I've had quite a few headaches since I bought my car, the biggest one going on right now. I just need to vent, and maybe you guys have some advice.

Well, I bought my 95 Max four months ago today. It had 78,000 miles on it and drove like a brand new car. Then all of the sudden, within the first month of owning it, a fuel injector went. So I took it to the dealer, thinking that since it's under warranty I won't have to pay a dime. But naive 'ol me didn't read the fine print on the warranty. The dealer replaced the fuel injector and the knock sensor in cylinder 2, cleaned the throttle body, replaced the fuel filter and used some fuel injector cleaner for the others. With parts, labor, and tax it came to 950 bucks, out of my pocket since the warranty company didn't cover it.

Then about two months later my check engine light comes on again. This time I'm stumped because it was riding perfect. I take it to the place where I bought it and they scanned the ECU. It turned out to be a heated o2 sensor, which cost me another 200 bucks to have fixed.

This was just two weeks ago. Last night while dropping my girlfriend off at home my car started shaking will idle and half way there the check engine light went on. So this morning I brought it to the place where I bought it and had them scan the ECU. I got a P0301 code for a cylinder #1 misfire due to a bad fuel injector.

So now the normal thing to do would be to have the fuel injector replaced so I can be on my merry way, but since i just switched warranty companies a week ago, the guy I bought the car from told me that he can't put a claim through so early because they'll reject it saying that it's "previous damage." So he tells me to just drive the car for 30 days until they can put the claim through. So then I get all pissed off saying that I drive a good 300 miles a week, which will be about 1200 miles in 30 days and that all those misfires can damage my catalytic converter, making things even worse.

So he called up some friends to see if he could find someone that would do the work and be able to wait to get paid from the warranty company. I called him back to find out the deal and he said he spoke to a friend of his that works at a Nissan dealer who told him that he should just check the plugs, reset the ECU, and put in some Techron to clean up the injectors, and then drive the car for a week. And if the CEL still comes on then he'll have it fixed at the Nissan dealer.

This seems half-***, but it's better waiting a week than 30 days. So tomorrow I have to bring my car over there so he can do his little temporary remedy.

So now I'll be late to work two days in a row and knowing my luck the CEL will come back on as soon as I pull into the parking lot at work, then I'll have to be late again to drop the car off at the Nissan dealer.

Very crappy luck with my second Maxima. My 89 Max was a friggin beast, I bought it was 158,000 miles, drove it without any worries until 228,000 miles. I neglected that car so much too, all I did was change the oil and put new tires on, and it never gave me problems like I'm having with this car. And I'm babying this car now that I have more money.

I'm at the point where if my CEL goes on one more time after having this fuel injector fixed that I'm gonna give the car back, get my money back and buy another car, or take them to small claims court to get back the 1150 bucks I spent in repairs on a car that was supposed to be in "showroom condition."

 

First of all, besides the fuel injectors, that stuff is routine, even though the car has low miles, its still 10 years old. Cars now have a lot more sensors and electrical components that don't last as long. If you put as much time into doing a couple things for yourself on your car, as you do worrying about warranties and dealerships, you could have saved yourself a lot of time and money and frustration. If you want a car that you don't have to do anything to, go lease a new car.

 

if you need some injectors i can sell you some. ive got like 3 laying in my closet. $30 a piece. you can change your own fuel injectors, well the ones closest to the radiator are easiest(2,4,6) while the firewall ones (1,3,5) you will need to remove the Upper Plenium. if you have any misfires in the rear. it is best to change the whole rear at one time(save some time) let me know if you need some injectors. killcrap@msn.com


oh yea, dont go to a dealership from now on. they will rape you. get the parts and do it your self. thats how you learn. i hope you have a hanyes manual around.

 

Didn't have time to scan all your post but looks like you get pretty nucely ripped off. Al the problems above can be solved by home mechanic. For injector change instructions see my sig.

 

If I had that much money, I could buy a pretty decent 1995 Sentra around here. It seems life in the U.S. is SOOOOO expensive. I am in Mexico.

Hope you have better luck with your car. It seems to be acting more like an unreliable Volkswagen.

 

I couldn't have said that any better!

 

If I was able to change fuel injectors and knock sensors myself then I wouldn't be in this situation. The reason I bought another Maxima is because my last one was so reliable. Unfortunately I don't have the spare time, tools, and know-how to do these repairs, so I invested my money in a warranty instead.