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Nissan Murano Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • all19all19 Member Posts: 2
    I have an appointment later this week to have the tank shield installed. Can someone please explain where the tank shield is going to be put and how it affects the appearance of the car?
  • ctxctx Member Posts: 50
    I have a squeaky brake pedal too in my '06. Just started this weekend. I plan to take it in soon so will let you know what I find out.
  • timbo4timbo4 Member Posts: 30
    Had the recall done last week on my 03. The paper work takes longer than the repair. All that is done is a plastic shield is placed alone the entire front part of the gas tank. The shield continues past the tank on both sides & drops down slightly to deflect any debrie that could be kicked back from the front tires. It is attached by a few bolts & it also clips onto brake lines that are attached to the body for stability.

    The shields are some what noticeable but don't seem to be as bad as some postings suggest. Some were even concerned about gas mileage.

    The gas tank doesn't need to be removed so don't worry about your fuel quantity. All in all it is a simple job that requires no disassembly of any of your cars parts. Not to worry! :)
  • dmccabedmccabe Member Posts: 1
    The symptoms of this were a ticking sound from the engine on accelleration, loss of power, and the "check engine light" comes on. I have to know if anyone else had this part replaced. I was lucky enough to have it done twice!!! It turns out there are two of these bad boys under the hood. Or are there???!!! Please someone respond.
    Thanx
  • andytommoandytommo Member Posts: 33
    My transfer case went luckily before the warranty was out - at 33k. The dealer said I was lucky it went then, he showed me the invoice for what it would have cost, over $4k!! That was 6 months ago, and since then I've put another 18k miles on, with no problems, knock on wood.

    Someone else mentioned some knocking or rattling sound coming from underneath the car.....now its summer and we can drive with our windows down (yeah, Im not in CA or FL!) you notice outside rattles more. One I've noticed on about 80% of Muranos I've driven or seen drive past me have this little rattle from the undercarriage at lowish speeds on a slightly uneven road.

    I asked my dealer about this last year, they tried allsorts and then said most of them do it, but they tightened my emergency brake cable anyway. It made it a little better, so I tried something. Drive with your emergency brake on the first or second notch slowly over an uneven road, and the rattle completely disappears. So the brake cable is the source of rattling, ask for it to be tightened if the rattle bothers you.
  • costas3costas3 Member Posts: 1
    Geee ,I had a ticking noise, which I did not care much, when I took my MO to the dealer for a regular tire rotation.They checked the noise and said my trans is bad.
    The car has to stay there for at least 2 weeks.
    Well... my insurance does not cover rental car for mechanical problems. And Nissan only will give the car for 3 days.
    What the...
  • jim7689jim7689 Member Posts: 15
    I just picked up my 2006 Murano SL AWD on April 28, 2006 and it was being driven by the Finance Manager at the dealership. The vehicle had 3,600 miles on it so they gave me a couple of free oil changes and an additional $1,500.00 off. Anyway while they had it up on the lift I looked at the gas tank and it had the metal tank guard in place.

    I don't know if they put it on at the factory or at the dealership.

    FYI
  • jim7689jim7689 Member Posts: 15
    I have an 06 Murano SL AWD I just picked up on April 28. I have a metal tank shield in from of the gas tank and you cannot see it from outside the car. The car had 3,600 miles on it from dealership employees driving it so they changed the oil before I left and I got to see under the car. It looks like a good repair to me.

    I don't know if it came like this from the factory or if the dealership installed it. I didn't ask.

    Hope this helps.
  • kariukikariuki Member Posts: 4
    Hi I just had my recall done and they placed the shield, the funny thing at first I was wondering why when I look at other muranos I don't see the shield, but I realised it was something new and people had to take them to get fixed. It actually does not look bad, you will just see to plastic things hanging below your back tires, it looks wierd at first but you get used to it. The are visible but they look okey. So don't worry about it. They told they were for protection from debris.
  • baldwin3baldwin3 Member Posts: 121
    Went to Central Valley Nissan (Modesto, CA) yesterday with 01 Pathfinder and looked under 06 Muranos. They have come from Japan with form-fitted, streamlined tank guards which are made of steel (or possibly aluminum). The "recall" plastic-hang down tank guards are a joke by comparison. Nobody in service seemed to care, and I was referred to 1-800-NISSAN-1 which I haven't bothered to call. I will write a letter to the dealership's owner, John Gardner, and see if he can be of help. Obviously, Nissan went on the cheap for the recall...but recognized the problem was serious, and the new models have come out well done. The initial cheap trick, in my opinion, was using plastic for the gas tank...Disappointed but no longer surprised by anything in this world. John B
  • gem_timgem_tim Member Posts: 5
    I have a power prob with my Murano and was wondering if anyone had seen it or had any suggestions on what to look for before I sacraficed my baby to the dealer. Anyway I have a 2005 SL AWD. All of my power outlets are not working. The cigarette lighter, the one in the storage compartment and the one in the rear of the vehicle. I think what could have caused it was I bought a Belkin charger for my Ipod and that may have something to do with it. I looked at the fuses for these outlets in the dash fuse box and they looked fine. Any suggestions would be appreciated

    Thanks
  • baldwin3baldwin3 Member Posts: 121
    The connection to the charger and now failure of plug in outlets is probably correct. Even if you have visually checked fuses, you may well have missed a tiny break in one, as you know how small they are and the interruption can be less than lmm. The dealer with a fuse/circuit tester should find it easily. Let us know. JB
  • orangelebaronorangelebaron Member Posts: 435
    I have a 2003 Murano with 39,000 miles. Last year the AC wouldn't work unless I restarted the car and tried again. Now it won't work anymore at all.
  • jodyrojodyro Member Posts: 2
    After taking the car back to the same dealer 6 times (Woodfield Nissan, Schaumburg, IL) They finaly told me get my car and leave - they cant find it or fix it. He implied nothing is wrong and pretty much said that I shouldnt show up there agian without the car actively malfunctioning.

    I called Nissan and asked them what I should do. The customer service person said they couldnt help me unless I could make it do it for the dealer. I told him the car was unsafe and I need it fixed. He said he couldnt do anything about it again. I asked if I need a lawyer to get this resolved and he said I could do that or fax him all the repair reports and they would consider repurchasing the car.

    A few days latter it happened again near another dealer (Elgin, IL) It was about quarter to six and there was one mechanic who was there late who drove the car and deamed it undrivable. He would not even give it back to me to get home. They got me a rental car and determined it was a valve body problem. They said there was a service bullitin on it and they didnt know why the other dealer couldnt figure it out. When they started replacing the valve body they determined that the transmission was screwed up as well, so now I am getting a new transmission.

    Hopefully all will go well after this repair. I doubt I would get a Nissan again, mainly because of how I was treated by the first dealer and the nissan customer service rep.
  • orangelebaronorangelebaron Member Posts: 435
    The ac is now fixed. A line to the ac was cracked...maybe or maybe not due to minor ($16,000) car accident in which the tranny had to be replaced a year and a half ago.
    The tranny was on it's way out anyway because it was vibrating like a sewing machine a week before the front corner came in contact with a minivan that was driven through a stop sign.
    This Murano is very comfortable... but not sure it is the best car made. Might have to get rid of it.
  • ladynoleladynole Member Posts: 1
    Please tell me what year your Murano is. We have a 2003 Murano with 75,000 miles. It is only 32 months old and the transmission went. I am trying to find everyone who had problems with their transmission. We were having the same problems as the recall with the jumping in great but our VIN was not in the recall series. Now we are facing a $4,000 bill unless I can prove others had problems with the transmission. We only drive highway miles, but drive on average 77 miles a day. We have never towed anything to put a strain on the transmission. I called US Department of Transportation and they said the average life span of a transmission is 12 years or 128,000 miles. I think Nissan has a problem they don't want to fix because you have to take the whole frame off to get to the transmission. UGH!
  • homeounerhomeouner Member Posts: 145
    Certainly all the complaints filed by owners of MO s are on file W/ the Nissan corp. or should be in order to get TPS corrected in a timely fashion. Does the trans. have a code for "all" malfunctions. As some posters have to insist some thing is wrong before the dealership is enlightened or motivated to fix the problem. I have heard Nissan s were good trouble free cars but one never really knows until yours goes wrong. My MO has 28,500 miles and no problems yet, except it dieing and coming back to a good life so far.
  • baldwin3baldwin3 Member Posts: 121
    One of the above posts sure sounds like Throttle position failure to this veteran of the problem, advised of it by this site, and armed with that information, told a dealer to replace it at 7,500 miles (05). At 20,000 that is the only problem the vehicle has had. I read these posts and wonder if CVT transmissions are being blamed for TPS failures...if so, that is a sad story, as my dealership has had only 2 CVT failures, one due to improper fluid going in at JiffyLube and the other, going off-road, cracking on a rock, and losing all fluid. Just how many TPS failures it takes for a recall, or how many Nissan is aware of...who knows. I do know that lack of acceleration is extremely dangerous if it happens on a merging freeway situation. Mine fortunately occurred on a rural road a mile from home.
    Two items: April 2006 Consumers Reports in its Annual Auto Issue...gives Murano 05 and beyond almost all solid red balls...perfect, and gives it a checklist right up there with Hondas. Also, FYI, Toyota last week recalled ONE MILLION vehicles over a spectrum of 10 different models, for poor metallurgy in the steering arms, which had led to over 20 spontaneous cracks, fractures and failure to steer. So, it appears that nobody is perfect anymore. I do believe that "made in Japan" is the label to look for...check out that Consumers for reliability records..the vehicles made even by Nissan, in Smyrna, Tennessee don't compare in quality to Japanese-standards, and the Volkswagens, most all made in Mexico, have failing ratings, across the board. Buyer beware. John B. Calif.
  • orangelebaronorangelebaron Member Posts: 435
    If there is a major problem that a corporation knows about (and I'm not saying that there is), I'm sure they tell their employees not to admit it to the public. The CVT on my Murano started vibrating at around 24,000 miles.

    Please give us specifics as to where this information about Japanese cars made in the USA and German cars made in Mexico having more problems than their counterparts made in Japan and Germany? This is nonsense and I don't know where you get your information. Most problems arise because of poor vehicle design and engineering and management. What does an assembly line worker in Mexico have to do with Jetta windows falling down because cheap plastic clips were specified? Blame an assembly line worker in Ohio because a transmission fails in an Accord? Did the assembly line worker design the transmission?

    My Subaru was put together in Indiana and put together very well. Any problems with it have nothing to do with it being made in the USA.
  • maineguymaineguy Member Posts: 6
    I also had the tank shield installed on my 2003 Japanese built 4WD SE. It looks awful and it has decreased my mileage due the the extra drag. I called Nissan's 800 number and after speaking the the rep in India, I was transferred to some "specialist" in California. I was told that there were no complaints about the looks or the mileage issue with this new shield. I explained to him that there were many complaints all over Edmunds.com Murano forum and that this shield has actually altered the EPA mileage rating due to the increased drag. All I was told was that is was my imagination and there was nothing that could or would be done. Nice customer service!

    I was one of the people that had the alternator quit while driving and I have also found, like Consumer Reports did, that the power steering pump does not give enough boost while at idle.

    While I like the comfort of the vehicle I am very unhappy with some of the design flaws (FM radio reception, Dash lights brightness, gas tank shield, power steering pump) and the fact that Nissan refuses to accept any responsibility for the problems. My only other experience with Nissan was my 1978 Datsun 810 wagon which I loved. I hoped the Murano would be as nice as I went into it from a wonderful Camry. I am not sure if any other company is better but I do not think I will buy another Nissan product based on this experience with my Murano.
  • convert1convert1 Member Posts: 1
    I have just purchased an 03 Murano, I was wondering what kind of fuel you all burn? Dealer told me premium was a must any advice. I also noticed that you guys have been discussing a fix for the fuel tank Issue is this a recall?
  • rossfrarossfra Member Posts: 1
    Hello
    Yesterday I got the same news. $4,000 for a transmission. 71000 miles, 2.5 years. I have called Nissan Consumer affairs. They said they woudl get back to me in a couple of days. Certainly a problem, probably only with the 2003s. Have you made any progress on your end ?

    Thank you
    rossfra :cry:
  • baldwin3baldwin3 Member Posts: 121
    I respect orangelebaron's comments concerning my thoughts on specifics. VWs made in Mexico are not the fault of the laborers, but of design, manufacture, quality assurance and parts. However, admittedly without verifiable sources, only observation and reading of multiple articles, I cannot give exact data, and I accept that criticism. There is no question, however, that VWs made in Wolfsburg, Germany were impressive, reliable and durable; the current overseas (Mexico) VWs rated by Consumers Reports are all black balls...Nevertheless, OLB's observations that cheap parts and sloppy design are at fault, rather than where made is very valid and I accept his conclusions. Today, Nissan instructed its dealers not to sell Altima or Sentra vehicles...CBS radio 1PM June 3...over 20 engine fires have occurred. I will not comment on where or who made those models. I believe we all are in agreement that cars can be sloppily made, poorly designed and we, the consumer, seem to be the test rats in the cages. Thanks.
  • augusta2augusta2 Member Posts: 9
    The transmission went on my 2003 Murano at 38,000 miles. I had continuous acceleration problems and the dealer finally decided to have one of the technicians drive it home. The car completely died on him and it had to be towed. It took 2 weeks to be fixed, then the transfer case went. They gave me a loaner for the entire time, so I was lucky.
  • augusta2augusta2 Member Posts: 9
    Forgot to add that this was all covered under warranty.
  • baldwin3baldwin3 Member Posts: 121
    Documenting my comments above: June 3, LA Times: "Nissan halted North American sales of some 100,000 4 cylinder Altima and Sentra models because of 215 reports of excessive oil use associated with 17 engine fires and one minor injury. Altimas were built in Smyrna, TN and Canton, MS, their Mexico factory in Aguascalientes built the Sentra models. The sales halt comes amid Nissan's push this year to improve the quality of its North American-made cars." I know this is not a Murano issue, but it IS a Nissan issue, and shows orangelebaron was correct that bad cars can come from US and foreign assembly lines.
  • duke28duke28 Member Posts: 5
    This may seem strange, it seems odd to me but I am having a big problem filling up the tank with gas. I bought a 2006 Murano S last month and the gas tank has been replaced twice and I'm still having problems. The tank stops filling up, clicks and then it takes a several seconds before you can try again. Sometimes it catches and fills, sometimes it doesn't and gas spits out. I've had several cars in the past and never had this problem. Is anyone else experiencing these problems? Help!
  • duke28duke28 Member Posts: 5
    I'm having this same problem. I bought a 2006 Murano 1 month ago and have had the gas tank replaced twice already. I've taken the car to several different gas stations and I still have the same problem. The dealership even suggested I try the gas station they use and one of the Service Technicians went with me and it still happened. The service dept. says it could be the gas stations I go to, the way I'm holding the nozzle, etc. That's ridiculous. THey don't know why it's happening. I'm going to call Nissan Corporate tomorrow to complain about this. Did you get any resolution to this problem yet?
  • easym1easym1 Member Posts: 218
    Regular Unleaded is the fuel recommended in our Nissan booklet but mid-range or premium was supposed to give you better performance. But I tried the mid-range fuel and there is no difference in performance. With the high fuel price, I won't waste my money on fuel other than regular.
  • easym1easym1 Member Posts: 218
    Would you be able to open another page for "POST YOUR MURANO MILEAGE HERE"?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Sure thing!

    Nissan Murano: MPG-Real World Numbers

    Thanks for asking.

    Steve, Host
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    doesn't seem like a tank problem to me, but rather possibly a kink in the filler tube going to the tank, the tube leading from the tank to the tank vent, or a bad vent solenoid valve, but not sure.

    there has to be some means for the gas entering the tank to displace air in the tank.
  • jltnoljltnol Member Posts: 1
    anyone else having problems with windows rolling down and the alarm going off randomly on a new 2006 Murano SL?
  • roadrunner70roadrunner70 Member Posts: 241
    mine was installed today. very bad design. nissan's solution to the nhtsa requirement is in a word terrible. we all know that nissan could have designed a more aesthestically acceptable shield, especially for a beutiful car that is cutting edge. now, we have a milk crate hanging down. shame on nissan. another reason to go to another mfg next time. for those who live in the snowy regions, guess its good to know you have two snow plows under the car. wait till a good snow, how much will pile up under there. also, has anyone noticed any wind noise from down under (the car that is. a very bad design.) rr70
  • baldwin3baldwin3 Member Posts: 121
    I have refrained from getting it put on as I live in the High Sierra, and need clearance, not to mention aesthetics.
    Really understand what you say as I saw a "shield" at the dealer's last week..a cheap way to fix a cheap plastic gas tank that should have been metal. As I mentioned some weeks ago:
    1. Look under the 2006 and you will see the factory-installed, sleek tank-conforming steel protectors that the recall owners should have had, and
    2. I have about six separate spray layers of Napa auto rubber undercoating on the front and underside of my wonderful Murano gas tank...I sprayed a coat on every two days and it is not steel, but better than nothing. Used two cans. If I catch fire from a thrown nail, I will just consider it a thousand to one bad luck thing. Do you agree, RR?
  • murano_ownermurano_owner Member Posts: 64
    I have called and complained to Nissan Corporate and to my dealer. I am only one voice. I beleive that if all of us that had this ugly tank shield put in call Nissan Corp and the dealer and complain that Nissan may cave in and replace them with something nicer. It is worth a try.
  • baldwin3baldwin3 Member Posts: 121
    1. Where should we write/call/email shield complaints?

    2. JD Power survey, Wall St. Journal 6-8-2006. 63,607 questionnaires sent with 217 specific problem areas to 2006 new car owners, two categories: design quality and production quality, each rating added to give total score of defects per 100 new cars. Results:
    1.Porsche (91) 2.Lexus 3.Hyundai (!) 4.Toyota (106) 13.Nissan (121) Industry Avg (124) 19.Audi (130) 22. Volvo (133) 28.BMW (142) 32.Jeep (153) 36.VW (171) and 38.Land Rover (204) Nissan dropping out of top ten despite corporate drive for quality..still above "average" and far above Volvo, BMW, Jeep, Audi and VW, but they should do better. Where in those defects lie the TPS, the CVT, and the "shield" we will never know.
  • bonin3bonin3 Member Posts: 1
    i recently purchased a 2006 murano in february, i love it, best car i ever had. i went from a big 2001 dodge ram with the big engine and the big cab to the murano and i dont miss the dodge at all, with respect to space.

    the one thing i have noticed though is when i pop in a new "store bought" cd the radio does not read the album, artist or track names, but when i burn a cd the album names and track names show up fine

    any ideas?
  • baldwin3baldwin3 Member Posts: 121
    Central Valley Nissan in Modesto, CA...service mgr. called me back today concerning my question on getting the '06 factory-installed contoured metal tank shield. Answer: putting that shield on would require a great deal of brake line, gas line and other complex disassembly, so that is not an option. However, he offered a heavy-duty aluminum shield in place of the plastic, understanding my concern about snow/berm clearance, stating they could, in the shop, cut the vertical hang-down to match the bottom of the fuel tank if I so wished. I will go for that. I assume that this shield should be available to all comers;it was not designed for me...but you need to push and insist.
    I truly believe some dealerships are really dedicated to the customer and others are not. On the Altima and Sentra 4-cyl. sale freeze because of oil consumption/and fires: he said they have no further info on what Nissan believes is causing the problem, be it piston rings or leaky gaskets. But he stated they have 57 vehicles sitting there...frozen, and have had to send out letters to previous buyers that they will "top off" engine oil weekly until the problem is understood...
  • aneeseaneese Member Posts: 7
    My Murano radio sounds fuzzy and weak. Could it be the stubby antenna they use?
  • baldwin3baldwin3 Member Posts: 121
    The antenna is perfectly adequate, but if not connected, there is terrible reception of AM. (FM does not use the stubby.) I figured this out when my cat started gnawing at the stubby antenna, and I unscrewed it...and then the radio had no AM reception. Wrapped it in duct tape and put it back. Try unscrewing it, clean and dry the threads, and re-insert it tightly. If that is not helpful, there is a part referred to as the "AM amplifier" which could be faulty. Hope this works. JB
  • jjl62momjjl62mom Member Posts: 1
    I am in the process of researching to purchase a 2006 SL AWD Murano. Reading up on the problems and recalls almost make me leary of my decision even though I love how it looks! :confuse:

    Should I expect to have trannie problems by 36,000? Have they corrected the gas tank and cover issues on the 2006 model or should I check under the Murano before I buy? Help!! I would appreciate any info you can pass on. JL
  • silvermuranosilvermurano Member Posts: 15
    If you really like it, but are leery due to some of the comments on this site, buy the extended warranty and you'll have what you want and any worrys will be covered by the warranty. I like my 04 (12,+000 miles) but I will pick up the extended warranty before my 36 months are up 01-2008. One more very important point, Buy From A Reputable Dealer. That seems to be a lot of the problems addressed on this site. Poor Service. Find a "Good Nissan Dealership"!!!!!

    Good Murano Shopping, Hunting.

    Silver Murano
  • roadrunner70roadrunner70 Member Posts: 241
    baldwin 3, if i lived in a very snowy area, i might not have the shield installed. here in florida, its more of an issue of wind noise and appearance. i like the idea of the rubberized undercoating, which probably provides some additional protection. even before the plastic shield was installed, i didn't worry about the tank being punctured. a very unlikely problem. i monitor several other mesage boards for other cars i own, and i have to say, that other than for the tps and alternator, the murano, and i have one of the very first ones, have been pretty reliable. i balance the few problems with the handling, acceleration, braking, comfort, etc, and i have a good perception of the vehicle. i may have spoken too quickly about thinking about another mfg, as they all have their issues. look at the 2003-2006 toyota highlander with some sort of transmission hesitation problem. for some of those souls, there is real anger. rr70
  • roadrunner70roadrunner70 Member Posts: 241
    does anyone have this "problem". after turning off the car and removing the key, the display screen comes back on and stays on for a few seconds to perhaps a half to 3/4 a minute? it started after the seat frame was replaced on my car a few months ago. so far, no apparant prolbmes related this this. thanks. rr70
  • nikeshoxnikeshox Member Posts: 4
    Hi, I have a 06 Murano SL. I have been hearing the squeaky noise coming from my brake pedal too. Just wondering how did yours got fixed?
  • ctxctx Member Posts: 50
    I have not had mine fixed yet but did take it in because the Service guy thought it could be fixed with Silicon lube. Well no such deal. So I have to take it back and leave it for the day. Haven't gotten to that yet but will be this week. I did read on another forum that the entire pedal assembly will need to be replaced though.
  • carshopping3carshopping3 Member Posts: 1
    Thinking of purchasing 2006 Murano S AWD. Torn between many of the issues seen on this discussion and other boards (Yahoo etc.) Is gas mileage as bad as people say? Are noises bad as people say?
    Thanks
  • homeounerhomeouner Member Posts: 145
    Re the tank shield. Saw one in a parking lot, the really sleazy black shield hangs down vertically from the floor board in front of the tank, W/ a 90 degree return flange that really makes it show up as a "cheap fix" in comparison of the factory installed shields. Every poster should call the Nissan # and demand that the factory installed shield be the one to be installed instead of this piece of c**p. Insist to talk to the manager of the department who O K ed the design. The # is 1 800 647 7261. A group effort is the way to tell Nissan how unhappy the MO owners are with this shield.
  • ctxctx Member Posts: 50
    Don't be scared.. Murano is an awesome car. You know the issues so buy extended Warranty if you must. Mileage is average.. My 2006 is quiet as anything. Don't get too wrapped up in that stuff. Why do you need AWD? My Touring cost 31K and I LOVE the bells and whistles.
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