2004 Nissan Maxima Suspension

2004 MAXIMA SL - CLUNKING NOISE ON THE FRONT FROM BOTH SIDES, THE CAR IS OVER 36,000 SO I HAVE NOT TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER SINCE IT WILL NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I THINK THE NOISE STARTED WHEN THE CAR WAS AROUND 40,000 MILES. I TOOK IT TO GOODYEAR, THEY REPLACED THE STRUTS BUT THE NOISE NEVER WENT AWAY. YOU CAN HEAR IT THE MOST WHEN GOING OVER BRICK ROADS AND HUMPS. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT WILL FALL APART. *TR

04 NISSAN MAXIMA PURCHASED IN AUG 03 WITH A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. FIRST VISIT TO THE DEALER WAS IN MARCH 04 -- REPLACED FRONT STRUT. LASTED ABOUT 1 WEEK BEFORE THE NOISE WAS BACK. SINCE THEN HAS HAD AT LEAST 6-8 STRUTS REPLACED. LAST REPAIR WAS LAST FRIDAY -- WENT 10 MILES BEFORE THE NOISE WAS BACK. THE LONGEST A STRUT HAS LASTED WAS 6 MONTHS. I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH FOR FOUR YEARS. WILL NISSAN ACKNOWLEDGE THIS AS A PROBLEM AND EVER FIX IT? *TR

MY 2004 MAXIMA HAS HAD A FRONT END NOISE ON A WIDE VARIETY OF ROAD SURFACES. MY LOCAL MECHANIC, WHOM I HAVE BEEN DOING BUSINESS WITH FOR OVER 20 YEARS SAYS THE FRONT STRUTS ARE SHOT AND NEED REPLACEMENT. THE CAR HAS 34,650 GENTLE MILES ON IT! *TR

SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW (PURCHASED FEB. 2004), I HAVE HAD A KNOCKING SOUND FROM THE FRONT RIGHT. THE DEALERSHIP ORIGINALLY DIAGNOSED THIS AS A STRUT PROBLEM, AND REPLACED THE STRUT MOUNT UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THE SOUND CAME BACK WITHIN A FEW MONTHS. NISSAN REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT IN THE CAR (AS EVIDENCED BY THE ABUNDANT COMPLAINTS ONLINE AND ON FILE WITH THE NHTSA), AND HAS CONTINUALLY REFUSED TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIR ONCE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. *TR

FRONT STRUTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND WERE IN NEED OF A THIRD SET. WITH 37000 MILES THE DEALER SAID THIS SET WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY AND THEY WON'T WARRANTY THEM. THEY PLAID DOWN THE PROBLEM. ANYONE THAT DID ANY RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM KNEW IT WAS A DESIGN DEFECT. NISSAN ALSO KNEW AND FAILED TO DO THE RIGHT THING. *AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN SEPTEMBER OF 2006 REGARDING THE SUBFRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THE RECALL REPAIR CONSISTED OF A REAR WHEEL ALIGNMENT. WHEN SHE RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE, SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND HAD THE RECALL REPAIR PERFORMED. SIX MONTHS LATER, SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER FOR A TIRE INSPECTION. THE DEALER STATED THAT BOTH REAR TIRES APPEARED TO BE MANUFACTURER DEFECTS. THE CONTACT PURCHASED TWO NEW TIRES IN MARCH OF 2007. THE DEALER REFUSED TO HONOR HER WARRANTY FOR THE NEW TIRES BECAUSE HER VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AT ANOTHER DEALER. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE TIRE SHOP FOR A ROTATION AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TREAD WAS WORN ON BOTH OF HER NEW REAR TIRES. THE MECHANIC ALSO CONFIRMED THAT WHEN THE RECALL WAS REPAIRED, THE REAR WHEEL ALIGNMENT WAS NEVER PERFORMED. SHE CALLED THE DEALER THAT PERFORMED THE REPAIR AND THEY REFUSED TO SHOW HER THE REPAIR HISTORY PAPERWORK. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

SEVEN MONTHS AGO I STARTED TO HEAR A RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF CAR WHENEVER I GO OVER A BUNCH OF BUMPS IN THE ROAD. IN THE LAST MONTH THE RATTLING TURNED INTO A CLUNKING NOISE. TOOK MY 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA SE TO THE DEALERSHIP (THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW IN THE SPRING OF 2003. AND NOW HAS ONLY HAS 23,971 MILES ON IT) AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T HEAR THE NOISE OR FIND THE NOISE. JUST LAST WEEK THE NOISE GOT WORSE. HUSBAND DROVE IT AND SAID IT WAS THE DRIVER'S SIDE STRUT. HUSBAND LOOKED AT LEFT STRUT AND SAID HE FOUND FLUID ON TOP OF THE STRUT. TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THE SAME THING, THEY COULDN'T HEAR THE NOISE AND SAID THE STRUT WAS FINE. I HAVE HAD THREE OTHER PASSENGERS IN THE CAR AND THEY HEAR THE NOISE PLAIN AS DAY EVERY TIME YOU GO OVER A BUNCH OF BUMPS. MY DEALER SERVICE WAS NICE ENOUGH TO CALL NISSAN USA AND SEE IF THEY WOULD FIX IT UNDER GOOD FAITH. NISSAN WOULD NOT DO IT. THIS CAR IS NEARLY FOUR YEARS OLD WITH 23, 971 MILES AND IS BABIED (EVEN THE SERVICE MANAGER KNOWS THIS). STRUTS ARE SUPPOSE TO LAST CLOSE TO 60,000 MILES. THE STEERING ALSO SHIMMIES. THE BRAKE ROTORS WERE WARPED AND HAD TO BE MACHINED AT ONLY 14, 491 MILES. AFTER READING MORE THAN 23 COMPLAINTS ON NHTSA I WONDER WHY THESE MAXIMA'S HAVE NOT BEEN RECALLED! *NM

I BOUGHT THIS CAR ON APRIL 2004. ON JUNE 2004 IT BEGAN TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH SHOCK ABSORBERS OR STRUTS. THIS HAPPENS 2 OR 3 TIMES A YEAR AND EVERY TIME THE DEALER CHANGES THEM FOR NEW ONES THEY BREAK AGAIN. THEY CHANGED THEM LAST TIME ON JANUARY 4, 2007 AND THE BANGING NOISE IS STARTING AGAIN WHICH IS THE SIGN THAT THEY WILL BREAK SOON. AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRES THIS WILL BECOME A BURDEN. *NM

2004 MAXIMA STEERING WHEEL SHIMMIES BETWEEN 40-60 MPH VERY DISTRACTING AND DANGEROUS. *NM

FRONT STRUTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED FOUR (4) TIMES IN A 2004 MODEL. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A LOUD BANGING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE STRUTS WERE BROKEN. THE STRUTS WERE REPLACED, BUT THE NOISE ECURRED. THE STRUTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES. *AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT NO SPECIFIC SPEED, THE FRONT END SHIMMIES AND VIBRATES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES FOR INSPECTION. THE LEFT FRONT STRUTS WERE REPLACED TWICE AND THE RIGHT FRONT STRUTS FIVE TIMES. THE VEHICLE IS AWAITING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE RIGHT FRONT STRUT FOR THE SIXTH TIME. HOWEVER, THE PART IS ON BACK ORDER. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE IS DRIVABLE, BUT VERY UNSAFE.

FRONT STRUTS BAD FROM THE FIRST 3 MONTHS I OWNED THE CAR. ALL REAR AND FRONT DRIVER SIDE WERE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT WHEN THE PASSENGER FRONT FAILED AT 50K, THE DEALER WOULD NOT FIX IT UNDER WARRANTY. I HAD COMPLAINED OF NOISE WHILE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY BUT THE DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE NOISE. SINCE REPLACED, I DO NOT HEAR THE NOISE. NISSAN OFFERED A $200.00 SERVICE CREDIT BUT THE STRUT WAS $400 AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHANGED WITH THE DRIVER FRONT AT 3 MONTHS OLD. *JB

2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. CAR DEVELOPS A DANGEROUS VIBRATION BETWEEN 50 AND 60 MPH. ALSO HAS A LOUD KNOCK COMING FROM UNDER THE CAR. TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER TWICE. THIS FIRST TIME THEY REPLACED THE RIGHT FRONT STRUT SAYING THAT IT HAD BROKEN. THEY SAID THE VIBRATION WAS COMING FROM CUPPED TIRES CAUSED BY THE BROKEN STRUT. THE LOUD KNOCK WAS LESS BUT STILL APPARENT. TOOK BACK TO DEALER WHO THEN TIGHTENED THE "TIE ROD WHICH WAS LOOSE. NO MENTION OF CUPPED TIRES WAS MADE. KNOCK IS STILL PRESENT AND ALSO THE VIBRATION IS ALSO STILL A BIG PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS THE 18" WHEELS. *NM

LOUD RATTLE HOLLOW SOUNDS FROM FRONT END . REPLACED STRUTS NOW 4 TIMES IN 8 MONTHS I THINK A RECALL IS IN ORDER I WISH MORE PEOPLE WOULD COMPLAIN. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED DURING SUDDEN ACCELERATION THE VEHICLE VEERS TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. THE PROBLEM USUALLY OCCURS WHILE DRIVING 40 TO 50MPH. PREVIOUSLY, THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE STRUT DUE TO A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION. THE VEERING PROBLEM DID NOT OCCUR UNTIL THE STRUT WAS REPLACED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER, IT WAS DETERMINED THE VEHICLE IS DESIGNED TO VEER DURING SUDDEN ACCELERATION.

SHIMMIED IN THE STEERING WHEEL AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 50- -60 MPH TO THE POINT OF LOOSING STEERING CONTROL OF 2004, NISSAN MAXIMA. THE DEALER ROTATED THE TIRES AT MY EXPENSE AT LEAST 3 TIMES, WHICH HAS NOT SOLVED THE PROBLEM. NO DEALER'S RESPONSE TO THE DILEMMA, AND, I HATE DRIVING THE CAR BECAUSE OF THIS UNSAFE CONDITION.*AK

1) MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN THE SUSPENSION (2004 NISSAN MAXIMA SE) 2) CAUSED CAR TO MAKE A SUDDEN REFLEX TO THE RIGHT TWICE ON THE HIGHWAY 3) DEALER ( NISSAN OF EL MONTE ) HAS REPLACE STRUTS AND OTHER SUSPENSION PARTS MORE THAN 4 TIMES AFTER 10 DEALER INSPECTIONS.

THE FRONT PASSENGER STRUT FAILED HAS NOW BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES. AFTER 500 MILES OF DRIVING THE STRUT APPEARS TO BE OK. HOWEVER, THE CAR FAILED TO START TODAY. OVER THE PAST 3 WEEKS THE WEATHER HAS BEEN CHANGING BETWEEN SINGLE DIGITS TO UPPER 30'S. ON COLDER MORNINGS THE RELAYS INSIDE THE VEHICLE NEAR THE GLOVE BOX WOULD MAKE A CLICKING NOISE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE CAR. THE CAR WOULD CRANK HARD SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE STARTING. AT THE SAME TIME THE RELAYS WOULD MAKE A CLICKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE FINALLY DIDN'T WANT TO START TODAY 1/12/05. THERE IS A TSB FOR THE POWER DISTRIBUTION MODULE. I BELIEVE THIS IS THE PROBLEM. MY CAR WAS TOWED TO MY DEALERSHIP.*AK

DT: CONTACT COMPLAINED ABOUT STRUT PROBLEMS. THEY KEPT WEARING OUT. FIRST HAPPENED ON 8-23-04, AND DEALER REPAIRED IT. THE LAST TIME THE STRUTS WERE REPAIRED WAS ON 8-8-05. ALSO, HAD FRONT END VIBRATION . THEY SANDED DOWN THE BRAKE PADS AND THAT FIXED THE VIBRATION PROBLEM. *AK

BOTH FRONT STRUTS MAKE NOISE WHEN GOING OVER ALL BUMPS IN ROAD. FRONT OF CAR IS BECOMING BOUNCY WHEN DRIVING OVER TIME DUE TO STRUTS FAILING AND EXCESSIVE NOISE.. WILL BECOME DANGEROUS TO DRIVE SOON. DEALER REPLACED BOTH FRONT STRUTS. *NM

WHEN SNOW IS UNDER THE SUSPENSION THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES UNCONTROLLABLY. *AK

I HAVE A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA THAT HAS BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE STRUTS FROM DAY ONE. ALSO THE CAR HAS A SHIMMY AT A CERTAIN SPEED

MY 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA HAS HAD 3 SETS OF FRONT STRUTS REPLACED STARTING AT 8K MILES FROM NEW...THE DEALER HAS DIAGNOSED THE NEED FOR A FORTH SET OF FRONT STRUTS AT 62K MILES. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT FAIRLY HIGH SPEEDS VEHICLE SHAKES. WHEN TAKEN TO DEALER FOR SERVICE IT WAS DETERMINED THA TSHAKING WAS DUE TO BALANCING AND ALIGNMENT. THE FRONT RIGHT SHOCK STRUT HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO WEAR.*AK