2000 Nissan Maxima

THE LOWER RADIATOR SUPPORT (TIE BAR) HAS RUSTED OUT TO THE POINT THAT IT IS AFFECTING THE ALIGNMENT OF THE VEHICLE. THE RUST IS CONCENTRATED AROUND THE PLACE WHERE THE LOWER ENGINE SUPPORT BOLTS TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR. IT IS ENTIRELY CONCEIVABLE THAT THE ENGINE COULD CAUSE THE LOWER ENGINE SUPPORT TO BREAK FREE FROM THE LOWER RADIATOR SUPPORT. ADDITIONALLY, THE EXCESSIVE RUST ON THE LOWER RADIATOR SUPPORT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE CRASH PERFORMANCE ON THIS PART OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

ON APRIL 1, 2010, MY DAUGHTER WAS WAITING IN MY VEHICLE FOR ME TO LEAVE WORK, AS I APPROACHED THE CAR I NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE HOOD, MY DAUGHTER WAS IN THE CAR, WHEN SAW ME APPROACHING THE CAR SHE EXITED THE CAR AND STOOD IN FRONT OF THE CAR TO OPEN HOOD OF CAR, ONE OF MY COWORKERS YELLED THE CAR WAS ON FIRE POINTING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR. I NOTICED FLAMES COMING OUT FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR, I YELLED FOR MY DAUGHTER TO STAY CLEAR FROM THE CAR, I PHONED 911 IMMEDIATELY, MY CAR WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF A CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, I WORK IN A MEDICAL CAMPUS, I WAS CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF THE PATIENTS AND SURROUNDINGS NEEDLESS TO SAY MY DAUGHTER COULD OF BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT OR WORSE. THE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES IN LESS THEN 5 MINUTES, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND SECURITY FILED REPORTS. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CONFIRMED THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND OR COMPREHEND HOW THIS CAN HAPPEN, I KEEP THE CAR UP TO DATE WITH OIL CHANGES AND MY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC CHECKS THE CAR EVERY SIX MONTHS FOR SERVICE, NEEDLESS TO SAY I HAVE NO TRANSPORTATION SINCE MY NISSAN WAS THE ONLY CAR I HAD WHICH I USED FOR WORK AND MY DAUGHTER FOR WORK AND SCHOOL ALSO. *TR

WE WERE DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT AND HAD ABOUT 5 FEET TO GO BEFORE THE CAR WAS PARKED. I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE CAR SLOWED DOWN FURTHER. SUDDENLY THE CAR ENGINE REVVED AND THE CAR TOOK OFF. I PRESSED HARD ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, NOT THE GAS PEDAL, BUT THE CAR WOULDN'T STOP. I TURNED THE WHEEL TO AVOID HITTING THE BUILDING IN FRONT OF ME, BUT HIT THE ADJACENT RESTAURANT INSTEAD. THE CAR CRASHED INTO THE RESTAURANT WALL AND SENT A LARGE REFRIGERATOR CRASHING TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROOM. FORTUNATELY, NO RESTAURANT PERSONNEL WERE IN THE PATH OF THE REFRIGERATOR AT THE TIME. SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE RESTAURANT AND TO THE CAR. MY HUSBAND WHO HAD ALREADY TAKEN OFF HIS SEAT BELT, AS WE WERE NEARLY STOPPED, HIT THE WINDSHIELD WITH HIS HEAD. HE IS IN THE HOSPITAL. I BADLY BRUISED MY HAND AND CHEST. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT ALL. OUR CAR IS A 2000 NISSAN MAXIMA. IT WAS TOWED TO A NEARBY BODY SHOP. NO ONE HAS TOUCHED IT OR ATTEMPTED ANY REPAIRS. I EXPECT THE INSURANCE COMPANY WILL DETERMINE THE CAR HAS BEEN TOTALED. *TR

2000 NISSAN MAXIMA'S HAVE A SERIOUS ENGINE IGNITION COIL DEFECT. -- THIS DEFECT CAUSES THE ENGINE TO RUN ROUGH, STALL AND ABRUPTLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY STOP DURING NORMAL USE. THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS LITTLE (IF ANY) VALUE IN HELPING ALERT THE DRIVER TO THE SUDDEN ENGINE FAILURE. THE ENGINE HAS 6 SEPARATE COILS. THE FIRST COIL FAILED AND WAS REPLACED BY THE NISSAN DEALER. IT WAS NOT COVERED BY ANY TYPE OF NISSAN WARRANTY. WITHIN A 90 DAY PERIOD, TWO ADDITIONAL COILS FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. EVENTUALLY, ALL 6 IGNITION COILS ULTIMATELY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $900.00. THE DEALER STATED THIS WAS A "VERY COMMON PROBLEM" WITH THIS MODEL, AND SAID EVENTUALLY ALL OF THE COILS FAIL WITH THIS NISSAN YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. HE PROVIDE THE FAILURE CODE P1320 AND NISSAN SERVICE REFERENCE: NTB01-059. THE WORK WAS PERFORMED BY A NISSAN DEALER IN ARIZONA. THIS MANUFACTURES DEFECT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BY NHTSA AND NISSAN NEEDS TO SERVICE THESE UNITS BEFORE IT RESULTS IN ADDITIONAL ACCIDENTS, FIRE OR FATALITIES. *TR

AFTER DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS FOR 20 MINUTES, GOT OFF HIGHWAY AND PULLED INTO GAS STATION. AFTER PUTTING THE VEHICLE IN PARK, THE CAR SHUT OFF. AFTER COMING OUT OF THE STORE, IT FAILED TO START. WENT BACK TO THE CAR LATER, AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. TOOK TO MECHANIC, BLAMED THE SERVICE LIGHT ON THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM. CAME ON AGAIN 2-3 WEEKS LATER, TOOK TO A DIFFERENT MECHANIC WHO SAID IT WAS THE IGNITION COILS. QUOTED ME $1300 TO REPLACE ALL 6. OPTED NOT TO PERFORM REPAIR AT THAT TIME. 2 WEEKS LATER, THE COIL FAILED AND CAUSED THE CAR TO RUN VERY ROUGH, AS WELL AS CONSUME LARGE AMOUNTS OF GAS. REPLACED BROKEN COIL AND O2 SENSOR. CAR CONTINUES TO GET FAR BELOW AVERAGE MPG. ABOUT 15 MPG HIGHWAY DRIVING. *TR

TRANSMISSION FAILURE: BOUGHT VEHICLE IN APRIL OF '99. TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP AT 15K. REMAN TRANS UNDER WARRANTY. 2ND SLIP OCCURRED AT 30K UNDER WARRANTY. DENIED VEHICLE TRADE. REMAN TRANS. 3RD OCCURRENCE AT 45K, REPLACED TRANS W/ OEM UNDER WARRANTY. DENIED TRADE. TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT HIGH TEMP FOR LONG DRIVES (2 HR INCLINE) AND HAD TO WAIT FOR THE TRANS TO COOL BEFORE IT DROVE AGAIN, ONE OCCURRENCE AT 55K, OIL OK. STILL INTERMITTENT POWER LOSS/SLIPPAGE. DEALERSHIP UNABLE TO RECREATE PROBLEM. DENIED TRADE. IGNITION COILS: KNOCKING, BAD GAS MILEAGE, AND POWER LOSS DUE TO IGNITION COIL FAILURE AT 70K. WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO REPLACE ALL COILS RATHER THAN THE ONE THAT WAS DAMAGED AND ALL SPARK PLUGS. ALTERNATOR WENT OUT AFTER REPAIR. REPLACED ALL COILS, PLUGS AND ALTERNATOR ($1500). STILL HAVE POWER LOSS & OCCASIONAL KNOCKING. NO HELP FROM NISSAN. DENIED TRADE. SUSPENSION: CONSTANT KNOCKING OF TIRE AREA AT 60K. ALL 4 HUBS DAMAGED AND REPLACED AT 65K. ALL 4 STRUTS LEAKING AND HAD TO BE REPLACED ALSO AT 65K. NO HELP FROM NISSAN. NISSAN QUOTE $3000. OPTED OUTSIDE REPAIR FOR $1000, NO MORE PROBLEMS. EMISSIONS: MORE LOSS OF POWER (3000RPM+) AND BAD GAS MILEAGE. PROBABLY LINKED TO IGNITION COIL PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED TO 1 OF 4 CATALYTIC CONVERTER SENSOR FAILURES. 130K. NO HELP FROM NISSAN. $3000+. FAN: LOUD NOISE WHEN A/C IS ON. ONE FAN DEFECTIVE AT 80K. FAN BLADE RUBBING ON METAL FRAME. REPLACED FAN $200. NO HELP FROM NISSAN. CONCLUSION: I WANTED TO HAVE MY VEHICLE CONSIDERED A LEMON AND TRADED. I HAD NO COMPLAINT WITH NISSAN OR THE MAXIMA LINE. I ONLY HAD A PROBLEM WITH JUST MY CAR. JUST WANTED A NEW MAXIMA. 5 LEMON ATTEMPTS WITH NISSAN, REJECTED EACH TIME. DISMISSED UNDER STRICT LEMON LAW STIPULATION REGARDING REPAIR STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS AND GUIDELINES OF REPAIR. VEHICLE HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE. PROPERLY MAINTAINED AND HAVE MAINTENANCE RECEIPTS AND DATES OF EACH OCCURRENCE LISTED ABOVE. *TR

MY MAXIMA JUMPS OR SLIPS OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING. I WAS JUST DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE CAR SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL. IT WOULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE (PRESSING THE GAS JUST CAUSED THE ENGINE TO REV). I HAD MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR AND IT WAS LUCKY THAT I WAS ABLE TO GET INTO THE BREAKDOWN WITHOUT BEING HIT. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO MY REPAIR SHOP AND THEY "THINK" IT'S THE TRANSMISSION, BUT NOT SURE. IT HAS OCCURRED TWICE SINCE THEN. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS DEFECT THAT APPARENTLY IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH NISSANS 2000 AND LATER. *TR