us024077

Just got back from the dealer; having rumbling, clunking on front passenger side. Bad strut.

However, service manager says that Nissan is now requiring both front struts to be replaced if one goes bad, not just the bad one.

The bad news is I have to wait a couple of days for the parts

bridger71

How did you know you had a bad strut? I've had my '05 for about 1 1/2 months now and I hear this hollow sound when I go over speed bumps or pulling out of my driveway. Is there a TSB for this that requires the service department to replace both struts together?

JiuJitsuThug

iTrader: (1)

I now have the same problem and will be taking it in this week... Makes a hollow clunking sound when I go over normal bumps...

CanadianMoFo

Is there any way to visually tell if the strut is bad? Or is it just the sound that it makes over a sharp bump that diagnoses the problem?

SilverBelle04

There may or may not be leakage. Mine were diagnosed by very noticable and rapid succession clunking sounds or bumps or ripples in the street.

But i didn't see any oil on the strut itself.

Bob

us024077

Very noticable on slow speed bumps, potholes, speed bumps, etc. It's sort of a very hollow, clunking, maybr muffled sound. Sometimes it seems to be fron the front, sometimes from the back. It's not noticeable at all at highway speeds.

The best place to see if you've got bad struts is a patch of road where the shoulder or right hand side is in bad shape...lots of roughness, small potholes, etc. Around here, in the middle of winter, we've got lots of places like that where the pavement is coming apart. Go over it at about 20-25 mph; if you hear clunking, rattling, etc...welcome to the club.

JiuJitsuThug

iTrader: (1)

Guess I'm part of the club, cause that is the EXACT sound that mine has. There is no noticeable sound at highway speeds but at 25-30 over small bumps / potholes there is a definite CLUNK sound. Had my car almost 2 years now and this is the first week that it has made any sounds like that. Anyway, taking it in on Thursday to have it checked out and for regular maintenance.

us024077

My service manager said there is a brand new TSB on this requiring that both struts be changed. She also said it 99% starts on the right side of the car....there's a tad more weight on that side.

CanadianMoFo

Hmm I get a clunk coming out of the driveway in the morning on the drivers front strut. But thats about the only time it does it. There's a bit of a lip where the brick meets the asphault at the roadway.

NismoMax80

iTrader: (6)

great, I swear just before this thread first popped up, i started to hear a faint hollow sound on passenger side when slowly goin over minor bumps. kinda like a wobble. I don't hear clunking, but the pass. side definately sounds different than the driver side, which sounds solid over bumps.

I just got home, and I pushed on each corner with the hood up. I heard a light clicking on pass side, nothing on driver. now that could be the hood or something else, but I suppose I'll call the dealer.

SilverBelle04

I could hear it when i bounced the car up and down by hand. If you're going to do this: open the hood and use the frame to push down on. Don't use the hood or you risk putting a dent in it.

**** - that's how mine started----coming out of the laneway and hearing a clunk.

Bob

JiuJitsuThug

iTrader: (1)

Yep - all of those signs / sounds are like mine. Started pretty uneventfully and then began to notice more and more hollow sound, then a kind of clunking from the driver's side wheelwell. After a friend was riding in the car and noticed it - that was enough for me to call the dealer.... My brakes also feel rough right now and passenger commented on that as well. DAMN

SilverBelle04

Mine got so load that it was getting embarassing when driving by pedestrians.

My passenger side strut was replaced about 4 months ago. I havn't had any problems since.

Bob

NismoMax80

iTrader: (6)

anyone have any strut TSB? it's not listed under Nissanhelp. just wanted some paperwork to take to dealer fri and hopefully get both replaced like us024077.

us024077

That's all she said. Give her a call if you want. Name is Vicki at Byerly Nissan (highly recommended) 502-448-8222

msoemax

There is NO TSB out there for the struts that I am aware of. What is that phone number to. Be more specific when answering please.

On Monday Nissan is flying out a DTS to fix my car. I will inquire then. My 4th set of struts are going hollow on me. same as the three before that failed. Got to love it. I will keep you all posted!

unclemax

Me too! I had to get my struts replaced after around 8k miles on my 2004 se. Everytime I went over a bump there was this runbling and clunkiing sound and feel. On smooth road you couldn't tell.

The service manager said that nissan updated the struts for 2005. So if you get yours replaced make sure they use the updated ones.

NismoMax80

iTrader: (6)

my fricken dealer said the same part # came up so warranty will only pay for the one.
I said about the new one "I know nothing about that. It would of came up different and I would of ordered both. Warranty will only pay fo the one. I call you when it comes in."
I woke up early and took a day off to get this result. well, I suppose I'll see how long it lasts. I'll be calling your dealer and Nissan.

JiuJitsuThug

iTrader: (1)

Same here Nismo - saw dealer yesterday, they only ordered the one strut and it wont be in for about 5 days Oh well, they cut me a deal on installing my UDP yesterday - running sweet!

brewboy13

Mine seems to thud when turning into a bumpy section or going over rough roads. Mainly it seems to almost bottom out when turning onto a road that may have a rough dip or bump. Am I expecting too much or is the strut failing to go through smoother? Feels like left side is worse than right

us024077

I'm going in on Monday to have mine replaced. I'll ask them for more details on the TSB. I'll let you know.

serpentkilla

I thought it was just my imagination, but my car has been making that hollow sound the first week i had it. It's mostly in the mornings when i'm pulling out of the driveway. It also wobbles like carzy if i hit a little pot hole going around a turn. I'm not sure but i thought i heard a clunking sound coming from the rear the other day when i had my kids in the car. I have not heard it since. I'll pay closer attention now, i have an 05.

NismoMax80

iTrader: (6)

I talked to Vicki. Like I assumed there was no TSB. (Maybe one is being developed, but it is only an inside communication now) She had was just sent an email that the new one was available and to replace both. There is no official widespread document at the moment.

therefore it is not in the system and only known by those told directly.

she confirmend the new #'s though: Right side: 54302-7y426
Left Side: 54303-7y426

SkItZoSkAmZ

When my passenger side strut went bad back in Sept., they repaired it........The drivers side just started makin noise this week, so I'm takin it to the dealer Tues......

fixxxer

hmmm mine does it a lot when its cold.


my nissan dealer is such a POS though i gotta goto a new one... everytime i bring my car in for obvious problems they have to know about, i get the standard "cannot duplicate" answer.

akaxmrxhammer

I hate that sh*t too. i went in because my lumbar kept popping in out and of course the standard "can't duplicate" bullsh*t. they should come up with some new excuse.

msoemax

Nissan is not planning on releasing a strut TSB. they are keeping it quiet and fixing them on an as need basis. my 4th set is going bad...Long story short-tomorrow I am taking a ride with a Nissan mechanic who is flying in from Nissan. I am going to find out one way or another wtf is up with these struts!

SkItZoSkAmZ

I know the new strut they put on my passenger side is workin great, but now the drivers side is bad......I'm takin it this week and they're replacing it.

NismoMax80

iTrader: (6)

UPDATE

I have received a reply from Nissan (please note once again Dealers ARE NOT Nissan)

he did not state if I am to receive both struts, but I will call to check and get back here once I contact my dealer.

msoemax

Amazing that you got a reply from Nissan. Anyway I posted that information a few months ago on the bad strut poll forum. At the time these part numbers were "top secret." My understanding is that these are the 2005 struts being used on the 2004.

BTW that phone number is to Perry Ragsdale at Nissan Consumer affairs.

NismoMax80

iTrader: (6)

yeah, he is the one that called/emailed me back. I knew about your posting, but i needed more to convince my dealer. they are now ordering that part for me.

msoemax

Well, the Nissan DTS came in today. I didn't have a chance to ask wtf is up with the struts. I was too busy driving my car to make all the noises and recreate problems I have when normally driving. I finally was able to get my steering wheel to make a cracking noise while turning with a tech in the car. Got to love the paperwork saying no problem found I just pray they fix it all. They are claiming that my alignment may be within specifications. The DTS wants to see a print out of my numbers from previous alignments. fat chance the local just tires printed those out. But who knows since it was for a dealer and they need to prove that to get paid. Got to love the Let me get my waders on

REVOLUTIONZ

Are there any aftermarket struts and shocks for the 04 maxima yet?

msoemax

Yes there are some options out there. Look through the bad strut poll thread for more details

brewboy13

I am taking mine in tomorrow to have the shimmy messed with AGAIN. I also have a strut that is being replaced. The dealer seems to think this maybe the problems with the shimmy. I think they are wrong. So that is why I wanted to get a sampling of those of you that have gone through this crap. They have already done the "mighty" Hunter road force balance but that only helped for a couple of days. Sorry to beat a dead horse with this issue but I am getting frustrated with this situation.

sparq

Nismo...I just got my struts replaced but on the paperwork they listed both left and right struts being replaced with 54302-7Y426.....are u sure that the left and right aren't the same part number?

Sparq.

NismoMax80

iTrader: (6)

I'm positive they are different numbers. my old ones and new ones were different on the paper work. Also had confirmation directly from Nissan. maybe they just did a typo, but I would certainly speak to the service department and even call Nissan for backup.

as far as strut/shimmy, I never had a shimmy: before/after rotations and 2 different tires. but I did have the pass strut go bad.

Baloo588

I think that the shimmy I had was due to unbalance tires, and I got them done several times and the car is smooth as ice!

slnned

You better replace those struts fast, When I first bought my car, strut went bad and i never realized it, all 4 of my tires needed replacing, because they got scallopped, due to the struts, after that i noticed everytime my strut was bad, had my front right strut replaced about 3 times..

04BlackMaxx

Correct me if Im wrong...but some people on here say both front struts went bad...if that really happened would'nt the front end bounce up and down uncontrollably whenever the car picks up speed? Because the spring would nolonger be adaquately dampened?