Okay seriously what the hell is this thing? Why is there only one on the left? What is in there that anybody needs to get to? Terrible.

 

That is used if your car needs to be towed.

 

It can be used for two things. (1) You can remove the small square and install a machine gun behind it or (2) a tow truck driver can remove it an install a eye-bolt that can be used to pull the vehicle without doing damage to the bumper.

 

I can just see a tow truck doing that. I bet they dont know about it and they woudl just hook it to the bumper and pull.

 

lol i want a Stillen machine gun.

thats really good info to know regarding towing, I didn't know about that and was honestly worried about ever getting towed. if I ever need to call AAA at least I can direct them to it, but if I ever got towed for parking illegally or something like that I just don't see them using this...

 

yes that is for towing most cars these days have them

 

i read somewhere else they only show up on vehicles coming from overseas and are first used as a tie down on board ship. i guess the test of that would be someone with a brand new Max poppin off their square and seeing if their bolt looks used already.

 

Ive seen newer caddy's with them. Actually a lot of newer cars have them

 

 

ding ding ding look at any BMW front or back

 

hmmmm, interesting, good to know.

 

Ummm - You might love a tour of the Smyrna Nissan assembly plant. I try to go there and see the first copies of each new Maxima generation before it is released to the public.

As info, no Maxima made since January of 2003 has been shipped on a boat. That is when the Smyrna assembly line began making the 6th gen '04 Maximas, which reached dealer lots in March 2003.

Ship tiedowns were easily visible UNDERNEATH 1st through 5th generation Maximas, and were attached to the frame..


Sonomamax - Any real tow truck driver knows about these tow points. Having said that, I have seen cars towed by that tow point (attached to the frame) where damage was done to the bumper face around the tow opening. Unless they pull straight out from the car, damage will happen.

You don't have to worry about these Maximas ever being towed by the bumper, because there is very little on the bumper to hook to, and these bumpers are not as sturdy as one might think. They are design to crumple like a damp Ritz cracker under impact. Even lifting the whole front by placing heavy rubber belts under the front bumper (some tow trucks do this) can cause damage.

Whenever I need my car towed, I call a guy I know who uses the attachment point behind that square opening to winch the car onto his flat bed truck (the bed tilts down for loading). He then chocks the car snugly, leaving the cable attached and taut, and drives down the highway.

 

The DC sniper used that hole

 

LMAO

 

Yeah I read the info on a Camry page or something, figured it wouldn't directly apply to ours but wanted to see if it was accurate at all. Thanks for the info, you seriously are like a Nissan historian!



LMAO...that's wrong...

 

I had a VW New Beetle that had the same tow holes. The difference was it came with a threaded eye bolt that extended a good bit past the bumper. And the user manual actually told you what it's for and how to use it.

 

i glanced thru the manual and havent seen anything on that square hole, anyone know if it is there or not.

 

someone told me it is a port where the dealership can plug an electronic scanner in and "unlock" the car. apparently its shipped in a mode that allowed 5mph max for 1/4 mile max. prevents theft/abuse from the shipper. made sense to me as towing thru that tiny little hole is good way to lose a bumper cover

 

@ lightonthehill

THANK YOU!

I sell Nissans and hate it when people use the (I will never buy a foreign car) line. It does not come over on a boat, is higher quality than almost any American manufacturer vehicle and is built in the good ole US of A!

Ahhhh...glad that's off my chest. LOL

 

Built in the USA by Americans using almost 90% American-made parts. The wonderful engine is made in Decherd TN, which is about 50 miles southeast of Smyrna going toward Chattanooga.

The quality, performance and styling of Maximas is why I have owned nothing but Maximas since Oct 1984. Before that, I was driving Datsuns, which were all made by Nissan.

It is ONLY because of the longtime reputation of value and reliability of Japanese products that the Big Three U.S. auto companies have recently begun emphasizing quality and reliability. They either had to do that or perish.

Many of those worst 'buy American' pushers don't seem to understand just how many GM, Chrysler and Ford products are NOT made in the U.S. But nothing I can say to them seems to make any difference, so I let them think the way they want to think, as I happily cruise along in my smooth American-made Maxima.

 

Well between you and me ..when I'm trafficking cocaine ..well I'm a low key mule..great money if you don't get caught..they've stripped my car down once and didn't even see the square..DOPES!! I LIVE IN Malibu..but Im chilled and within 2 yrs I'm out..unless they keep pulling me back in..

 

Well between you and me ..when I'm trafficking cocaine ..well I'm a low key mule..great money if you don't get caught..they've stripped my car down once and didn't even see the square..DOPES!! I LIVE IN Malibu..but Im chilled and within 2 yrs I'm out..unless they keep pulling me back in..

 

Does anyone know the thread size for the tow hook'?