gwmac

Long time lurker but first time poster. Lots of great tips here so hoping I can get some advice on my 2003 Maxima SE with 110K miles. I took it to Firestone for an oil change and surprise surprise they found some issues. They always do it seems. They said my front inner and outer tie rods were bad and the battery was near dead and gave me a $1,500 quote. Since I didn't believe them since they tend to be dishonest I took it the Nissan dealership since I had to get that factory recall airbag replaced and I knew they would check for free.

Well Nissan said the tie rods were fine but they recommend "front bearings and possibly front hub replacement" and quoted me $496. They also said my battery was fine and I double checked at Autozone who said battery was good. But it gets better, they also discovered a rear main seal leak and transmission differential seal leak and quoted me $1215 for that repair because transmission would need to be removed. Actual parts cost around $25. I have seen no fluid on the cement under my car so I'm a little suspicious of that. The leaks are probably not serious yet since I can't see any evidence so I am going to give the ATP At-205 Re-seal a shot. Only $10 so worth a try but without seeing fluids on ground hard to know. This repair can probably wait since Nissan said it was a very small leak.

But it gets even better because when it rains it pours and "good news" always comes in 3's. My brake and battery light started coming on and it looks like my alternator is going out. Even after a trickle charge overnight to fully charged the lights still come on for first couple of miles then they go off. Looked in this forum and alternator seems to be prime suspect.

So to save some money I ordered my own parts and these seem to be higher quality and cheaper that the refurb alternator at some shops and no core charge either.

Here is the alternator I ordered. Quality-Built 15844N
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here is the Hub Assembly Dura International 29518516 ( I ordered 2 since no idea which is bad. Nissan didn't specify)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Now I'm in the process of getting some quotes from local mechanics and got some wildly different ones, so I'm trying to make sense and choose wisely. I am trying to get an idea on typical labor. Am I in the ballpark in thinking 1 hour for alternator removal and install plus around 1 hour per front wheel for a total of around 3 hours?

I just got an email from one mechanic. He wrote: " I can take the steering knuckles to the machine shop so they can press the parts in and out. $100 for the alternator and $150 per side to remove and reinstall the steering knuckles plus I think the machine shop charges $45 each to press the bearings and hubs in and out."

So it looks like his total quote is $490. Seems like that press charge seems a bit high or is that about right? The other mechanics offered much cheaper quotes by about a half. Wondering if they have their own press? I am not that knowledgeable about car repairs so just trying to balance saving money and my own safety since I want the job done right. Any and all advice appreciated and sorry for such a long post. I just wanted to give you all the info in first post. Also in Macon, GA if that matters.

My parts won't arrive for around 5 days so just trying to educate myself enough to ask the right questions and make sure I choose a good mechanic before they arrive. I am guessing I also need to get a wheel alignment after this is done? I know for tie rods that is a must but not sure about new bearings and hub assembly. Maybe when I get alternator and hub installed I can also ask the mechanic to take a look at seal leak.

george__

iTrader: (1)

• Timken is a good brand for wheel bearing & hub assembly kit
• Alternator consider buying locally or OEM because most aftermarket alternators are sh8t so less warranty headache going local.
• Moog is good brand for suspension parts
• Check your rear brake calipers because they could be why the brake light is on.
• If lights still keep coming on and off swap out your ignition coils with OEM or HITACHI!
• A cheap site to buy things from is RockAuto plus their discount coupon

Max_5gen

iTrader: (2)

I'd leave it alone and would never add any additive to oil/ATF/PS fluid- if there's a problem it needs to be fixed properly. If there's no problem you don't want to create one by adding these additives. YMMV of course.

While you're correct to point to alternator in general I'd check its belt tension for starters, usually if it decides to go it goes, you won't be able to drive around for long.

IMO you wasted your money by trusting Nissan's diagnostics. Again, they might need to be replaced but if it ain't broke... If you had bad wheel bearings you'd complain about humming noise coming from the front with pitch dependent on car speed (not engine rpm). Since you haven't mentioned that it's safe to assume dealer just wanted to make some extra cash. I'd leave hubs alone if they don't make noise.

So far the only real problem you currently have with the car is the alternator and even that might be fixed by replacing or tightening accessories belt. If you don't want / can't get your hands dirty I'd find a single good mechanic and would stick to him with all my car needs. It requires some degree of trust as you just learned so ask your friends/colleagues for recommendations. Or you can take an easy route and do it yourself - you're half way there already, it's not that complicated as some mechanics make it look like. BTW, there's nothing from the above which would affect your safety. Hubs (wheel bearings to be exact) can do that but they need to be in really bad shape at which point you won't need mechanic to tell you they're gone.

In general, your post is a living proof of the sad state of affairs in car service area: it is quite difficult to find reputable shop you can trust. Many shop's business model involves these tactics of selling you unnecessary repairs as it's sure money for them: replacing hubs won't hurt and the 'new' ones will surely last longer than warranty which is typically less than 1 year. It is much more difficult for them to find actual problem and make living by doing what the sign says- fixing people's cars. So many take this easier route and try to put up smoke surrounding their work. This is not to say there're no honest mechanics out there, I just haven't come across one yet. I often wonder if this area allows business to be profitable and remain honest at all: it is much more time consuming to diagnose / fix real problems and since nobody would be willing to pay for couple days of mechanic's work they need to compensate somehow. Many get carried away and stop doing actual repairs altogether losing their diagnostics skills in the process . This is my pure speculation and opinion only.

gwmac

Dang, just typed a long and detailed reply and it got lost from having to sign in again.

Thanks for all the great info and tips.

Nissan Diagnostics- Lucky it was free from having airbag factory recall.

Belt Tension -I will ask mechanic to check that. The reason I think it is alternator is how fast the battery drains. Also lights or even radio can make it nearly stall if it has not been driven in a few days. As long I drive it daily it will crank right up then battery and brake light will stay on a while then go off.

Alternator- I tried to read as much as I could and there is a big debate about going with remanufactured vs. new. I finally just decided I would buy new if it was affordable and also got good reviews. The one I chose actually got great reviews on several car sites so fingers crossed. I will keep the Hitachi one they remove and have it rebuilt locally. They take around 10 days to do it because so backed up but at least then I can have a spare Hitachi OEM ready if my new one doesn't last.

Leaks- Okay I will wait on using that re-sealer. I also hope I can get a mechanic I trust to take a look and tell me if that problem even exist and how bad it is.

Quote- Doesn't $490 seem pretty high for the bearing and hub? Even the Nissan Stealership only quoted me $496 and that was for parts and labor. He is asking $490 for only labor plus another $100 for alternator. His quote is the highest but he is also ASE certified and others aren't. Already asked all my friends for recommendations but they just use places like Sears Auto, dealerships so flying blind here.

Max_5gen

iTrader: (2)

Sounds like you need new battery- it simply lost its capacity. If the alt charges the battery (lights go off after a while) then it means its internal circuit is satisfied with the voltage it sees at that point so the alt seems to be working. Battery OTOH can't hold the charge for long and even light loads drain it empty. Check/change the battery, check the alt belt.

good idea IMO

If you don't have humming noise you don't have a problem therefore quote is irrelevant, just leave it alone.

gwmac

Thanks for the tips. The only reason I think the battery is ok is because both Nissan and Autozone checked battery and said it was fine. I work from home so don't drive my car that much. The battery is also not that old.

I might just get alternator swapped and hold off on hub assembly as you suggest. If the new alterantor solves the brake and battery light issue then I will at least have the main problem fixed. I am too scared to drive it very far at the moment after it stalled on me while driving.

About half a mile down the road from my house it started driving slow almost like it was not in gear and the lights dimmed. Luckily I was able to pull off a very busy road at night and park at a Sunoco. My car had probably not been driven in several days before that. I sat there for a while with engine on thinking it needed to charge a bit. Turned off lights and stereo. Sat there 10 minutes and then as soon as I turned on headlights to go back home it shut off. I had a friend come and jump me off and then it was fine and I got back home.

If I can drive it again then I will pay close attention to any noise or any irregularities with any pull or jerking from steering. To be honest I usually blast my music so I need to try driving it without the music distraction. I haven't felt any jerking though but I might just be used to it and not notice. Might need a driver who knows what to look out for to see what they think. I might be a bit like the frog put in lukewarm water and not notice it is boiling. It is nothing extreme or I would notice but maybe there are some signs I am missing.

george__

iTrader: (1)

Since you work from home you may have already damaged your battery by letting it drain to death

gwmac

I might not drive it as much as people driving to and from work daily but also not a hermit. I have gone through enough dying batteries to know the symptoms and this does not appear to be the case this time. The dim lights when it stalled and messing up the car stereo are signs of an alternator and not battery issue from what I read.

There is probably something else going on besides the battery. If not the alternator then maybe something else. It is a 2003 car with 110K miles so not unreasonable to think the alternator just wore out. Autozone and Nissan would have both loved to sell me a new battery and it tested fine.

gwmac

The tips about the belt made me think. I just cranked her up and popped the hood. It did sound a bit off to me but I am not sure. I took a 30 second video. can you tell anything from the sound or the video of the belt?

http://youtu.be/pQxBrhNVZeM

Max_5gen

iTrader: (2)

Your alt belt is fine- it makes screeching sound when it's lose and car is cold. I don't hear that. Based on your description it does sound like dying alternator. Measuring voltages would really help otherwise we're all guessing here based on secondary effects. Is there a way you can measure the voltage on battery posts:

- after the car sat for few hours
- during cranking- how far the voltage drops at that time
- when engine is running at 1500 rpm

The voltmeter/multimeter should have high enough resolution- you need to be able to tell 12.4V and 12.5V apart. Nowadays even cheap ones have such resolution. I'd go and buy multimeter if I were you, very handy device.

gwmac

I don't have one but I am betting one of my relatives or friends who live close by will. I will check. It looks like my Maxima should get between 13V and 15V. Is that correct? One guy on Youtube suggested testing with everything on like high beams, hazard, defrost full power. I will then check other states like idle, car not running, car running at 2,000 RPM, and a few more conditions and post back.

I just found out the alternator I bought from Amazon for $112 with free shipping is the same one Pepboys sell for my car. They call it the ProStart Premium but same specs, photo, even part # 15844N Supreme. They sell it for $194 so I saved quite a bit.

As far as my bearing/hub assembly issue I saw this great guide to diagnose. So I will make sure and get the mechanic to run this test while I am there to see and listen for myself. http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Chang...-Wheel-Bearing I am guessing a stethoscope would be better than a screwdriver and I have one I can take.

I am tired of getting so many different opinions with one telling me the tie rods were bad and another telling me the tie rods are fine but the bearings are bad. I want to be there and look with my own eyes and listen to it at 40MPH up on the lift. Then if I can hear it myself I will decide to get it repaired later on.

Learning a lot on this forum so thanks for all the advice.

Max_5gen

iTrader: (2)

Number of superlatives in the alternator's name raise some red flags with me but hope you'll be fine. As far as I recall it's starters which are crucial to be OEM (and very expensive), I don't recall such hard requirement for alternators.

rods are easy to check yourself- just jack the wheel up and try to move it left-right while holding the tire at 9-3 o'clock. Works best if you have someone doing this while you trying to feel the play in the rod end with your hand. If they're bad you'll feel the play. The same goes for ball joint except your hands should be at 6-12 and you'd try to tilt it inwards-outwards. You should also check LCA bushings while having wheel lifted. I recently was able to visually see the LCA moving around its pin while helper was moving the wheel in left-right direction. These checks cover most common front end suspension problems and you don't need to listen to anyone.

Safety first: I'd put the car on jack stand and make sure it has no chance to roll (ebrake + bricks under rear wheels) while having any part of my body under lifted car.

From the point when wheel bearing starts making noticeable noise until it becomes unbearable you'd have months to take care of them, just FYI.

gwmac

The superlatives in this case just distinguish the warranty length. The Supreme adds an extra year to 2 years with free roadside assistance.

Thanks I will use that info to check the tie rods. The guy I linked above said the same thing about not being urgent without noise. I hate to have car issues but at least this has been a great learning experience. I had no idea what tie rods or a hub assembly were a few weeks ago. I still can't do the work myself but now much less likely to get ripped off. Just need to find a good independent mechanic or shop I can trust. I will never visit a dealership or chain store like Firestone again for repairs or oil changes.

nestorlugo

iTrader: (11)

If you plan to keep the car for longer than 3yrs buy one with LLT warranty :nod

The previous owner of my maxi bought the alt from Orileys with lifetime warranty back in 09 when i got the car the battery and brake lights would both flicker, i went and acted like i was him back in 2012with receipt and alt in hand so i walked out with a free alt, warranty doesn't transfer between owners but hey it was $196+tax so i was worth a shot.....