It must suck to be driving a Versa as a loaner... They could have at least put you in a Altima

 

If I were in your shoes I would not change to synthetic for at least a couple of regular oil change intervals have passed. Others here might give you different advice but with Nissan fixing your engine I would go with what they put in it for awhile. BTW what do they use for oil changes? My service dept used a synthetic blend.

 

Thanks..I was thinking the same thing, just seeking suggestions from fellow Maxima owners

 

My 2013 had 3800 miles and they replaced the short block rather than tearing the motor apart, The TSB is NTB 12-071 and it's a major job replacing the # 1 bearing with a size larger. After I read the TSB I was very happy I was getting a new block.

I would still ask Nissan for something as they gave me a $3,000 plus warranty with no effort, mentioning I traded an Infiniti easily bumped up their original 7 year/100K warranty offer a year to 8 years.

Being this problem could come back I would follow EXACTLY what Nissan recommends

 

2012 SV - I started hearing the bearing noise at around 4K miles.

The dealer replaced the main front crank bearing @ 5300 miles. They had the car for 3 days. The knock noise is gone and the car is running great!

The dealer gave me no problems. They listened to the knock and agreed that it was some kind of lower engine problem and performed the fix as identified in the TSB.

I now have 18500 miles and I no longer have any concerns about the engine.

 

When did you have this done ?

 

So are all maximas effected?

 

I doubt they all are but we have a very small % of the total 7th gen members on this forum and quite a few have this issue so I wouldn't be surprised if the problem is widespread

They way they just handed me a 8 year Gold Preferred zero deductible warranty a week after my car went in the shop makes me wonder even more

 

If the issue started with the 2009's I would expect that someone on this forum would have brought it up earlier. It appears that the first thread that mentioned this problem was in January of this year. The knocking sounds pretty obvious when you listen to the engine.

I'm considering the purchase of a 7th Gen but am holding up until it becomes clearer if this issue is isolated or fairly common.

 

We have knowledgeable owners here who always thought the sound was normal or were even told it was normal by the dealer , the TSB has only been out a year or so.

How many people listen to their car idle WARM and in park, no radio on ?

If I hadn't forgot something at my house and parked my warm car in the garage and left it running while I ran inside I would have never heard it.

I think so far we have confirmed the problem can arise in every year except a 2009.

If I was you I would do the same, hold off until you can figure out how this plays out

 

I don't think it is that unusual for people to pop the hood while the engine is warm and running. At least not for people who would be on a forum like this. Regardless I'll continue to monitor this thread or just get an Infiniti G37 instead. :-)

 

How do you explain the half dozen or so forum members who found out this week they have a bearing issue ?


I was going to buy another Infinti but where I live now the dealer is 90 minutes each way, kind of funny as I didn't buy it because I was worried if things went wrong about the hours spent bringing it t and from the dealer

The positive things I can say are the dealer and Nissan have been great, my main worry now is the guy who had the block replaced and the bearing knock returned 3 months later.

If that happens I will be asking Nissan to buy the car back,


Nissan's 3.5-liter VQ35DE V-6 engine has been used in Maxima's ( and many other Nissans/Infiniti's) since 2002 so this problem seems to be quite recent

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_VQ_engine#VQ35DE

 

February this year (2013).

 

So if your Maxima is out of warranty such as mine. You would have to pay for it yourself? If so that is total bs. There should be a class action lawsuit on this.

 

[QUOTE=13Maximasv;8865064]How do you explain the half dozen or so forum members who found out this week they have a bearing issue ?
QUOTE]

It would be good to hear from forum members who do not have this problem. What year are their vehicles and how many miles. Perhaps you can add a poll to this thread.

 

[QUOTE=Nopike;8865192]

Between the thread an PM's I have heard of every year saying they have the issue except for a 2009. Since the TSB covers all years it's safe to say that Nssan has seen it in a 2009

 

My guess is if the engine lasts 60K without the bearing issue I would guess your just out of luck unless you have an extended warranty.

I believe Nissan is handling it the way they are and giving compensation ( handing out $3,000 warranties) because than want to avoid a class action

 

I've been keeping up with this thread, but I've waited to reply because I wanted to look at everyone's issues before engaging the mouth.

I find it odd that it's a specific bearing that's in question because ALL bearings are clearance'd the same way. Also, I do recall someone saying that their #4 was damaged as well when their motor was opened up. My common sense side is screaming that is an guy on the assembly line can't get the clearances right on #1, then he would screw up the rest of them as well

The more I read, the more I think that the harmonic balancer is completely jacked up from the ground up. Nissan focusing on the #1 bearing tells me that they are too focused on this too much to be an assembly problem, but it's more of a design problem. Granted, it's a short crank, but it smells of harmonic balancer to me.....

Anyone know if the harmonic balancers changed as the '09's came out?

 

I'm not an engine guy but I'm would think Nissan isn't saying to replace that bearing knowing the others will fail also.

Did they replace my block knowing the TSB is not the answer ? I would say possibly but we had a member have his block replaced and the noise returned within months.

If you scroll back up and read the tech notes on my car he never even mentions a bearing problem

Only Nissan knows these answers.

Nissan's 3.5-liter VQ35DE V-6 engine has been used in Maxima's ( and many other Nissans/Infiniti's) since 2002 so something changed over the years.

I sure hope the problem is isolated to a small % of cars but being this forum has a very small % of the total Maxima owners it's hard to say.

 

I added a poll, it's pretty basic. Narrowing it down to exact year and giving mileage ranges would be nice but cause too much confusion I think

Any suggestions, let me know

Thanks

 

I called Nissan Consumer Affairs today and requested the Gold 8-year. They will get back to me on Monday. They also asked if I was having anymore problems... I stated I am hearing the knock again and, of course, they told me to take it in again. I'm just so tired of the drop car off-take a shuttle-wait for call-have shuttle pick back up-pick car up routine! I'll probably take it next week. I'll report back.

 

The dealer should give you a loaner, bring this up to Nissan Consumer.

I can't seem to edit the poll, I wanted to add 2 other options

6. I had the short block replaced and the noise came back

7. I had the TSB done and the noise came back

I'm pretty sure I only got the 8 year because they verified I traded in an Infiniti, the warranty is from day 1 so it's not on top of the 3/36

The more problems you can verify with Nissan ( taking the car back again) IMO the more compensation you will receive ( and deserve)

 

I did get a loaner once they identified the problem... I was referencing the initial drop off and diagnosis. I can't stand sitting at the dealership so I opt for the shuttle.

Yes, as far as I can tell, the gold is 8 years or 120,000... I'll definitely reach 120k before 2018.

I just don't know what I'll do if they decide to swap the engine again. I'll probably demand a long block (and demand to know its build date prior to install) so I can get new heads, intake, etc. but I've already been through so much (many other issues as well including the CVT) I wonder if it's just time to part ways with my Maxima.

 

I have been told by another user ( I forgot to ask on mine) that the warranty is not transferrable so if you aren't going to fix or keep the car it may prove useless

When I asked for the 8 year ( I was offered the 7 year) I told them about all the Nissans and Infiniti's I owned, when I said I traded an Inifinti the tone changed. Since I drive maybe 7,000 miles per year I then said how about 8/100K and it was done.

 

For what it's worth ... I couldn't find any problems with our engine in the Altima, at least not a TSB or recall or a cursory online search.
I did find that the horsepower is greater in the Maxima than the Altima so there must be some difference - enough to affect the #1 bearing ?????

 

The main difference in the Maxima are the heads. Although the Altima and Maxima both have the "VQ35DE" engine, the Maxima has better flowing heads and variable valve timing on the exhaust cams (as opposed to only being on the intake cams for the Altima). The Maxima heads appear to be the same as the "VQ37HR" engine found on newer Infiniti G37s, but minus the VVEL component. The G37 gets its additional power by 0.2L more displacement and the VVEL system.

I did hours of research trying to confirm this and summarized in the thread below.

http://forums.maxima.org/7th-generat...vq-hybrid.html

I've done my best to condense the information into a simple explanation with pictures for evidence. The pics start at post #3.

I hope someone finds it useful.

 

I wanted to bump this up for some poll votes. So far we have 20 votes and 45 % have or had a bearing issue.

I can't imagine this problem is that widespread

I can't seem to edit the poll questions, I believe we have owners of every year except 2009 saying they have this issue. I should have added the 2009 as a separate answer.

If you vote ( or have voted) saying your car is fine and it's a 2009 could you make post saying so ? Vice versa if you have the issue on a 2009 could you post such.

Thanks

 

Taking my Maxima in tomorrow to "diagnose" the knocking noise... again.

For those of you who don't know... I had my short block replaced in March 2013 due to engine knock and a blown head gasket... the mechanic found damage to the #1 and #4 main bearings. A few months after engine replacement the knocking was back.

I'll report back tomorrow.

 

Checking in:
At start up (warm or cold), there is some initial knocking for about 5 seconds typical until the oil has flowed to all the parts. I am following the 3750 mile oil change interval, have my oil changed at the dealership which uses Valvoline conventional, and a ???? filter. (I try to remember to ask next time.)

At warm idle, there is not any "knocking", only ticking like a clock. Those that have/had a 4th gen know what I am talking about.

After about an hour or so in mostly stop and go rush-hour traffic, my engine gets really noisy, something like perhaps a whirrrrring noise. Something like a loud idle. This does not happen during the initial engine run, but only starts after I stop at some place to run an errand, (less than 30 minutes typical) and come back to start it a second time. It usually goes away after I place it in drive, or about a mile or so. I do not believe it is the cooling fan, it sounds different than that.
This sound usually does not happen after I am driving in normal flowing (normal is relative, so I suppose speed-limit traffic and few congestion areas) traffic for any amount of time, if I remember correctly.

I will continue to monitor and get a recording sometime.

 

These engines do not have a harmonic balancer, they are just a crank pulley. So no it wouldn't have any affect on it.

 

There is a video on page 1 of this thread that lets you listen to a bearing knock, unless your sounds like the video you are good for now. Remember when you check it's warm idle IN PARK. Putting the car in gear makes the knock go away

Updated Poll now has 23 votes with 11 having the bearing issue.

 

Took the car in this morning... the dealership stated the noise was normal. I argued this is the same noise that they heard last time and replaced the short block. They had me go back in the shop to talk with the mechanic. He said he didn't hear anything abnormal. I could clearly hear the knock and he said it was injector pulsing. I then had him lift the vehicle and heard the knock from under the car on the bottom of the engine. He again stated it was injector pulses. I argued that you would hear injector pulses at the top of the engine... not underneath like I was. I also argued that the timing of the sound was with the crankshaft rotation not with each cylinder firing. He just kept stating it was the injectors. I got nowhere.

So... I have the same noise as I did last time. Last time they replaced the block. This time the noise is normal.

I have opened a case with Nissan Consumer Affairs and I am sure they will offer me an extended warranty, but I am just out of fight (engine twice, CVT, several other issues) when it comes to this Maxima. I will be getting an Accord or Camry in the coming weeks. I hope no one else suffers the same fate as me... good luck to all of you!

 

I'd try another dealer and deal with Nissan to get it resolved, being your car is older and has more miles let us know what warranty if any they give you

If they say it's normal, have them start a new 2013 and listen for the noise, seems odd the same mechanic who heard the knock last time and got you the new short block wouldn't hear the same thing again

Does the noise go away in Park ?


If you're ditching the car I think you will find the warranty useless as it's non transferable

 

I read the whole thread and I am curious to check mine. The car is done 8750 mile so far and the warranty will be ended on the 21st March 2014 (a three years warranty).

I have a head light issue from day one, I think there is a crack on the head light lens or the HID bulb which creates a shadow on the light beam. I don't know how to explain it. However, I took it to the dealer and the mechanic could see the problem and they told me they have to take off the front bumper in order to remove the head light. I was reluctant to let them do it as the car was in its first days. I am yet to decide when to get it in for repair.

I don't know what will be my reaction if I found the knocking sound in my car and eventually a bearing failure. Hope it will not be there.

I will report back later.

 

Wow that's some low mileage, if you do have them fix the light I'd pay for new bulbs as they have to drop the bumper ( or possibly sneak an arm in)to replace the bulbs on these cars so you will save the labor


Update on poll 24 votes, 13 good engines, 11 cars with the issue

 

I believe some on this forum stated that you can change the headlight bulb by moving the plastic wheelwell cover and approaching the bulb from behind. If you must remove the bumper that would just give me another reason not to get a 7th Gen.

 

Update: a week in the shop and still driving the Versa....I'm hoping to get the car back by Monday at the latest

 

Mine took 4 working days and they also replace a rattling windshield, I got a new block though

 

So it seems that its less man hour to just change the block rather than the bearing.... Im gonna use this in my argument for a new block

 

I'm not sure your argument will work though... more man hours for a $20 part (bearing) is much cheaper than less man hours for an $8000+ part (engine.)

Update on my situation... Nissan Corporate called today and said they are working on getting me some type of warranty extension but it will not be the Gold Preferred bumper to bumper others have got. She stated it will be a powertrain extension, but she isn't sure that she will even be able to get that (or anything at all.) Camry, here I come!