Hey all,

I have a 09 350ti Maxima that's just started leaking coolant from the head gasket. Is it a common problem? Nissan dealer pulled a figure around 3.5-4k to fix. I'm no mechanic but im pretty sure that's a rip off...

Love to get your feed back on how much it should cost assuming there's not really any internal damage. Sadly the car has been serviced by the same dealer its entire life (up to 120k odo, it was a novated lease). Also at the last service the dealer cleaned the injectors....i assume they'd have used a device to flush the injectors out without having to remove the head? Do you think the cleaning process could have damaged the gasket?

 

350ti maxima?

 

doh! i should have put this under the Australian site

 

Heads are not removed to clean injectors.

Has your car been losing coolant? Its possible your car has had a gasket leak for a while. If you plan to get this fixed, shop around $4k is steep.

 

Are you 100% totally certain the head gaskets haven't been leaking for a while? Like since new?

My 2010 Maxima has had both head gaskets leaking coolant since it was new. Thankfully, it hasn't gotten worse. It is a slow leak and fortunately, it is an external leak and not leaking into the oil or combustion chamber. I am at 100K now and it seems to be holding steady.

It isn't a rare problem on these vehicles. Unless it's loosing coolant quickly, I would leave it alone. Mine has leaked since new (just wasn't smart enough to gripe with the dealer about it). I haven't done anything about it and it's been ok for 100K miles.

I smell the sweet smell of coolant anytime the radiator fans kick on.

Bad #1 main bearing and both HG's leaking coolant....awesome work Nissan!

Late,
Trav

 

I recall reading that for Maxima V6 engine the waterpump leaking can mimick a leaking head gasket, provided the leak is on the cylinder bank with the w/pump.

W/P is much cheaper than doing a headgasket.