1997 Nissan Maxima

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SMOKE WAS EMITTING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT INDICATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN INDICATED THAT THE ALTERNATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE WAS REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

IN THE BEGINNING I NOTICED IT TOOK ME A COUPLE TIMES TO START VEHICLE AND IT WOULD LOOSE POWER AT CERTAIN STOPS OR WHEN I SLOWED DOWN OR CAME TO A STOP. AND AS TIME I FELT IT JERK AND PULL AT TIMES WHEN I WAS NOT DRIVING TOO FAST THIS CONTINUED AND THEN IT WAS ONE DAY THAT IT DOES NOT WANT TO START UP, NEW STARTER, NEW BATTERY, TUNE UP AND IT JUST WONT START. I AM JUST WAITING TO SEE IF THEY FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. *TR

MY 1997 MAXIMA HAS HAD THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT PERIODICALLY COME ON FOR THE LAST 4 YEARS. THE OBD CODE IS FOR THE SPEED SENSOR (P0500), I HAVE THE SPEEDOMETER DROP TO ZERO OCCASIONALLY AND BELIEVE THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE CIRCUIT. I HAVE CHANGED THE SENSOR FOUR TIMES AND THE PROBLEM ALWAYS RETURNS. TESTING THE SENSOR SHOWS IT IS FUNCTIONING NORMALLY. TO GET MY CAR INSPECTED, I RESET THE CODE AND IT EVENTUALLY RETURNS TO NORMAL AND I CAN PASS THE EMISSION TEST. THIS YEAR, I HAVE INCOMPLETE CODES FOR EGR AND CATALYST MONITOR. THERE ARE NO CODES PENDING AND I CHECK THE STATUS DAILY. I HAVE ABOUT 500 MILES ON THE CAR SINCE THE CODE RESET AND IT CONTINUES TO REGISTER INCOMPLETE. I AM AFRAID THAT I AM GOING TO GET FINED FOR THE EXPIRED INSPECTION. ARE THERE ANY KNOWN ISSUES RELATED TO THIS PROBLEM? *TR

I OWN A 1997 NISSAN MAXIMA GLE. IN THE LAST 4 MONTHS I HAVE REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR TWICE, THE STARTER AND THE BATTERY TWICE. SOMETHING IS DEFECTIVE WITH THE CHARGING SYSTEM. THE BATTERY LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT KEEP COMING ON REPEATEDLY ESPECIALLY WHEN THE CAR TRAVELS MORE THAN 10-20 MILES. I HAVE HAD THE CAR STALL OUT WITH A DEAD BATTERY 5 TIMES AND EACH TIME I HAVE HAD TO HAVE A JUMP START OR CHANGE THE BATTERY ONCE. SOMETHING IS DRAINING THE SYSTEM. *TR

THEY TOLD ME WHEN I WAS PURCHASING THE 1997 NISSAN MAXIMA THAT IT HAS BEEN THROUGH THERE INSPECTION. AS SOON AS I WAS DRIVING THE CAR HOME AND WAS AT A STOP THE ENGINE TURN OFF. IT TOOK ME TWO TIMES TO START THE ENGINE AGAIN TO START UP. THE NEXT DAY I CALLED THE DEALER AND SPOKE TO HIM ABOUT THE CAR TOOK IT IN TO GET IT REPAIRED. THE NEXT DAY THE CAR IS STILL HAVING PROBLEMS. WHILE DRIVING AND COMING TO A STOP ENGINE JUST TURNS OFF. IT TOOK ME FIVE TIMES TO PLAY AROUND WITH THE IGNITION TO GET IT STARTED AGAIN AND THE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. IN THE GLOVER COMPARTMENT I HAVE FOUND THE ENCLOSED COPY OF THE REPAIR INVOICE FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER THAT STATES HE WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM THAT I HAVE KNOW WITH THE ENGINE. THEY NEVER MENTION TO ME THAT THE CAR WAS HAVING ANY PROBLEMS. I BOUGHT THE CAR AS IS PAID CASH. I TRIED TO RETURN THE CAR AND GET MY MONEY BACK. BUT THE DEALER SHIP SAID NO. I PURCHASED THIS CAR AT THE PLANET NISSAN 5850 CENTENNIAL CENTER BLVD. LAS VEGAS NV 89149. (702)876-8000. I'M VERY UPSET THAT THEY SOLD ME A LEMON OF A CAR THAT I PURCHASED AND THAT I HAVE BEEN PAYING OUT OF POCKET TO FIX . *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED HOWEVER IT WOULD RESTART. THIS HAD OCCURRED SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. IT WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE INCLUDING THE REPLACEMENT OF THREE OXYGEN SENSORS, THE ALTERNATOR AND STARTER. THERE WAS A RECALL #02V171000 PERTAINING TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. UPDATED 12/15/06. *JB

MY WIFE BACKED THE CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE AND NOTICED A BURNING SMELL. SHE TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND GOT ME. WHEN I OPENED THE HOOD THERE WAS SMOKE AND A BURNING SMELL. THE ALTERNATOR HAD STARTED TO BURN AS WELL AS THE WIRING HARNESS. THIS ISSUE WAS COVERED BY NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 02V171000, BUT NISSAN SAYS MY VIN WAS NOT AMONG THOSE AFFECTED AND MY CAR IS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. *JB

CAR STALLS WITHOUT WARNING. IT MAY RUN FINE FOR SEVERAL WEEKS, THEN SUDDENLY STALL. THIS HAS CAUSED NEAR-ACCIDENTS, AS ENGINE SUDDENLY FAILS TO RESPOND IN SITUATIONS WHERE ACCELERATION IS REQUIRED; PASSING, MERGING, CROSSING INTERSECTIONS. DEALER DIAGNOSED AS SHORT IN EGI HARNESS. BREAKAGE INSIDE THE HARNESS APPEARS TO BE A FREQUENTLY OCCURING PROBLEM IN THIS VEHICLE, BASED ON OTHER REPORTS ON WEB DISCUSSION BOARDS. ALSO, MANUFACTURER HAS ISSUED TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN, SO THEY ARE AWARE THAT THIS HAPPENS, AND HAVE PUBLISHED A FIX THAT WORKS ONLY IN SOME CASES (I.E., AN UNSHIELDED WIRE SHORT). MANUFACTURER, IN SPITE OF THIS BEING A COMMON PROBLEM, REFUSES TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE IN REPAIRING, AND ASCRIBES IT TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THE ONLY SOLUTION FOR THE CONSUMER IS TO PAY NEARLY $3,000 TO HAVE THE ENTIRE HARNESS REPLACED, WHEN AS I EXPERIENCED, THE SHORT IS IN A SHIELDED WIRE (PER TSB).