2004 Nissan Maxima

I PURCHASED A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA, ON FEBRUARY 27 2007 WITH ONLY 24,000 MILES. THREE MONTHS LATER, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO FAIL. I NOTICE SOME JERKING WHEN I SLOWED DOWN AND THEN HIT THE GAS, AS WELL AS A METAL RATTLING NOISE (WHEN I GIVE IT GAS). I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHICH THEY STATED THAT THEY DIDN'T FEEL IT JERK AND THEY DIDN'T HEAR THE RATTLING NOISE. THE NOISE HAS BECOME WORSE. NOW A YEAR LATER THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND MY CAR WOULDN'T START. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE SHOP WHERE THEY DIAGNOSE THAT MY IGNITION COIL WENT BAD. (HAD TO REPLACE ALL SIX) COST $1000. TO THIS POINT THE CAR STILL REMAINS IN THE SHOP DUE TO IGNITION COIL. FINALLY, THE ROTOR WENT BAD WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR THE AMT $380. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THIS VEHICLE WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS. I HIGHLY BELIEVE THAT AN INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE PLACE TO GET THIS ON THE RECALL LIST. *TR

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY THE DRIVER'S FRONT DOOR OPENED UNEXPECTEDLY. HE THEN PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND SHUT THE DOOR. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD HIM THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO ELECTRICAL FAILURES. CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE IS AT 62,000 MILES.

I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA SINCE PURCHASING IT BRAND NEW. WITHIN 60 DAYS OF PURCHASING THE CAR, I HAD TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP DUE TO A MALFUNCTION WITH THE BRAKES. I HAVE SPENT OVER $1,500 SINCE KEEPING THE BRAKES AND ROTORS REPAIRED. I AM ON MY FOURTH SET OF TIRES AND HAVE HAD THREE ALIGNMENTS AND MY FRONT END INSPECTED. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE AN ENGINE MOUNT. IN 2006 MY AIR CONDITIONER WENT OUT AND I SPENT OVER $500 HAVING THAT REPAIRED. NOW I AM IN NEED OF A NEW TRANSMISSION BECAUSE THERE IS INTERNAL DAMAGE DUE TO THE CLUTCH SLIPPING EVEN THOUGH IT IS AN AUTOMATIC CAR. I HAVE TWO FRIENDS WITH THE SAME MODEL/YEAR CAR AND THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR OR THE SAME PROBLEMS. ONCE OF MY FRIENDS JUST REPLACED HIS TRANSMISSION IN HIS 2004 MAXIMA. THIS CAR HAS COST ME AT LEAST $5,000 IN REPAIRS SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED IT AND I HAVE NEVER EVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ON ANYTHING. I KNOW THAT NISSAN IS WELL AWARE OF THE DEFECTS IN THE 2004 MAXIMA, BUT ARE NOT OWNING UP TO THEIR RESPONSIBILITY IN TAKING CARE OF ALL OF THE PROBLEMS THAT I HAVE READ ABOUT AND TALKED ABOUT WITH DIFFERENT 2004 MAXIMA OWNERS. I HAVE ALSO HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED TWICE. THE BODY STYLE OF THE CAR IS BEAUTIFUL, BUT THE CAR ITSELF IS A PIECE OF CRAP DUE TO POOR MECHANICS. *TR

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH MY 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE TIRES, HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN THE SHOP FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING NUMEROUS TIMES; HAVE PAID TO HAVE THE BATTERY REPLACED BECAUSE THE CAR SUDDENLY STALLED; HAVE HAD THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED BECAUSE OF ONE OF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TRIPS TO THE DEALER. MOST RECENTLY, I REPLACED THE FRONT AND BACK BRAKES DUE TO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. A MONTH LATER, THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM FAILS, AND I AM TOLD THAT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY, AND THE CHARGE WILL BE $1,645. THE CAR IS ONLY TWO YEARS OLD. I AM AT THE DEALER AT LEAST ONCE, SOMETIMES TWICE A MONTH. I USED TO BE THE BIGGEST CHEERLEADER FOR NISSAN. I HAD A 1991 NISSAN MAXIMA THAT I BOUGHT USED WITH 173,000 MILES ON IT. THAT CAR WAS ON THE ROAD UNTIL IT HAD MORE THAN 300,000. NOW I FEEL LIKE I PURCHASED A LEMON. I BOUGHT A NEW CAR BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT THE HEADACHES THAT COME ALONG WITH A USED CAR. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER ON SEPTEMBER 18TH BECAUSE SOMETHING WEIRD GOING ON WITH THE BRAKES. I HAD HAD THE BRAKES CHANGED ABOUT A MONTH BEFORE THAT, I KNEW THAT THEY WERE IN GOOD CONDITION. I RECEIVED A CALL LATER THAT DAY TELLING ME THAT MY ABS BRAKE SYSTEM WAS BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AND THAT I WOULD NEED TO COVER THE COST BECAUSE THE PART WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. I CONTACT NISSAN NORTH AMERICA TO LODGE A COMPLAINT ON SEPTEMBER 19TH TO SEE IF THEY WOULD COVER THE COST FOR THE ABS SYSTEM FAILING, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO COVER A MAJOR REPAIR LIKE THAT ON A 2 YEAR OLD CAR. I WAS TOLD THAT A REGIONAL SPECIALIST WOULD CALL ME BACK WITHIN 24 HOURS. 2 DAYS PASSED WITHOUT A RETURN CALL. I CALLED AGAIN ON THE 22, AND AGAIN ON THE 25TH WITH NO RESPONSE. L BELIEVE THAT NISSAN IS AWARE OF ALL OF THE MANUFACTURING DEFECTS WITH THE MAXIMA AND BY NOT RESPONDING HOPE THAT CONSUMERS WILL GO AHEAD AND PAY FOR THE REPAIRS OVER AND OVER AGAIN BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE AN UNSAFE CAR. *NM

PROB #4 ON AUGUST 9, 2006, I WENT TO LEAVE FOR WORK AND MY CAR WOULD NOT START AT ALL. WHEN I TURNED THE KEY IT SOUNDED AS IF IT WOULD START, BUT IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER. IT IS AN ALTERNATOR PROBLEM. I HAD ENOUGH WITH THIS CAR. AFTER READING AND PRINTING ALL THE COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE, I ENDED UP WITH 42 PAGES OF COMPLAINTS, 3 TO A PAGE. A NUMBER OF THE COMPLAINTS HAD ALTERNATOR PROBLEMS AND THE MAXIMA DYING ON THEM WHILE DRIVING AROUND THE SAME MILEAGE THAT MY CAR IS AT RIGHT NOW, 27,300. MY CAR IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD AND IT WOULD NOT START!!! WHEN MY HUSBAND CAME HOME FROM WORK IT STARTED RIGHT UP FOR HIM. I REFUSE TO DRIVE THIS CAR NOW. I AM PREGNANT AND CANNOT RISK BEING STUCK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SOMEWHERE. MY HUSBAND CALLED THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND SPOKE THE MAN WHO SOLD US THE CAR, WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO GET OUT OF THE LEASE. I HAVE A COMPLETE LEMON. ON TOP OF ALL THIS, I RECEIVED TWO RECALL NOTICES ON THIS CAR. THE FIRST ONE IS FOR CORROSION IN THE BACK BUMPER FOR "SALTY" STATES. SINCE NY IS CONSIDERED A SALTY STATE, I AM SUPPOSE TO GET THIS TAKEN CAR OF BY THEIR "CARING" DEALERSHIPS. I CALLED NISSAN IN SMITHTOWN, NY AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR 7/20/06 WHO LOST MY APPT. I MADE THIS APPOINTMENT A MONTH AND HALF BEFORE THIS. SHE PUT THE SERVICE MANAGER ON THE PHONE WHO TOLD ME HE CANT MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR ME UNTIL NOV! I TOLD HIM I WOULD CALL CORP AND HE SAID GO AHEAD. ANOTHER COMPLAINT TO CORP, NOTHING DONE. RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL NOTICE THAT THE COILS IN THE HEAD REST CAN GO ON FIRE! NOT ONLY IS THE CAR TERRIBLE, BUT THE DEALERSHIPS ARE NO BETTER. ALL THIS MONEY CUSTOMERS SPEND ON THIS CAR AND THE SERVICE WORKERS AND MANAGERS AT BOTH HABBERSTAD AND SMITHTOWN ARE RUDE & OBNOXIOUS. CORP TOLD ME TO TRY ANOTHER DEALERSHIP! I TOLD HER I WILL NOT DRIVE ALL OVER LONG ISLAND TO FIND A DEALERSHIP WHO WILL ACTUALLY HELP THEIR CUSTOMERS, AND THAT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY I PAID FOR THIS CAR, NO ONE SHOULD BE TREATED THIS WAY. NISSAN SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. *NM

PROBLEM 1 OF 5: PURCHASED 2004 MAXIMA BRAND NEW ON 4/12/04. END OF JUNE, 2004, NOTICED TEMPERATURE GAUGE PINNED AT HOT. ALSO, SOMETIMES WHEN I REVERSE, MY TRUNK POPS OPEN. CALLED NISSAN TO BRING CAR IN. WAS NOT GIVEN APPOINTMENT UNTIL 7/12/04. OF COURSE, THE WONDERFUL MECHANICS AT NISSAN HUNTINGTON COULD NOT EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEM AND SAID MY CAR WAS OPERATING PROPERTY AT THAT TIME. GAVE ME MY CAR BACK AND WAS TOLD THE NEXT TIME MY CAR IS PINNED AT HOT, BRING IT RIGHT IN. THEN, A FEW WEEKS LATER, THE THERMOSTAT WAS PINNED AT HOT AGAIN. WHEN I CALLED NISSAN THE WOMAN WHO ANSWERS THE PHONE FOR SERVICE WOULD NOT LET ME BRING MY CAR IN DESPITE WHAT THE MECHANIC TOLD ME A FEW WEEKS BACK. SHE WOULD NOT GIVE ME AN APPOINTMENT UNTIL THE FOLLOWING WEEK. I TOLD HER THAT THIS COULD BE A MAJOR ENGINE PROBLEM AND WHAT IF MY CAR ENGINE FAILS. SHE DID NOT CARE. SO I DROVE THE CAR IN ANYWAY, AND HAD TO CUT THE LINE AT THE SERVICE DEPT AND GRAB A MECHANIC SO THEY CAN SEE FOR THEMSELVES THAT THE THERMOSTAT WAS INDEED PINNED AT HOT AND I AM NOT CRAZY. THIS WAS ON 8/11/04, MY CAR IS JUST ABOUT 4 MONTHS OLD NOW. THE DEALERSHIP FINALLY DETERMINED FAULTY TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND PLACED GAUGE. I ONLY HAD 3,992 MILES ON THIS CAR. THE DEALERSHIP DID GIVE ME A RENT A CAR BECAUSE I MADE A BIG STINK ABOUT MY CAR BEING BROKEN AND I WOULD BE OUT OF A CAR FOR 4 DAYS. *NM

THIS IS PROBLEM #1: (I HAD SO FAR 4/5 MAJOR PROBLEMS) PURCHASED 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA BRAND NEW. WITHIN 2 MONTHS OF DRIVING THIS CAR, THE THERMOSTAT KEPT REGISTERING AT H, PINNED AT H. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP IN HUNTINGTON, NY, THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. WAS TOLD, WHEN IT PINNS AT HOT AGAIN, BRING THE CAR IN. WELL, WHEN I DRIVING TO WORK AND THE THERMOSTAT WAS PINNED AT HOT AGAIN, I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO TELL THEM AND THE RECEPTIONIST SAID I COULD NOT BRING MY CAR IN, IT WAS NOT AN EMERGENCY. I INFORMED HER THAT I DON'T KNOW WHAT TYPE OF PROBLEM THIS CAN BE AND WHAT IF MY ENGINE CEASES? SHE SAID THERE WAS NOTHING I CAN DO, AND I CAN COME IN NEXT WEEK. I DROVE THERE ANYWAY, AND HAD TO GRAB A MECHANIC TO SEE THAT MY CAR THERMOSTAT WAS INDEED PINNED AT HOT. IT TURNED OUT TO BE A "ELECTRICAL" PROBLEM AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE THERMOSTAT, AND DASH BOARD. ALSO, WHILE ALL MY PROBLEMS WERE GOING ON, MY TRUNK POPS OPEN WHEN I REVERSE EVERY NOW AND THEN. OF COURSE, THE WONDERFUL MECHANICS AT THE SERVICE DEPT IN HUNTINGTON COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.. WHAT A SURPRISE?? *NM

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS IGNITION COILS REPLACED OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST 16 MONTHS. SEVERAL TIMES INCURRING WEEKS WITHOUT THE VEHICLE. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS RESULTING IN PART REPLACEMENT AND THE ENGINE CATCHING ON FIRE. NISSAN CORPORATE SENT TECHNICIANS TO RESEARCH THE ISSUE AND HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE AS A RESULT OF THE FIRE, SAYING FORTUNATELY I STOPPED THE VEHICLE BEFORE THE FIRE GOT OUT OF CONTROL. UNDER THE HOOD WAS CHARRED AND MELTED PLASTIC AND OIL. SINCE HAVING THE ENGINE REPLACED, I HAVE GONE 9 MONTHS AND HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH COIL FAILURES AND REPLACEMENT. I AM PERUSING LEMON LAW ACTION AT THIS TIME BUT NEED TO SEE WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE. I AM AT THE POINT WHERE I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN THE VEHICLE AND EVERYTIME I SMELL SOMETHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY, I FEAR THAT I WILL SEE MORE SMOKE AND ANOTHER FIRE. THE TECHNICIAN SAID THE GROUND WIRE FROM THE BATTERY WAS SHORTING OUT AGAINST THE BODY OF THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. THE WIRE THAT WAS REPLACE 9 MONTHS AGO WAS REPLACED AGAIN TWO WEEKS AGO FOR CORRODING COMPLETELY THROUGH AND MAKING CONTACT WITH THE ENGINE AGAIN. *JB