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We found the following complaints for NISSAN MAXIMA (1996)

Read complaints for NISSAN MAXIMA (1996)


The contact owns 1996 nissan maxima.she stated that the air bag light flashed at all times.the dealer stated that the vehicle needed a new air bag system.the contact also stated that there was a leak on the power steering pump.the failure mileage was 75,000 and the current mileage wa 75,900.updated 02/01/08 *lj.the consumer also stated the radio did not work

No summary listed for above vehicle.

No deployment of air bag during collision.

No deployment of air bag during accident.

Unspecified:consumer wants air bags deactivated due to the risk of injury toshort people.

The contact owns a 1996 nissan maxima.the contact stated that the air bag indicator constantly flashed on the instrument panel.she took the vehicle to the dealer and paid $125 for an estimate.the dealer stated that the failure was incapable of being repaired.in the summer of 2007, the manufacturer stated that they would not assist in repairing the failure.the current mileage was approximately 84,000 and failure mileage was approximately 75,000. Updated 11/28/08the vehicle was loosing power steering fluid. The dealer stated the pump had a leak. Updated 12/02/08.

The air bag light on dash just started flashing intermittentlythen i just see that there is a recall. However my car is 1996. I am a nervous wreck trying to drive.

No deployment of air bags during frontal collision resulting in injuries to drivers neck and shoulder.nlm

During vehicle front end collision there was no deployment of the air bags which resulted in injury to the consumer (attorney for consumer).*mjs

Consumer was rearended by a suv traveling at approximately 50 to 60 mph, and forced into a vehicle ahead of it.airbags failed to deploy.please provide any additional information/attachments.

While driving over a bump the airbags deployed.the driver sustained minor injuries.the manufacturer has been notified.

Consumer states that when vehicle was involved in a rearend accident and there was no deployment of the air bags.

During vehicle front end collision there was no deployment of the air bags which resulted in injury to the consumer (attorney for consumer).*mjs

Consumer was sitting at a light & was hit from behind.rear bumper was pushed in the back seat.airbags didn't deploy & the seatbelt didn't lock.consumersustainedfacial & dental injuries.manufacturer had an inspector to look atvehicle & foundseatbelt & airbag in good working order.

Had a direct frontal impact in which the driver's and passenger'sair bags malfunctionedand did not deploy. Did not protect the occupant in this accident.cause unknown. Please provide details.

While drivingat 25 mph, the consumer crashed the vehicle and both air bags deployed. Affects from the air bag deployment caused60% loss of hearing. Dealer notified.

Consumer was driving approx. 5mph when another vehicle pulled out in front. Consumer hit brakes and the steering wheel pulled to the left, resulting in crashing into gaurdrail.neither air bag deployed.

Electrical short caused a fire in the trunk.

Battery replaced.

Car fire.my son's car caught on fire while he was driving it due to a part nissan knew was defective. There is a recall for 1997-1999 nissan maximas due to a defect in their alternators that caused them to catch fire.details about the recall are below.my son was driving his 1996 maxima when the alternator caught fire.luckily, he escaped without injury.although his car was not included in the recall, clearly the part that started the fire is the same and it is the part that ignited the fire.i spoke with nissan consumer affairs three times over the past couple of weeks.i am contacting you because i was not able to get nissan to discuss this event in terms of the security aspect of it.unfortunately, they chose to look at it strictly as a warranty issue.it stands to reason, if this part was in my son's car, it is also in other 1996 maximas.the next person who experiences a car fire due to a faulty alternator may not be as lucky as my son.note:i bought back the alternator from the service department and i have it at home.www.automobilemag.com/am/1997/nissan/maxima/recalls.htmlrecall id # 02v171000 - electrical system:alternator/generator/regulator recall date:jun 24, 2002 model affected:1997 nissan maxima summary:on certain passenger vehicles, one of the diodes used in the alternator may have been damaged when built. This can eventually result in failure of the diode and an electrical short which could melt the plastic housing. Consequence:if the combustible gas emitted by the melting plastic does not disperse due to air flow through the engine compartment, it could ignite and in turn ignite the fan guide in the alternator. The alternator was replaced at a cost of $560 updated 10/17/11

Water leaked intoemission controlcanistercausing ecu to burn out ,engine came on.ecu needed to be replaced.

While driving engine suddenly shut off without warning, loss of vehicle power, including brakes/steering, could have caused an accident, according to dealer,caused by computer unit failure.

On going / intermittent problem with engine stalling, usually it occurs when accelerating from a stop postion or accelerating from a low speed.vehicle been in / out of dealer shop on five occasions, andproblem still reoccurring. Dealer replaced front timing covers, gaskets, intake manifold collector, coil packs, plugs, and performed throttle chamber service, now vehicle has an oil leak.transmission failed and was replaced.starter motor failed and was replaced.

Electrical short in the wiring under the passenger's side manual seat,caused the vehicle to catch on fire when the vehicle was in the off position.

The contact owns a 1996 nissan maxima. The contact stated that while slowing down at approximately 5 mph, the vehicle stalled as the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the technician informed the contact that the vehicle was operating as designed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,300.

Water pump leaks radiator coolant. This has led to engine-overheating and may cause severe engine failure (a safety issue). On checking with dealer, the estimated repair and replacement of water pump may cost around $750. This is an unusually high cost for water pump replacement. With the car being a 96 model having only a mileage of about 50 k, this kind of water pump failure is probably unseen on most other car models. Therefore, it is suggested to the manufacturer to investigate into possible design defects of the water pump.*nlm

It is my understanding the nissan used plastic sprockets in the timing chain and they are failing.it is also my understanding that nissan is aware of the problem and has since changed the production from using plastic.the plastic sprockets break which can then cause major engine failure.to have the timing chain problem repairs will cost me in excess of $2k because the manufacturer choose to experiemtn with using plastic in the engine.

The vehicle caught on fire while parked in the driveway. The fire started from the main engine compartment per the fire department. Please provide more information.*nlm

While driving the vehicle shut off without warning.as a result the driver lost control of the vehicle.

Consumer could leave vehicle without being used for a couple days. Then when trying to startengine, it will not start and makes noise.

On going / intermittent problem with engine stalling, usually it occurs when accelerating from a stop postion or accelerating from a low speed.vehicle been in / out of dealer shop on five occasions, andproblem still reoccurring. Dealer replaced front timing covers, gaskets, intake manifold collector, coil packs, plugs, and performed throttle chamber service, now vehicle has an oil leak.transmission failed and was replaced.starter motor failed and was replaced.

Having a problem with the emissions system.it continually turns on, and the engine runs rough when light is on.this also affects the vehicle mpg and acceleration.

While driving the vehicle engine shut off. Wont start. Nlm

Engine failed, causing noise .

Consumer experiencing ongoing intermittent problem with vehicle stalling out while driving.whenever vehicle comes to a slow down or stop, vehicle would stall as consumer press down on the accelerator pedal. Vehicle been in dealer shop on two occasions. Dealerinformed consumer they could not find anything.

The vehicle was riding a little rough.the consumer took the vehicle to a mechanic and found that the timing chain tensioners were loose.the consumer was told that the vehicle would cost approximately $2300.00 to repair.*nlm

Emissions control parts failure - mil light on-known problem/voluntary recall but not covered for ca vehicles so cost is over $500.

Having a problem with the emissions system.it continually turns on, and the engine runs rough when light is on.this also affects the vehicle mpg and acceleration.

Water leaked intoemission controlcanistercausing ecu to burn out ,engine came on.ecu needed to be replaced.

Emission control sensor failed.

Check engine light stayed on even after routine maintenance was done.the cruise control stopped working after the 1st year i bought it.in the 5 years i have owned the car, the starter has been replaced twice, the differential was replaced, tie rod ends were replaced, struts were replaced, a new muffler/tail pipe was replaced, and this year, 2 oil leaks developed, 1 inside the engine.the mechanic said this was a defect of nissan, not anything that i did or didn't do.it cost over $700 to fix the leaks.the leaks blew out the sensors, and the car didn't pass the emissions.i spent another $850 in getting new sensors.once the sensors were replaced, the mechanic said there was a short in the fuel injector and he had to replace that.there is still a short in the car somewhere as one of the back lights turns off and on when it feels like it, as does the light for the radio console (which its the original radio that came with the car, so it's not like someone messed around with it.)after replacing the sensors, the check engine light came on after the 2nd emissions test, which it rejected the car because it wasn't ready yet.the mechanic spent 7 (yes, seven) days trying to figure out what was wrong with the car, only to replace the entire dash board.after 1 day of driving, the check engine light came on again.no one can seem to figure out why the check engine light is on.now the car feels unsafe when i'm driving it, as when the car hits 20 mph and 40 mph, the car jerks to the right and i have to concentrate on making sure i don't hit anyone.no one can seem to figure out what that is either.the fan is starting to sound loud when the air/heat is on or when the car is idle (stopped at a light) and the air only gets cold when its cool outside, not when it's hot. I spent $22,000 buying this car, and about another $5000 in repairs to date and its not yet 10 yrs. Old.

Dt*: the contact stated the check engine light illuminates after 55-60 trips to an independent mechanic. In addition to the check engine light illuminating the engine made a pinging noise when accelerating.on one occasion,the mechanic cleaned the coils. The independent repair shop suggested replacing the egr valve, but the contact declined because the state would not allow the installation of a used egr valve. The codes were cleared several times in order to get the light to go off. The check engine light always comes back on. Sometimes it cameon within 30 minutes of being repaired.

Air valve defective.

Engine light came on.

The contact owns 1996 nissan maxima.she stated that the air bag light flashed at all times.the dealer stated that the vehicle needed a new air bag system.the contact also stated that there was a leak on the power steering pump.the failure mileage was 75,000 and the current mileage wa 75,900.updated 02/01/08 *lj.the consumer also stated the radio did not work

Consumer has exprienced headlight explosions of both headlamps..first time it happened march 28 in the mountains,and second time on april 28, 1997. The bulbs are the halogen bulbs which are the long life 9004 model bulbs. These bulbs are exploding into thousands of pieces..

The contact owns a 1996 nissan maxima.the contact must make 5 or 6 attempts in order to start the vehicle.occasionally, he must depress the accelerator pedal to the floor for the vehicle to start.the failure occurs each time he attempts to start the vehicle, especially after it has been parked for several hours.if the vehicle has been driven and is still warm, it takes 2 or 3 attempts to start.the mechanic suggested that the failure may be fuel system related and he replaced the fuel pump, filters, wiring harness, and starter.the contact stated that the transmission is difficult to shift.he believes that the electrical sensor is not reading correctly.the purchase date and dealer information were unavailable.the current mileage was 157,000 and failure mileage was 143,000.

Fuel system failed.

On two occasions hood latch snapped. This could have caused injures to the consumer while making repairs under the hood.

This car was parked on a driveway on the side of a home.the car was facing the street and the driveway had a slope downwards towards the street. The car has a five speed manual transmission.the car was parked with the parking brake pulled up and the gear in 2nd.about 45 minutes after the car was parked in the driveway and the driver went into the home, the parkingbrake cable failed and the car rolled into the street causing an accident - a car that was travelling on the street hit this car on the side as it rolled into the street after the parking brake failed.the car finally stopped by hitting a hill on the neighbor's front yard accross the street.some of the neighbors noticed that the parking brake was in the up position (engaged).after this accident, the parking brake was found to have no resistance at all further supporting the claim that the parking brake cable failed.this is a serious malfunction in the car and should be pursued.

When shifting from park to drive consumer had to force it. Part has been replaced twice by dealer, consumer was told nissan company advised dealer not to replace this component again, there was nothing wrong with it. Also ondriver's side window waterwas leaking into vehicle, enough to soak carpet. Dealer said that was normal for this type vehicle. The mildew smell after rain and car wash.

Transmission is delayed when shifting from 1st gear to 2nd gear.

On going / intermittent problem with engine stalling, usually it occurs when accelerating from a stop postion or accelerating from a low speed.vehicle been in / out of dealer shop on five occasions, andproblem still reoccurring. Dealer replaced front timing covers, gaskets, intake manifold collector, coil packs, plugs, and performed throttle chamber service, now vehicle has an oil leak.transmission failed and was replaced.starter motor failed and was replaced.

New transmission released fluids and smoked, replaced due to improper installation.

The automatic transmission shifts to soon at lower speeds when the overdrive button is on.if overdrives is off there are no problems.i have changed the fluid but the problem has persisted.

There is adecrease in acceleration. Vehicle is slow and sluggish.alsothere is aproblem when shifting into gear.there is a mico computer chip that controls the transmission.

When vehicle is in park the vehicle does not want to go out of park. Gear sticks, and the driver has to really struggle to get the gear out of this position. This has happened several times. Dealer cannot find any problemwith this vehicle. The third time the dealer finally replaced the bushing lock in the transmission, but the problem still is going on.

Transmission replaced due to stalling upon shifting into second and third gears.

Engine check light stays on,and thegear sticksfrom drive to reverse. The dealer has been notified.

Interlock cable between ignition switch and shifter broke making it possible for the key to be take out of the ignition while vehicle was not in park.as a result, the vehicle rolled backward down the driveway.

1996 nissan maxima, low mileage (50,000) failed nc state inspection due to failure of both cv joint boots. If the boots are not replaced, the axles will fail - causing sudden loss of power or sudden lockup on 1 or both front wheels.

Air in clutch lines.

Check engine light stayed on even after routine maintenance was done.the cruise control stopped working after the 1st year i bought it.in the 5 years i have owned the car, the starter has been replaced twice, the differential was replaced, tie rod ends were replaced, struts were replaced, a new muffler/tail pipe was replaced, and this year, 2 oil leaks developed, 1 inside the engine.the mechanic said this was a defect of nissan, not anything that i did or didn't do.it cost over $700 to fix the leaks.the leaks blew out the sensors, and the car didn't pass the emissions.i spent another $850 in getting new sensors.once the sensors were replaced, the mechanic said there was a short in the fuel injector and he had to replace that.there is still a short in the car somewhere as one of the back lights turns off and on when it feels like it, as does the light for the radio console (which its the original radio that came with the car, so it's not like someone messed around with it.)after replacing the sensors, the check engine light came on after the 2nd emissions test, which it rejected the car because it wasn't ready yet.the mechanic spent 7 (yes, seven) days trying to figure out what was wrong with the car, only to replace the entire dash board.after 1 day of driving, the check engine light came on again.no one can seem to figure out why the check engine light is on.now the car feels unsafe when i'm driving it, as when the car hits 20 mph and 40 mph, the car jerks to the right and i have to concentrate on making sure i don't hit anyone.no one can seem to figure out what that is either.the fan is starting to sound loud when the air/heat is on or when the car is idle (stopped at a light) and the air only gets cold when its cool outside, not when it's hot. I spent $22,000 buying this car, and about another $5000 in repairs to date and its not yet 10 yrs. Old.

Consumer was sitting at a light & was hit from behind.rear bumper was pushed in the back seat.airbags didn't deploy & the seatbelt didn't lock.consumersustainedfacial & dental injuries.manufacturer had an inspector to look atvehicle & foundseatbelt & airbag in good working order.

The design of the rear seat makes it difficult to properly install a child safety seat.owner is interested in a safety seat that will fit properly.

Driver's seat is loose, and it comes out of its rails.

Welds on the brackets holding the driver's seat cushion to the power seat actuating rods have broken.the seat cushion is no longer properly attached to the frame, and could be unsafe.the only remedy offered by the dealer was to replace the entire seat frame ($775).

Abs brake failure, when making a sudden stop or pressing the pedal real hard, brakes lock up, causing loss of control.

Brakes give a loud squeeking noise when applied. Have been fixed 4 times, but problem presists.

At 46,000 miles the front brakes were replaced due to failure.

Master cylinder failed.nlm

The contact owns a 1996 nissan maxima. The contact stated that while slowing down at approximately 5 mph, the vehicle stalled as the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the technician informed the contact that the vehicle was operating as designed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,300.

Steering wheel noise.

I faced a rare (i don't know i am thinking it as rare) problem with nissan maxima.when i was driving the vehicle in drive mode my friend, sitting in the other seat, accidentally changed the gear to reverse mode then the strange thing happened,the car steering got locked and the car got decelerated very fast (as i was applying a brake) and even though i changed the gear into drive mode the car wont pick acceleration and behaved as it is in the neutral gear. So, the car stopped in the middle of the interstate on the left lane and we almost got killed by the on coming traffic. Since the steering wheel is not moving we are not able to move the car to the shoulder. What we did is we stopped (turn off) the vehicle on the interstate and changed the gear into parking and started it again, after "few seconds" the car finally moved. I am so scared by the event and i wanted to report to some one and i thought may be nhtsa is the best bet.please tell me whether it will be the same to any car or will that be only on nissan maxima.

Power steering failed.

The contact owns a 1996 nissan maxima.the contact stated that the air bag indicator constantly flashed on the instrument panel.she took the vehicle to the dealer and paid $125 for an estimate.the dealer stated that the failure was incapable of being repaired.in the summer of 2007, the manufacturer stated that they would not assist in repairing the failure.the current mileage was approximately 84,000 and failure mileage was approximately 75,000. Updated 11/28/08the vehicle was loosing power steering fluid. The dealer stated the pump had a leak. Updated 12/02/08.

The contact owns 1996 nissan maxima.she stated that the air bag light flashed at all times.the dealer stated that the vehicle needed a new air bag system.the contact also stated that there was a leak on the power steering pump.the failure mileage was 75,000 and the current mileage wa 75,900.updated 02/01/08 *lj.the consumer also stated the radio did not work

Check engine light stayed on even after routine maintenance was done.the cruise control stopped working after the 1st year i bought it.in the 5 years i have owned the car, the starter has been replaced twice, the differential was replaced, tie rod ends were replaced, struts were replaced, a new muffler/tail pipe was replaced, and this year, 2 oil leaks developed, 1 inside the engine.the mechanic said this was a defect of nissan, not anything that i did or didn't do.it cost over $700 to fix the leaks.the leaks blew out the sensors, and the car didn't pass the emissions.i spent another $850 in getting new sensors.once the sensors were replaced, the mechanic said there was a short in the fuel injector and he had to replace that.there is still a short in the car somewhere as one of the back lights turns off and on when it feels like it, as does the light for the radio console (which its the original radio that came with the car, so it's not like someone messed around with it.)after replacing the sensors, the check engine light came on after the 2nd emissions test, which it rejected the car because it wasn't ready yet.the mechanic spent 7 (yes, seven) days trying to figure out what was wrong with the car, only to replace the entire dash board.after 1 day of driving, the check engine light came on again.no one can seem to figure out why the check engine light is on.now the car feels unsafe when i'm driving it, as when the car hits 20 mph and 40 mph, the car jerks to the right and i have to concentrate on making sure i don't hit anyone.no one can seem to figure out what that is either.the fan is starting to sound loud when the air/heat is on or when the car is idle (stopped at a light) and the air only gets cold when its cool outside, not when it's hot. I spent $22,000 buying this car, and about another $5000 in repairs to date and its not yet 10 yrs. Old.

Paint is thin and is peeling.

Power door lock failed, couldn't be opened with remote or interior electrical switch.

There is a blind spot that blocks out vision for short drivers. Owner can't see oncoming vehicles from left at intersections. Large blind spot created by left outside mirror and bar between windshield and left front window.

Front radiator support rusted out and can cause vehicle's engine to drop out.

At 46,000 miles the front struts were replaced due to failure.

Vehicle pulls to the right constantly.8ak

Vehicle drifted off the road without warning,resulting in a crash.

Vehicle pulls to the right.*sd

Vehicle pulls to the right.*sd

At highway speeds thevehicle pulls to the left.the dealer has not been able to correct the problem.

Rear end hops when driven over bumps.

Axle failed.

Rearshocks failed.

Rear right bridgestone tire blew out. (size p20565r15)

Tires leaked causing failure.(michelin mxv4- tire size 205/65 r15- tire id # dotb9paankx505)

All four tires have gone out of round and have a noticeable side to side motion at slow speeds. (tiresize: p215r15)( dot number: tire size: p215r15 )

I purchased 4 of these tires in nov 1998 and the 1st tire had tread separation in nov 1999(it was the driver side front)the 2nd tire had tread separation in mar 2000(driver side rear)----the 1st tire left damage on the inner wheel well of the driver side front---approximate damage $300( dot number: tire size: p20565r15 )

Consumer is requesting reimbursement for 2 michelin roadhandler t plus, p205 65r15, 92t ms dot b9pa f7pe 078 tires which show signs of tread separation from the tire body, the tread separation became obvious after a recent vacation trip involving lengthy drives at high interstate speeds when outdoor temperatures were in the mid nineties, a continuous open split or groove has opened around the entire outer tire perimeter as if they were recap tires where the recap portion is getting ready to fly off.

Consumer replaced two front tires (no make or size) due to tread separation which was also causing the steering wheel to shake, one of the places that the consumer took the vehicle to stated there were no problems with the tires.

Engine check light stays on,and thegear sticksfrom drive to reverse. The dealer has been notified.

Within 4 weeks of purchase, the paint began to wear thin on the side mouldings on the doors.my car is burgundy and i noticed that quite a few other cars had the same problem.i called nissan's consumer hotline after getting no assistance from the dealership and found out two interesting things.1) when the original manufacturer's warranty expires, any repairs that would have been done under that warranty are now done only at the dealership's discretion, not by nissan.2)when you report unsatisfactory customer service at a dealership, they get "in trouble" and are more willing to work with you at that point.i was able to get the dealership to pay half for painting and replacing the moulding, but it took a little work. No safety defect mentioned in summary.

Engine warning light illuminated twice.

Malfunction indicator light failed.

I need directions on where to go with my problem.i bought a car from my brother last year.i found out the cars were switched at the dealer and now the dealer is not willing to cooperate.

1. I was parking near downtown seattle at a curb parking spot. While aligning my car to the curb with my foot on the brake, the car suddenly accelerated from idle speed to full throttle.by pressing the brake pedal very hard and shifting to neutral from drive position, i was able to stop the card from lurching forward and hitting the car in front. The car returned to idle speed after shifting to neutral.2. I had stopped at a stop sign at a four-way intersection on mercer island, wabehind another car. My foot was on the brake pedal. Suddenly, the car accelerated forward with the transmission in drive position from idle speed to full throttle. I had to push very hard on the brake pedal to prevent my car from hitting the car ahead and put the transmission in neutral position after which the car returned to idle speed.

Solenoid valve failed.

Engine surges on it own/difficult to control at low demand.

Check engine light stayed on even after routine maintenance was done.the cruise control stopped working after the 1st year i bought it.in the 5 years i have owned the car, the starter has been replaced twice, the differential was replaced, tie rod ends were replaced, struts were replaced, a new muffler/tail pipe was replaced, and this year, 2 oil leaks developed, 1 inside the engine.the mechanic said this was a defect of nissan, not anything that i did or didn't do.it cost over $700 to fix the leaks.the leaks blew out the sensors, and the car didn't pass the emissions.i spent another $850 in getting new sensors.once the sensors were replaced, the mechanic said there was a short in the fuel injector and he had to replace that.there is still a short in the car somewhere as one of the back lights turns off and on when it feels like it, as does the light for the radio console (which its the original radio that came with the car, so it's not like someone messed around with it.)after replacing the sensors, the check engine light came on after the 2nd emissions test, which it rejected the car because it wasn't ready yet.the mechanic spent 7 (yes, seven) days trying to figure out what was wrong with the car, only to replace the entire dash board.after 1 day of driving, the check engine light came on again.no one can seem to figure out why the check engine light is on.now the car feels unsafe when i'm driving it, as when the car hits 20 mph and 40 mph, the car jerks to the right and i have to concentrate on making sure i don't hit anyone.no one can seem to figure out what that is either.the fan is starting to sound loud when the air/heat is on or when the car is idle (stopped at a light) and the air only gets cold when its cool outside, not when it's hot. I spent $22,000 buying this car, and about another $5000 in repairs to date and its not yet 10 yrs. Old.

Comments on reformulated gasoline causing leaks in fuel system which may result in fires.

Vent control valve failed.

Problem with sun/moon roof.

When shifting from park to drive consumer had to force it. Part has been replaced twice by dealer, consumer was told nissan company advised dealer not to replace this component again, there was nothing wrong with it. Also ondriver's side window waterwas leaking into vehicle, enough to soak carpet. Dealer said that was normal for this type vehicle. The mildew smell after rain and car wash.

Windshield washer failed.




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