Stereodude

The rear bushing of the lower control arm on the passenger side (front wheel).

I took my new 02 HLSD Maxima to my friends house tonight. We were going to get some grub and catch a flick. I was going down Woodward Ave. and needed to take a turnaround (Michigan left/U turn). I was going about 50MPH and stepped on the brakes fairly hard to come to a stop in the turnaround. It wasn't a panic stop by any means, but it was a fairly hard stop. Before the car came to a complete stop I hit an slight above average sized bump in the road (about 2-3") and I hear a really loud bang. I look over at my friend and we both make some comment about the car bottoming out. In the back of my head I was really kinda puzzled how those conditions would cause the car to bottom out.

I put the car in 1st and went to pull away (light turned green). I hear another odd noise and was a little concerned, but continued to drive. After few hundred feet and some more noises during braking and shifting it was obvious that there was something seriously wrong with the car. So I pull it over turn on the flashers and get out expecting to see a wheel laying on it's side. Everything looks pretty normal. I'm still not sure what's going on at this point, so I back the car up a few feet into a driveway on the side of the road. My friend and I get out again and try to see what's wrong with the car. We can't see anything obviously wrong with it.

I noticed that the front right wheel didn't look quite right so I straightened the steering wheel and looked again. Sure enough the front passenger wheel looks to be toed out a little. So we get out the jack and jack the car up and take the wheel off. After a few minutes of looking at it I realize that the lower control arm is no longer attached to the rear bushing. I reach in there and felt it. Sure enough the metal snapped. I couldn't see real well, but it appears that there is a bolt or something that is welded to the control arm and that weld broke.

Anyhow... I called AAA and got the car towed to the closest Nissan dealer where it will sit until Monday morning at 7:00am when I get to have the service people accuse me of abusing the car.

What a pain. Within 34 hours of driving the car off the dealers lot, the lower control arm breaks snaps loose from the rear bushing.

Stereodude

2001SE

how the hell can that happen man....is it suppose to be this soft?

Stereodude

I'd say there was a defective weld. Something was/is clearly wrong with the lower control arm. Control arms are usually torture tested to make sure they don't break. Generally the car is run into a curb at a certain speed with that wheel locked at a given angle a certain # of times and it can't break. However, mine broke while stopping and rolling over a medium sized bump (no curb involved).

GM recalled some trucks a few years ago due to the a problem with the rear bushing on the lower control arm. They wouldn't even let people drive them into the dealer due to the danger that a broken bushing could pose. They towed or flatbed'd the trucks to the dealers where they then fixed 'em before letting anyone drive them.

Stereodude

see5

Sorry about your failure, must have been a defective part.
Your car really looks great do not see many in that color.

SteVTEC

sorry man

That's really disheartening. I know you've been waiting for that car for a long time

ru4real

iTrader: (3)

Here's mine:

Stereodude

I miss my car already. Now I'm back to driving the Lumina LS until I get the Max fixed. I wonder how long it will take to get the part and fix...

Stereodude

mattattax

that sux man, sorry to hear, please keep that pic of your max up though, there aren't many in that color and it looks sweet, I don't think I've seen any 2k2s like it yet

GimmeTorq

Dude, it's ok. Warranty will take care of it. After re-visiting the Lumina, you'll appreciate your Max a lot more!

MONTE 01&97 SE

iTrader: (1)

They'll take car of you, Lumina dang if it was the LTZ model it might not be so bad!

johncg316

Nice Car, I bought my 2002 SE max @ Glendale nissan too

TellschMax02

iTrader: (2)

Me too

2002 SE w/HLSD

2M0A0X2

i like ur colour

sascuderi

Stereodude:

A defect like that is a safety issue and you should file a report with the NHTSA:

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/ivoq/default.htm


It is the responsible thing to do and a service to other Maxima Drivers (if enough of these welds fail the government will force Nissan to do a general recall)

GimmeTorq

Thanks. Wanted a Sterling Mist but they didn't have one that wasn't fully loaded. They gave me a decent deal. Welcome to the org.

MaxPower2K2

my car had a bad ride when i first got it
till about 300-400 miles then it started feeling smooth

johncg316

Thanks! I actually wanted the Merlot, but they didn't have one fully
one so i had to get Super black as well.
I know this is such a newbie question but what HLSD???

zeitgeist57

My condolences. I understand if you have to drive your Lumina....just PROMISE you won't put that DAMN pic of the Lumina's interior as your sig! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!

GimmeTorq

"Helical Limited-Slip Differential"

Check the cool site below.
http://www.howstuffworks.com/differe...tm?printable=1

Stereodude

I gave the dealer the keys this morning so now it's up to them to fix the car. He said if they had the part in stock it'd be done by this evening. If not they'd have to order it and he didn't have a time frame. I'm not real certain, but it doesn't seem like Lower Control Arms would be something that dealers have in stock, but who knows.

Here are the pictures of the broken lower control arm I took this morning.

http://stereo.d2g.com:900/lca_01.jpg
http://stereo.d2g.com:900/lca_02.jpg
http://stereo.d2g.com:900/lca_03.jpg
http://stereo.d2g.com:900/lca_04.jpg
http://stereo.d2g.com:900/lca_05.jpg
http://stereo.d2g.com:900/lca_06.jpg

Stereodude

bill99gxe

iTrader: (1)

]




Another satisfied Minima owner.












I'm sorry about your trouble, that would make me very wary of even keeping the car. I might invoke lemon law if you notice anything else in the nearby future.

Stereodude

I'm not certain why a faulty part should have me leary of the car in the future. This seems to be an isolated incident (no one else on the .org seems to have had this problem), so I don't expect another control arm to fail. Also I don't see that this has any direct effect on the likelyhood of another failure or is a precursor that the car will be a lemon.

Stereodude

bill99gxe

iTrader: (1)

Like I said, if it were me I would be leary. You're not obligated to be.



Yeah, it's definitely unusual. Keep in mind it could be the result of some other defect that just happened to unnecessarily stress the control arm. In other words, it could be a trojan horse.

It doesn't, I'm just concerned that it could be something else frame related and not necessarily a control arm. I'm just looking at it from a safety point of view.

If you're not satisified with what the dealer does, you could go to a frame shop and make sure everything looks sound.....

Stereodude

It looked and felt like a bad weld. I'm not very experienced with welding or metalworking, but that was my impression of what I saw and felt. Maybe there's someone more knowledgable who can offer a better opinion of it from the pictures.

Stereodude

Paul D.

First of all it's obvious that the problem was caused by the HLSD, anybody capable of doing some basic math could figure that one out.

Secondly, I think this means anybody with HLSD should be in fear of their lives if they continue to drive the car. Such a flaw needs to be reported to the authorities ASAP, and Nissan should be immediately sued.

Lastly, anyone who doesn't have HLSD on thier 02 should still be worried because this single incident proves beyond any doubt how dangerous these cars can be.

see5

Even without basic math I do not see that it had anything to do with HLSD. The arm is not directly torqued more by having both wheels and half shafts driven verses one.
Just came from looking at mine and I agree looks like it broke on the weld.

adman

34 Hours? Make sure you have them fix the paint chips too!



ADMAN

Paul D.

I wasn't serious about a single thing I said and just felt like posting something that contributed absolutely nothing - well other than to make fun of the "sky is falling" people, and the people who think everything that breaks must be Nissan's fault, oh yea, and also the people who figure high level math will allow them to figure anything out even if it flies in the face of actual experience. I appolgise for wasting your time.

bill99gxe

iTrader: (1)

I don't know if this is sarcastic or what to my response.

I mentioned nothing about the HLSD, just the lower control arm. A "defect" in the HLSD doesn't necessarily indicate it will cause very premature failure of the control arm.

I do think having a real frame shop look at it is a wise move, and I recommended that. No one is being absolute here, or holding a gun to anyone's head to do anything.

I THINK a defect like that on a brand new car is inexcuseable and "damaged goods". I would ask for my money back or a no-cost swap for another new Max similarly equipped.

Stereodude

No can do Bill. I bought it in Canada and imported the one I have. So I'd have to import and register another one and I'm not about to do that (more sales tax and duty). Not to mention I special ordered it back in November. So those aren't really options for me.

Stereodude

see5

If it were me, Stereodude, I would relax, get the fix and move on. I am betting this was isolated and that you and Nissan will get over it.
Now that we know the specifics of what happened we will all be sensitive to a reoccurance.

Stereodude

I'm relaxed. I waiting for the dealer to fix the car. I didn't even think of going to the lengths Bill suggested. It's just that I couldn't even if I wanted to.

Stereodude

bill99gxe

iTrader: (1)

Oh damn, that sucks. Yeah, besides having a good alignment or frame shop have a look see I guess there's little cost-wise that you can do. Hopefully, it's just a freak of nature......

Stereodude

I talked to the dealer and they said at "it was sheared" they wondered if I hit anything (they didn't ask how it broke when I dropped it off), but they looked at it more and decided that it broke on it's own (due to the lack of any incriminating evidence). They said it must have been a cold weld. They're going to try to overnight the part in for me. They said it would take 2-3 days at the most.

Stereodude

see5

So they do not have the part? That is good cause that is not a part you would need except for a near total accident. Not a common flaw.
Have cheer in that.

johncg316

Thanks for the great site. How would I be able to tell if my Maxima came with it???