1997 Nissan Maxima Electrical System

1997 NISSAN MAXIMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM RECALL *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HIS VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, BECAUSE HE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS OTHER NISSAN'S THAT WERE RECALLED. *JB

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

97 NISSAN MAXIMA - I GOT THE ALTERNATOR RECALL AND TOOK IT INTO A NISSAN DEALTERSHIP. AFTER THEY FIXED IT THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD TAKEN OUT A "BOLT" OFF A CERTAIN PART, AND THEY COULD NOT PUT IT BACK ON, AND THAT MY CAR WOULD MAKE NOISES IT I DIDN'T PAY TO GET THAT PART FIXED. NOW FOR 2 YEARS MY CAR MAKES A SCREACHING NOISE WHEN I TURN IT ON FOR ABOUT 45 SEC - WHICH WAKES UP THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD. THE REASON I AM FILING THIS IS BECUASE, BEFORE THE RECALL THE CAR WAS FINE. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, AND IT SEEMS THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME NOISE, SO I FEEL AS IF IT IS ALMOST AN EPIDEMIC AMONGST NISSAN'S, MAXIMAS SPECIFICALLY. PLEASE ADVISE. *AK

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).

NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 02V171000 CONCERNING THE ALTERNATOR. A FEW MONTHS AFTER HAVING THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED THE PROBLEM RECURRED, AND THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED AGAIN.*AK

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

1997 MAXIMA SE. I PULLED INTO MY GARAGE AND COULD SMELL SOMETHING BURNING. I LIFTED THE HOOD OF THE CAR AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE ALTERNATOR. IT DRAINED THE BATTERY. AS I REPLACED THE BATTERY, THE ALTERNATOR CAUGHT FIRE. *NM

RECALL 02V171000 CONCERNING ALTERNATOR. WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE CONSUMER NOTICED A GRINDING NOISE AND A ODOR OF SOMETHING BURNING. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER CONCERNING THIS RECALL. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK *NM

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE ALTERNATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE A FIRE ERUPTED UNDER THE HOOD. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK FIRE WAS CAUSED BY PROBLEMS WITH THE ALTERNATOR. *MR

FAX LTR FM GEORGIA CHESTER (CA) REQUEST RE-START OF A 2002 RECALL ON THE 1997 NISSAN MAXIMA, HER MAXIMA CAUGHT ON FIRE, REPLY ATTN MARIA COBIAN/OXNARD, A DISTRICT OFFICE, ES HAVE NO REC OF PREVIOUS CORR. FM MS. CHESTER. *PH THE CONSUMER ER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL 02V-171 BECAUSE IT WAS PRODUCED PRIOR TO FEBRUARY 13, 1997, WHEN NISSAN BEGAN TO USE THE DEFECTIVE ALTERNATORS. *NM

RECALL 02V171000 CONCERNING ALTERNATOR. CONSUMER WAS IN THE PARKING LOT AND NOTICED A BURNING SMELL, THEN SAW SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. CONSUMER LIFTED UP THE HOOD AND FLAMES CAME OUT FROM THE ALTERNATOR. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD RECORDS INDICATING THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED. CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL WAS WARRANTED FOR 1 YEAR. IT WAS PAST A YEAR, AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. *AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 02V171000 CONCERNING ALTERNATOR. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ATERNATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

THE CAR STALLS OUT AND PROBLEMS WITH RESTARTING THE ENGINE. THE NISSAN DEALER SAID IT IS DUE TO A WIRING HARNESS PROBLEM AND WOULD COST $1600.00 FOR THE HARNESS AND $700.00 FOR INSTALLATION. I BELIEVE THAT A WIRING HARNESS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED UNLESS THERE WERE AN INHERENT PROBLEM WITH THE HARNESS. PLEASE ADVISE. THANK YOU.

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S ALTERNATOR.*MR (NAR) DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND CONSUMER WAS REJECTED THE RECALL ISSUED FOR THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF MISSING DOCUMENTATION. PLEASE REVIEW FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS. *CB *JB

ALTERNATOR HAS FAILED, BURNING SMELL FROM UNDER HOOD. VEHICLE HAS MISSED RECALL BY 16 DAYS. *LA

WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. TOOK VEHICLETO A MECHANIC, AND THEY SAID THAT ALTERNATOR NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *AK

THE ALTERNATOR BURNED OUT TWICE. *NLM

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL UNDERHOOD/ENGINE/ALTERNATOR PROBLEMS. RECALL# 02V171000 SCC

PRIOR TO RECALL NOTIFICATION, CONSUMER STATES THE ALTERNATOR FAILED ON THE VEHICLE, AND IS NOW REQUESTING A REFUND.*JB

FOG LIGHTS, BELTS, TRUNK RELEASE, ALTERNATOR, ELECTRICAL WIRING, AND BATTERY. THE CONSUMER HAD TO HAVE NEW FOG LIGHT INSTALLED BECAUSE THE OLD ONES HAD BROWN MOISTURE IN THE LIGHT. THE TRUNK RELEASE STOPPED WORKING AND AS A RESULT THE TRUNK COULD ONLY BE OPENED WITH THE KEY. THE VEHICLE'S ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD ELECTRICAL WIRING PROBLEMS. AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE MADE THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE REGARDING THE ALTERNATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AGAIN BUT REFUSED TO REPLACE THE ELECTRICAL WIRING. *NM

CONSUMER STATES OF HAVING PROBLEM WITH THE ALTERNATOR. ALSO HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRICAL HARNESS. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. TS

WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN VEHICLE CUT OFF AND STARTED TO SMOKE FROM UNDER THE HOOD. VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND HAD ALTERNATOR REPLACED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

AT 30MPH VEHICLE SHUTS OFF. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK CONSUMER STATED PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE ALTERNATOR. *JG