on the 4th gen max's, is ABS braking a standard feature or optional? or is it just not available? my friend has a 1995 gxe, and he said that his doesn't ahve ABS, i just thought was wierd, maybe the goof doesn't know what he's talking about.

 

I KNOW it is available because I have it on my 97 GLE. I think it is an option.

 

Unfortunetly, it's an option. I don't know why Nissan didn't make it standard, at least on all SE's. I've locked my wheels up a couple times stopping at these poorly positioned lights up here in WA.

 

ABS was optional on all 4Gen and standard equipment on all 5Gen Maximas. My '99 GXE Plain Jane does not have ABS.

 

My 95 has ABS, so it was an option in that year. . . I know that it has helped me out a few times, like yeasterday trying to avoid making a squirrel roadkill.

 

Unfortunatelly this is OPTIONAL, as stupid as it is.
I have a 98 SE and it came with it, but there ARE some SE or GLEs without it.

 

Yeah, my '97 SE is without ABS. Funny thing is that the dealer I bought it from (Family Toyota in Runnemede, NJ) had ABS listed on the window sticker. That's a real confidence booster!

 

Option on my 96 GXE...an option I didn't have.

[RANT]And about the window sticker, CarMax does the same thing. I found out 2 weeks after I bought it that it didn't have ABS. I complained, they told me look at the sticker, they have a disclaimer on each vehicle. The bítch even had the nerve to tell me that when I looked under the hood I should have seen that the ABS was not there. Who the hell notices things like that! Ugh! I even made her pull up her Maxima inventory, they ALL showed as having ABS. She said when they get a batch of the same cars in they will sometimes just go thru and check all the "almost standard" options on that car. Pissed me off.[/RANT]

 

I believe that the cost was ~$900. Luckily, I have it.

 

you would think that nissan would have made ABS standard on their "flagship" after they re-did it for 1995, or at least when they freshened it up for the 1997-1999. and that dealership experience you guys had looked like it sucked big time, i mean its on the sticker, shouldn't it be in the car?
btw, since it was on the sticker, and costs around $900, did you guys pay that extra $900 for the car? thats what i would be complaining about at the dealership. some of these fools at these dealerships need a good kick in the ****!!!
oh, and if you're wondering why i'm posting here and asking questions like this, my mom decided to get a 4th gen max. now i know what to look for when we go to get one. how can you tell (other than that sticker on the window) if the car has ABS? during the test drive, should we brake the hardest possible?

 

Any of these tests should tell the tale...

1) Ask any technician at your local friendly Nissan dealer. He can answer after a three-second look under the hood. He will be looking for the ABS actuator, a sort of hydraulic octopus which is located near the brake master cylinder. If the actuator isn't there, your Maxima doesn't have ABS.

2) Sit in the driver's seat. Turn the ignition "on" but don't start the engine. This performs a dashboard warning lamp test. You should see all sorts of warning lights go on and stay on including those for Engine Oil Pressure, Charge, Door Open, and Service Engine Soon. Some other dashboard warning lights go on momentarily and then go off. The momentary lights include Air Bag and ABS. If you make this lamp test and do not see the ABS light go on momentarily, your Maxima doesn't have ABS.

3) Raise the hood. Just in front of the battery you should see a black plastic relay box. This is relay box #2. Snap off the relay box cover. There are two rows of relay sockets, four in each row. Your relay box may have some blank sockets, depending on which options are installed. Look at the row of relays closest to the battery. The third and fourth from left socket should have relays installed. If those sockets are empty, your Maxima doesn't have ABS.