Hi guys,

So I waited too long to have the recall done on my alternator, this morning it was smoking and there was an actual fire in it. Now my question is, could a bad alternator cause the clutch pedal to drop all the way to the floor? I can't get the car into any gear unless I turn the car off first...

I'm going to get the alternator fixed by Nissan under recall but I don't want them to rape me if there's a problem with my clutch/transmission also.

P.S. I checked the master cylinder and its full of fluid..

Thanks for any responses.

 

cluch doesnt have anything to do with alternator

 

Ok so what are some possibilities for the clutch problem? Throwout bearing? That's the only thing I've come up with after searching...

 

I believe 4th gens have a hose on the slave cylinder that leaks, i go through about a pint of fluid every month. Pretty simple fix from what i hear.
http://www.vqpower.com/v2/modules.ph...howpage&pid=67
Still gotta do this myself.

 

There is some kind of adjustment for the clutch pedal. Try adjusting it. I've read about it before in the forums.

 

He said the fluid is full, so I don't think it is that.

 

Struth! Hopefully you caught it quickly and had an extinguisher.

Could the fire have boiled the fluid in the cable and allowed air in? Bleeding it might be an easy first step.

 

is the little reservoir on the driverside tucked up near the strut tower full?

 

I checked the master cylinder, driver's side near the steering column.. Where is the slave cylinder? Thanks

 

thank god I'm getting mine swapped on monday. I would imagine a fire under the hood would cause some damage to other components. A visual test would probably yeild the easiest results. If something else looks burned, theres a good chance theres a problem with it.

Whatever you do, don't have the dealership diagnose it. They wanted $90 from me just to pull the code for my CEL which can easily be done by yourself for free.

 

BECAREFUL OF NISSAN. Same thing happened to my 97' max except the clutch pedal didnt drop to the floor. so i didnt know about the recal right i call nissan give them my vin and they say its covered. ok word so my car goes to nissan and i dont get it back for 4 F***n MONTHS. they said it wasn't in their hands because it caught on fire so there was some legal issues.... more then likely bull, they gave me no rental car as well then said my fuel lines were clogged up with dirt and changed t hem all.....weird right? i dont know but any way good luck and dont trust nissan

 

My remanufactured alternator caught on fire a week after I replaced it. Must of had the 97 recalled diode in it.

 

Yea so it turned out that my slave cylinder was pretty much empty... I'm an idiot and didn't even know there was a slave cylinder.. Its getting fixed tomorrow..

Anyone know if Nissan will reimburse me if I get my alternator replaced outside the dealership?

 

just get it done at nissan, when i took my 5spd there i called in told the service manager about it, i scheduled an appointment, brought it down and it was done in 2-3 hours, never had a problem with it since. and if your slave cylinder is empty, you will have to bleed the clutch seeing as youve probably sucked air into it. the bleeder is right beside the air box, on the strut tower.

 

I know someone that did that. Probably depends on the dealer.

 

1997-1998 Maxima Alternator Replacement
Applies to 1997 Maxima, the following Vehicle Identification Number
Ranges:
JN1CA21D*VT218136 - 222389;
JN1CA21D*VT847525 - 877868;
JN1CA21D*VM518869 - 540253.
Applies to 1998 Maxima, the following Vehicle Identification Number
Ranges:
JN1CA21A*WT300201 - 405210;
JN1CA21D*WT500001 - 615203;
JN1CA21A*WM800002 - 806538;
JN1CA21D*WM900001 - 923624.
Please be aware that not all VINs within these ranges may be affected
by this campaign.

The number of vehicles potentially affected is approximately 140,000.
Please review the disclaimer located at the bottom of this page for
more information.

Reason for Recall
On some 1997 and 1998 Nissan Maxima vehicles, there is a possibility
that the alternator may contain a damaged diode. This could eventually
result in an electrical short which may cause a fire in the alternator
that could spread to the engine compartment.

What Nissan Will Do
In order to prevent this condition from occurring, your Nissan dealer
will inspect and, if necessary, replace the alternator. This free
service should take about two hours to complete, but your Nissan dealer
may require your vehicle for a longer period of time based upon their
work schedule.

What You Should Do
Contact your Nissan dealer at your earliest convenience in order to
arrange an appointment to have your vehicle repaired. Instructions have
been sent to your Nissan dealer.

If the dealer fails, or is unable to make the necessary repairs free of
charge, you may contact the National Consumer Affairs Office, Nissan
North America, Inc. at P.O. Box 191, Gardena, California 90248-0191.
The toll free number is 1-800-NISSAN1 (1-800-647-7261).

If you have paid to have your alternator replaced prior to this
campaign, you may be eligible for reimbursement of the related expense.
You will still need to contact your Nissan dealer to arrange an
appointment to have your vehicle inspected.
Click here for Additional Reimbursement Information

You may also contact the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic
SafetyAdministration, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590
or call the toll-free Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

 

UPDATE: So I had my clutch slave cylinder replaced along with the hose... The pedal is no longer on the floor, but now the clutch slips intermittently.

It seems to oscillate between normal and slipping a lot, yesterday when I was in traffic I could barely move the car forward, but 5 minutes later it was fine again.. Any ideas whats wrong?

I'm going to take it back to the mechanic but I just wanted to get some ideas, thanks.

 

Anyone know whats up with my clutch?

I have a 30 mile commute one way, in the morning the clutch pedal is really soft and I can shift fine, but in the evening when I get off the highway, the pedal becomes hard to press and the clutch slips a lot (to the point of almost not moving the car forward at all).

Are these normal symptoms of a worn clutch?

 

Thats what happened on my old honda. Air got in the line and I had to bleed it, then it worked fine.

 

Thanks for your help

 

mine is about to go, its making alot of whining noises