1998 NISSAN MAXIMA Complaints

AIRBAG LIGHT STARTING FLASHING ON MY 1998 NISSAN MAXIMA GLE. DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS SERIOUS, DEALER WAS ABOUT $500 FOR A CHIP TO REPLACE. THIS IS THE SECOND 1998 NISSAN MAXIMA THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TO. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS STAY ON CONTINUALLY, WHEN SHE TURNS ON THE HEADLIGHTS THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT TURNS ON AND STAYS ON, WHICH MADE HER VEHICLE APPEAR AS THOUGH IT WAS STOPPING. DURING DAY LIGHT HOURS WHEN SHE PRESSES THE BRAKE THE SIDE LIGHTS TURN ON AND THE RADIO LIGHT DIMS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 138,000, AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE RISING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. HE SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF WHEN HE ARRIVED HOME AND IT FAILED TO RESTART. HE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE ALTERNATOR FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 02V171000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR). THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 69,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STRUCK A POTHOLE WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH. THE POTHOLE CAUSED HIS VEHICLE TO BECOME OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND RESULTED IN A BENT CV JOINT AXLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN INSPECTED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 144,000.

MY 1998 NISSAN MAXIMA HAS BEEN MISFIRING. IT TURNS OUT THAT I HAVE BAD IGNITION COILS. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING, ESPECIALLY AT 80K MILES. IT'S ESPECIALLY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY COSTLY PROBLEM. I DID SOME RESEARCH, AND THIS IS AN EXTREMELY TYPICAL PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL. JUDGING BY THE FREQUENCY OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE THERE SHOULD WITHOUT A DOUBT BE A RECALL. *JB

ON 30 NOVEMBER 2006 I STARTED THE CAR WHICH THEN QUIT RUNNING AND STARTED SMOKING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I COULD SEE THE ALTERNATOR WAS BURNING SO I PULLED THE BATTERY CABLE TO STOP THE FIRE. DAMAGE AFFECTED THE ALTERNATOR, ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR AND SOME WIRING. I DISCOVERED THERE WAS A RECALL FOR DEFECTIVE ALTERNATORS ON THIS VEHICLE. MY ALTERNATOR FAILURE APPEARS TO BE THE SAME AS THE FAILURES COVERED BY THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 02V171000 DATED JUNE 24, 2002. I CONTACTED NISSAN ON DECEMBER 1, 2006 WHO STATED MY VIN WAS WITHIN THE RANGE OF VEHICLES FOR THIS RECALL AND THEY WOULD CONTACT THE DEALER AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH. I CONTACTED THE DEALER WHO STATED IT APPEARED THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE RECALL BUT COULD NOT PROCEED UNTIL AUTHORIZATION FROM NISSAN. ON 8 DECEMBER, 2006,AFTER 7 DAYS, NISSAN CONTACTED ME AND STATED MY VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND REFUSED TO FIX THE DEFECTIVE ALTERNATOR. NISSAN COULD NOT EXPLAIN HOW MY VIN WAS WITHIN THE RANGE OF VEHICLES AFFECTED BY THE RECALL BUT MY PARTICULAR VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. I HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT MY EXPENSE AND HAD TO TURN-IN THE DEFECTIVE ALTERNATOR AS A CORE SO THE DEFECTIVE ALTERNATOR IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. IT APPEARS THE RANGE OF DEFECTIVE ALTERNATORS IS LARGER THAN NISSAN IS WILLING TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY. THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND NISSAN HELD ACCOUNTABLE. THE DAMAGE COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ALTERNATOR CAUGHT ON FIRE. THERE IS AN NHTSA RECALL, # 02V171000 REGARDING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. *AK

ON THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2006 AT APPROXIMATELY 10:15AM I WENT OUT TO MY DRIVEWAY AND STARTED MY 1998 NISSAN MAXIMA. UPON STARTING THERE WAS A TERRIBLE GRINDING NOISE. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTATED IT AT WHICH TIME THE CAR BEGAN SMOKING. I DROVE THE CAR DIRECTLY TO MY INDEPENDENT SERVICE STATION (APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE ) FOR THEM TO CHECK THE VEHICLE. UPON OPENING THE HOOD, WE OBSERVED FIRE, WHICH WAS EXTINGUISHED. FURTHER OBSERVATION CONFIRMED THAT THE ALTERNATOR HAD CAUGHT FIRE AND THE SERVICE STATION MADE THE REPAIRS. THE OLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. AS THERE IS A RECALL ON SOME 1998 NISSAN MAXIMA'S FOR THIS PROBLEM I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS MATTER IS BEING TAKEN SO LIGHTLY. THE NEXT TIME THIS OCCURS, THE RESULTS COULD BE TRAGIC. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT AXLE IS ABOUT TO BREAK. THERE IS A LOUD CLANKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE AXLE WOULD HAVE TO REPLACED. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE VEHICLE.

RECALL-NISSAN MAXIMA ALTERNATOR ,1998 .OPEN RECALL,DOES NOT NEED TO BE ORIGINAL OWNER. BEFORE I WAS INFORMED OF RECALL ALTERNATOR STOPPED WORKING (ON HIGHWAY GOING 55 LUCKY TO BE ALIVE)! AFTER REPAIRS WERE MADE,CAR CAME OUT OF REPAIR SHOP WITH AIR BAG LIGHT BLINKING. TOOK CAR TO NISSAN. AFTER PAYING $100.00,THEY INFORMED ME SIDE AIR BAGS WERE FAULTY AND THEY'RE NOT SURE IF FRONT AIR BAGS WILL WORK PROPERLY. AFTER I WAS INFORMED OF RECALL I BROUGHT CAR BACK TO NISSAN,THEY REPLACED NEW ALTERNATOR WITH ANOTHER NEW ALTERNATOR AND PAID ME FOR THE FIRST ALTERNATOR. MY CLAIM IS THAT THE FAULTY ALTERNATOR UNDER A RECALL NOTICE CAUSED MY AIR BAGS TO STOP WORKING. NISSAN HAS INFORMED ME IT'S POSSIBLE WE WILL LOOK INTO IT. HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING FROM NISSAN. THEY DID INFORM ME IT WOULD COST $1,200.00 TO FIX. SO NOW MY SON IS DRIVING THE CAR WITHOUT KNOWING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER IF THE AIR BAGS WILL WORK. NISSANS NOT SURE IF FRONTS WILL WORK! NISSAN NEEDS TO REPLACE AIR BAGS AT THERE COST. THERE PRODUCT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. *NM