NHTSA Complaint #10691678 — 2004 NISSAN ARMADA

NISSAN ARMADA (AND TITAN WHICH IS IDENTICAL MECHANICALLY) HAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH IT'S FRONT BRAKES BEING UNDERSIZED IN THE EARLY MODELS OF SAID VEHICLES (MODEL YEARS 2004-2006). THIS CAN EASILY BE CONFIRMED BY NISSAN'S THREE CHANGES THEY HAVE MADE TO THE FRONT BRAKES OF THESE VEHICLES EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLES HAVE ESSENTIALLY REMAINED UNCHANGED FROM YEARS 2004 RIGHT UP THOUGH THE CURRENT MODEL YEAR 2015. THEY FIRST CHANGED THE ROTOR THICKNESS, THEN THE ROTOR DIAMETER (320MM TO 350MM) AND THE CALIPERS/TORQUE MEMBERS/BRAKE HOSES, THEN FINALLY THEY CHANGED THE INNER HUB DIAMETER OF THE ROTOR DUE TO AN INCREASE IN THE HUB/BEARING SIZE (82MM TO 90MM). NISSAN HAD ISSUED AT LEAST ONE TSB ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BUT THEY NEVER ISSUED A RECALL WHICH IS WHAT THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE. THE CORE ISSUE IS THAT THESE RATHER LARGE FULL SIZE SUV'S AND PICKUP TRUCKS WERE DESIGNED INITIALLY WITH FRONT BRAKES THAT WERE SEVERELY UNDERSIZED FOR THE WEIGHT/SIZE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS LED TO THE VEHICLES ROTORS EASILY OVERHEATING AND GLAZING THE BRAKE PADS WHICH THEN LED TO HOT SPOTTED, WARPED, OR OTHERWISE RUINED FRONT ROTORS AND PADS. ANOTHER SYMPTOM (THAT I BELIEVE IT CAUSED AND THE MOST DANGEROUS PART) IS THAT ESPECIALLY IN THE WARMER MONTHS THE OVERHEATING OF THE ROTORS WOULD CAUSE THE ANTI LOCK FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM SENSORS (LOCATED WITHIN THE FRONT WHEEL HUB) TO TRIGGER (FALSE POSITIVE) RANDOMLY AND YOU WOULD DANGEROUSLY LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLES ABILITY TO BRAKE (AND STEER) SAFELY. TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF MOMENTARILY AND RESTARTING WOULD "CLEAR" THE PROBLEM BUT NEVER THE LESS EXTREMELY UNSAFE. I HAVE CONTACTED NISSAN OF NORTH AMERICA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND INFORMED THEM OF THIS BUT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO HELP OTHER THAN TO TELL ME TO TAKE IT TO A DEALER AT MY OWN COST. I SAID I WOULD BE HAPPY TO DO SO IF THEY COVERED THE COST OF THE "DIAGNOSTICS" BUT THEY REFUSED. *TR