Whenever my 2010 Premium with 33,000 miles is parked for about 2 hours or more, without fail I ALWAYS experience a single glunk sound from underneath the left front side whenever I accelerate hard for the very first time. After the initial glunk sound the car will only repeat this sound if the car sits for another 2 hours or so - again upon initial hard acceleration. The Dealership kept my car for two days but they are unable to determine what is making the glunk sound. This is not to be confused with the ABS self check. Any ideas what could be causing this?

 

I've actually started experiencing the same thing with my 09. Granted mine has over 100k on the odometer but, to be honest the CVT worries the hell out of me. I heard that Nissan has just extended the factory warranty for them. Not ever a good sign. Mine is in the shop now for a blown rear cat. I meant to get it in there for this issue anyway. Have you had the CVT fluid serviced/changed recently? I was told by a tech that the transmission is very solid but fluid changes need to be done on time. That being said I haven't even looked into getting mine done. I've only had the car for a few months.

 

I meant to put this up on the forum, I have the EXACT same problem. I got my 2012 max about 2 weeks ago and at initial acceleration (when its been sitting for a few hours) I get a sound which sounds like its coming from the underbody on the left side. As you said, it doesn't happen if I start it up right away, but if the car has been sitting for 3-4 hours or more, I hear the sound when I first start to accelerate. Any help and suggestions would be appreciated.

 

No worries. It's called an ABS self test. It's normal!!

 

If it happens between 15 and 20 MPH, it might be the ABS/VDC self-check. But my ABS/VDC self-check noise can be felt/heard when the car has been sitting for even twenty minutes or less. But it should only happen one time between startups.

 

I also expierence this noise although it usually only happens when accelerating more quickly from a dead stop right after a cold start. I am almost certain its the motor mounts that Nissan uses since my 3.5 Altima made the exact same noise. I have learned to live with it since it does not appear to affect anything and it only occurs under the conditions I mentioned.

 

Sounds like the ABS check being done as stated above

 

Nope its not. You will hear it upon first hitting the gas hard from a dead stop from the parking lot. It sounds like a clunk in the tranny not the click of a self check

 

if you're talking about the "bump bump bump bump bump" that happens a few minutes after you start driving, it's a self-check of what i thought was the transmission. i guess it sounds like the abs instead. but it is normal operation

 

This is not the ABS check. You will hear it and feel it upon first hitting the gas hard from a dead stop after the car has been parked for a few hours.

 

 

I have a 2012 SV with 15k miles and i too experience this noise during first few seconds of taking off from a cold start. At one point, i accelerated, switch to neutral and let off the gas to just coast along. After a few seconds it does it as well. So even when not in gear i hear that sound.

 

The sound you hear when you are either coasting or in gear at a speed somewhere between 10 and 30 MPH (in most cases, between 15 and 20 MPH) is the ABS system. But the glunk some are hearing with sharp accelleration may not be the ABS, especially if it happens at speeds below 10 MPH or above 30 MPH.

Either way, the ABS check is normal, and the glunk seems to be fairly widespread, with no known bad results, so we may be OK with either sound.

 

Should post videos of the different sounds... like the abs vs. this ufo problem etc...

 

I have the same issue in an S with 27K miles. It's not the ABS check. The dealer applied a TSB which (I'd thought and posted earlier) had fixed it, but seems only to have reduced the severity, not the frequency. If anyone does a fluid change, let us know if that helps.

 

I would like to re open this "old' thread..lol... As Im having the same issue and have not had a fix for it yet. Dealer has had it several times, and hasnt figured it out yet. They replaced a caliper that was loose, replaced an end link that was loose, none of that has fixed it yet. They are getting it in again next Friday to look at it again, and am just wondering if anyone has every found a fix for this? Mine is def. NOT the abs check. It does not do it while driving, only does is after the first acceleration after sitting for a couple hours or more. Feels like something is loose, and can feel it in the floorboard on the drivers side. They say the motor mounts are fine. Ive had the car since Nov 2014, and it just started making the noise about 2 months ago.
2011 maxima SV

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

The ABS self check is not a clicking noise. It will be a clunk or thump or bump or whatever "non-clicking" word. If it sounds like a series of knocks on the floor, its the ABS/VDC.
As far as frequency, if it occurs constantly under the same conditions, then its time to start looking into moving parts and/or parts with rubber...

 

Yup. I have a 2010 SV and have same symptoms. ABS self test is VERY easy to identify as a very distinct "tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap" noise and sensation and is noticeable to ONLY the discerning driver. As per the previous prior poster, it is NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT the ABS SELF-check. It is not the ABS self-check. Repeat...NOT the ABS self-check. It is a single, distinct and solid, single (once only) THUNK sound that can be felt in the cabin and not a repetetive "tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap" noise.

I had the same thing happen on mine but was sitting at 80,000 miles. Did not take it to dealer and figured it would eventually stop or break. As of around 130,000 miles, it stopped. I truly thought it was a motor mount. Guess it was not a motor mount OR the car drives better with a broken mount than it does an intact one. Dunno...however it is not not not not the ABS self-test.

 

I finally got mine fixed , mine was one of the motor mounts with the fluid in it . Car no longer clunks at takeoff !!

 

Dude I know what noise you are talking about now. What motor mount was it? The front or the rear with the fluid in it? Thanks.

 

Mine got fixed today as well.

 

Mine was a front one with the fluid in it, don't remember which side, was just glad the finally figured it out !!

 

I've had this issue with my Maxima, when I would start the car and it would idle you would hear a rattling noise from the front drivers side wheel, and even pulling away from a stop sign you could hear the noise, of course I drove the car with the technican, and the noise didn't happen, so he put the car back on the lift and started banging to fine where the rattle was coming from on my invoice it states "tech inspected, and clamped down loose components under vehicle to correct rattle noise." The rattle is now gone, so most likely if you have that rattle the undercarriage needs new clamps to resolve the issue. Hope this help guys!