I have 450 miles on my Max. Since day 1 i've felt a vibration in the steering wheel just as the engine shifts gears (5sp auto). Mostly noticed when shifting from 3rd to 4th. It is a very slight vibration, not a left/right osscillation or pull. I have driven a Honda Civic for the last 13 years (manual) and have little experience with auto's.

Is this the famous shimmy???

 

I'd have to say this isn't what most of the shimmy talk has been about. Theirs is related to the steering gear or the brake rotors or the wheel balance.

Don't know what you're feeling, but it sounds like maybe it's just the transmission shifting gears. I don't notice any vibration in mine, but I drive automatics all the time and maybe I'm used to it. But my Max seems to me to shift pretty smoothly.

If it doesn't smooth out in the next 500 miles or so, I'd consider taking it in for the dealer to check out. I suppose it's possible it is something that needs adjustment, but if all you feel is a little buzz in the wheel, I doubt it's anything serious. Remember that front-wheel-drive allows engine and trans vibes to travel more directly through the steering wheel.

Mike

 

You need to find some really smooth fresh pavement. Cruise along at anywhere between 50-70mph and take your hands off the wheel. It should vibrate a couple degrees. Thats the dreaded shimmy.

CM.

 

Yes, the rack for my 04 MAX SL came in this morning, cost the dealership $1,850. for parts and labor. They did not try to adjust the new rack, just installed it. Steering and alignment afterwards were about the same, I did get to see the old "Rack" so I believe the work was done. No Shimmy what so ever!! until I took it on the interstate, there it was the "famous Shimmy" when driving above 55 MPH. Well what should I have Nissan replace next at their expense, rotors, transaxle, bearings, wheels, tires, struts? One interesting fact I've found is that the dealership will replace anything ask without hesitation. Perhaps I should go twice a week and replace anything that moves in the front end of the car except the engine...continue doing this until the problem goes away, there is a recall or bulletin, or I just go crazy and drive the car under 50 MPH at all times...

 

I wish my dealer and Regional Nissan Rep would be so agreable... After replacing the factory Goodyear's and balancing the tires 6 times they will not do anything for my vibration. And I mean nothing - the rep will not authorize any other warranty for the issue. That's why I tried the BBB route. If I didn't know any better I would say the BBB arbitrator was also my dealers Nissan rep! They have the same ignorant attitude towards this problem.
I can attest that my front rotors where visibly out of round but I have no idea of their actual balance... My "Stillen" rotors will be on my doorstep tomorrow and be installed by nightfall. I can only pray that it makes a difference. I truly am not looking forward to the continuing months of arbitration/lemon law activities that will surely commence if the rotors prove not the problem.

Maxima.org will be the first to know....

Smitty

 

Smitty;

Let me know how the rotors do, I was going to try this as well. Did you have to cover this yourself, I imagine so... Nissan is putting the squash on my requests also, saying the rack fixed the problem. The Service Manager refused to go for a test drive with me to show him the problem, he said he drove it yesterday and this was performing to specification. I suppose a major shaking in the steering wheel is spec. on these new Maxima's... My next move is to take it to a different Nissan dealer hoping I have'nt been black-balled in their computer system, have you tried this? Good luck, I'm hoping for a recall soon.

Regards,
K-1111

 

Well, get this.... the "Stillen" rotors arrived this afternoon and I came home from work early, anxious to check them out and get them on the Max. I was very disappointed when I opened up the box and there lay two factory Nissan rotors..... Sure, they were cross drilled and coated with anti corrosion but they were non less than factory rotors identical to mine with Nissan markings, castings, and even part numbers. Stillen obviously gets them from Nissan then drills the holes, no other machining present what so ever - The only difference was a stamped NIS5500, the Stillen part number.... I looked them over very carefully and their were no signs of balancing weights or machine balancing marks (as Stillen had described). So, I decided to mount one on the car and do the old spin check and you guessed it, off center just like my originals. It would be one thing for them to be off center yet have been balanced but I guaranty they are not. Back in the box they went and I proceeded to call Stillen. I definitely am not going to take a $300 gamble with rotors appearing to have the same problem as the originals - if that is even the vibration problem.... With the rotors being nearly 13 inches and weighing in at 20lbs a piece, it wouldn't take more than a fraction of an inch off for them to cause a vibration. Its very obvious that mine and the Stillens are off about 40-80 thousands of an inch, plenty to be part of the issue.
Time for Lemon Law activity - I don't even plan on trying more than my selling dealer. The next closest one is way to much of an inconvenience for this BS and a $30K car. I really like this vehicle other than the vibration. I feel now my best bet would be for TX and their lemon law to relieve me from this obvious disappointment.

Smitty

 

This is the last time I'm going to post this info:

1. This is NOT an issue of wheel balance or out of round or off centre
2. This is NOT an issue of tire separation
3. This is NOT an issue of rotors being out of balance or warped
4. This is NOT an issue of axles being bent or out of round or out of phase
5. This is NOT an issue of out of round front hubs or bad bearings
6. This is NOT an issue of wheel alignment
7. This is NOT an issue of damaged front end parts

Since the problem is NONE OF THE ABOVE it has to be a poorly machined
rotary valve in the steering racks. I suspect most of these poor racks went into the SL's however it would seem that some of the SE's also have this problem.
Can't figure out how Maxmann's vehicle is repaired when the same adjutments were made to BOTH the original and the replacement rack in my car. Since when do they have service facilities at the factory? A better question.. If the factory has the fix, why don't the dealers?

Good Luck All