2004 Nissan Maxima Engine

2004 NISSAN MAXIMA SE WITH VQ35 3.5L V6 ENGINE - TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS MY MAXIMA TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS NEED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A FAULTY DESIGN IN THE SECONDARY TIMING CHAINS WEARING THE TENSIONERS OUT FASTER THAN THEY SHOULD. NISSAN QUOTES ANYWHERE FROM $1,500 TO $3,000 DOLLARS TO COMPLETE REPAIR WHICH USUALLY CONSISTS OF REMOVING THE ENGINE FROM THE VEHICLE! MANY COMPLAINTS ON MULTIPLE FORUMS ONLINE FROM MANY DIFFERENT OWNERS COMPLAIN OF THIS SAME ISSUE, NORMALLY OCCURRING AROUND 60,000 MILE MARK. IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE ALL OF THESE VEHICLES ARE AFFECTED. THE COST FOR THE REPAIR OF THE VEHICLE I AM STILL FINANCING IS CATASTROPHIC! NISSAN WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THE CAR FOR 3 DAYS TO COMPLETE THE REPAIR. THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM I SHOULD BE HAVING WITH A VEHICLE THAT IS STILL BEING FINANCED FOR A FEW MORE YEARS. TIMING CHAINS WERE DESIGNED TO ALLOW CUSTOMERS THE SECURITY OF NOT MESSING WITH THEM FOR WAY MORE THAN 100K MILES, OR 60K MILES RATHER! I AM SO LUCKY MINE HAS EVEN LASTED THIS LONG AND NISSAN REFUSES CUSTOMERS REGULARLY WHO ASK FOR ASSISTANCE. NISSAN NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS REPAIR SINCE THEY KNOW ABOUT THE ISSUE, RELEASED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (NTB07-042C) HIGHLIGHTING THE ISSUE, AND NOTIFY THEIR TECHNICIANS OF THE FAULTY SECONDARY TIMING CHAIN DESIGN. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD AND VIBRATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CONTROL SOLENOID AND VALVE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 17,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS APPROXIMATELY 82,000. UPDATED 1/19/2010 *CN UPDATED 01/27/11

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER IT WAS COLD, SNOWING AND APPROXIMATELY THIRTY DEGREES THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED SINCE 2004 IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE DEALER HAS MADE SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT IS ONLY ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WHEN SOMEONE JUMP STARTS IT DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. THE FAILURE NEVER OCCURS DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS. THE CONTACT WROTE A LETTER TO THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER AND HAS NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE. THE CONTACT HAS REPEATEDLY TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 44,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHEN HE STARTED THE VEHICLE THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE IN THE ENGINE FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 MINUTES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND REMAINED THERE OVERNIGHT SO THAT THE DEALER COULD DUPLICATE THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THEY STATED THAT THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE NOISE. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ON 10/27/07. THE MILEAGE AT THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED WAS 48,701 AND HE IS THE SECOND OWNER. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT A REPRESENTATIVE WOULD CALL HIM REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,000.

'04 MAXIMA, MAINTAINED REGULARLY, ORIGINAL OWNER, PURCHASED IN SUMMER OF '03(FIRST BATCH OF ASSY. LINE); NOISE COMING FROM RIGHT SIDE OF ENGINE. NOISE WAS LOUD WHEN ENGINE WAS COLD AND WOULD GO AWAY AFTER ENGINE HAD WARMED UP. EVENTUALLY STARTED TO STILL HEAR THE NOISE (NOT AS LOUD) AFTER ENGINE WAS WARM. LOCAL REPAIR SHOP SAID THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE TIMING CHAIN AND MOST LIKELY THE GUIDE HAD BROKEN AND WAS RUBBING THE CHAIN AND STATED BOTH WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THIS SHOP HAD NEVER DONE ONE OF THESE REPAIRS ON A NISSAN BECAUSE "THIS NEVER HAPPENS TO A NISSAN MOTOR". YET THEY FOUND MANY TSBS AND INTERNET SEARCH RESULTS ABOUT MY PARTICULAR MODEL CAR HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE. THEY SUGGESTED I HAVE THE DEALERSHIP TAKE A LOOK. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER AND WITHOUT TELLING THEM WHAT THE LOCAL REPAIR SHOP SAID, ONLY SUMMARIZING THE EXPLANATION OF THE NOISE WHEN ENGINE WAS COLD AND THEN GOES AWAY AFTER WARM UP, THE SERVICE ADVISOR INTERRUPTED ME AND SAID, "IT'S THE TIMING CHAIN GUIDE". HE BARELY LET ME FINISH THE STORY BEFORE HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS. HE SAID THAT WAS BECAUSE HE (HIS SERVICE CENTER) HAS DONE THIS REPAIR ON 04 MAXIMA'S SO MANY TIMES IT'S RIDICULOUS. HE ALSO STATED THAT IT HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY NISSAN AS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 04 MODEL ENGINES BUT YET WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIRS. NISSAN BOASTS THAT THE TIMING CHAINS IN THESE ENGINES ARE MAINTENANCE FREE OR AT LEAST WORTH 300K+ MILES (SINCE BY THAT TIME MOST OWNERS WOULD HAVE GOT 15 YEARS+ OUT OF THE CAR), BUT YET THE PARTS TO HOLD THE CHAIN ON BREAK DOWN WAY BEFORE THAT. THE LABOR TO REPAIR THE SURROUNDING PARTS IS THE SAME TO REPLACE THE CHAIN SINCE THE TECH HAS TO REACH TO THE SAME SPOT OF THE ENGINE FOR REPAIRS. I WAS ORIGINALLY QUOTED $1500.+ FOR THE REPAIRS BUT WAS ABLE TO STRIKE A SMALL DISCOUNT AND PAID $1133.55 FOR "2 TENSIONER CHAINS", "CHAIN GUIDE", "TENSIONER ASSEMBLY", AND SOME OTHER SEALS & GASKETS. LABOR ALONE WAS $787.50. WHICH WAS DISCOUNTED FROM $1100.+. OUTRAGEOUS. *TR

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

I PURCHASED A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA IN 2006.THE FIRST YEAR MY TIRES WERE ON RECALL.THAT SAME YEAR MY CAR HAD A RATTLING NOISE WHEN YOU START THE CAR. ONE DAY DRIVING ON THE CITY STREET WITH MY KIDS THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. A FEW MONTHS LATER THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVING PAST 20 MPH. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO SAID IT WAS A CAM CRANK SENSOR. THAT COST ME 441.46 CENTS. THE CAR WAS NOW DRIVING ON 4TH AND 5TH GEAR.THAT WAS ON 10/10/O8.THIS PAST YEAR ON 1/22/09 THE DEALER CALLED ME TO SAY THAT NISSAN RECALLED THE REAR SUSPENSION MEMBRANE. I TOWED THE VEHICLE TO GET FIXED I WAS THEN TOLD MY TRANSMISSION WAS GONE. NISSAN DID NOT WANT TO PAY FOR THIS BILL. I PAID 3,000 TO REPLACE THE TRASMISSION. MY CAR IS STILL RATTLING. *TR

I WAS IN THE FREEWAY WITH MY BABY ON 405, CAR SUDDENLY STARTED FEELING WEIRD, 3 WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, MY CAR SHUT DOWN IN MIDDLE OF FREEWAY , I HAVE TO PUT MY CAR ON PARK AND PUT EMERGENCY LIGHTS ON. ALMOST CAUSED AND ACCIDENT WITH MY BABY. CAR WILL NOT START. I WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THIS IS A FAULT CAMSHAFT. THIS SAME PROBLEM WAS ON A RECALL FOR 2003 NISSAN MAXIMA, NISSAN REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. *TR

TERRIBLE TRANSMISSION ISSUES WITH MY 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. *TR

CAR STARTED MAKING A WHINING SOUND SIMILAR TO A TURBO WHINE UNDER ACCELERATION, THIS GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE WITH TIME AND MILEAGE. TURNED OUT TO BE UPPER CAM CHAIN TENSIONERS RESULTING IN THE ENGINE HAVING TO BE REMOVED FROM THE CAR TO REPAIR. REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE REDESIGNED AND DEALER SAID MOST VQ35 AND VQ40 ENGINES ARE EFFECTED. PROBLEM IS THE SYMPTOM'S DON'T SHOW UP UNTIL 50-75K MILES AND WILL NOT BE COVERED BY NISSAN. *TR

I HAVE A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA SE WITH 103,000 MILES. I AM HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND AFTER READING SEVERAL FORUMS ON THE INTERNET, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. NISSAN IS NOT WILLING TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION - I CAN NOT AFFORD TO BUY A NEW TRANSMISSION, THE CAR IS STILL PRACTICALLY NEW! THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NISSAN NEEDS TO DO AND ISSUE A RECALL ON ALL 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA'S - WITH THE WAY THE ECONOMY IS GOING RIGHT NOW, THIS IS AN ADDITIONAL EXPENSE. HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/VIEWMORECOMMENTS_REVIEW_61092_4.HTML. *TR

2004 NISSAN MAXIMA SE. FRONT RIGHT TICKING SOUND. DEALER EVALUATED THE CAR AND SAID IT WAS A PRIMARY AND SECONDARY TIMING CHAIN PROBLEM. SAID I NEEDED A REPLACEMENT. I'M TOLD BY ANOTHER NON-NISSAN DEALER THAT THIS IS SO COMMON IT SHOULD BE LISTED AS A RECALL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND THE STEERING LOCKED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CAM AND CRANK SENSORS CAUSED THE FAILURE. AS OF DECEMBER 18, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 80,000. UPDATED 01/17/08. *LJ UPDATED *JB

WHEN ACCELERATING, THERE'S A RATTLING SOUND/NOISE COMING FROM AROUND THE ENGINE AREA. *NM

DT: WHILE THE CAR SHUTS DOWN/LOSES POWER. CONSUMER IS GETTING READY TO MAKE A TURN, AND DURING THE TURN, CAR LOSES POWER.*AK

THE ENGINE STALLED AFTER SPUTTERING BRIEFLY WHILE IN PARK.*AK