NHTSA Complaint #10182484 — 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA

SEVEN MONTHS AGO I STARTED TO HEAR A RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF CAR WHENEVER I GO OVER A BUNCH OF BUMPS IN THE ROAD. IN THE LAST MONTH THE RATTLING TURNED INTO A CLUNKING NOISE. TOOK MY 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA SE TO THE DEALERSHIP (THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW IN THE SPRING OF 2003. AND NOW HAS ONLY HAS 23,971 MILES ON IT) AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T HEAR THE NOISE OR FIND THE NOISE. JUST LAST WEEK THE NOISE GOT WORSE. HUSBAND DROVE IT AND SAID IT WAS THE DRIVER'S SIDE STRUT. HUSBAND LOOKED AT LEFT STRUT AND SAID HE FOUND FLUID ON TOP OF THE STRUT. TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THE SAME THING, THEY COULDN'T HEAR THE NOISE AND SAID THE STRUT WAS FINE. I HAVE HAD THREE OTHER PASSENGERS IN THE CAR AND THEY HEAR THE NOISE PLAIN AS DAY EVERY TIME YOU GO OVER A BUNCH OF BUMPS. MY DEALER SERVICE WAS NICE ENOUGH TO CALL NISSAN USA AND SEE IF THEY WOULD FIX IT UNDER GOOD FAITH. NISSAN WOULD NOT DO IT. THIS CAR IS NEARLY FOUR YEARS OLD WITH 23, 971 MILES AND IS BABIED (EVEN THE SERVICE MANAGER KNOWS THIS). STRUTS ARE SUPPOSE TO LAST CLOSE TO 60,000 MILES. THE STEERING ALSO SHIMMIES. THE BRAKE ROTORS WERE WARPED AND HAD TO BE MACHINED AT ONLY 14, 491 MILES. AFTER READING MORE THAN 23 COMPLAINTS ON NHTSA I WONDER WHY THESE MAXIMA'S HAVE NOT BEEN RECALLED! *NM