2008 NISSAN ARMADA Complaints

THE BRAKES WILL STOP/START/STOP/START/STOP/START....KIND OF LIKE A GRINDING...THEY STOP WORKING. THE ONLY WAY TO "SOLVE" THE ISSUE IS TURN THE CAR OFF, THEN ON AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 12 TIMES SINCE WE BOUGHT THE CAR IN MARCH. OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED OF THE SAME EXACT ISSUE AS WELL. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS AND I'M APPALLED THAT NISSAN WILL ACTUALLY WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE DIES BEFORE ISSUING A RECALL. I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THE NISSAN CORPORATE FOR MONTHS NOW AND MY CAR IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP "BEING FIXED". WE WILL BE OUT WELL OVER $2,000 AND THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS WITH CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE HAD THIS PREVIOUSLY DONE (DEALERSHIP IS CLAIMING IS A "BRAKE ACTUATOR ISSUE"). WE WILL END UP SELLING THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE I CANNOT KEEP PUTTING MYSELF AND MY 13 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER'S LIFE AT RISK. THE THOUGHT OF SELLING IT TO ANOTHER FAMILY WITH THIS ISSUE MAKES MY HEART HURT AND I WILL DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO MAKE SURE NISSAN SEES THIS ISSUE AS LIFE-THREATENING. ONE TIME MY BRAKES WENT OUT ON ME ON THE INTERSTATE IN THE RAIN WITH MY DAUGHTER IN HER CARSEAT. SO PULLING OVER TO TURN MY VEHICLE OFF, THEN ON AGAIN WAS A SECOND TIME WITHIN 5 MINUTES THAT COULD HAVE KILLED US. *TR

THE BRAKES JUST RANDOMLY START GRINDING AND DON'T WORK. YOU HAVE TO SHUT THE TRUCK OFF AND RESTART FOR IT TO RESET. I WENT TO A BRAKE SHOP AND SINCE I HAD SHUT IT OFF THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. IT HAS DONE THIS 3 TIMES NOW. ALSO MY OVERHEAD COMPARTMENT FELL, ALL THE PLASTIC IS CRUMBLING. IT IS AN OUTRAGEOUS AMOUNT TO REPLACE THIS PART. I LOVE MY NISSAN BUT THIS IS CRAZY THAT THEY WONT DO A RECALL FOR THESE WHEN MOSTLY ALL THE COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE ARE ABOUT THESE TWO ISSUES. *TR

9/22/09 - AIRBAG LIGHT STAYING ON - DEALER FOUND CODE B1034 "CRASH ZONE UNIT FAIL", FOUND SHORT CIRCUIT INSIDE CRASH ZONE SENSOR, REPLACED CRASH ZONE SENSOR, CLEARED CODE. 9/29/09 - AIRBAG LIGHT ON AGAIN - DEALER FOUND CODE B1034 AGAIN - CRASH ZONE SENSOR FAILED. FOUND SHORT CIRCUIT IN AIR BAG DIAGNOSTIC UNIT - REMOVED CENTER CONSOLE AND REPLACED AIR BAG DIAGNOSIS CONTROL UNIT, CLEARED CODES. 10/23/09 - AIRBAG LIGHT ON AGAIN - DEALER ONCE AGAIN FOUND CODE B1034 - CALLED NISSAN TECH SUPPORT, SPOKE WITH SOMEONE NAMED MIKE. WAS ADVISED TO REPLACE BOTH THE ENGINE HARNESS AND THE MAIN HARNESS, REMOVED STEERING WHEEL AND STEERING SHAFT, REMOVED CENTER CONSOLE, REMOVED GLOVE BOX, REMOVED DASH, AND REMOVED CROSSBAR, INSTALLED NEW MAIN HARNESS, INSTALLED NEW ENGINE HARNESS, PERFORMED FRONT END ALIGNMENT BECAUSE STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN WERE REMOVED. FOUND OPEN CIRCUIT IN WIRE OF THE MAIN HARNESS, CLEARED CODE. NOT SURE IF RELATED BUT AT THE SAME TIME THE SUNROOF SWITCHES STARTING WORKING BACKWARDS AND NOT OPENING AUTOMATICALLY SO REINITIALIZED SUNROOF. 1/23/10 - AIRBAG LIGHT ON AGAIN - REPLACED BULB SEPT 2014 - AIRBAG LIGHT ON AGAIN - DEALER FOUND CODE B1034 AGAIN!!! SHORT IN CRASH ZONE SENSOR - REPLACED SENSOR - COST $487.72 AT WHAT POINT DOES NISSAN ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEFECT??? IN ADDITION TO ABOVE, HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THE BATTERY NOT LASTING MORE THAN 2.5 YEARS. I JUST REPLACED IT FOR THE 3RD OR 4TH TIME IN 2012 AND AM TOLD THAT IT IS DRAINED AND I NEED ANOTHER ONE?? RELATED? I THINK SO. BRAKES - I'VE SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT PEOPLE PRESSING DOWN THE BRAKES AND HAVING THEM NOT WORK AND THEY MAKE A GRINDING SOUND AND VIBRATE. I'VE EXPERIENCED THIS TWICE BUT THE DEALER SAYS THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG?? *TR

MY 2008 NISSAN ARMADA 'S INTERIOR ROOF CONSOLE FELL ON TOP OF MY CHILDREN AND THEIR FRIEND'S HEAD WITHOUT WARNING. THIS POSED AN IMMEDIATE SAFETY HAZARD FOR MY CHILDREN AS WELL AS ME. AFTER PICKING UP MY DAUGHTER AND HER FRIEND FROM PRACTICE, THE INTERIOR ROOF CONSOLE COMPLETELY FELL ON TOP OF THEM. WE WERE ALL SO SCARED. WHEN I HEARD THE LOUD NOISE, I LOOKED IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR AND WASN'T SURE WHAT HAPPENED. AT FIRST I THOUGHT WE SOMEHOW WERE HIT BUT I QUICKLY REALIZED THAT IT WAS THE CONSOLE THAT FELL. MY REAR VIEW WAS COMPLETELY OBSTRUCTED. THE CONSOLE HIT TWO OF THEM ON TOP OF THE HEAD AND THEY WERE IN THE MIDDLE ROW. IT ALSO HIT MY 6 YEAR OLD ON THE TOP OF THE HEAD WHO WAS IN THE BACK ROW. THEY HAD TO HOLD IT UP UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY STOP . IT WAS HANGING BY THE ELECTRICAL WIRES FOR THE LIGHTS AND DVD PLAYER. I TOOK PICTURES AND CALLED THE LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIP WHICH NEVER RETURNED ANY OF MY PHONE CALLS. THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENT FOR A POORLY MANUFACTURED CONSOLE. IT'S MADE OUT OF PLASTIC AND SHOULD BE BOLTED TO THE ROOF WITH METAL SCREWS. THIS IS THE 4TH NISSAN THAT I HAVE OWNED AND SADLY I DOUBT THAT I WILL OWN ANOTHER UNLESS THIS SAFETY ISSUES IS RESOLVED. I HAVE BEEN A LOYAL CUSTOMER FOR 10 YEARS AND INTRODUCED 5 FAMILIES TO THE NISSAN FAMILY AND IF THIS SAFETY ISSUE ISN'T RESOLVED AT NISSAN EXPENSE, I WILL BE LEAVING. *TR

REAR HATCH WILL NOT OPEN IN COOL WEATHER. THE REAR HATCH ACTUATOR WAS REPLACED IN 2011 AND EVERY AUTUMN WHEN IT STARTS TO GET COOL, THE REAR HATCH WILL NOT UNLOCK AND OPEN. WE SEND IT TO THE AUTO MECHANIC AND THEY LUBRICATE THE MECHANISM AND IT WILL LAST THROUGH MOST OF THE WINTER SEASON. SOME WINTERS IT WILL OPEN UNTIL SPRING, SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO DRIVE IT BACK TO THE MECHANIC A SECOND TIME BEFORE THE WEATHER GETS WARM. *TR

THE REAR HATCH LOCK ACTUATOR FAILS IN COOL TEMPERATURES. THIS LEAVES THE REAR HATCH UNABLE TO OPEN. IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT OR FIRE, I WOULD BE UNABLE TO GET MY CHILDREN OUT OF THE 3RD ROW SEATING. THIS HAPPENS EACH YEAR AS SOON AS THE TEMPERATURES DROP BELOW 50. THERE ARE NUMEROUS ISSUES EXPERIENCED BY OTHER ARMADA OWNERS NOTED AT: HTTP://WWW.CLUBARMADA.COM/FORUMS/ARCHIVE/INDEX.PHP/T-11055.HTML. *TR

THE BRAKES EFFECTIVENESS IS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED, BY AS MUCH AS 60%, AND IT MAKES A POPPING AND SPRING NOISE. WHEN YOU APPLY THE BRAKES, IT MAKES A GRINDING SOUND. YOU MUST PULL OVER, TURN THE CAR OFF, PUMP THE BREAKS AND THEN RESTART THE CAR. YOU MAY HAVE TO TURN THE CAR OFF/ON SEVERAL TIMES. I'VE PAID THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO VARIOUS MECHANICS TO HAVE THIS ISSUE RESOLVED. IT GOES ALONG FINE FOR AWHILE, AND THEN THE PROBLEM REPEATS ITSELF. IT'S INTERMITTENT AND VERY DANGEROUS. ALSO, THE SUSPENSION MAKES A POPPING NOISE WHEN YOU GO OVER A DIP IN THE ROAD OR MAKE A SHARP TURN. THESE ARE EVIDENTLY KNOWN DEFECTS AND ALTHOUGH I DID GET A RECALL NOTICE FROM NISSAN, WHEN I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE IN, THEY SPENT 20 MINUTES LOOKING AT IT AND SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE. IT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN. I'M RECORDING THIS NOTIFICATION SO IT CAN BE ADDED TO THE MANY COMPLAINTS I'VE FOUND REGARDING BOTH OF THESE KNOWN ISSUES. AT WHAT POINT IS SOMETHING GOING TO BE DONE FOR THE CONSUMERS?? IF THERE'S A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT, I'M IN!! *TR

TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN ARMADA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED THE BRAKES SEIZED AND ABRUPTLY STOPPED THE VEHICLE OR THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS SOFT WHICH DID NOT PROVIDE ENOUGH SAFTY TO DEPRESS THE PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT THE BRAKE ACTUATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO GIVE A DEFINATE DIAGNOSIS INDICATING THAT THE PART SPECIFICALLY NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INDICATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABS FAILURE AND TO HAVE THE AUTHORIZED DEALER REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V072000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,500. DYD

I WAS SLOWING DOWN GETTING READY TO ENTER A PARKING LOT. I STARTED TO PRESS THE BRAKES, AND THEN THE BRAKE LIGHT ON THE DASH TURNS ON. I HEARD GRINDING AND THE VEHICLE KEEP MOVING BUT THE BRAKES WOULDN'T WORK. I PLACED THE FLASHERS ON. I THEN TURNED OFF THE ARMADA. I RESTARTED IT AND EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE AFTER THAT. BUT NOW I'M SCARED, THAT THE VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE FOR ME OR MY FAMILY. WHAT IF THIS HAD HAPPENED TO ME ON A FREEWAY? I CALLED CENTRAL HOUSTON NISSAN (HOUSTON, TX) AND THEY SEEMED TO BE BOTHERED WITH ME CALLING ABOUT THIS COMPLAINT. AND THERE ARE MANY OTHERS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. AND NISSAN DOESN'T WANT TO ADMIT ANY FAULT? I HOPE THAT NO ONE GETS INJURED OR WORSE FROM THIS... [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AND BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK. I COULD FEEL VIBRATIONS AND HEARD GRINDING WHENEVER I ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES. AFTER PULLING OVER AND RESTARTING THE VEHICLE WHILE WAITING FOR ASSISTANCE, I NOTICED THE BRAKE LIGHT DID NOT COME ON. I PULLED OFF TO TEST THE BRAKES AT THIS POINT AND THEY WORKED FINE. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2014 WHILE DRIVING AT MINIMAL SPEED, BUT ONLY THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON WHEN THE BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED. AGAIN, AFTER COASTING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKE LIGHT TURNED OFF AND THE BRAKES WERE OPERATIONAL. AFTER HAVING THE BRAKING SYSTEM CHECKED I WAS TOLD THAT THE COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SHOWED CODE 1179. I CALLED NISSAN'S CORPORATE NUMBER TO REPORT THE INCIDENT AND WAS OFF HANDEDLY TOLD THAT ALL 2008 NISSAN ARMADAS ARE NOT EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEM. MY VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING INSPECTED BY THE CENTRAL NISSAN DEALERSHIP IN HOUSTON TEXAS, AND I WILL REPORT THE FINDINGS TO THE NORTH AMERICAN NISSAN CORPORATION. *TR