2003 NISSAN MAXIMA Complaints

LETTER FROM SENATOR BEGICH ON BEHALF OF REGARDING A SAFETY RECALL ON THEIR 2003 NISSAN MAXIMA, BUT THERE IS NO NISSAN DEALER IN JUNEAU; THEY ARE SEEKING A SOLUTION TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER; PLEASE RESPOND DIRECTLY TO THE CONSTITUENTS. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE DISATANCE TO TRAVEL TO A DEALERSHIP IN ORDER T HAVE THE RECALL REPAIR COMPLETED WAS UNREASONABLE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO HAVE A MANUFACTURER TECHNICIAN REPAIR THE VEHICLE AT A CLOSER FACILTY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO THREE PARKED VEHICLES. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. ALSO, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AFTER PRECEDING FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANK CAM POSITION SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

AS VERIFIED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, THE CAMSHAFT SENSOR SHUT THE CAR DOWN DURING OPERATION ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS ADVISED THAT THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM WAS THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL IN 2003 (NOTICE OF WHICH WAS NEVER GIVEN TO ME) AND I FOUND TWO INDEPENDENT INTERNET REFERENCES TO A RECALL FOR THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM (RECALL #33403), ONE OF WHICH CONTAINED A RANGE OF AFFECTED VIN'S THAT INCLUDED MY CAR. I SENT THE INFORMATION TO NISSAN WITH THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION BUT WAS SUMMARILY REJECTED ON THE BASIS THAT MY VIN SIMPLY DID NOT APPEAR ON THEIR COMPUTER. I ASKED IF IT WAS BECAUSE THE RECALL WAS IN 2003, BUT DID NOT RECEIVE A REPLY. NISSAN REFUSED TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PART(S); CONSEQUENTLY, I HAD THE WORK PERFORMED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. HENCE, THE QUESTION: IS THIS 10-YEAR OLD (APPARENTLY VOLUNTARY) RECALL ENFORCEABLE BY THE NHTSB? NISSAN COULD OBVIOUSLY NOT CARE LESS. *TR

I HAVE THREE RECALL NOTIFICATIONS AND NISSAN CUSTOMER SERVICE SAYS THEY ARE NOT VALID TO MY VIN. SO ARE THESE RECALLS NOT VALID OR DOES NISSAN NOT WANT TO RECALL MY VEHICLE? RECALL SUBJECT : PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG INFLATOR MAY RUPTURE REPORT RECEIPT DATE: JUN 24, 2014 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V361000 COMPONENT(S): AIR BAGS RECALL SUBJECT : NISSAN/CRANK/CAM POSITION SENSOR WELD REPORT RECEIPT DATE: NOV 17, 2003 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V455000 COMPONENT(S): ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. AFTER APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES, I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE CAR HAS STALLED IN TRAFFIC THREE TIMES OVER THE LAST 3 WEEKS. I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. NISSAN REFUSES TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. WHEN MY CAR STALLED THE CAR BEHIND ME CAME CLOSE TO HITTING ME. THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I OR MY FAMILY COULD BE KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE STALLING OF THE CAR IN TRAFFIC. GM IS NOW FIXING THE PROBLEM WITH THEIR CARS; AFTER 13 DEATHS. PLEASE ENSURE THAT OWNERS OF THIS CAR ARE SAFE! THANKS YOU. *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX 30 MPH, THE CAR SHUT OFF AS MY CHILD AND I WERE COMING TO A STOPLIGHT. I HAD NO PROBLEM RESTARTING AND ENCOUNTERED THIS SAME PROBLEM 4 MORE TIMES DURING MY TRIP, INCLUDING FAILURE TO IDLE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NEVER CAME ON. NEXT TIME, I WAS DRIVING APPROX 45 MPH AND THE CAR SHUT OFF AND IT TRIED RESTARTING ITSELF WHILE I WAS TRYING TO FIND A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER. THE CAR RESTARTED AGAIN NO PROBLEM. THEN AS MY HUSBAND AND I WERE DRIVING AT APPROX. 60 MPH THE CAR BEGAN TO LURCH (STOPPING AND ATTEMPTING TO START AGAIN BY ITSELF). PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR, ALL OF THESE INSTANCES NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. LASTLY, I WAS UNABLE TO START THE CAR AFTER PARKING IT AWAY FROM HOME AND IT WAS ACTING LIKE IT WAS "FLOODED". AFTER 20 MINUTES OF ATTEMPTED STARTING, IT FINALLY TOOK AND I DROVE HOME ON THE BACK ROADS. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AT HOME TO RECREATE THE NO START PROBLEM, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS FINALLY ON! AT THIS POINT, I'M NOT DRIVING THIS VEHICLE UNTIL WE HAVE THE BANK 2 CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR REPLACED. WE RAN A CODE READER AND GOT A P0345 CODE. NISSAN HAS A RECALL ON THIS YEAR MAKE/MODEL BUT I, LIKE MANY, MANY OTHER CONSUMERS HAVE BEEN TOLD, THEIR VIN IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL FROM 2003. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF ANYONE'S VIN FELL INTO THEIR RECALL. I JUST TOLD THE NISSAN "CUSTOMER SERVICE" THAT I AM AFRAID DRIVING THIS CAR COULD RESULT IN FATALITIES, AND THEY SUGGESTED I TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND MAYBE THEY COULD DO SOMETHING FOR ME! LIKE SELL ME A NEW CAR? NEVER AGAIN, NISSAN. *TR

MY 2003 NISSAN MAXIMA GLE HAS HAD THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, THE ABS AND THE TSC LIGHTS COMING ON. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL DEALER WHO RAN DIAGNOSTICS ON IT AND SAID IT WAS THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR WHICH I HAD ALREADY REPLACED DUE TO AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH THE SPEEDOMETER QUIT WORKING, OR THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PACKAGE. AS I AM FAIRLY MECHANICAL (FATHER WAS A MASTER MECHANIC) THIS DID NOT SEEM LOGICAL TO ME. THE SPEEDOMETER HAS NOW QUIT WORKING COMPLETELY AND THE TACHOMETER IS NOW HAVING INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS. I HAVE ALSO CHANGED THE CAMSHAFT SENSORS. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE MORE ELECTRICAL THAN MECHANICAL--INSTRUMENTS ONLY RECORD WHAT SENSORS SEND TO THEM. IT HAS NOW STARTED DYING IN TRAFFIC WHICH SCARES ME AS I AM AFRAID I WILL HAVE AN ACCIDENT. THE DYING IN TRAFFIC PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE. SO FAR I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HIT MY FLASHERS AND STRUGGLE TO GLIDE IT OFF THE EDGE OF THE ROAD TO A STOP WHEN IT HAPPENS UNTIL I CAN GET IT STARTED AGAIN. SOME TIMES IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO START AND SOMETIMES IT WILL START RIGHT BACK AGAIN. I HAVE RULED OUT MOISTURE IN THE GAS HAS I HAVE RUN SEVERAL CONTAINERS OF HEET THROUGH THE GAS TANK THE LAST TWO MONTHS. WHEN I ASKED THE DEALER IF THEY HAD SEEN OTHER VEHICLES WITH THE SAME OR SIMILAR PROBLEMS THEY SAID NO. I ASKED THEM IF MY CAR MODEL HAD ANY RECALLS AND THEY SAID NO AGAIN. DUE TO A SEARCH ON THE INTERNET I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT RECALL #03V455000 HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR MY MODEL YEAR NISSANS THAT WERE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE DYING DUE TO SOLDIER FLUX ON VARIABLE TIMING CONTROL SENSOR. PLEASE ADVISE IF MY CAR IS COVERED BY THIS RECALL ASAP AS I AM AFRAID I MIGHT HAVE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE CAR DYING AND EVERYTHING LOCKING UP WHEN IT DOES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 60 MPH, WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE PERFORMED NORMALLY AND WAS LATER TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE SENSOR FAILED POSSIBLY DUE TO FAULTY WIRING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, A BURNING ODOR EMITTED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR. THE TRANSMISSION THEN FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AFTER WAITING FIFTEEN MINUTES, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED NORMALLY AND THE PROBLEM RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE A PROBLEM. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01V3570000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RE-START THE VEHICLE BUT IT TOOK SEVERAL TRIES BEFORE IT STARTED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CAM POSITION SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER:03V455000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 143,597. *TR