Compusmurf

Ok, all the other forums have this thread for our newer members who have less than 15 posts and can't post a new thread. So, instead of threadjacking someones thread to get your question answered, do it here!

Please tho, search first. It's VERY likely your question has been asked by someone else.

Xeross

I've seen so many different recommendations for oil changes after the break-in period, and I'd like some kind of confirmed answer for the 09', considering the suggested Ester oil in the owners manual.

Anyway, I've got the maintenance package, schedule 1(so my first "free" oil change is at 3750 or 3 months). Should I bring it to the dealership after the 1200 mile break-in period and have the oil changed, or just wait for my scheduled mileage?

I searched for this and found no definite answer for the 09.

Compusmurf

YEEEAHHHHH! Someone used this thread for what it was designed for! Yippee!!!!

Anyway, check this link.

http://forums.maxima.org/7th-generat...cific-oil.html

I don't think you're going to get a "definitive" answer, but more words of wisdom.

Lirathal

The manual does not state in any way shape or form that Ester Oil is required. From what I have seen, the oil requirement is simply 5w30 that meets industry standards. The manual states that the oil that comes from the factory is a high quality oil and that oil change intervals should be kept to the book. So the whole "Change your oil after 1000miles" is still a concept from the 'olden days' of cars where metal shavings and breakin period were more required.

Today's engines do still need a break in period but it's nothing like the old days.

That's my two cents.

these statements are warranted for 20 feet or 20 seconds which ever occurs first... when using these statements please use your best judgment

Xeross

Thanks for the help you two. It appears that changing the oil at ~1.2k is all about preference. I may do it just to be on the safe side($35 is so little compared to the price of the car, might as well).

This whole dino vs synthetic business is much clearer now too. Before you could have asked me and all you would have seen was . Yay information.

Odd that the owners manual makes no mention of using dino during the break-in.

Xeross

Ok I've got one more. Currently the iPod cable hookup works great with my iPod, however the iPhone 3g shifted the pins around, causing an issue with the charge ability.

Meaning that my iPhone 3g will NOT charge on the cable that comes standard in the car. Does anyone know of a company that sells a replacement cable(or if nissan has made one that I can't find on their site) that is compatable with the iPhone 3g pin setup.

Oh also, the charging cabability is backwards compatable. Meaning that a cable that will charge the iPhone 3g will charge an iPod, but not the other way around.

lightonthehill

Synthetic in the Maxima is strictly an option some drivers prefer. The Maxima is designed to run just fine on dino oil, and the Owner's Manual assumes most owners will be using dino. And they will. It is mostly drivers who are really into their cars that opt for synthetic. Synthetic is fine, but should not be used until the engine is properly broken in - that usually takes around 10,000 miles.

Synthetic is so slippery it makes the needed fitting together of engine parts much more difficult. As a result, engines that use synthetic from the beginning are very slow to be properly broken in, and may not be running efficiently for 30K or 40K miles.

Also be aware that synthetic oil, although it lubricates for a long time, should still be changed at 3,750 mile intervals, because it has gathered the same pollutants in suspension as dino oil does, and these need to come out of the car.

execstyle

Im looking for someone in the boston or mass area that knows how to do custom work on cars,adding halos into headlights,someone who is good with wiring and installing led taillights...if ANYONE CAN HELP,please send me a private message...thanks..of course im willing to pay

Compusmurf

Ah, this one you didn't search for. LOL.

you need an adapter for it.

http://www.chargeconverter.com/shop/...m?connipod.htm

Xeross

I totally searched for it... just not well enough I guess. I didn't search for a converter, just a cable. I think that is where I failed.

Thanks though!

Compusmurf

Lirathal, that's NOT exactly correct. My manual states that Nissan Ester oil is RECOMMENDED. It doesn't state REQUIRED, but it's in there in black and white, which is what is causing folks to question this all the time.

Lirathal

Thanks for repeating my point. Ester Oil is not required by Nissan for the 2009 Maxima.

lightonthehill

Correct. Castrol GTX 5W-30 SM (service level 'M') dino oil would meet all warranty requirements and keep your Maxima engine humming perfectly for well over 200,000 miles (I know; I've done that). But to some of us **** folks here on the ORG, that would be like putting generic talcum powder on our first-born's fanny; would work fine, but just won't do.

vjanoyan

New to the forums.

Did the bypass for GPS no problem, but the abs light is blinking is their a reset for this or a way to check if their is really a problem?

Thanks in advance.

YGPHNM

wassup fellas
i'm fairly new to the forum...i've actually been reading a lot of posts for a while w/o posting myself. my family has an 09 and yesterday i drove it to work and after getting off i came out to crank it and it took longer than usual to start up. I turned it off and restarted it and it didn't do it the second go round. I didn't think anything of it but to make an appt w/ the dealership. well today while driving home from work my said the check engine oil light or maintenance engine oil light popped on and she was definitely pissed need I not say why. Last week the dealership did an oil change and we're wondering if it's something that they done because it has NEVER acted this way until after the oil change. If it's something major wrong with the car we will make a big fuss about getting a replacement for it. I don't know how much it would help but she doesn't like the idea of paying for something and it doesn't run properly. thanks fellas for any input.

frostymax

Hi all,
This is my first post. I bought an 09 Maxima in December and love everything about it except...that GPS. Here is my issue. When using the route guidance, the route the GPS chooses is rarely, if ever, the shortest or fastest route. I found this out when my husband put in his work address which is a 60 mile commute. It told him to take a route that put him very far to the east and then brought him back west instead of placing him on a direct route on our turnpike. We then tried again when traveling from West Palm Beach to Tampa. Route guidance wanted us to drive north to Orlando, then south again to Tampa. This would have been 28 miles and maybe 30 minutes out of our way. Shortest, Fastest or minimize freeways never put us on the actual fastest, shortest route (SR 60). We have contacted Nissan in CA who puts the responsibility on Zenrin who then tells us it's Nissan's equipment. Took it back to the dealership today and all they could do is recalibrate the thing. Still not right.
Is anyone else having issues with this? If you haven't used your Route Guidance please try putting in a destination which you already know the fastest and shortest route and see what it does for you. I would love any feedback. Thanks everyone!

Compusmurf

Frostymax, that's one of the most common issues with ANY gps system. It plots it's course based on mathematical functions.

It doesn't have any real conception of what constitutes the best route for you. It's "guidance".

I have had one of my GPS's try to route me out of my way nearly 100 miles because it refused to route me down a road that I KNEW was there but somehow the mappers forgot. Ha!

Wait until you "drive off the world" sometime. My garmin did that. Good thing Columbus didn't use it to route to America. LOL

It's really great for LONG road trips, but from going from home to work, nothing beats common sense, experience and good ole eyeballs and brain!

frostymax

Compusmurf,
Thanks for the reply. The trip we took from WPB to Tampa was over 200 miles so I think that would be a long enough trip. The route guidance to my husband's office was a trial thing as we just got it and wanted to play.

Maybe I was spoiled by the last GPS. We had a 2006 Accord w/ nav system and it was great. Right on the money every time and much easier to navigate the system. Wish I had it back. I think Honda uses Garmin?

It's just very frustrating when you pay so much extra for this stuff and I can go on Mapquest, Yahoo Maps, Google Earth and get the right information for free

Compusmurf

No idea what Honda would use. Routing is only as accurate as the geeks who programmed it. Maps, on the other hand are produced by 2 or 3 companies only and just about everyone uses them and programs their systems around them.

I have a portable Mio, a car mount Garmin, TomTom on my phone, Nissan's built in one. You know, my Rand McNally road atlas and my brain beats them all, but for an at a glance map when driving in a strange area, the GPS IS handy! (Esp when I get off on an odd road I've never been down)

You know, all of the ones I've owned seem pretty accurate on interstates and major highways, but thats where they all differ, anything lower than that.

frostymax

GPS addict?
Yeah I know what you mean. Can't tell you how many times I just whip out my cheapo AAA Florida map.

It's not getting the interstate routes correct that's what's so frustrating. It refuses to put us on the FL turnpike heading south when that is direct and fast and drags us all the way east to I-95 then back west again. Oh, and last week my husband was trying the thing again and when he needed to make a left turn onto a major intersection that's been there forever, the gps wanted him to go thru the intersection, drive to the next, then make a u-turn and go back
I know they are just for "guidance" but c'mon, my 3+ year old system in my Honda was far more accurate.

Compusmurf

Me? Gps addict?

lol, I just listed the GPS's I still have, not counting all the ones I've had in the past.... I guess I just love geeky toys....

Oh, had a thought. I seem to recall an option somewhere in the many menus about "avoiding" toll roads.

lightonthehill

That was my first thought when I read that her gps specifically ignored the Florida Turnpike.

fynack

Speaking of Toll Roads....is any one having issues with their EZ PASS and the 09 Maxima. Ive had the inside and the bummer tag and the inside one doesnt work at all and the bummer one works sparingly.

fynack

Second questions ... does anyone know how to hard wire a power inverter? Can i just use the same power source as the stereo/gps/etc or does it need to be directly attached to the battery?

Thx

frostymax

First, yes, I checked the "avoid toll roads" options and that has not been enabled.

I maybe, possibly, have found the source of my issue. On Navteq's website there is a map reporter option where you can notify them of missing roads, landmarks, roads that have changed, etc. What I noticed is that the FL turnpike and Rt 60 are missing unless you zoom in to 2-5 km. Then they show as what looks like secondary roads. Maybe this is why my GPS avoids them? I sent a message to Navteq about this and maybe when they update again (4x/yr) it will be changed.

Sunpass: I haven't had any problems with it. I assume it works OK in another vehicle?

Compusmurf,
Toying with the idea of getting a TomTom or Garmin Nuvi for our other vehicle. Do you like one any better than the other?

Compusmurf

No personal opinion either way. I think Garmin has been "doing North America" longer than TomTom. Early on TT was Europe only. But again, everyone uses the same "maps". Try hitting a store that has several on display that you can play with. One advantage of them over the built in is that you can reprogram it while driving. You don't have to wait for a stoplight and hope you have quick fingers.

Maxima2009

Does anybody know what the little red light next to the sunroof button is for?

Xeross

It's mood lighting. Serves no other purpose

lightonthehill

At night, the tiny red mood light tends to reduce the washed-out white of our skin as we do our best to impress the young woman sitting in our passenger seat. It almost gives our face a hint of tan without using some oily compound that would stain our seat.

Compusmurf

Wow Lightonthehill, glad it's NOT green, eh?

lightonthehill

We need a switch to be able to change that light to green on command. That way, we flip the switch, which makes us look a sickly green, then tell the damsel in the passenger seat we need to turn down that little dirt road long enough to throw up. Once down to the end of the dirt road, flip the switch back, turning our skin to a healthy, sensuous tannish glow, and tell her we are suddenly feeling very well, and that she is looking sooooo fine.

One additional bulb in the 'mood light' system, and one additional switch to control it, and this '09 Maxima could easily be converted to a very special 'datemobile.'

OK, too far out and wrong board. Sorry.

Maxima2009

I have not used the music box yet, just wondering if it is easy to add and delete songs off of the hard drive? Can I delete certain songs or do I have to delete the whole cd?

Maxima2009

I was wondering on how to update the navigation system?

Maxima2009

I promise last question for the night. How long to break the engine in? I bought my 09 sv with 29 miles on it and it has about 500 miles on it now, I have yet to jump on it and its killing me.

SEmy2K2go

iTrader: (10)

I would think that info would be provided in your owner's manual.

Xeross

I forgot what page it is in the manual, but the recommended break in period is 1200 miles without going over 4k rpm and try to keep from going the same speed over an extended period of time.

It is, however it's actually kind of hard to find seeing as it is one short paragraph and that's it.

Maxima2009

Thanks Xeross

Lirathal

You have to purchase the update from Navteq and then take the code to your dealership and they will update your hard drive.

lightonthehill

Easy. I added several dozen albums in just a week or two without spending a lot of time with it. Just throw the CD in the slot, and as soon as it begins playing, push the 'RECORD' display on the lower left corner of the screen. It takes about ten minutes to store a CD which has an hour of music on it. Just above the 'RECORD' display on the screen, there will be a little pair of numbers showing how the storing is doing. For instance, if the numbers say '8 of 15', that tells us that eight of the fifteen songs on this CD have been stored.

If you stop and turn off the ignition before the ten minutes needed to store the whole CD, no problem; just push the RECORD display again when you start the car back up, and it will continue storing the CD from the song it was storing when you turned the ignition off.

As for deleting, I haven't done that yet, but I definitely remember the manual saying you can delete individual songs.

Maxima2009

Thanks alot Lirathal and lightonthehill. I appreciate the help.