Got a 97 Max.
Sometimes when I turn I hear a squealing sound(NOT BRAKE PADS). Sounds like metal to metal. Not the high pitch noise of worn brake pads. Hear the same sound when I hit a bump in the road. Sound is coming from the back of the car.

Took it to a service place and they stated the struts are bad. Actually they stated that all 4 struts need replacing on a Nissan
after 60k. Quoted me a price of $159 per strut. Sounds interesting!

Any insight from the Maxima Masters????

Thanks in advance.

 

First of all, at $159 for each strut they are RAPING you. Go somewhere else.

Look at the rear struts, pull the rubber accordian up from the strut so you can see the top of the strut where the penetrates the shock (hehehehehe). Check for oil, and/or rust and scrapes on the piston rod. It should be shiny and free of oil.

Now have some dude get in the trunk, remove that cheesy covering from the spare first or you'll cave it in. Bounce up and down and get the whole rear end a-rocking.

Pinpoint the noise but watch your fingers.

Get the dude out of the trunk, that's gay.

Pull the wheels and check the inside and outside pads in the rear. Check the rotor for glazing/cracking. Check for messed up or strange looking brake hardware. Sometimes one of the shiny metal "guides" gets twisted up and rubs the rotor.

60k is way to soon to have blown stock struts unless you drive on some REALLY rough roads or like to hit speedbumps at 60mph.

It could also be more likely that one of the rubber components in the rear strut assemblies has expired. If the noise is still coming from the strut, pull the whole assembly and take a look. There are three separate rubber pieces on each assembly that might have died. It'd be a shame to let them rape you for a $10 rubber piece...


-RMB

 

-& you don't race your car, consider the KYB GR2's - excellent, high-quality, affordable upgrade over stock equipment & MUCH more feasible than what you were quoted.

If you pay $159 per corner for struts/shocks, I agree, you're getting hosed.

I'm running KYB AGX externally adjustable shocks/struts, like many others here (considered the best high-performance adjustable strut/shock for the 4th Gen Maxima) and you can buy a set of 4 all day long for $350 from any number of sources.

The KYB GR2's (non-adjustable) are considerably more affordable than that.


As far as your noise is concerned:

+Jack up the rear of the car,
+With the parking brake off, manually turn the tire & see if you can duplicate the noise.
+Then, remove the wheel, & check to see if the dust-sheild in back of the rotor may have been bent toward/against the rotor. This could cause the sort of noise you described. If it is, bend it back slightly, away from the rotor.

While the wheel's off, check the amount of remaining pad material (if it's too low, the pad wear indicator could be contacting the rotor, causing the metallic noise.)