Hello folks,
I have a 2014 Max with 9K miles. Funny what I've been experiencing lately. If the car parks for like 3 days or so then I drive it on the 4th or so day I get like a shimmy/shake/vibration that I feel thru the steering wheel. It's like quick mini tiny jerks, not like the typical shimmy that you feel if tires are unbalanced, which by the way 2 different shops checked all 4 tires and they're balanced. As I drive the car and tires warm up, it's almost non existent. And it's kind of like what I've heard with the Vette guys. When their tires are cold, they say the tires sort of scrub. As their tires warm up they say it goes away. When my car was delivered the air pressure in all 4tires was 39 as tires warmed up they'd go up to like 41-42. And since tires were rebalanced/checked on 2 different occasions the air pressure was dropped to about 35 which goes up to about 38 as they warm up.

Anyone experienced this?

 

ABS checks possibly? Have you brought this attention to the dealer? I have never experienced this, but have you also let the car idle after having it sit for that long before taking off? The streets here are all concrete, so if there is any type of vibration I just attribute to the roads but I have never felt something that would physically jerk the wheel. As you accelerate with the radio off, see if you can hear a tiny thud when the ABS/VDC does it initial checks below 20mph and see if the "quick mini tiny jerks" go away.

Also, 35 cold psi is absolutely fine. That is what I run in my car as I usually drive on the highway at 80-90 mph during my commute and the tires warm up to 38-39 psi. Factory Nissan recommends 33 psi, but I increase it for the sustained high speed driving I do per TireRack recommendations.

 

Yes, after a few days, most V-rated and higher rated tires tend to get a bit of a soft spot. This is normal and as you say, disappears after a few miles. The hotter the weather when parked, the worse it seems. Now if it DOESN'T go away, there are bigger issues afloat! I've noticed over the years that 35s are worse than 40s and the softer the tire the fewer days it will take to get the "square tire" feeling.

 

Actually, this is technically called flat spotting, and it is more common with some brands/models of tires than others.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete....jsp?techid=42

 

Essentially you have a turbo encabulator issue this means your flux muster is malfunctioning, usually cost about 3 hrs worth of labor at the dealer.

 

As you accelerate with the radio off, see if you can hear a tiny thud when the ABS/VDC does it initial checks below 20mph and see if the "quick mini tiny jerks" go away.



Is that what that is?!?! I've had my Max for about 5 months and I've always wondered what that sound is. I always let my car warm up for about 2 min before pulling out of the garage. I dont have the A/C or even the system turned on in the mornings. When I pull out of my driveway and go about 500-600 feet, I hear what sounds like the A/C compressor kicking on but its not the A/C. Interesting. I assumed that it was normal but every morning I hear it and wonder what it is.

 

Thanks gizzsdad this what makes the most sense at this point although temps haven't been cold but hot, but I guess flat spotting can happen at any time. LtLeary, I've actually never noticed it in cold weather but now in the summer, so what you're saying makes absolute sense. But Tirerack says it happens more in cold weather, who knows...

Daaavid and MatthewsMaxima, I haven't brought it to the dealer's attention but I'll see if that has anything to do with the ABS.

Crusher103, thanks for your deep and accurate insight as to the problem here.