cast) wheels or bad tires.

Okay, has anyone else had this experience? Or any ideas as to the cause and possible fix?

Thanks for any help.

heart2 · March 2004

Only have 18500 miles on 2K Maxima and check engine lite on. Dealer replaced all six coils at their expense even though warranty expired. Common problem? In future, anyone know how to replace them? Would have cost me in excess of 600. They did charge me 79. to reset "computer to coils"

ccermak · March 2004

Coils are about the MOST common problem on the 2000-2003 Maximas. Not sure about the 1999 and prior, or 2004's. Very well known issue in the Max chat board and enthusiast communities. Very well known by Nissan themselves, which is why even though you're out of warranty they fixed it anyway. I've got 64K on my 2000 Max so I figure pretty much anyday my light will come on. I've already had an 02 sensor go out (also very common), and my alternator was crap. I bought the Max for it's reliability reputation, but I think that rep has gone to the wayside since the 5th Gens. Carlos the cost-cutter Ghosn has done some great things financially to Nissan, but only to make them suffer on the quality side. Sad.

roar1 · April 2004

Don't forget the O2 Sensors, and Mass Airflow Sensors. These are all garbage. I know because
I've had coils, O2, AND MAF replaced. Fortunately,
I ONLY had to pay for the coils. Gee......that
was only $500 hard earned bucks. Do I sound
bitter? Damn straight.

I've owned Nissans for 18 yrs, but I gotta tell ya, these 5th Gens. are crap.

IMHO, you should not have to spend any money during the first 5 yrs./ 60,000 miles of vehicle
ownership other than tires, batteries etc.

BTW, did I mention that I had a new muffler replaced at 10,000 miles ( under warranty )
and a new LR brake caliper because of uneven
brake pad wear ( NOT under warranty ).

At this very moment I'm sitting in my Nissan dealers service dept. as I write this. I feel like
I FREAKIN LIVE HEAR.

I want to sell the stupid thing, but it seems as though all the manufacturers are having problems.
I'm not sure what I'd buy for reliability other
than a Bradly Fighting Vehicle !!!

Oops, how could I have forgotten the warped rotors........silly me !

roar1 · April 2004

I've got this beautifully maintained 2K Max.
Anybody want to buy it ??????????????

roar1 · April 2004

Back in 2002, I liked my 2k so much that I bought my wife a 2002 Max GLE. It is an absolutely beautiful car and the 3.5 engine is incredible.
It completely transforms this car into a " Rocket Ship". H-O-W-E-V-E-R......in less than 2 yrs. and
13,000 miles I've had a Safety Recall under warranty for the Cam and Crank angle Sensors and
the TSB for the rear window wind noise.

I guess it could be worse The vehicle COULD have
been involved in ALL 5 safety recalls.

roar1 · April 2004

The latest Consumer Reports shows a downward trend in reliability of the Maxima over the last
6 yrs.

roar1 · April 2004

Post #1877 a FRIED headlight PLUG at 25,000 mi.

roar1 · April 2004

Post #1877, a rear spoiler , center mounted
LED stoplight that is totally inop. Just discovered this AM. You KNOW that sucker
will be $200. Guess I'll go to the junkyard.

Gosh, I have not been to a junkyard since I owned
that old '57 Plymouth Savoy !!!

texas03 · April 2004

I've got a 2003 Maxima. I have leaves blowing occasionally blowing out the ac vents and can hear them rattling around in there. Anybody ever heard of that before?

dirkwork · April 2004

Buy the cabin filter. Not sure if you need a kit or just the filter itself, as I have not been inspired enough to do this my own car yet. That will keep the leaves from coming all the way through the vent system, they will be caught on the filter. Change 1x a year.

DD

csgman · April 2004

Hi all!
I have a 02 SE and it is just about time to take it in for my 30K checkup - I would like to get all recalls, etc. fixed as expiditiously as possible - is there a list of TSB's on the Internet for this car that i can reference?

Any and all help would be appreciated!

John

beanctr · April 2004

Check the ownership (TAB) section on Edmunds and you will see a reference to "you, your vehicle, and technical service bulletin". This will give you a couple of places that you can check for TSB's, including the Edmunds site (lists the TSB's and a brief statement of what they are [not much detail here, just a summary])

texas03 · April 2004

Are you talking about the microfilter? Or is there something else besides that? It comes with the microfilter which they replaced a couple of months ago. It's so weird to have an entire leaf blow out a vent into the seat next to you!

choosinu · April 2004

Please give me tips. 2000 Max, 103K miles and light just came on and stayed on today, I drive 40 miles one way to work. Question can I continue to drive until weekend? When I take it into dealer how do they determine cause? What can I expect problem to be and what is reasonable cost? Is this something best handled by the dealer? I don't like them. I have had no service done at the dealer. My Max has been great, no problems. Brake pads and tires. I change oil every 3-5K and have always used 91+ Octane. I hate walking into any repair shop. I feel like I'm going to get a snow job because I am a female. So please arm me with knowledge before I go.

alcan · April 2004

Stop into any AutoZone, have them read the stored diagnostic trouble codes (free), and post the codes for us.

ccermak · April 2004

Exactly, go to Autozone and get code pulled for free, takes them 1 minute literally. If the light is on solid it's not life threatening and you can go in at your convenience, if it's blinking on and off that's a more serious issue. I'll wager Oxygen sensor, bank 2. Or else bad coil(s). Any takers???

mikef208 · April 2004

I had a friend tell me the other day that my spoiler brake light was not working. He used to own a 97 max and told me where to look to see if it was connected, but I am not sure if i found the right spot or not, if I did, it sppears connected. He said that the whole thing was not working, so its not like a couple LEDs are dead, thats why he thought maybe it was connected. How shoudl i go about trying to fix this.

dklanecky · April 2004

Try this site for all Maxima TSB's.

Quite a collection, depending on the year you own.

http://maxima.theowensfamily.com/tsb/index.asp?year=2000&tsb=- none

themailman1 · April 2004

2000 maxima, when should you replace the alt, p.s. and waterpump belts? How hard are they to do?

zapman · April 2004

I have owned a 2001 Maxima now for almost 2 years. It's been the perfect car in regards to options, power, size etc.....but I too have been having doubts about reliability. I have had to turn the warped brake rotors three times, an O2 sensor once and the fuel injectors have had to be flushed as they had flooded and I could not start the car one Sunday morning.

I have had to put up with a bumpy, jittery, stiff ride that has been very frustrating. I'm surprised that no one else has complained about this!

The latest complaint and this is a huge one.....the car has developed an annoying vibration ever since it was serviced for it's 48,000 KM. At 1,000 to 1,500 RPM, the car has started a lugging, resonating vibration that feels like driving a manual transmission at a higher gear at low revs. I actually have an automatic transmission and around town, I have to drive with the Overdrive button off in order to avoid some of the vibration by driving at higher revs.

The local Nissan dealer is stumped by it and another Nissan dealer nearby has experienced this same condition with an 00 Maxima model on which they replaced the transmission, exhaust system etc. and were not able to resolve it. The client was sold another Maxima of the same year that does not display the same condition.

I really don't want to get rid of this car. I would rather have it fixed. Has anyone experienced this low rev phenomenum? Please reply to this message.

choosinu · April 2004

Hi all repair Gurus,

Auto Zone in my area doesn't check codes for you anymore, but they let me check out the diagnostic tool. The code I got was P1320. That's the only one. Ok, what does that mean? Is it dealer only job? How much might I expect to pay? I'm in So. Calif.

Thank you all for you help.

vcarreras · April 2004

because I also had the P1320 (which AutoZone Checked). You have the FAMOUS IGNITION COIL problem which all six have to be relcaed..I did that last week. Fortunately I was able to get the coils and installed myself. Hope your car is under warranty. Several options..call 1-800-NISSAN1 and talk to a representative. He will give you a service number to be used when you take it to the dealer. Hopefully NISSAN will help with the cost if you have low milage or under warranty. If they don't figure about $700+ unless you buy the parts and install yourself. EASY job, took me less than 1/2 hour!

My problem and thanks to the TSB site I have the KEY REGISTRATION - CAR WILL NOT START!! Just out of the blue the car will not start. Security light stays on and that is the indication that the chip in the key has gone bad.

NO MORE NISSANS in MY FUTURE.

vcarreras · April 2004

to 103K before your SES light came on. Mine is a 1999 SE Limited with just 51,000. It jas been taken care of but no matter - NISSAN has problems. Look back though some of these messages and you will see what I am talking about. Good luck in getting yours fixed..

vcarreras · April 2004

for your 2000. Hope they cover costs. Let me know. I bought the 6 coils for $387 plus UPS shipping and as mentioned installed myself. Had the dealer reset the SES light at no cost.

Now I have to see if NISSAN will pick up my car and fix my No Start Problem.

dklanecky · April 2004

2000 maxima Drive belts are listed for replacement at 60,000 miles or 48 months.

Supposed to be inspected every 15,000 miles.

Looks pretty easy from the service manual.

themailman1 · April 2004

Thank you. Are there 2 or 3 belts?

Nissan Maxima Maintenance and Repair

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