Nissan Armada

adjmcloon · February 2005

Well, according to Nissan Arbitration the new brake TSB will be out at the end of this month or early next month. Apparently they are trying to get their lemon law claimants taken care of first while ramping up production of the new parts for the larger TSB. Hang in there folks! Hopefully soon our brake issues will be a thing of the past. I'm going to add stainless brake lines and the Carbotech pads later to get even better braking and get rid of all the brake dust.

I've also been reading about another new TSB that should eliminate door rattles- something about they're going to foam the doors where the weatherstripping mounts. My doors rattle, but it's not the panels, it's the doors themselves. The stripping has gradually flattened out to a point to where there's metal on metal when hitting rough road- it's just enough to annoy the [non-permissible content removed] out of me.

scott174 · February 2005

I love what I hear!!! Do you know what size rotors they are changing too? They are probably changing the size because we all caught on that they used the brakes from the sentras!!!!Ha Ha Ha.I sure hope the brake issues are a thing of the past. Keep me posted would you, Thanks!!

klyshaw · February 2005

by conditions i meant that to file under the lemon law the problems with your vehicle have to fit under at least 1 of 3 conditons...the first one is that the the vehicle has had something fixed at least two times and the problem could cause serious bodily injury...the second one i believe is that the same problem has been fixed 4 or more times and still continues to need fixing (but not a problem that is serious, more like the radio issue)..and the third one is that your vehicle has been out of operation for more than 30 days...(in the shop)...i just wondered which one of these three that your claim fell under....thanks.

scott174 · February 2005

Hello,

The answer to your question would be "D", My Armada fit all those requirements.

mcf · February 2005

I have a 05 SE purchased in Nov 04. I have 6600 miles and am beginning to feel the "judder" in the in the steering wheel when I brake. Is this the warping of the rotors or defective brake pads?

All doors in the interior sound as if the adhesive is sticking and unsticking. Sounds like when tape gets stuck to your fingers. Its horrible when all four doors are doing it at the same time. Anyone heard of a fix for this?

klondike_x5 · February 2005

You can't void a warranty by installing

aftermarket parts. The only way you can void the warranty is if they can prove that the part installed cause the problem you are complaining about.

dakgreene · February 2005

We bought an 04 Armada in November 2004. Developed the HORRIBLE vibration at 5500 miles. Taking it in tomorrow for the first time. Also having problems with everything else listed on these posts. I filed a complaint at www.nhtsa.com to hopefully start an investigation. Why hasn't a recall been issued if this many people are having the problem. Every personal friend of mine with Titan or Armada are experiencing the same problems. Please post a complaint at that website if you feel like it so that maybe we will be heard!

rosie726 · February 2005

Just an update here, we had our rotors "machined" once and complete brake jobs (replaced rotors, pads, etc) done 3 times. 2 of the 3 times were the NEW AND UPDATED KITS, they ARE NO DIFFERENT then the original as far as warping. The last time the brakes were done (2 weeks ago) our tech stated that IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN , there is NO FIX AVAILABLE at this time. SO don't listen to what they are saying about the new rotors, they are just stalling for time.

mikepman · February 2005

MCF- Regarding the brakes, they will probably replace the pads and machine the rotors. This will buy you about 4K miles and you will be back again. I previous post talks about a foam being placed to fix all the door noises. Also, there seems to be a "permanent" fix for our brake problems coming.

klyshaw · February 2005

how many miles do you have on your armada?

rosie726 · February 2005

approximately 20,000. We averaged between 4000 and 5000 miles between repairs.

rosie726 · February 2005

We were told that we had the permanent updated fix the last 2 times our brakes were fixed. Last month we were told by the tech that we will have the problem again, there is no fix available at (that) time.

klyshaw · February 2005

are you going to get rid of it through the lemon law? i've had my brakes done twice...the first time at 6,000 miles, then again at 9,000 and the minute i drove off the lot they were squeaking everytime i put my foot on the brake..nissan told me they don't have a fix for it and that i just have to get used to the noise and that they don't have a way to fix the problem right now...give me a break...the new pads require me to press harder to brake so i can only imagine that these will wear out even faster..totally annoyed...

rosie726 · February 2005

Don't know how difficult it is but we are going to try. Can't be going back to the dealer every 4000 miles!

norbn · February 2005

Well, I've decided to pass on the Armada, waited on the 05's but still seems like Nissan hasn't done anything. Good luck everybody.

mtn813 · February 2005

I am new to this discussion, but have been following these posts for awhile now. Mt wife and I recently test drove the 2005 Armada and the Sequoia back to back and both really liked the Armada. Unfortunately, all of these reported brake issues have me fairly nervous as there was clearly a significant problem with the 2004's. I guess it is too early to determine if the 2005's will have the same problems. The salesman at our local dealer seemed to think that the brakes have been changed for the '05 models, but I can't really confirm that. Anyone out there looking at the '05 model have more solid information? This is by far my favorite large SUV, but I certainly do not want a vehicle with these major brake issues.

rosie726 · February 2005

All I can tell you is that our Nissan tech said the same brakes are in the 05's as the 04's. Had they been changed then the 04's would be easy to fix. There have been 2 different upgrades, neither have worked in our 2004 Armada.

njbaran99 · February 2005

I am also ready to pull the trigger and keep asking the same question. The work I got was that there was some type of new Brackets that helped the brakes and that this solved the issue. Sound a bit suspicious. For those that had the brakes replaced, have you heard of these new brackets.

Maybe I should wait until the resolution gets resolved in a 2005 Build.

Any advice would be appreciated.

njbaran99 · February 2005

Per the last post, I am interested in a 2005 Armada LE w/ Tech Pkg and Entertainment. Local Dealers have 04' Infiniti QX56 that they will sell at or below invoice, but will still be ~$7K More then the Armada.

Did anyone else face this decision and choose the Armada? The QX56 may have a better value long term, but then again, it's already technically 1 year old and cost a good $7K More. I plan to get an extended warranty anyway, so the Infiniti Warranty is not a selling point.

Advice?

rosie726 · February 2005

Our first updated repair consisted of new rotors and brake pads, 2nd newer updated repair consisted of new rotors, new pads and BOLTS. Made no difference rotors were still warped by about 4000 miles. ISSUE IS NOT FIXED!

adjmcloon · February 2005

All:

I filed a lemon law claim on my Armada, and the response was that Nissan sent down the new "permanent" brake fix for installation. This is the newly designed, yet to be released kit with larger rotors, new calipers, pads, etc. From what I've been reading (and hearing from Nissan) the permanent fix will be issued to the general public in the next 30-60 days. Supposedly the '05's are getting the new brakes right off the line. The new brakes feel GREAT. It's nice to finally have this issue resolved. We got it done a couple of weeks ago, and they also fixed a bunch of other nagging rattles, etc. We're finally enjoying our early build- I'm so glad Nissan finally got it fixed.

tiggerguy · February 2005

I had the brakes done @ 10,000 miles. I now have 23,000 miles and have not had a brake issue since.

armadabrakes · February 2005

We just had our 04 Armada serviced for the first time for the brake vibration, a rattle in the dash, and a passenger seat that was loose.

From looking at the other postings, the brake issue is the "big deal". They ended up turning both rotors in the front, they installed a brake kit, member torq(whatever that is), a bolt, and a boot kit.

The service guy was unwilling to discuss if this would permanently fix this issue and was unwilling to discuss the issue much further. I think that he must have been told by his management to not admit that there is a problem. We will see if this corrects the problem or if we will be back in the near future.

We will be looking into lemon laws if it is not permanately taken care of.

The rattle was taken care of with some sort of foam kit that they installed in the dash.

They are ordering a part to fix the loose passenger seat.

Signed -- Not happy about spending over $30K for this!

njbaran99 · February 2005

I have read numerous times that the Dealer Service Turned Rotors. This surprises me as premature turning of the rotors would ultimately lead to you having to prematurely having to replace the rotors on your "own dime" down the road.

Additionally, for a Rotor that is effectively already undersized, a turned rotor is even more undersized.

For the gentlement that got the New Brake Rotors which was part of the permanent fix, are they any telling details that one can determine if they are in fact getting the permanent fix.

scott174 · February 2005

Would you happen to know the disc brake rotor size increase? Thanks

jcincy · February 2005

After dealing with Nissan 1 and an actual case worker, Nissan sent the new brake kit coming out to my dealer, and it was installed Monday. This is the new larger rotors and new brake calipers. My dealer said this kit was the first he had seen or heard of.

The one side of the rotor is wider, and there is a new material on the caliper. New calipers were also installed on the back. My service Mgr. thought this would do it (I've had 3 previous brake repairs/replacements). Of course, he has nothing really to base that on. Nissan 1 claims they will buy my vehicle back if these don't work (but I couldn't get them to give me a mileage guarantee). Of course, right out of the shop they feel fine.....only time will tell. They are sending these brake kits out on a case by case basis.....they are trying to catch up with production, on the '05s and replacing '04's that are heading into lemon law claims.

rosie726 · February 2005

Would you happen to have the parts #'s fro the repair order? Thanks

soldaustin · March 2005

I just dropped mine off again for service this morning. I am at 2,600 miles since the last brake turning (before that rotors) and it just started shaking upon braking again. I also have a bad bump in the floor when you brake and hit a bump at the same time. It peaked this morning so I had to take it in. Not sure what it is, but there is something loose. I am hoping this has something to do with what is causing my steering wheel to flop back and forth when I hit a bump. (which I have been told is normal) I am hoping. I did ask them if the 2005 Armadas were having the same problem. They said yes that it hasn't been fixed yet. So if they are coming off the line with them like you said, then there is an even more serious problem than we are being told. He said the 2005 are having the same problem. At least this dealer is admitting it. The one I gave up was the one I bought from. They basically blew me off from any repairs and I have to go to a different dealer to get service. Same owners but totally different on how I am being treated.

So this all being said, I have no idea when the "FIX" if there is one will be done. My service advisor did tell me that they might not do anything to my brakes this time. He said they are being told a "FIX" is coming but it isn't available yet. So it seems there are conflicting reports on this board about that. We are all being told something slightly different. Adjmcloon, give it time. They all feel good after the new rotors like I got before. It just doesn't last. I am glad though that you are finally enjoying your vehicle. I did get a few things repaired on mine that sure helped. The roof fix alone was an amazing difference. It worked and I am hoping it holds.

issyshari · March 2005

I am interested in knowing how your dealer solved your sunroof shade pull noise. Do you have any idea? I thought mine was the only one. I just repeatedly push it up to stop it. Thanks for any info you might have.

llajumpvid · March 2005

They fixed mine after a half dozen trips to them by replacing the whole sunroof shade assembly

soldaustin · March 2005

Well I dropped mine off as I posted above about 3 days ago. I am getting it back today. The brakes won't be fixed. I was told there is no use in doing them now since they just are barely pulsating. The service writer said that after having only 2,600 miles since the last fix and getting about 3,000 miles on each other one, the fix isn't working. He said there isn't one out yet but he has been told it is coming but no date. He said he heard infinity is already getting it which he says really is upsetting to Nissan customers if you told them this. So here I am at square one. Brakes can't be fixed but temporarily. Well give it another 3,000 miles and it will be shaking so bad you won't be able to hold the steering wheel when you stop. The main reason I took it in was a bump, bump under the floor when you hit a bump or a dip in the road. It seems to be mainly when the wheel is turned slightly. Such as turning into a street with a dip. That is the reason I took it in because it has gotten so bad like something is loose and hitting the floor. He said they rechecked all bolts and fittings and there was nothing. It is almost like a broken strut would feel. So another thing not fixed. It it does it again, which it will, I am going to drop it off again, but I am going to insist they give me a vehicle to drive. I have been without it for so many days this has gotten out of hand.

Anyone else with a bad bumping underneath when you hit a bump? It is usually a bump, bump. THe time I decided to take it in I was near the dealership. It did it 3 times and you could actually feel it in the floor. Any direction if anyone else has had this problem would be greatly appreciated. Oh, one last thing. The clicking sound when I take off already had the TSB done before. I got it to do it with the tech guy inside and he said it was the Antilock brakes adjusting. He said they have had them in many times and he didn't know at first the sound but did find out it was this and that I don't have a problem. Any feedback on this?

jessedog · March 2005

What does the auto-lock feature do? The manual does not describe it adequately. Do you have it set for 1 or 5 min delay?
Thanks

llajumpvid · March 2005

If you unlock the doors and don't open them they will relock....good for when the kids play with the remote....until they open the rear hatch:(

puttzz · March 2005

hello, the 2005 armada is great!i bought mine 1/05 it is a se model. didn't know of the brake problems but im very happy with my suv. have 1027 miles on it and i dont have any noise's in it or shakes or any problems with my brakes.i love the power it has and the smooth ride. my brakes dont have any of the problems that have been mentioned ,nor do i have any bumps noise's.i hope you enjoy your 05 like i do. good luck.

miwatch · March 2005

I have had all of the aforementioned breakpad and rotor issues. We are on the 3rd trip by 6000 miles now. I've only had the car since December and am already thinking I made a bad decision.

Worse is the thump you describe. Living in the midwest mine is worse in the cold and even after taking he tech for a drive, they can not pinpont it. Mine is more than a "thump", however. When it gets bad hitting a bump or dip in the road generates a metal on metal sound and a thump. It feels like a suspension issue but whateve it is can be heard clearly from the outside of the car and draws a alot of attention.

clee3 · March 2005

I bought an 05' in December. In February, with 4k miles on it (hehe a few long trips)it started to shudder when braking. Took it into the dealer and they put on a break kit. In and out in 2 hours. I also looked into the brake issue of the 04's pretty seriously. I do believe they used whatever leftover brakes from the 04' model for the 05's. Have since put an additional 2k miles on the beast since the kit, no problems so far. This is by far the best SUV I have ever owned and I do not regret the purchase one bit so far.

carfan3 · March 2005

Apart from sizeand price, which car should i purchase?
The 04 Armadas had alot of problems since it was the first time they came out with this size. But now, most of the issues, if not all has been addressed. Is the Pathfinder going through the same cycle? I thought since Pathfinders have been around for a long time that they would or should not have any problems such as what i read hear. I thought all Nissan did was redesign the body in and out, and tweak some minor things.
If this all new design is gonna go through the whole cycle that the Armada did, wouldn't it be better for me to get the Armada? Help soon!!

81trekker · March 2005

Have an '04 Armada with 21K miles (March 04 build). Only problem has been the brakes and they didn't need work until 17K.
Tires are not great (see my recent posts) but lots of original tires are not great.

We have driven it on 3 long trips along east coast and no issues. We found it to be very comfortable on the Interstates. I took it off-road in the GW National Forest a couple weeks after getting it and it did fine, although now as easy to handle as my smaller SUV, a 4Runner.

I would not hesitate to buy an Armada. Test drive carefully and make sure it has no obvious problems. Can't give you any advice on Armada vs. Pathfinder except to say how big a SUV do you need? That should be the deciding factor.

If you want a truly dependable mid-size SUV and don't mind paying a little more, get a 4Runner. I've had 2 of them and their predecessor, the Toyota Trekker. They are great!

81 Trekker

camlamarca · March 2005

A Nissan salesman told me today that the 2005 Armadas come off the production line with the new brake system, and do not have the fore mentioned problem.

He also said that the 2004s that had the problem have been maintained by Nissan under warranty, and right now they are replacing systems under a recall. However, replacements are being done in an pre-numbered assembly line order . . . when your number comes up, go in for the major fix.

Can anyone confirm the reliability of the 2005s, and that Nissan has stood behind all costs on the issues?

galvang · March 2005

A recall for the brakes do not exist as of yet. The 2005s do not have the new brakes kits at least through March of 2005. So don't believe a slimy salesman. Do your homework.

soldaustin · March 2005

I agree with the last post. I just took mine in and they said to wait since mine just started shaking (for the 4th time) for the new fix which isn't officially out. Now just over the past 700 miles it has gotten so much worse, I can't wait. I will just have to get the temporary fix again. He told me that the 2005 Armadas are the same brakes and are having the same problems. I think the case here is also style of driving. Some people say they haven't had a problem in so many miles, others every 3,000. (like me) I drive city miles. Stop and Start traffic. Keep in mind the brakes are the same for everyone, so faulty. If you don't have a problem, it isn't that you have better brakes. They are all the same. If you read past posts, you will also read about the booming noise in the roof that lots of people complained about. Some said theirs had no noise. Well, again, it is mostly the individual and what they accept or comprehend to be a problem. Every vehicle had the same problem I was told by the Nissan factory rep. Some people complained, some didn't. It was there. Now I am talking about in the earlier vehicles in 2004. We were told sometimes early 2004 they were doing the roof fix from the factory but I can't confirm this. So really don't believe all you hear. I have lived with bad brakes since Nov 2004, so have lost faith in Nissan products and their ability to address the problems. Fun to get into your cool looking vehicle that will turn heads, just to know that it is plagued with problems, so the looks don't make up for it.

rparnell · March 2005

I've just got my 04 Armada back from the dealers for brake judder. I have now done 21,000 miles - the judder started to appear at about 17,000, was fairly trivial for a long time and then suddenly became dreadful.

As expected, the dealer turned the rotors, and currently everything is OK. The costs were carried by Nissan. The service department told me to expect that the judder would return over time. They also told me that new brake kits with the upgraded rotors are expected towards the end of April - though they fully expect not to see parts until after that date.

However, they also said that the warranty on the brakes on my vehicle had been extended to 24 months and unlimited mileage, so I should be able to get the rotors replaced when needed.

As an aside, they reckoned that the current Armadas and QX56s on dealer lots still have the old brakes.....

huntermusic · April 2005

My 2004 Armada is in for its 15K service and the brake rotors have warped for the second time. I am aware that there is no such thing as a rotor warping and the brake judder is in fact caused by pad deposits on the rotors from inadequate heat sinking. The dealer has told me that there is a complet new brake rotor/caliper/pad retrofit for the Armada that has jsut been announced and he is trying to get the parts. I am leaving the Armada there until it is fixed. Teh dealer, Bob Sharp Nissan in CT , has been great about this. They are also doing the TSB for the roof/road roar issue that has finally become apparent. The brakes have made the Armada almost undriveable this time and I was not interested in another turn of the rotors. I think Nissan has finally realized that the problem is severe. My wife drives the car mostly and all the stop and go and suburban driving heat the rotors up and they never really cool down. When the hot rotors have the pads sitting against them at a stop light that's when the problem is created. I was this close to paying for aftermarket rotors and pads so I am happy to hear that a true fix is in the works that uses new parts.
The only other niggling problem has been the DVD screen squeaking when it is down; i hope the roof fix will also help that. We love the car, the handling, and the interior layout. Of course no one loves the gas mileage. Gas mileage would be better if the car wasn't so peppy on the road.

garyq · April 2005

I have 10k on my 04 Armada and the brakes are studdering really bad now. It also is shaking the steering wheel when I apply the brakes. You can just barley touch the pedel and the car studders.

I called my dealer and got the answer that all they will do is turn down the rotors. That is TOTAL BS. If my brakes only lasted 10k with new rotors turning down these rotors will not last very long. I cannot believe that Nissan does not have a fix. I am a happy Nissan customer from my past 95 Maxima and 02 PathFinder.

How can we make some noise to the right news papers and TV to get this some serious attention?

tidester · April 2005

You might consider jumping through one or two hoops. Clearly, if your rotors are warped then they will warp sooner with 10% or so of their mass removed. When they do, your dealer will have become more creative in finding a solution. Personally, I think it would be more cost effective for them to just fix the problem right in the first place but some people just don't get it.

tidester, host

jessedog · April 2005

After folding the center row so someone can get into the back seats, I tried to push the center row seat back to its normal position. Apparently, when the armrest is pointing down it hits against the center consol causing it to jam. I just realized that I now have a tear in the front of the armrest - poor design. Has anyone experienced this?
Thanks

rosie726 · April 2005

Actually ours is torn but we couldn't fiqure out how it happened because the kids are usually the one to move the seat..............now we know!

btill1 · April 2005

The same problem on mine it took me a little while to figure out where the tear came from, as stated a very poor design. Maybe if it was good quality leather it would not have ripped.

huntermusic · April 2005

I picked up my Armada from its 15K service. The service manager told me that the new brake rotor and caliper kits are being alloted to those owners whose "cut" rotors no longer meet spec. He said I had to accept the rotors on my Armada being cut one more time--and that the problem will come back again-- and then next time I will get the brake upgrade/fix as the kits are scarce right now. The service manager is a very nice guy and I don't mind him working the system for me but it still seems odd that I have to wait for the brakes to warp again. Actually not odd but sad that Nissan won't step up and pay up to have their suppliers create a larger inventory. I love the Armada, but I wonder about the relationship I am developing with Nissan. They are becoming like a problem sibling; there is always an explanation why things are right but no real solution at hand.

kymedic513 · April 2005

I have an '04 Armada LE. Love the ride and looks but I have had nothing but trouble with the brakes. Like most of the other post, I have had the vehicle in the shop for the forth or fifth time for brake repairs. They turned the rotors and put a "kit" but it has not helped. Just about every 4000-4500 miles, I get the judder and you can't hold the vehicle in the correct lane. Just a couple of days ago, I had a COMPLETE brake FAILURE. Fortunately, I wasn't going very fast and was able to get the thing stopped before entering an intersection with oncoming traffic.
The vehicle is in the shop again as we speak. They don't know what the problem is.
I have contacted Nissan and their standard reply is that they have a new brake system but it is not readily available. The Brake Failure is totally unacceptable and I will probably be filing with the state under the lemon law provisions to get them to refund my purchase.

Nissan Armada

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