95bluse

iTrader: (1)

A sticky rear brake caliper can cause weird noises that sound suspension-related. Check it out.

Crushed

High Pitched sound coming from engine when at a stop

Back windows falling down due to window regulator and a cheap plastic piece nissan puts in there that breaks eventually.

Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor (ECTS)
Saggy trunk floor (just got finished replacing mine and its ALOT better)
Knock Sensor of course

96blkonblkse

iTrader: (18)

other then my tranny bearing in my 5spd nothing other then normal maintenece stuff has been replaced. original clutch, tranny (about to go though), engine(compression is excellent). The car has 182,000 miles which is around 294,000kms. In my auto it needed a full engine rebuild because the previous owner never maintained the car and the detonation and everything else that constantly happened ended up blowing a headgasket. the timing cover was leaking, took nissan like 5 weeks to fix that after replacing the oil pan.

Differential carrier bearing (5spd)
****ty paint, chips and gets scratches easy as hell
knock sensor
wheel hop (5spd) :P

cant really think of anything else thats gone majorly wrong in my 4th gens, there very reliable cars when maintained properly and will last for along time.

96blkmaxgle

Hi Guys, new bee here !!! This is my first post so please bare with me....

I bought my 1996 (used) when it had 70k miles on it in 1999. Just now hit 170k mark

Looking at this list of problems, I have some of them already fixed but I will report them anyways..

- knock sensor (bought it from eBay for $68 and replaced it myself)
- Bose "CD Err" (there is a local Bose Authorized Shop in Long Island, NY who fixed it for me for $150)
- EGRC (Control) Solenoid Value (pain in the b** to replace but finally did it myself. Bought it from stealership for $70)
- Start problems (had it fixed it about 2 years ago at stealership)
- Changed my struts twice so far. Recently 3 months ago. Put KYBs.

and finally got CLE with code P0130 or you can say DTC0503 which is for O2 sensor. Bank 1 Sensor 1. I was about to get it replaced but found a very helpful informaton. See below and I hope anyone who owns 1996 model will be benifited from this.

Too lazy to type... so I am copying/pasting from a doc. that I was writing.. Please don't be mad or laugh at me !!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Front Right Heated O2 sensor
(Front Left/Right O2 sensor = Left/Right in this case refers to the left/right bank of the engine. The "Left" sensor is the one furthest to the front of the vehicle.)

OR:

O2 Sensor Circuit Malfunction (Bank 1 Sensor 1)
(Bank 1 refers to Right Bank of the engine which is on the passenger side and there is only one sensor on that side so nothing to worry about Sensor 1)

Look at the diagram at: http://www.courtesyparts.com/A32_O2-sensors.html

Also, if your car is 1996 model and you NEVER changed ANY of the O2 sensors, you might want to call your local dealer and find out about Service Campaign Bulletin 'NTB98-073a'.

While searching on Google to see if I can fix it myself, I found:

http://lyberty.com/car/Maxima_A32_do...NTB98-073a.pdf

I called both, Nissan itself and my local dealership. Both said they still honor this so I am going there in a week or two to get it replaced at NO COST for part and labor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As per above NTB they only fix the O2 sensor as per the ECU code but I am planning to talk them into replacing all three sensors along with the EVAP canister

I will post again once I deal and done with them.

dko

iTrader: (7)

wow. that's a hell of a first post. thanks a lot dude! i'm going to call the closest stealership and see if they will honor this... they have to, right?

96blkmaxgle

Yeap.. they should. I called the Nissan main office (see the number on last page of NTB) and they said they still honor it but asked me to call the local dealer to make sure. So I did and dealer also said they will honor it as it was a recall from Nissan itself (I guess that is because Nissan pays for everything so the stealership is happy about it)

dko

iTrader: (7)

awesome. do you have to have the CEL for o2 sensors or will they do it even if there is no problem yet

flynlr

iTrader: (2)

my list
evap cansiter purge valve code is on iggy CEl bulb should burn out anytime now.
lr window reg replaced
starter has been screching for 4 years now.
ign switch replaced
odometer. took a crap at 35K replaced
knock sensor code for last 3 years.
gotta give props to factory brake pads., 11 years on the rears and 30% left.

95mtlMAXSE

so i guess no one has changed the front control arms and shocks?? I know u did or have to soo enough.
I did on my 95 auto
-complete suspension(tokiko illumina) old leaky shocks suck
-complete exhaust with y-pipe and high flow cat(stock cat-back)
-rebuilt tranny with cooler
-O2 sensors
-axles
-my timing chain rattles quite a bit at start up and stops like 1 min later

Motor is still running real strong and kicking butt on the road

FormorAccordMan

iTrader: (3)

I also have some banging noises coming from the rear, Everytime I make a turn with any real speed, I get a banging noise fromt the rear. I also hear the same noise when he body is flexed, for example when going up the rammp into a parking lot at an angle. I have the illuminas and HR setup. It is really embarrasing. NJMAxseltd, did the install, and he said that the noise was common as it was the unibody flexing, but I'm not so sure. Anybody know?

Thorby

Mmm this list could be endless, considering cars have a million parts that can fail. Shouldn't we just vote on the MOST famous Maxima problems? For example.. the sunroof failing.

alleydawg6

iTrader: (23)

darn sunroof doesn't lift up fully so when it rains, water seeps in through the seals

96blkmaxgle

I believe you have to have the code (CEL on) stored in your ECU so they can catch it in their OBDII scanner. Mine shows P0130 / DTC0503 so I know it's bank 1 sensor 1. I am not going to clear the code untill I see the dealer. I did clear it once last week (after putting new set of NGK double paltinum and a new EGRC solenoid valve) hoping it might cure the O2 sensor. But with my luck, CEL came back on after driving about 45 / 50 miles.

Am gonna try to have them replace them all. There is no harm in trying if it for free. Unfortunately I am busy for next two weeks but once the job is done I will let you know how it went. This way you will get a better idea before you go to the dealer.

FormorAccordMan

iTrader: (3)

You probably just have to add some shims to the glass to make it flush. Easy Fix. I just did it two days ago. I didnt have any shims, but used some washers and they worked like a charm. All you have to do is take off the black plastic trim pieces on each side of the glass. You will see the bolts. They are gold in color. Take em off. And add shims or washers until it is flush again. My glass is perfect now. Good luck

mrmagicpapi

I have the same problem, how do u resolve that issue?

NYC32798

iTrader: (3)

Problems I've had crap out on me were:

5spd tranny
rear main seal
alternator
the infamous starter noise which i'm dealing with now

Other than that just normal maintenance.

Innocent_Maxima

Formeraccordman, I know what you mean.
I have had that type of noise too, the one where I am turning to go on a driveway or a strip mall or anything with a bit of a ramp from the road; and going on them on angles (which I have to because of my lowered car) the body makes a big crack or stretch noise, it is very annoying and embarassing as you say.

The other type of noise I experience is from the rear also, which is what I was mentioning originally. It is a hollow metal noise that it sounds like a metallic rattle or echo, and it happens on cracks on the road, divides of a bridge, and pretty much most uneven surfaces, it mainly happens on the rebound when the rear tires have left the bump/crack/etc. I have no idea what it is and I have driven with it for over a year now and it is driving me nuts.
I really need to solve the problem, I have taken it to the dealerships and they still havn't figured it out yet. Any help is much appreciated!

FormorAccordMan

iTrader: (3)

What was it that you did to solve our common problem?

Innocent_Maxima

Actually I still have not been able to solve it yet, I am still dealing with it, it is very annoying, both noises. I don't know what direction to take myself, but my car is scheduled for an audio sensor hearing where they place sensors on parts of the car and see if they can hear where it is coming from.
My appointment is sometime in July but I hope to get it solved and find out what it is before then, it is going to be expensive to get that type of diagnosing.
I have already replaced the upper strut mounts, dust boots, bumpstops, wheel bearings and some bushings. Next thing that comes to my mind are the sway bar links, but I am not sure, I wouldn't want to keep replacing parts while paying for labour if it won't fix the problem.
What else can it be?

flthere

iTrader: (2)

yes ... also plz suggest what shud be done on that evap codes problems

max ride 41

iTrader: (4)

wow, no one said odo-trip stops working, also 1 battery, 2. belts, 3. electronic starter switch, 4. 02 ,5 coolant sensor, 6. rear taillight bulbs. i could go on and on but i don't care. i love my max and will drive it until such time that i deem it unfixable anymore. the paint does chip friggin really easy too........

PARALLEX

looks like u just lucked out or someone treated your car like **** before u got it! (lucked out was sarcasm)
i wish ya the best of luck

kingrukus

iTrader: (41)

Most of what he mentions are items which will fail regardless of abuse...its more due to Nissan's crappy material use and poor design.

kingrukus

iTrader: (41)

Anyhow I find that most fastners on my car are of VERY poor quality (ie bolts, plastic fastners, etc).

Here are other common problems with these cars:
'o2 sensors failing
'rad support rusting
'ignition coils failing
'starter seizing and eventually failing
'rear calipers seizing
'parking brake cable binding/seizing
'power steering pump leaking
'hood struts losing compression and failing
'poor paint
'front windshield prone to pitting
'headlamp bulb socket corroding
'mysterious oil burning with 5-speed cars

Even with the above faults, I still rank this car way ahead of anything else I have come across reliability wise.

flynlr

iTrader: (2)

see post 48

Fang_DH

iTrader: (5)

I've had a lot of things loosen or break...I had my exhaust break and it was resting on the metal bar below it rattling around (tied it down...the cars got over 202000 miles on it not worth fixing it) and I also had a mounting screw go loose on me...I took it in thinking it was the clutch but they just tightened the screw and the rattling stopped. Other than that everything else has been listed.

96blkmaxgle

Hi dko,
Bad news.. Before going to the stealership, I called the Nissan main office once again (last time I was driving so didn't have all the info. with me)... This time they asked for my VIN #. As per my VIN, my car was not part of the recall eventhough it's '96 year model. Their explanation was: Eventhough the car was sold as '96 moder, it was actuallt built in '95 and those had no recalls. It's those car which were built in '96 and sold as '96 year model...

So I guess I have to replace it on my own.

You can at least call the 1-877 # number in NTB and findout about your car though !!!!

tarndt

Knock Sensor went for me as well...

brd98maxima

Pinging. it is driving me nuts........

rrama0257

Knock sensor and bose unit(cd player only).

Armelius

Factory radio

mbbs

I have a 99 max with 125, 000 milees and so far have replaced
02 Sensor
1 Coil Pack
and have a slight rattle in the front driver door and a rattle in the rear left, which i dont know what it can be. Please can anyone advise on the rattle.

glenmoormax

iTrader: (13)

Between me and my brother owning the car from 2000, the car had 40K, and thus far I have 160K...

5 spd bearings went out
sunroof motor broke
antenna motor broke
starter went out
alt went out
KS O2 sensors
exhaust rusted out
crappy trunk floor sag, since 01


other than thati have not had any issues with coil packs, or much else... The motor is still running strong, even though we haven't been real nice to it, its been drivin hard and I can say that this VQ is one tough motor. It still takes my 125 shot of nitrous like a champ.

97maxblue

iTrader: (1)

knock sensors
cv boots/ axles
starter
O2 sensors

twoconfusedants

iTrader: (1)

and when a car is 8-10 yrs old, stuff is going to break. its mechinical. if u dont want a car to break, dont own one. :-P

AussieA32

starter noise
alternator
head gaskets (not on my car)
main fuse
bearings