2004 NISSAN MAXIMA Steering Problems

1 COVE COURT

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND I WAS GOING ABOUT 60MPH THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR STALLS OUT I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE I COME WITHIN SECONDS OF BEING REAR ENDED I'M IN THE MIDDLE LANE SO I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MERGE OVER BUT GUESS WHAT I CAN'T BECAUSE THE CAR IS STALLED OUT SO I PUT CAUTION LIGHTS ON AND IT TAKES ABOUT TWINS BEFORE THE CAR WILL EVEN START BACK UP AND WHEN IT DOES ITS GEARED UP TO WHAT SOUNDS LIKE A FIFTH GEAR AND IT BARLEY TAKES OFF I'M TALKING MY FOOT TO THE FLOOR AND IT'S TAKING OFF AT 2MPH COME ON NOW, SO CALL FOR HELP GET MY CAR TOWED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SAID IT WAS CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR HAD IT REPLACED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF CAME AND PICKED UP MY CAR HAD TO DRIVE...

THE 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA SUFFERS FROM A COMMON ISSUE WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION. THE VALVE BODY CAUSES PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE WITHIN THESE CARS. THIS RESULTS IN SUDDEN HARD JERKING / DELAYED SHIFTING WHEN CHANGING GEARS IN THEIR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THIS MEANS LOSS OF CONTROL OCCURS WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FINALLY CATCHES ITSELF SINCE THE CAR WILL CONTINUE TO REV HIGHER THAN NORMAL. OVERTIME THE CAR WILL EXPERIENCE SLOW ACCELERATION, DUE TO THE CAR BEING THROWN INTO A SAFETY MODE UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH KEEPS THE CAR IN A "5TH" GEAR STATE. ALSO, BECAUSE OF THE CODES THIS FAULTY PART WILL THROW, A VEHICLE WITH THIS TRANSMISSION WILL NOT PASS CERTAIN STATE EMISSIONS. REPAIRS ARE UPWARDS TO THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, AND UNFORTUNATELY REPLACING IT WITH THE SAME PART WILL ONLY BE A TEMPORARY FIX. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE IT DRAMATICALLY REDUCES THE RESPONSE TIME, AND PUTS THE DRIVER AT SERIOUS RISK. *TR

I HAVE A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHEN I WAS DRIVING, THE STEERING LOCKED UP AND THERE WAS NO WAY TO STEER. I DON?T KNOW HOW I DID IT, BEING PETITE AND NOT SO STRONG, BUT I MANAGED TO MAKE THE CAR MOVE TO THE SIDE, THEN IT TURNED OFF AUTOMATICALLY. I TRIED TO TURN ON THE CAR AND IT DIDN'T START. I HAD TO WAIT A FEW MINUTES AND TURN THE KEY FOR A FEW SECONDS UNTIL THE ENGINE RESTARTED. IT BECOMES EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE, AND I WAS SAVED THE 5-7 TIMES THIS HAPPENED TO ME. LUCK WAS ON MY SIDE! I DIDN'T DRIVE MY CAR ON THE FREEWAY, BECAUSE I WAS TERRIFIED MY CAR WOULD STALL AND MY SON AND I WOULD DIE IN A TERRIBLE CAR ACCIDENT. I FINALLY HAD TO GO TO MY SHOP AND REPLACE THE TWO CAMSHAFT SENSORS WITH THE...

I HAVE A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WITHIN A FEW DAYS PROBLEM BEGAN. WHEN DRIVING DOWN AN INCLINE AND TURNING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER THE CAR WILL DIE, STEERING WILL LOCK UP AND THERE IS NO WAY TO STEER. UNABLE TO RESTART ENGINE UNTIL YOU COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, PUT IN PARK THEN IT TAKES MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO RESTART. YOU ALSO CANNOT EVEN STEER OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC. THIS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. I FOUND OUT THAT NISSAN HAS A RECALL ON ALTIMAS WITH THIS SAME ISSUE, BUT WILL NOT COVER AND RECALL MY VEHICLE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WOULD ONLY RECALL CERTAIN MAKES WHEN IT IS THE SAME EXACT ERROR CODE ON BOTH VEHICLES. IT IS A P3040 CAM SENSOR/CAM...

I PURCHASED MY 2004 MAXIMA 18 MONTHS AGO. FROM THE TIME I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT IT STARTED SHAKING. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES EACH TIME THEY TOLD ME IT WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT,FROM THE ROTORS TO A WEIGHT FALLING OFF THE WHEEL(WHICH THEY SAY I LOST).I WAS DRIVING ON A INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND THE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING AND PULLING SO BAD I ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT.WHEN I TOOK IT BACK FOR THE FIFTH TIME I WAS TOLD I HAD TO PAY TO HAVE THE VEHICLE FIXED(I HAD NOT OWNED IT BUT 2 MONTHS). FINALLY I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER DEALER (SAME AFFILIATE) WHO FIXED IT SO THE SHAKING WAS NOT AS BAD (AFTER 3 VISITS). I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE BACK ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS SINCE THEN,AND NOW WHEN THE JERKING HAS GOTTEN WORSE,SOMETIMES JERKS SO HARD IT HURTS MY NECK. THE GEARS...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS WHEN THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A LOUD NOISE AND THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO WOBBLE AND JERKED INTO ANOTHER LANE, RESULTING IN A CRASH. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURY AND WAS SENT TO THE HOSPITAL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DEALER NOR MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,000. UPDATED EVOQ 11/01/11

FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION, STEERING, BRAKES,BODY WORK, DRIVERS DOOR. HAD ISSUES RIGHT AFTER WIFE BOUGHT THE CAR SHE WENT WITHOUT ME BUT UPON LOOKING AT CAR AFTER SHE CAME HOME WITH IT DID THE CAR FAX ON IT ON THING WERE SOME ELECTRICAL CHECKS THAT'S IT NO ACCIDENTS. STEERING TIGHT WHEN I DROVE IT AND NOTICED NOISE FROM SUSPENSION WHEN GOING OVER RAILROAD TRACKS AND DRIVER DOOR SAGGING. BROUGHT TO DEALER NEXT DAY AND THE SAID A BAR WAS RUBBING ON ANOTHER THEY FIX THEY SAID NOTHING WRONG WITH SUSPENSION IN HEARING THINGS IS THERE EXACT WORDS AND REPLACED THE DOOR HINGES WHICH ARE PURPLE AND THE CAR IS RED DOOR SAGGING AGAIN BUT I WAS INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT END OF 2008 GOT SIDESWIPED BY 2500 DODGE RAM TRUCK AT 45 MPH ON DRIVERSIDE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THAT BECAUSE BODY SHOP ON REPAIR DAMAGE NOT REPLACED I BROUGHT MY CAR...

2004 NISSAN MAXIMA TRANSMISSION ISSUES 1ST N 2ND SHIFT HARD, 2ND N 3RD SLIPPING SHIMMY IN THE STEERING WHILE DRIVING. *TR

MAXIMA 2004 SL 3.5 STEERING WHEEL TILT STOPPED WORKING. *TR

2004 AND NEWER NISSAN MAXIMAS HAS A SERIOUS STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION AFTER 40MPH. NISSAN DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY ARE NO COMPLAINTS, BUT THE INTERNET IF FULL OF CUSTOMERS HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM. MY CAR IS 6YEARS OLD BUT ONLY HAS 34,000 MILES. NEW TIRES, BRAKES,ROTORS,ALIGNMENT MULTIPLY TIRE BALANCES HAS NOT FIXED THIS PROBLEM. ON THE INTERNET CUSTOMER HAVE REPLACED STRUTS, BEARING,CV AXLES AND PROBLEM STILL EXIST. THIS SEEMS LIKE A PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. *TR

I HAVE A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA THAT I BOUGHT NEW IN 2003 IN CALIFORNIA. WITHIN MONTHS TO THE FIRST YEAR, I HAVE HAD CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT END. I'VE HAD MY WHEELS ALIGNED, TIRES BALANCE NUMEROUS TIMES AND CHECKED DUE TO A SHIMMY IN THE STEERING WHEEL, TIRES WEARING UNEVENLY AND A CLANKING OR THUMPING NOISE IN THE FRONT RIGHT WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP. THESE PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD FOR YEARS AND COMPLAINED CONTINUOUSLY. HAD THE CAR IN THE SHOP MANY TIMES FOR THESE PROBLEMS, BUT TO NO AVAIL. NISSAN FIXED NOISE AFTER 5 TIMES IN THE SHOP IN 2004 AND 2005. NOW OVER THE YEARS THE NOISE HAS COME BACK, BUT THE SHIMMY WAS ALWAYS A PROBLEM. I JUST LEARNED TO IGNORE IT UNTIL NOW. I'M READING NOW ONLINE OF OTHER MAXIMA OWNERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I'M PLANNING ON APPROACHING MY NISSAN DEALER HERE IN FLORIDA...

THE CAR RPM DROP DOWN BELOW 500, LAST YEAR IT LED TO SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT AND SPEND AROUND A GRAND, BUT NEVER FIX,UNTIL TODAY THE DEALER CLAIM THAT THIS HAPPENED TO NISSAN MAXIM 04, AND LAST YEAR I START HAVING STEERING SHAKING, THE DEALER TOLD IF I CHANGE MY RIMS AND TIRES IT WILL FIX IT, AND IN AUG-2008 I HAVE 4 NEW RIM AND GOOD YEARS TIRES, BUT THE PROBLEM EXIT, I WENT IN JAN TO THE DEALER, AND THEY TOLD IF THEY TIGHTENED SOME THING IT WILL FIX, BUT NO I STILL HAVE UNTIL TODAY, CAR SHAKES IF YOU EXCEED SPEED OF 55 OR 50 M/H. I AM STILL HAVING THOSE PROBLEM UNTIL TODAY. *TR

MY 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA 3.5SE SHIFTS FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR VERY HARD, ALSO FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE WHEN I BACK UP. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR A MONTH OR SO AND NOW MY MECHANIC IS SAYING THAT I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. AFTER SOME INTERNET RESEARCH, I SEE THAT THIS PROBLEM IS HAPPENING EVERYWHERE WITH THE 2004 MAXIMA. THIS CAR HAS NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND IT NOW HAS 100,600 MILES. I HAVE JUST HAD THE RACK & PINION REPLACED LAST WEEK AS WELL AS THAT WAS BAD ($1100). *TR

VEHICLE FRONT END SHAKES AT 40-70 MPH. *TR

AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE FRONT END OF MY CAR "SHIMMY'S". WHEN APPLYING NORMAL PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THIS "SHIMMY" BECOMES A BIT MORE PRONOUNCED. I HAVE HAD ALL WORK ON MY CAR DONE AT THE DEALERS SERVICE CENTER FROM WHERE I PURCHASED IT. I HAVE BROUGHT MY CAR IN FOR SERVICE ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION FOR THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE, AND THE TECHNICIANS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE (TIRE PRESSURE, WHEEL BALANCE/ALIGNMENT, STRUTS) HAVE ALL BEEN LOOKED AT/REPLACED BUT HAVE NOT CORRECTED THE ISSUE. THERE ARE MANY ONLINE POSTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE; THEREFORE, IT IS NOT AN UNCOMMON OCCURRENCE AND SHOULD BE FIXED VIA A RECALL - THIS IS CERTAINLY A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA. EVER SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE CONTACT HAS BEEN HEARING A NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY REPLACED THE BRAKES, STRUTS, AND TIRES. THE ABS SENSOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND CURRENTLY THE REAR SENSORS AND THE ACTUATOR NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THIS MAY HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE THE ENTIRE TIME. HE CONSULTED THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE HAS RECENTLY SURFACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,668.

PROBLEM 2 OF 5: PURCHASED 2004 MAXIMA BRAND NEW. CAR IS NOW 10 MONTHS OLD. ON OR ABOUT 2/24/05 MY STEERING WHEEL WAS STUCK IN THE UP POSITION. THE MAXIMA'S TILT MOTOR WAS NOT WORKING. WHEN YOU TURN THE KEY THE STEERING WHEEL MOVES TO DRIVER'S MEMORY POSITION. MY CAR WAS STUCK UPRIGHT. IT WAS STUCK SO HIGH UP IT WAS LIKE DRIVING A BUS AND VERY HARD TO TURN. I BROUGHT MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE I COULD NOT DRIVE THE CAR WITH THE STEERING WHEEL UP LIKE A BUS DRIVER. IT WAS DANGEROUS AND VERY HARD TO TURN THE WHEEL. THE DEALERSHIP HAD TO ORDER THE PART AND HAD TO MANUALLY ADJUST MY STEERING WHEEL TO A MORE COMFORTABLE POSITION SO I CAN DRIVE MY CAR UNTIL THE PART CAME IN. ON 3/11/05 THE DEALERSHIP FINALLY REPLACED THE INOP TILT MOTOR. ALSO, MY TRUNK STILL...

BOUGHT THE MAXIMA NEW IN SEPTEMBER 2004, AND SEVERAL MONTHS LATER I STARTED NOTICING STEERING VIBRATIONS, WHICH WAS GETTING WORSE WITH TIME. THEY MANIFEST TYPICALLY AROUND 55 MPH. AFTER TAKING IT SEVERAL TIMES TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE SHIMMY HAS NEVER BEEN RESOLVED. THE SHIMMY IS DISTRACTING, EXTREMELY ANNOYING AND PROBABLY CAUSE EXTRA WEAR AND TEAR ON FRONT STEERING COMPONENTS INCLUDING THE TIRES. AT THIS MOMENT NO SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN FOUND FOR MY CAR. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE A POPPING SOUND WAS HEARD FROM THE STEERING COLUMN CAUSING IT TO BECOME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE STEERING FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

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

BOUGHT THE NISSAN MAXIMA ON AUGUST 10, 2004 FROM VOB NISSAN IN ROCKVILLE, MD. UNDER 100 MILES, TOOK BACK TO DEALER DUE TO UNACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF VIBRATION IN THE FRONT WHEELS FELT THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL GENERALLY BETWEEN 40 AND 70 MPH ON SMOOTH SURFACED HIGHWAY DRIVING. INITIALLY I WAS TOLD THIS IS PROBABLY DUE TO FLAT SPOTS ON THE TIRES PER CAR SITTING IN THE LOT FOR AN EXTENDED TIME. BUT THE VIBRATION CONTINUED. WHEN CRUISING MORE PRONOUNCED. DEALER INITIALLY PERFORMED WHEEL BALANCING WHICH DIDN'T WORK. THEN THEY REPLACED THE FRONT TWO CONTINENTAL TIRES WHICH STILL DIDN'T WORK. THEY PERFORMED ??ROAD FORCE BALANCING?? CHECK. THE TIRES HAD READINGS OF CLOSE TO 40 WHERE THE ACCEPTABLE READING SHOULD BE BELOW 10. THERE WAS ALSO AN ISSUE WITH THE BRAKES. WHEN DRIVEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THE STEERING WAS VISIBLY VIBRATING. VOB ALSO NOTICED THE WARPED ROTORS IN...

STEERING WHEEL SHIMMY SINCE PURCHASED IN JUNE, 2004. SHIMMY OCCURS BETWEEN 55 AND 65 MPH. HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER AT LEAST 4 TIMES FOR THIS ISSUE. THEY EVEN APPLIED THE FOLLOWING SERVICE BULLETIN TO NO AVAIL: SERVICE BULLETIN NUM : 04085 , DATE OF BULLETIN: JUL 16, 2004 NHTSA ITEM NUMBER: 10008836. *NM

STEERING WHEEL SHIMMIES AT SPEEDS FROM 50-80 MPH AND ALSO SHIMMIES HARSHLY WHEN BRAKING AT LOWER SPEEDS. I HAD THIS IN FOR REPAIR TWICE SO FAR. THE FIRST TIME THEY TURNED THE ROTORS. THE NEXT TIME THEY ROTATED THE TIRES. ALSO, HAD GPS/NAV SYSTEM IN FOR REPAIR THREE TIMES TO DATE. THE DVD WAS REPROGRAMMED THE FIRST TIME AND REPLACED TWICE. I'M GETTING READY TO FILE A LEMON LAW COMPLAINT. *NM

I AM EXPERIENCING SEVERE VIBRATIONS IN THE STEERING OF MY NEW 2004 MAXIMA. AFTER SEVERAL TRIPS FOR ALIGNMENT, ROTATIONS AND BALANCING - I WAS ADVISED I HAD A BAD TIRE BY THE LOCAL NISSAN DEALER. THEY SUGGESTED I GO TO THE LOCAL GOOD YEAR DEALER AND HAVE THE TIRE REPLACED. UPON ARRIVING AT THE GOOD YEAR DEALER - I WAS INFORMED THAT THEY HAD REPLACED SEVERAL TIRES FOR THE YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL AND IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THERE WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE CAR AND IT'S ABILITY TO ABSORB OSCILLATION OF THE TIRE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED HEAVILY. IT WAS HARD TO TURN THE WHEEL. *AK THE DEALER EXCHANGED THE VEHICLE FOR ANOTHER AND THE NEW VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO PULL. *SC *JB

WHEN DRIVING AT 50 TO 60 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SHIMMIES. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER FOUR TIMES, TWICE THEY HAVE BALANCED THE TIRES, THEY RECALIBRATED THEIR BALANCING MACHINE AND ONCE THEY MADE AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE STEERING COLUMN. PROBLEM STILL EXIST WITH ONLY 7800 MILES. *LA

WHEN DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 50-60 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL SHIMMIES. ALL FOUR ORGINAL TIRES WERE ROTATED AND BALANCE ON FOUR SEPERATE OCCASIONS AMONG THREE DIFFERENT SERVICE DEALERS. THE TIRE MANUFACTURE REPLACED TWO TIRES THAT WERE ON THE FRONT OF THE CAR, BUT IT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM.

AT ANY SPEED, THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED SEVERELY. THE CONSUMER STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND PULLED OFF AND THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO CORRECT ITSELF. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *JB