2005 Nissan Armada SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

DRIVING MY 2005 NISSAN ARMADA, PUSHED ON BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP ONLY TO FIND THE BRAKES FAILED COMPLETELY, THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. BRAKES MADE A "GRINDING" NOISE AND I WAS ABLE TO PUT IN NEUTRAL UNTIL STOPPED AND THEN TO PARK. TURNED VEHICLE OFF, AND PROBLEM DISAPPEARED. WHEN I WENT TO THE DEALER THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG AND I WAS OK TO KEEP DRIVING! *TR

ODI # 10172594 NISSAN ARMADA CONTINUOUS BRAKE PROBLEM. *JB

WHILE DRIVING MY 2005 NISSAN ARMADA LAST FALL, I TAPPED THE BRAKES AND ENCOUNTERED A SEVERE VIBRATION PHENOMENA THAT I HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED ON A VEHICLE BEFORE. I STOPPED. TURNED OFF VEHICLE. CALLED FOR MY HUSBAND TO HELP. WHEN HE ARRIVED, I STARTED THE CAR AND THE PROBLEM WAS GONE. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL DEALER IN MANCHESTER, TN (ROBERTS NISSAN 931-728-2212). AT THAT TIME, THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPRODUCE THE VIBRATION OR TO FIND THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY WENT AHEAD AND CHANGED OUT SOME BRAKE PADS AND DID SOME REPAIR ON THE ROTORS. I HAD NO FURTHER PROBLEMS UNTIL THIS MONTH. THIS TIME MY HUSBAND WAS WITH ME WHEN THE SAME VIBRATION OCCURRED. HE THOUGHT THAT IT FELT LIKE THE ABS WAS TRYING TO KICK IN FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON. I HAD NEVER HAD AN ABS VEHICLE, SO I WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH THAT TYPE OF BRAKING REACTION. I CALLED THE DEALER AND TOLD THEM THAT THE EXACT SAME THING HAD HAPPENED AGAIN AND THAT I WAS BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO THEM. THIS TIME THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD SEEN THAT SAME TYPE OF THING ON A TITAN TRUCK RECENTLY. SURE ENOUGH, AFTER CHECKING THEY DISCOVERED AN ABS TRANSDUCER NEEDED REPLACING. IT WAS BACK ORDERED, AND THEY GAVE ME ANOTHER CAR TO DRIVE BECAUSE THEY FELT THAT IT WOULD BE UNSAFE FOR ME TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THEY WERE AFRAID OF THE PROBLEM OCCURRING WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON THE INTERSTATE. ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEM WAS FIRST NOTICED AND REPORTED WHILE UNDER WARRANTY, NISSAN WOULD NOT FULLY COVER THE REPAIR. IT APPARENTLY WAS ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE. I BELIEVE THAT THE DEALER WAS TRYING TO HELP, BUT I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH NISSAN AND FILED A COMPLAINT (FILE #5775171). I FELT THAT MY REPAIR BILL SHOULD'VE BEEN COVERED ENTIRELY. I ALSO WONDER IF PERHAPS A RECALL SHOULD BE DONE BASED ON THE SAFETY ISSUE AND THE FACT THAT THE PART WAS BACK ORDERED WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THERE MAY BE MANY OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. MY REPAIR BILL WAS $782.67.

THANKS FOR YOUR EMAIL. WE'LL KEEP A WATCH ON THIS. IN THE MEANTIME, YOU NEED TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION OR NHTSA. YOU CAN FILE A COMPLAINT BY GOING TO HTTP://WWW-ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV/IVOQ/. LET US KNOW IF YOU RECEIVE ANY KIND OF RESPONSE.THANKS AGAIN, BRIAN SASSER INVESTIGATIVE PRODUCER KPRC-TV 713-778-4965 713-771-4930 FAX [email protected] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FROM: MICHAEL QUIRIN [MAILTO:[email protected]] SENT: SATURDAY, JULY 28, 2007 1:54 PM TO: [email protected] SUBJECT: THIS COULD BE THE NEXT FIRESTONE TIRE TYPE OF DISASTER... I WAS AT THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP TODAY, AND A LADY CAME IN BECAUSE HER NISSAN ARMADA LOST ITS ABILITY TO BRAKE (ALL OF THE SUDDEN OUT OF NOWHERE). ONCE SHE FINALLY CAME TO A STOP AND TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON, EVERYTHING WAS OKAY. I SPOKE TO THE SERVICE REPS, AND THEY SAID THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND NISSAN HAVEN'T DONE A RECALL (THEY WERE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS). THIS IS VERY ALARMING BECAUSE I OWN AN ?05 ARMADA THAT MY WIFE DRIVES WITH OUR TWO CHILDREN. I WENT ONLINE, AND FOUND CASES OF THIS HAPPENING ALL OVER WITH TOO MANY CLOSE CALLS. HTTP://X.NISSANHELP.COM/FORUMS/ARMADA/1852-BRAKE-PROBLEMS.HTML ... IS JUST ONE FORUM LINK I WILL ATTACH WHERE YOU CAN READ ABOUT THIS ISSUE. SOMEBODY NEEDS TO GET NISSAN TO DO SOMETHING QUICKLY, OR PEOPLE WILL GET HURT OR EVEN KILLED! THANKS, MIKE QUIRIN *TR

3/10/05 PURCHASED CAR NEW. 3/17/05 CAR IN SHOP FOR BRAKE AND STEERING VIBRATION. 4/11/05 ENTIRE FRONT CURTAIN AIRBAGS, HARNESS AND WIRING HAD TO BE REPLACED. CAR IN SHOP 8 DAYS. CAR HAS BEEN IN SHOP A TOTAL OF 12 TIME SINCE PURCHASE. MOSTLY FOR BRAKES, PULLING, VIBRATION, JUDDER, BROKEN PARTS. ALSO HAVING PROBLEMS WITH SEAT STAINS THAT WILL NOT STAY OUT OF OUR FABULOUS NASA FABRIC! WILL BE TRYING TO OBTAIN REPLACEMENT VEHICLE EITHER WITH DEALERSHIP OR ATTORNEY. YOU HAVE 12 COMPLAINTS AND MORE THAT ARE SIMILAR. WHY NO RECALL. THERE IS EVEN A NISSAN LEMON LAW WEBSITE. PLEASE HELP! *JB

THIS WILL BE MY SECOND COMPLAIN FILED FOR THE SAME VEHICLE. AT 14000 MILES MY VEHICLE ONCE AGAIN IS HAVING BRAKE FAILURE I TOOK IN MY VEHICLE AND SERVICE MANAGER SUGGESTED THAT IT MIGHT BE MY BRAKE PADS AND IT WILL COST ME APROX. $200 TO $300 TAKING IN MY THE MY BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED AT 7000 MILES. AFTER BEING IN THE SHOP FOR 2 DAYS THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH MY PADS, HOWEVER I MY PROBLEM STILL CONTINUED, WHEN DOWNHILL I WOULD FEEL GRINDING WHEN BRAKING AND IF I SUDDENLY BRAKE I FELT IT EVEN MORE. TO ONE POINT THAT I ALMOST HIT A CAR IN FRONT OF ME THANK GOD I WAS ABLE TO STOP BECAUSE I WAS PROBABLY GOING ABOUT 10 MPH. I FINALLY TOOK MY VEHICLE BACK TO THE SHOP AND THIS TIME THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM TO BE BRAKE PADS, AND ROTORS BUT NO CHARGE IS GOING TO BE MADE TO ME BECAUSE IT IS COVERED BY WARRANTY. *NM

BRAKE FAILURE INCIDENT WHEN SUV FAILED TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT. BRAKE PEDAL WAS COMPLETELY DEPRESSED, BUT SUV CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD. *NM

I OWN A 2005 NISSAN ARMADA WITH 7000 MILES AND THE BRAKE ROTORS SEEM TO BE WARPED ALREADY. I HAVE A COUSIN WHO HAS A 2004 TITAN AND HAS HAD PLENTY OF BRAKE PROBLEMS ALSO. WHEN BRAKING,ESPECIALLY AT HIGHER SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL HAS A LOT OF VIBRATION. AFTER DOING RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. BUT NISSAN HAS YET TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES WITH THESE PROBLEMS. THERE ARE SERVICE BULLETINS OUT TO REPLACE THE FRONT AND REAR ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS BUT AFTER READING MANY OF THE COMPLAINTS POSTED BY OTHER PEOPLE THEY ONLY WANT TO TURN THE ROTORS WHICH IS NOT THE SOLUTION. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT MY RIGHTS ARE AND HOW TO GET NISSAN TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. *JB

I OWN A 2005 NISSAN ARMADA (16,000 MILES) WITH BRAKE PROBLEMS. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ON AUGUST 22, 2006. IT WAS TAKEN TO A NISSAN DEALER TWO DAYS LATER WITH BRAKE PROBLEMS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FRONT ROTORS AND PADS, THE REAR ROTORS WERE RESURFACED WITH NEW PADS. I PICKED THE VEHICLE UP ON FRIDAY, AND RETURNED WITH IT BACK TO THE DEALER ON MONDAY. MY ARMADA WAS NOT FIXED. THE STEERING WHEEL STILL WAS VIOLENTLY SHAKING,AND THE FRONT BRAKE PEDAL WAS SPONGY,AS WELL AS THE BRAKES OVER HEATING. THE DEALER HAD THE ARMADA FOR THREE DAYS TO FIX/REPLACE A FRONT CALIPER NEW PADS AGAIN, AND WHEEL BALANCE. I BELIEVE MORE WORK WAS DONE, HOWEVER THE WORK ORDER DOES NOT REFLECT ANY OTHER REPAIRS. WHAT REALLY DISTURBS ME IS THAT I FOUND OUT THAT IN OCTOBER OF 2005 THE ARMADA HAD THE BRAKES REPLACED BY THE ORIGINAL OWNER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT EVEN A YEAR OLD AT THAT TIME. THIS MAKES 3 REPAIRS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM IN LESS THAN TWO YEARS. NISSAN STATES THE BRAKES ISSUES ARE CORRECTED, I THINK THAT EVERY 10K I WILL HAVE TO HAVE THE BRAKES REPLACED OVER AND OVER. NISSAN STATED THAT NO OTHER PADS OR ROTORS WILL BE COVERED UNDER A WARRANTY,SINCE THEY WERE FIXED TWICE ALREADY. I WILL SAY THE DEALER HAS BEEN VERY GOOD SO FAR,BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I NEED BRAKES AGAIN. I AM AWARE OF OTHER ARMADA OWNERS WITH THIS SAME ISSUE. WHAT CAN BE DONE TO FINALLY CORRECT THIS SAFETY PROBLEM. *JB

1) JUST TRADED MY CAR IN FOR A "BRAND NEW" 2005 NISSAN ARMADA IN JANUARY 2006. THE BRAKE LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS UP WHILE DRIVING. IT HAS ABOUT 4000 MILES ON IT. THE PROBLEM STARTED AT 600 MILES. I BOUGHT THE SUV WITH OVER 400 MILES ON IT. 2) THE BRAKE LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS UP WHILE DRIVING. AS YOU APPLY THE BRAKES, THE BRAKE PEDAL VIBRAKES AND MAKES A CLICKING/MECHANICAL NOISE. THIS HAPPENS EVERY 5-7 DAYS. IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WITH MY FAMILY (WE HAVE A 5 YR-OLD AND A 2 YR-OLD) IN THE SUV. WE HAVE HAD TO STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION OR PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WHILE BLOCKING THE RIGHT LANE MANY TIMES. 3) TO TEMPORARILY CORRECT THE PROBLEM, YOU WOULD HAVE TO PULL OVER ASAP. THERE WERE TIMES WHERE I HAD TO JUST STOP THE VEHICLE AS THE SUV WOULD JUST VIBRATE AND THE BRAKING APPEARS TO BE WEAK. ONCE PULLED OVER, YOU HAVE TO STOP THE IGNITION AND RESTART THE CAR. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY ONLY HAD TO REPLACE THE FUSES. THEN ABOUT 1-2 WEEKS LATER, I HAD TO DRIVE IT TO ANOTHER DEALER, WHERE THEY DESCRIBED THE ROTORS AS BEING WARPED. THEY PUT IN A NEW BRAKE KIT BUT THE PROBLEM REMAINS. *NM

2005 NISSAN ARMADA BRAKES SHAKE WHEN APPLYING THE BREAKS. THE ROTORS ARE WARPED. SHAKING IS GETTING WORSE. *JB

DISK ROTORS AND BRAKES, HAD THEM REPLACES A FEW MONTH AFTER LEASED THE VEHICLE, TWO MONTH LATER THE CAR IS IN THE SAME SHAPE, WHEN BRAKING THE CAR AND THE STEERING WHEEL FEELS LIKE IT IS COMING OFF THE CAR, FEELS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE, DEALER DOES NOT HAVE BRAKE PADS OR ROTORS AND IS PUTTING EVERYONE WITH THE SAME COMPLAIN IN A WAITING LIST. WHAT IS OUT OPTIONS WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS IS HAPPENING TO ALL THE 2005 NISSAN ARMADA? *JB

CONSUMER STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. *TS ***NAR RECEIVED 9-29-05*** THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWICE WITHIN 3 MONTHS FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ROTORS BUT THE PROBLEM RESURFACED. *NM

I OWN A NISSAN ARMADA SUV (MODEL LE 5.6 V8). THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW IN 3/2005 AND NOW HAS SOME 3000 MILES. WE EXPERIENCED STRONG VIBRATION OF THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE BRAKING AND TOOK THE CAR TO THE SERVICE DEPT. AT THE RENO (NV) DEALERSHIP. YESTERDAY, THE DEALERSHIP TOLD US THAT NISSAN HAS A PROBLEM WITH ALL ARMADA & TITAN MODELS OF 2004/2005 AND THE PROBLEM IS CAUSING ALL BRAKES TO VIBRATE AS THE BRAKE DISCS TOUCH THE BRAKE PADS. THIS IS APPARENTLY SOMETHING THAT NISSAN KNOWS FOR A WHILE BECAUSE ALL THE PARTS ARE ON "BACK ORDER" AND WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR A FEW MONTHS AND INVOLVES > 100,000 VEHICLES. THE DEALER TOLD US THAT THE PROBLEM MAY COME BACK IN A FEW MONTHS / THOUSANDS OF MILES AND FOR THE MEANTIME THE "BRAKES WERE WARPED" WHICH IS A TEMPORARY FIX. WE ARE INTERESTED TO INVESTIGATE WHY (A) NISSAN HAS NOT DECLARED A FORMAL RECALL TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND MAKE CUSTOMERS AWARE THAT A PROBLEM EXISTS AND (B) TO FIND OUT IF THE PROBLEM IS HAZARDOUS TO LIFE AND IF OTHER PEOPLE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *NM

BRAKE SYSTEM UNDERSIZED FOR SIZE OF VEHICLE, "JUDDER" STARTED AT 2800 MILES AND NOW AT 3400 MILES IS MUCH WORSE. DEALER WANTED TO DO A TEMPORARY FIX AND I REFUSED PENDING PERMANENT FIX. LARGER CALIPERS, ROTORS AND PADS ARE DESPERATELY NEEDED.*AK

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THERE IS VIBRATION IN STEERING. *TS ***NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** UPDATED 11/7/2005 - THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWICE WITHIN 3 MONTHS FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ROTORS BUT THE PROBLEM RESURFACED. THE DEALER ALSO INSTALLED A NEW BRAKE KIT WITH BRAKE PADS PER SERVICE BULLETIN INFORMATION. THE CONSUMER SENT A LETTER TO THE MANUFACTURER REQUESTING IMMEDAITE RESTITUTION BEACUSE THE DEALER FAILED TO CONFORM TO A SAFETY DEFECT WITHIN A REASONABLE NUMBER OF REPAIR ATTEMPTS. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RESPONSE STATING THAT NISSAN WAS AWARE OF THE SAFETY DEFECT AND HAD RESPONDED BY EXTENDING THE WARRANTY ON THE COMPONENT AND BY HAVING BOSCH, CO. DEVELOP A REPLACEMENT PART. *NM

DT: THE CONSUMER STATES WHEN SHE BRAKES THE CAR PULLS AND VIOLENTLY SHAKES. THE STEERING WHEEL FELT VERY LOSE. DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. SHE BROUGHT IT TO DEALER ON 6-27-05, WHO ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM THEY WERE HAVING WITH THE NISSANS AND RECOMMEND A REPAIR KIT TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY TOLD CONSUMER THEY COULD NOT GET TO HER CAR UNTIL 6-27-05 BECAUSE THEY WERE BUSY WITH FIXING ALL OF THE BRAKE PROBLEMS THEY WERE HAVING WITH THE NISSANS. SHE ASKED FOR A LOANER V AND THEY REFUSED TO GIVE HER ONE. *AK

BRAKE SYSTEM SEEMS UNSAFE. THE ROTORS ARE MAKING SOME SERIOUS NOISES, AND THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 5,000 MILES ON IT. VEHICLE IS 2005 NISSAN ARMADA.*AK

THE BRAKES ON MY 2005 ARMADA WARPED AT ABOUT 5,000 MILES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED THEY HAVE AN UPGRADE KIT TO FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE STOCK BRAKES ARE TOO SMALL FOR THE VEHICLE. WHEN I PICKED UP THE VEHICLE, I WAS INFORMED THAT THEY ONLY TURNED THE ROTORS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PARTS AND NOW CANNOT GIVE ME THE UPGRADE BECAUSE THERE IS NO VISIBLE PROBLEM AND NISSAN WILL NOT AUTHORIZE THE WORK. I WAS NEVER ASKED IF I WANTED THE ROTORS TURNED. IT APPEARS THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO AVOID A RECALL BY MAKING IT LOOK LIKE THEY ARE FIXING THE PROBLEM, BUT THEN ONLY DOING WHAT COSTS THEM THE LEAST. *NM

DT: CONSUMER STATED THAT THE BRAKING SYSTEM CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO VIBRATE AND PULL TO THE RIGHT. HE WAS TOLD BY SOMEONE WHO DID NOT WORK FOR NISSAN BUT FOR ENTERPRISE RENTAL CAR THAT THE ROTORS WERE NOT SUFFICIENT FOR THE SIZE AND WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP, AND HE WAS TOLD THAT NISSAN WAS SENDING OUT THE REPAIR KITS AND WILL HAVE THE VEHICLES FIXED. CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT THERE WASN'T A RECALL ,BUT NISSAN WAS FIXING THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TWICE, AND WAS TOLD IT WILL BE A CONTINUING PROBLEM UNTIL THE KIT ARRIVED TO FIX THE PROBLEM PERMANENTLY. THE PROBLEM WAS BETTER WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN I TO DEALER, BUT THE SAME THING HAPPENED AFTER A WEEK.*AK *NM