2003 NISSAN MAXIMA Complaints

AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT REMAINED LIT. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NISSAN MAXIMA 2003 BOSE SYSTEM SUCKS.... I GOT MY CD PLAYER REPLACED THREE TIMES. I BELIEVE THEY ARE CLARION (A BOSE LOOK A LIKE) AND SOMETIMES DEALERS WILL PUT IN USED SYSTEMS. LUCKILY I HAD THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, SO NO CHARGE. BUT I DID WASTED COUPLE OF HOURS OFF WORK. IF I HAD NOT PURCHASED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, THE SYSTEM RUNS AROUND HUNDRENDTHS OF DOLLARS. *AK

HORRIBLE NOISES COMING FROM THE BRAKES. I WENT BY THE A NISSAN DEALER TO HAVE THEM CHECK IT OUT SINCE THE CAR HAD ONLY 25500 MILES ON IT. THEY SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL AND THAT THE BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR BOTH FRONT AND REAR. I FEEL THAT THIS 2003 NISSAN MAXIMA SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD SUCH A PROBLEM WITH SO LITTLE MILES ON THEM, AND FROM MY TALKS WITH OTHERS. I HEARD THAT THEIR HAVE BEEN A LOT OF BRAKE REPAIRS GOING ON AT THIS NISSAN DEALER. I JUST FEEL THAT THE TOP OF THE LINE CAR AT NISSAN SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS KIND OF PROBLEM. I WAS GIVING THEM ANOTHER CHANCE SINCE MY OTHER 2000 MAXIMA HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM BUT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THOSE ROTORS AND BRAKES. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH NISSAN NOW AND MAY NOT BUY ANOTHER OF THEIR PRODUCTS AGAIN. *JB

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND IT CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIRBAGS DID DEPLOY. HOWEVER, NO ONE WAS INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK *SC

HEADLIGHTS STOLEN FROM VEHICLE TWICE IN 4 MONTHS. APRIL 15, 2004 AND SEPTEMBER 1, 2004. BECAUSE OF DESIGNE HEAD LIGHTS CAN BE REMOVED QUICKLY WITH A LONG SHARP OBJECT.*AK

THE XENON HEADLIGHTS WERE STOLEN. HEADLIGHTS COULD BE REMOVED IN JUST A MATTER OF MINUTES. CONSUMER NAVIGATED INTO THE NHTSA WEB AND FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME ISSUE. *AK *NM

I LOCKED MY CAR WHEN UNDERWAY. WHEN I STOPPED AND ATTEMPTED TO OPEN MY DRIVER'S DOOR, THE DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK EVEN THOUGH THE DOOR LOCK INDICATED IT WAS UNLOCKED. I COULD NOT OPEN THE DOOR MANUALLY AND EXITED THROUGH THE WINDOW. THE DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK MANUALLY FROM THE OUTSIDE. I CALLED MY ROAD SERVICE AND THEY COULD NOT GET THE DOOR TO OPEN. I AM TAKING THE CAR TO THE DEALER BUT MUST ENTER THROUGH THE WINDOW.*AK

THE HEADLIGHTS TO A 2003 NISSAN MAXIMA HAVE BEEN STOLEN ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. ON BOTH OCCSSIONS THE THIEFS BENT THE INTERNAL METAL FRAME THAT MOUNTS THE BUMPER TO THE CAR TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE HEADLIGHT FROM BELOW. THIS FRAME IS A SHEET METAL STAMPING THAT CAN EASILY BE BENT BY APPLYING A SMALL AMOUNT OF A PERSONS BODY WEIGHT TO THE STRUCTURE. THE SHEET METAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE FENDER AND HOOD ALSO ALLOW A THIEF TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE HEADLIGHT BY FORCIBLY BENDING BACK THESE STRUCTURES. THE PLASTIC BRACKET THAT HOUSES THE HEADLIGHT AND MOUNTS IT TO THE FRAME OF THE CAR IS SHATTERED BY PRYING IT FROM THE FRAME WITH A TOOL. THIS PLASTIC STRUCTURE IS NOT SUFFICIENTLY STRONG ENOUGH TO DETER A THIEF FROM STEALING THE HEADLIGHT. THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL SHEET METAL STRUCTURE THAT MOUNTS THE PLASTIC HEADLIGHT HOUSING TO THE FRAME OF THE CAR. THIS STRUCTURE HAS AN ELECTRICAL BOX ATTACHED TO IT. IN BOTH CASES OF THEFT THIS STRUCTURE WAS FORCIBLY BENT BACK TO ACCESS THE REAR OF THE HEADLIGHT FOR REMOVAL. THIS STRUCTURE TOO IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO PREVENT A THIEF FROM FORCIBLY GAINING ACCESS TO THE HEADLIGHT. IT IS WORTH MENTIONING THAT THE ABOVE MENTIONED STRUCTURES WERE COMPROMISED SO EASILY, THIS VEHICLE'S ARMED, PROPERLY FUNCTIONING, FACTORY EQUIPPED ALARM SYSTEM WAS NOT SET OFF DURING THE THEFT. AFTER THE FIRST OCCURRENCE, I BROUGHT THE CAR TO POUGHKEEPSIE NISSAN FOR THEM TO INSTALL THE 'ANTI-THEFT DEVICE'. I DON'T KNOW IF OR WHAT WAS DONE BUT OBVIOUSLY IT DID NOT DETER THE THIEF(S). I HAVE BEEN FINANCIALLY BURDENED BY THIS. NOT ONLY DO I HAVE TO PAY A DEDUCTIBLE BUT HAVE TO RENT A CAR.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A CEMENT WALL. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES, AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK

NISSAN KNEW SINCE AT LEAST SEPTEMBER 2002 THAT THIEVES WERE TARGETING THE XENON HEADLAMPS IN MAXIMAS, THEY FAILED TO INFORM CONSUMERS PURCHASING 2002 AND 2003 MAXIMAS, AS WELL AS EXISTING OWNERS AND LESSEES, OF THE RISK OF THEFT OF THE XENON HEADLAMPS, AND FAILED TO INFORM OWNERS AND LESSEES OF THE CARS OF THE AVAILABILITY OF THE ANTI-THEFT KIT., REPAIRS FOR THE 3 THEFTS HAVE COST OVER $7000 WITHIN AN 8 MONTH TIME FRAME. NISSAN SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR A FAULTY DESIGN THAT IS COSTING CONSUMERS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS EACH DAY IN EITHER INSURANCE PREMIUM INCREASES OR HEADLIGHT REPLACEMENT. THE COMPANY HAS REDESIGNED THE XENON HIGH INTENSITY HEADLIGHTS FOR THE 2004 MODEL. AND THEY NOW OFFER A MODEL WITH HALOGEN INSTEAD OF XENON. I PROPOSE AN INVESTIGATION AS TO WHY NISSAN CORP HAS NOT RECALLED THESE CARS AND REPLACED THE XENON LIGHTS WITH A MORE REASONABLE LIGHTING SYSTEM AT THEIR EXPENSE. *AK