A Big Shout Out To All The Maxima Enthusiasts On These Forums!

I Am Posting This Because I Have Been Having A Serious Problem Where My Left (Driver Side) Rear Brake Light Has Been Going Out. In The Past Few Months I Also Noticed When I Was Behind Several Other Maximas/Altimas That Their Left Brake Lights Were Also Out. This Is What Prompted Me To Inspect Mine In The First Place! When I Realized That Mine Was Also Out, I Went Down To The Local Pep Boys To Purchase The Correct Bulb And Replaced It. It Worked For A Day Or So But Then Stopped Working Again. I Tried Replacing The Bulb Again Just To Be Safe But The Same Thing Happened Again. The Funny Part Is The New Bulbs Never Blew They Just Needed To Be PLayed With A Little And Then It Would Again For A Day Or So. Obviously I Cannot Keep Tearing Apart My Trunk Every Few Days To Play With The Bulb!
I Am Wondering If This Is A Typical Nissan Problem Other Maxima Owners Are Experiencing? Are Any Fellow Maxima Owners Having Similiar Problems? Could It Be That The Pep Boys Bulb Is Not The Perfect Fit Like Nissan Bulbs? Is There Maybe A Faulty Connection Or Short In The Electric? Any Advice???
Thanks For Your Time...

 

Yo dude....no such problem with my 2k Max, still on the original brake lite bulbs. However I remember my wife's Toyota had a similar problem with continually blowing the passenger side brake light, although not that fast...it happened about once a month.. It wound up being a loose ground lug connection on that connecter you plug the bulb into. I'd start looking for that if the actual connecter looks ok. Might be the connecter too. Just my experience...

 

after a year of no problems... my rear right brake light went out. but it was kind of strange. whenever i would knock on the lens... it would start working again. finally... after a couple of weeks of this, it stopped turning on when i knocked on it. i took the bulb out and for sure... it had died. i could hear the filiaments shakin around. 2 days ago the same thing started happening to my left rear brake light. looks like im going to have to replace that one too. i guess nearly 2 years of bulb life is okay? heh.

 

Lcf, Where Did You Find The Correct Replacement Bulb? I Got The New One @ Pep Boys But It Worked Off & On...

 

I had the same problem with the driver side rear taillight. If it was out, I would hit the lens, and it would come back on. Then after about a week of doing that, the brake filament burnt out and then the bulb finally died. I bought a new replacement bulb and the same thing happened, but it was because I didn't put in the right way..........

 

Hey Regejaxx2kmax I Changed My Bulb Twice. It Worked At First Then Two Days Later Is Stopped Working Again Both Times. Any Thoughts On How On The Right Way To Put It In???

 

it may be a faulty conection your have a new car go to Nissan it id covered under your warrenty.

 

My 2k SE at around 30K miles first one side out then 2 weeks later the other side (rear tail lights that is). Been okay since, now at 37K. Had done at dealer both times in case something is causing it I can say "hey, look, I was in here twice already" because my warranty is now up ;-(

 

It's Funny MNMAX, My Maxima Has Got Exactly 30K On It Also! It Must Be A Very Common Maxima 30K Problem! Did You Have To Bring It In To The Dealer You Bought It At? Or Will Any Nissan Dealer Do? How Long Did It Take For Them To Fix???
Thanks For Your Help...

 

the tailight bulbs in both my pathfinder and maxima have gone out in under 30K. Just cheap bulbs in our case. So, yeah its common for the OEMs to go out pretty quickly. As for your problem, I'm not sure. Only 2 things will kill the bulb, excessive voltage or vibration. Since excessive voltage seems unlikely without other problems showing up to, see if vibration could be the problem.

 

i had that problem with my passenger side headlight. i'd hit a bump, it would go off, etc. or i could flick the switch on and off, and sometimes it would come back.

as one would expect, it was the wiring harness, not the bulbs, causing the problem. nissan must just be cost cutting in the wiring harness area. i'd check out your wiring harness, maybe even think about ordering a new one (they're not expensive) and i think that will fix your problem.

 

Can bring to ANY dealer, especially if still under 3yr/36K. I like to keep using one (once you find a good one that is) because all the records are kept on the computer. Not sure if dealers share info, like on one central system, but I doubt it. Just makes it easy if you sell the car you can have them print out all your service records. As far as time, I think it takes them longer to schedule a time and actually do the paperwork than to replace the bulb(s). I would do myself but wanted recourse in case there was a wiring/electrical problem causing them to burn out. So far so good on second bulbs.

 

You have to make sure it goes all the way down and then twist it. I realized that I didn't put it all the way down but was still able to twist it and lock it. When I took it out again, I saw there was still some play, so I pushed it as far as it would go down and then twist so it would lock, and I haven't had the problem since...........