1995 Nissan Maxima

WE JUST PURCHASED OUR DAUGHTER HER FIRST CAR,A VERY NICE LOOKING 1995 NISSAN MAXIMA. IT ONLY HAD ONE SMALL RUST SPOT ONE THE REAR FENDER,AND IT SEEMED TO RUN GREAT,SO WE BOUGHT IT HOME. TWO DAYS LATER WE NOTICED A THUMPING NOISE UNDER THE HOOD. UPON INVESTIGATION, FOUND THAT THE LOWER RADIATOR SUPPORT HAS TOTALLY ROTTED AWAY IN THE MIDDLE ,WHERE THE FRONT MOTOR MOUNT BOLTS ON. THIS CAUSED THE MOTOR TO TILT FORWARD ABOUT THREE INCHES. IT WONT BE LONG TILL THE MOTOR FALLS OUT ON THE GROUND... WHEN I CALLED LOCAL DEALER THEY SAID THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. WHAT A PIECE OF JUNK,NOW THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I AM THE SECOND OWNER AND THIS CAR WAS METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED BY THE FIRST OWNER AND HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. IF OTHER OWNERS DO NOT CATCH THIS DEFECT IN TIME SOMEONE COULD GET HURT.. WILL BE CALLING NISSAN TO SE WHAT THEY WILL DO. *NM

HOOD SHOCKS CANNOT KEEP HOOD OPEN. FIRST TIME IT OCCURRED, THE HOOD CAME DOWN ON MY HEAD AND HIT ME PRETTY HARD. MY WIFE HAD TO COME LIFT IT AND TEND TO MY DIZZINESS. DRIVER SEAT ADJUSTERS DON'T WORK ANYMORE, MY WIFE TRIED TO GET INTO THE CAR AFTER I HAVE BEEN DRIVING IT AND COULDN'T REACH THE PEDALS. CONTACTED NISSAN AND SAID IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY, THE LOCAL DEALER INDICATED THAT NISSAN USED CHEAP PARTS (PLASTIC COGS) AND AFTER A WHILE THEY STRIP.

THE OXYGEN SENSOR HAS FAILED SEVERAL TIMES, THE EARLIEST TIME THE VEHICLE HAVING ONLY 28299 MILES. VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED AND EXHAUST LEAK. THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START DUE TO A BLANK SPOT ON THE STARTER. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, THE DOME LIGHT WOULD NOT WORK DUE TO A POWER WIRE RIVET THAT WAS LOOSE AND LOOSING CONTACT. THE DOME LIGHT, THE DOOR LIGHTS, AND THE MAP LIGHT MALFUNCTIONED WHEN THE CONSUMER TRIED TO REPLACE THE BULB FOR THE MAP LIGHT. THE FACTORY INSTALLED ALARM WOULD GO OFF UNLESS THE KEYLESS ENTRY WAS USED, THE DASH INDICATOR LIGHTS FOR THE TRUNK OPEN AND DOOR AJAR FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE ALSO WOULD NOT WORK. THE HYDRAULIC HOOD SUPPORTS FAILED, IN ORDER TO CHECK THE ENGINE OR MAKE ANY REPAIRS THE HOOD HAS TO BE PROPPED OPEN. RECENTLY THE CONSUMER HEARD A CLICKING NOISE IN THE FRONT END, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CV BOOT WAS TORN AND THAT THE CLICKING NOISE MEANT THE AXLE WAS DAMAGED, HOWEVER, LATER THE DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS ONLY THE STRUT MOUNT BUT DIDN'T KNOW WHICH ONE WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM, SO BOTH OF THEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *SLC

HOOD SUPPORTS FAIL TO KEEP HOOD UP WHEN OPENED. HOOD SUDDENLY SLAMS SHUT WITHOUT WARNING. WILL CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY AS HOOD IS HEAVY AND CLOSES WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO CHOP OFF FINGERS, ETC. REALLY DANGEROUS. DEALER SAYS NISSAN WON'T REPAIR, AND THAT SHOP MECHANICS USE A WOOD PROP BEFORE THEY WILL GET UNDER HOOD OF 1995 MAXIMA AS PROBLEM IS WELL-KNOWN.

THE HOOD SUPPORT STRUTS (GAS FILLED HOOD LIFTS) FAIL DURING COLD WEATHER. THEY DO NOT RELIABLY HOLD UP THE HOOD WHEN THEY ARE COLD (E.G., CAR IDLE OVERNIGHT). WHEN WARMED (E.G., BY ENGINE HEAT), THEY USUALLY WORK AGAIN. NOW THAT THE WEATHER IS WARMER, THEY WORK, BUT NOT AS WELL AS WHEN THE CAR WAS NEW. THEY OBVIOUSLY ARE ON THEIR WAY TO EVENTUAL TOTAL FAILURE. BOTH THE DEALER AND NISSAN HQ HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF THE PROBLEM BY FAX LETTER. NISSAN HQ HAS ASSIGNED FILE #2816812 TO THE PROBLEM. NISSAN DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM AS A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT. FURTHER, A NISSAN REPRESENTATIVE INDICATES THAT HOOD SUPPORT STRUTS CAN FAIL AT ANY TIME. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT; THEIR FAILURE COULD LET THE HOOD DROP ON SOMEONE'S HEAD WITHOUT WARNING. IN MY OPINION, HOOD SUPPORT STRUTS SHOULD BE ALL-WEATHER, SAFETY RELATED PARTS THAT ARE WARRANTED FOR THE LIFE OF THE CAR (SOMETHING AKIN TO SEAT BELTS). NISSAN HAS OFFERED TO REPLACE THE HOOD SUPPORT STRUTS FOR ABOUT $100. I BELIEVE NISSAN SHOULD REPLACE THEM FREE OF CHARGE.