for some reason maximas seem to be set up with play in the hood latch. try this... press lightly on your hood near the front edge, just above the latch. can you hear/feel the hood move down slightly when you press? does it pop back up and make a "clack" noise when you let go? many gen5 maximas I have seen do this. the hood and latch must bang up and down against each other this way while you drive as well. I think the diameter of the ring attached to the hood is too small to be gripped tighly by the latch mechanism.

Leave it to Datsun to screw up a design that has been mature for 50 years!

 

it happens to me too... matter of fact... its all Maxima 2k and up, don't know about 2k4... Nissan...go figure... that is why we got some much hood vibration...

 

yep, I noticed that when I waxed my car for the 1st time last week.

 

adjust the bump stops and be done with it

 

it's the bump stops....good luck gettin them to line up perfectly tho..

 

Is this why it's easy for those criminals to break into our cars and take our beautiful lights?

 

no, that's because of plastic tabs and a hood cable you can grab with your hand

 

I have this too, I noticed it while washing the car. Doesn't the hood rattle TSB cover this? It rattles alot when I'm on the highway too.

 

the hood rattle covers a piece of weatherstripping attached to the underside of the hood..... it still rattles tho

 

yeah mine does this **** too. i also noticed that my hood has about 1/8 of an inch gap between it and the drivers side light and about 1/2 an inch gap on the passenger side. dod some imbasul at the dealer spring it when they were prepping it for me to pick it up? can it be fixed or slightly re shaped like they do to small dents where they heat it up and fix it at a good body shop??
who knows
WHEELMAN

 

Yup i hear that also!

 

I tried raising the hood stops some, but it still rattles. Is there a way to lower the locking mechanism by like an inch or so?

 

I also adjusted my hood stops but it didn't get rid of my rattle, i brought it into the dealer and the rattle actually came from a broken braket in my front left headlight (which is were the noise was coming from). go figure.

 

You can add my 2k2 to the list

 

There are three bolts on the hood locking mechanism that allow for some minor adjustment.....I tried the hood stops too but it worked only on the ends of the hood and did nothing for the middle

 

the problem seems to be the diameter of the "loop" spot welded to the hood. the slot in the latch is too large to capture and hold the loop tightly. rainig the rubber bumpers just makes the loop pull up somewhat against the latch... the play is still there. same issue with lowering the latch (which doesn't move too far). I tested this theory by putting a wrap of duct tape around the loop--voila, no more rattle. now I just need to devise a permanent way of increasing the diameter of the loop by about twice the thickness of garden variety duct tape.

 

The problem is that the latch has to be adjusted. I had the latch adjusted as part of the vibrating TSB and now the hood is real tight and doesn't budge when I push on it, or vibrate on the hiway

 

it's good to hear that your hood issues have been remedied. ever have trouble with your power windows?

 

I wouldn't try it with duct tape though,if it come off or melt then you prolly have problem opening your hood.Just my $.02.