NHTSA Complaint #10142219 — 1993 NISSAN MAXIMA

MY CAR WAS LOSING POWER. CAR WOULD NOT START AND MY RADIO HASN'T WORKED FOR THE LAST YEAR. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY ALTERNATOR IN MY NISSAN MAXIMA FOR THE THIRD TIME IN APPROXIMATELY 6 YEARS. WHEN I PURCHASED THE LAST ALTERNATOR ON 11/02/05 FROM ADVANCE AUTO PARTS. I RECEIVED A PRINTOUT THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL FACTORY SERVICE BULLETINS PRODUCED BY NISSAN TO CORRECT CHARGING SYSTEM PROBLEMS ON MAXIMAS. I'VE CALLED NISSAN AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NO TYPE OF RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. THE PROBLEMS ARE POOR CONNECTIONS: THE BATTERY WIRE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CARRY ALL THE CURRENT FROM THE ALTERNATOR TO THE BATTERY. THE SYMPTOMS OF THIS INCLUDE ALTERNATOR OVERHEATING, ALTERNATOR FAILURE, AND ELECTRICAL POWER LOSS. THE OTHER PROBLEM IS POOR CHARGE AT IDLE: SOME MAXIMAS DO NOT CHARGE WELL AT IDLE, EVEN THOUGH THE ALTERNATOR IS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. I BELIEVE THAT NISSAN NEEDS TO PUT THESE VEHICLES ON A RECALL NOTICE. *JB