I'm not sure I see the relevancy between this and the primitive TPMS system we have on our 7th gen Maximas that do absolutely nothing but pop up a bright warning if any of the four tires on the ground is determined to have a psi lower than the cutoff trigger point of this system.

We don't know for sure what that psi cutoff is (28 pounds is a commonly spoken number), and have no way to know which tire caused the signal unless we take our trusty tire gauge and measure the tires ourselves. We do know the cutoff point varies from one 7th gen Maxima to the next.

And we do know that, in most cases, when the light comes on, the tire is WELL BELOW the psi at which we would want it. In my case, the light comes on when my psi is TEN POUNDS below the 37 pound point that I want it. For me, that is not a satisfactory system.

 

Oh yeah, then I understand the gripe. I am surprised that the 6th gen has a more hopped up tire pressure sensing system then the 7th, sounds like you all took the downgrade...

 

I'm assuming what people are referring to with the TPMS is that on the 6G Maxima, like in my 3G TL, there is a small display screen that pops up that shows a tiny little picture of the car, its four axles and each tire and displays digitally what the air pressure sensor reading is for each tire. On the 7G Maxima, as light pointed out, all you get is a bright orange screen warning that tire pressure in one of the four tires (and you have no idea which of the four tires it is) is low on air.

If this is the case, it is disappointing that Nissan took out a better/more accurate TPMS between the 6G and 7G Maxima.

Even though I was disappointed that the 7G Max did not have a TPMS as advanced as the one in my TL, I personally did not care since I constantly check my tire pressures by hand in all my cars so it makes little difference to me if the car has the digital TPMS readout or not!

 

I work at a dealership that sells a nitrogen tire fill for $49.99 for all four. I know from experience that the machine will fill to your exact psi specification so that is a bonus. Although I didnt pay a dime, my tires are filled with nitrogen because I work there, the tps light went off and has not came back on. When I bought the car on 10-27-11 the next day the tire light came on. after the nitrogen fill I have had no tps issues. +1 nitrogen fill for free.

 

How do you get nitro into the tires..........

 

Ignorant question:

When I bought new tires at Costco for my 1999 Maxima SE they came with a nitrogen fill. They have "special" green valve caps to denote that they should only be filled with nitrogen.

I was told not to top off with regular air.

Well, I live in SoCal and the temperature variation from the coldest day to the warmest is like 20F so I don't really care about the nitrogen.

Can I just fill them with regular air? Air is mostly nitrogen anyway so I think all they are really saying is that if I fill them with air obviously they are no longer considered nitrogen-filled. Not like I can ruin them.

I know this is an ignorant question because I think the answer is obvious. But I'm still asking it!

Thanks!

 

you can put air in them. It will not hurt them. they just want you to pay for the nitrogen refill.

 

The only important thing here is getting/maintaining the correct inflation pressure in your tires.

Just add the regular air, pretend that there was never any such thing as a nitrogen fill, and don't look back. Put black stem caps on if you feel any need to not advertise the N2 fill that you'd no longer really have.

Topping off with "regular air" only serves to dilute the N2 concentration from Costco's claimed 95%, 98%, or whatever concentration back down toward the 79% N2 concentration that regular air has in it anyway. It would take quite a few "top-offs" to even approach 79% . . .


Norm

 

When I drove my 2010 Max off the lot in late October (in DFW), the temp was a little chilly and the TPMS light was on - nitrogen in the tires. After doing some research, I found out that it doesn't take much to set it off, but when I measured my tires, they were 28-29 PSI. I took it back to the dealer to make sure the system was functioning properly and to get the tires aired up to the proper PSI (with free Nitrogen, since I had just purchased). After it was done, and I asked about refilling with Nitrogen, the guy explained to me that there's no reason you can't top off with air and that "air is made up of 25% nitrogen anyway." I decided not to call him out on his math since it's rare to find a dealer service center not trying to get you to pay for an unnecessary service.

 

*rehooks nitrous lines to tires*

 

Costco is free.....

 

I wouldn't spend a dime on a nitro fill. For free.....well it certainly won't hurt.

 

Fixed.


Norm

 

I got some free Nitrogen in my wheels for lifetime and I don't really notice the difference except it may be slightly smoother.

 

Actually - air is 78% nitrogen:

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/mo...air-d_679.html

 

'Free for lifetime' sounds good. But I have friends who swear by nitro, and they tell me they still have to add nitro occasionally, especially when the weather changes from summer to winter. Unless the free nitro place is on my regular route, and there is no waiting time, I would feel the benefits of nitro might not outweigh the effort involved. Nitro certainly will not make the tires run smoother.

I have had good luck with plain old air for over sixty years, and I can add air with a simple attachment using the generator/pump sitting in my garage. That works well because tire psi is supposed to be measured as 'cold tire inflation', and the best way to measure cold tire inflation is in the garage before the car is driven.

Air also works best for me for another reason: I measure and record the tread depth in each tire groove across the tread face of each tire every three months, and if I find the tires are wearing faster on the outside grooves, I increase the psi slightly, while if the tires are wearing faster on the inside grooves, I reduce the psi slightly. I stay within a psi range of 33 to 37. 37 front and 36 rear is the psi that works best for me, as I am seldom alone in my Maxima. Those here who are normally driving alone would probably do well with a pound or two less.

 

Ask anyone who has worked in the airfield business, have been using nitrogen for decades, but then again we don't drive our cars at 30000 feet above sea level! Come by my shop (military) we can fill them up all day long for pennies on the dollar!

 

I see nitrogen filled tires every day at work and still have to add air to them. I wouldn't spend the money on it myself .