I have a 2000 SE 5-speed. Ang my car has been nothing but head aches for me. And teh Nissan dealers have been only compounding the problem. First, My manuel tranny wouldnt go into 1,2,3, or reverse at 42000. Then the dealer said that it was a race car because I had lowered it, have a CAI, and they said I had my computer upgraded. So that voided my warranty. After making me pay 600 for a new flywheel and clutch witch the mechanic belived would fix it. SO i went around and around with the Nissan dealer and Nissan North America. I ended up buying a new 5-speed. Know 4 months later, and 14k miles more the oil pump went out. My history on the vehicle is imaacule. Nissan has done all my service. An oil change every thousand miles, and 60ks every 30k, etc... Now they are telling me it needs a new motor, and that I have to pay for it. This car isnt making me want to get another Nissan, and it is making me want to get rid off all my Nissans (2000 SE, '72 240Z, '88 300ZX SS, '88 300ZX turbo). I still owe 10k on the max, plus I shelled out over 4k for the tranny, and now they want me to fork over 7k for an engine. I am envolved in a lawsuit with the dealer that started all this. Is there anyone else who has had these problems? And advice on what to do? And, no, my maxima has never set a tread on a race track of anykind. That is what my Z's are for. Any help would be appriciated.
Thanks,
MaxZimaSE

 

you...not good but quite frankly, your post is rambling as hell and nigh-impossible to read. That said, your key points (I think) and my responses.

The failure to honor the warranty: the Moss-Magnusson act clearly states that it must be proven that the mods caused the failure. Put another way, the fact that the car is lowered has nothing to do with the engine hand-grenading. Get yourself (or your lawyer) smart on the provisions and limitations of Moss-Magnuson

Second, I dont know how in the $#@!@ you could have your computer upgraded because no one makes ECU code upgrades for the Gen5 Maxes. Except JET and if you did that you wasted your money.

Third, it's not clear how many miles u have on the car now...partway in your post you say something about a tranny/clutch fix at 42k miles and an oil pump failure 14k miles later...if indeed the oil pump failure hosed the engine (which I read to be at 56k miles now) then you are indeed hosed

 

Sean,
I'm assuming this is you man. I'm the guy with the 2003 that you and Doug lowered. Sorry to hear your not having any luck with your Max. Hope everything works out. You should see my interior, only thing in it is my drivers seat. Running cables and Dynamatting all weekend. Tell Doug hello. Oh, tell him also that when you lined up my steering wheel first on the alignment, it was straight. When he readjusted it, now it tilts to the right. Need to bring it back down sometime. Good luck with the Max

Shane

 

Sorry, Kinda let my anger get carried away while typing. Yup, the Maxima has only 56K on it now. ANd I didnt even know that JET made an ECU upgrade for the car. I had them pull the software number on my ECU to prove during our 1st lawsuit that it hasn't been modified. PLus they said that I had a modified MAF sensor. But what I find commical it that my MAF has the Nissan emblem on it. But it is modified according to them.

Shane, this is the correct Sean. Pretty sad how Nissan is treating one of their Certified Specialist Technians, huh!?!?

 

You are a cetified tech as in mechanic? How could you let those bozos walk all over you?

Considering the amount in question here, hire a lawyer. But from the context of this message, looks like you did?

 

all this would have been covered under extended warranty, right? Seems like the $1300 for 60k warranty is worth it. I'm going to purchase mine this weekend!

 

Yeah, Sean is getting screwed over big time. I think he got red flagged by one of the worst customer service (sales and service) dealerships in the Conroe are: STREATER-SMITH, when he first took his car in for warranty work. For anyone in the Conroe or Houston area, DO NOT take your car there for service. I had one of the worst buying experiences in the world there and got screwed on repairs to my 97 Max there. It's a shame to spend 25K+ on a car, and the dealerships argue with you over modifications. I just don't see how coilovers, intake and exhaust could cause an oil pump failure. Oh, I've only met Sean once, but this guy is meticulous about cars. Anyone in the Houston area needs any work, he's your man. Ah, I feel much better now!!!!

Shane

 

some mods could cause an oil pump failure but you're right, no way an intake could cause an oil pump to fail. The suspension is of course a non-issue...laughable.

MaxZima...you have a case here..given that the car was only 2k out of the powertrain warranty...this might be worth escalating the &&^$# out of it at Nissan.

 

Yes I am a Nissan Certified Technian and ASE certified. They think that they can get it over on me because I am only 22, or they think I dont know what I am doing. But out of the 2 years that I was online fixing their Infiniti's I had only one come back, and it was a squeek and rattle car. I bought a new Maxima because it had a warranty, and everyone told me how reliable the car would be. But it seems that out of the entire couple years I have owned it. Me and the Houston NIssan dealers have owned it the same amount of time. I wish Nissan would allow Infiniti to do Nissan warranty also. Then I would have never been in this mess to begin with. But they told me we couldnt do NIssan warranty work at Infiniti. So I made the mistake of sending it to Streater Smith Nissan. When they told me it was the clutch, I kinda guess it wasnt, but I am only human. So i thought I had over looked something. Then I paid them $600+ for a new nissan flywheel and clutch. I got in the car, and didnt even make it out of their parking lot. And its been all down hill with this car sceince then. Oh, and I double check streater smiths work. I was missing 2 tranny bolts and all my shifter bushings. Those retards, you dont need to take the shifter out to pull the tranny. Ahh, And of course Nissan North America would rather beleive steater smith then 4 Nissan Master techs that were backing me. Ahh thanks for all of your help guys. I was tring to make sure that I am persueing the correct course of action. It appears as I am.

Shane, dont be afraid to bring your 2k3 by. I will realligen it for you. but remember I am there only on mon, weds, fri and sat. Just give doug a buzz and set up an appt. See ya soon.

MaxZimaSE a.k.a. Sean

 

this leaves me with more questions than answers.

Being that I have an older 5th gen, what happened with the oil pump? Did you know it was failing? any warning?

 

The oil pumps gear shattered cracking the housing. I had no idea it was going out. I down shifted into 3rd to accellerate on to the freeway and my oil light came on and didnt go off. So after about 5 secs i shut the car off. Restarted it, and the light didnt go off. Shut it off, and thats when I knew the $#i+ hit the fan. And had it towed to my dealership. Checked the oil pressure, adn it was Zero. Called back the wrecker and asked him if he could ship it to NIssan for me. Nissan has had it for 2 and a hlf weeks before they even looked at it. Then they claimed that it was a bad oil pump (duh) and that I needed to buy a $8k long block. And now I waiting to see if my 100K mile warranty will cover it. But i am not holding my breath.

MaxZimaSE

 

Just a question, not flaming:

If your a Nissan/ASE certified tech, don't you have access to their diagnostic equipment and couldn't you do the repairs yourself and save big $$$? Also, did you get second opinions from another dealer?

Sounds like the lawyer may be the best route. You mentioned a first lawsuit. What was that about and how did it turn out? This is all serious bad luck and I hope it all works out to your benefit.

 

Just thought I would add that because Conroe is just down the road. I live in Chicago with my fiancee. Anyway, too bad there is no spell check here dude. Your spelling gives me a headache.

 

Hmmmm, then you should search back a few days for the guy that lost his engine on the dyno, spraying no less. They didnt totally void his warranty, they paid half appearently. Yeah, I guess lawyers are your only option.

 

Keep the Maxima and sell all the other cars except the 1972 Z car. Drop a 350 crate engine in there...