This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The contact owns a 2000 Nissan Maxima. The contact was driving 30 mph when the vehicle began jerking and attempted to stall. The contact stated that the jerking occurred only when the vehicle was shifting between gears. The contact would have to shift into neutral in order to get the vehicle to start. The contact took the vehicle to a local mechanic and the mechanic stated the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The transmission was not replaced. The contact noticed numerous complaints regarding the transmission for the year, make and model via the internet. The failure mileage was 110,000.
Transmission failure: Bought vehicle in April of '99. Transmission began to slip at 15K. Reman trans under warranty. 2nd slip occurred at 30K under warranty. Denied vehicle trade. Reman trans. 3rd occurrence at 45K, replaced trans w/ oem under warranty. Denied trade. Transmission failure at high temp for long drives (2 hr incline) and had to wait for the trans to cool before it drove again, one occurrence at 55K, oil ok. Still intermittent power loss/slippage. Dealership unable to recreate problem. Denied trade. Ignition coils: Knocking, bad gas mileage, and power loss due to ignition coil failure at 70K. Was told I needed to replace all coils rather than the one that was damaged and all spark plugs. Alternator went out after repair. Replaced all coils, plugs and alternator ($1500). Still have power loss & occasional knocking. No help from Nissan. Denied trade. Suspension: Constant knocking of tire area at 60K. All 4 hubs damaged and replaced at 65K. All 4 struts leaking and had to be replaced also at 65K. No help from Nissan. Nissan quote $3000. Opted outside repair for $1000, no more problems. Emissions: More loss of power (3000rpm+) and bad gas mileage. Probably linked to ignition coil problem. Problem has been diagnosed to 1 of 4 catalytic converter sensor failures. 130K. No help from Nissan. $3000+. fan: Loud noise when A/C is on. One fan defective at 80K. Fan blade rubbing on metal frame. Replaced fan $200. No help from Nissan. Conclusion: I wanted to have my vehicle considered a lemon and traded. I had no complaint with Nissan or the Maxima line. I only had a problem with just my car. Just wanted a new Maxima. 5 lemon attempts with Nissan, rejected each time. Dismissed under strict lemon law stipulation regarding repair statute of limitations and guidelines of repair. Vehicle has been nothing but trouble. Properly maintained and have maintenance receipts and dates of each occurrence listed above.
My Maxima jumps or slips out of gear while driving. I was just driving on the highway and without warning, the car slipped into neutral. It would no longer accelerate (pressing the gas just caused the engine to rev). I had my children in the car and it was lucky that I was able to get into the breakdown without being hit. I have taken the car to my repair shop and they "think" it's the transmission, but not sure. It has occurred twice since then. This is an extremely dangerous defect that apparently is a common problem with Nissan 2000 and later.
Long drives in hot weather (above 85 degrees) cause the transmission to fail. It usually occurs 45 minutes into a steady drive of 60 to 75 mph or heavy stop and start driving. Pulling over and waiting 10 to 15 minutes will cure the problem, however it will occur again if the same type of driving continues. When the weather is cool out fall through spring, the problem rarely occurs. I have been told it is the internal seals of the transmission. When they get too hot they expand and allow fluid to "blow by" which decreases pressure in the valve body causes the transmission to disengage. I have flushed the transmission every 30,000 miles at the dealer since the car was new. This is not a one off problem. I have two 2000 Maxima's, both with the same problem. There is also a co-worker of mine with a 2001 Maxima with the same problem. Apparently there are internal problems with this transmission. I do not expect Nissan to do anything about it, however they must know they are losing customers. This comes on top of the ignition coil problem I had with both vehicles, which of course Nissan refuses to acknowledge.
At about 75,000 miles, engine would take a little longer to start especially in rainy weather. It sounded like it was taking longer for fuel to get to engine. Check engine light came on at 80,000 miles. Code indicated bad catalytic convertor. Mechanic reset and a few thousand miles later it came on again. Mechanic determined that both oxygen sensors were defective and they had to be replaced to pass smog check for $460 also, at about 80,000 miles, car had intermitant acceleration problems which became more problematic in rainy weather. I would floor accelerator and nothing would happen. Mechanic pressure tested fuel pump and found it too low and replaced fuel pump for $478. This solved problem for a few months and it began happening again. Then, one day I tried to back out of my garage and it wouldn't go in reverse when I shifted it. I pushed my car out of garage and was able to get it to go in drive. While driving to mechanic's, I put car in cruise control and it would lose power intermitantly trying to maintain the set speed. I took it out of cruise control and floored the accelerator and the same previous problem occurred. It reved engine but nothing would happen. When I got to mechanic, it would go in reverse. He determined that it was the transmission that didn't give enough clutch pressure until it was driven for a while. It was a failing transmission that caused this and the inability to accelerate. It would cost over $3,000 to replace the transmission. I had to replace defective front and rear struts, front tie rod grease boot, compress coil spring, tie rod outer end at 134,000 miles for $1100. At 137,000 miles, the egr valve & gasket fell out while I was driving. Mechanic determined that the egr valve housing was broken and it was replaced for $340. Due to the amount of money spent on this vehicle, I cannot afford $3000 to replace the transmission and will be selling my first and last Nissan vehicle ever.
- San Francisco, CA, USA
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My car has steady idle rev up and down.when in drive, the engine race without moving and then suddenly take off.there is also a bucking effect when at speed between 35-45 miles per hour.
The check engine light went on while on a trip. The codes indicated oxygen sensors on the front and rear banks. The car has 45,000 miles on it and this is the third time it has needed oxygen sensors replaced, each time at approximately 15,000 miles. This is a defective part, also each time they reflash the ECM "so it does not happen again", this is defective parts and Nissan should extend the warranty on them. At $650 for the repair, it is a very expensive maintenance item.
While pulling into the driveway vehicle decelerated. Vehicle was driven at 15 mph to a transmission specialist. Vehicle was at the transmission specialist for 2 weeks, and they could not determine the cause of the problem.
I continue to have slow or delayed shifting from first to second gear or from second to third gear, particularly at half throttle. It has been that was since I bought the car. The slow response and hesitation has resulted near stalling in the middle of intersections. No accidents, however, I am concerned.
Transmission has gone out twice, the first time it was rebuilt, and currently it is a problem again. Transmission has been rebuilt again for the 2nd time.
While driving transmission will not shift into gear. Consumer had to stop to allow transmission to shift again, and sometimes engine will stall without prior warning, consumer could step on brake pedal, but the engine will suddenly accelerate, it was impossible for consumer to keep control of vehicle.
We are currently waiting for a # 6 coil for our 2000 Maxima, this part is on back order from the manufacturer and there are no available parts in the U.S. since this part is on hold for other customers at other dealerships in the area, it seems to me that this part is failing on a lot of new cars(under three years old) this part should be recalled. We've also experienced a failure with the transmission and since our car was still under warranty at the time, we had it fixed at the manufacturers expense. Instead of receiving a new one we received a "rebuilt" one. How do you have a "rebuilt" transmission on hand for a brand new car is a question I've never had answered from the maufacturer.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Cary, NC, USA