2001 Nissan Maxima Brakes Problems

NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASES NEW IN '01. FROM REPLACING THE ALTERNATOR, STRONG SHUTTER IN BREAKS EVEN AFTER REPLACING TWICE AND NEEDS AGAIN, REPLACED REAR OXYGEN SENSORS TWICE WITH NOW A THIRD NEEDED, REPLACED MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR, AND NOW VEHICLE IS OUT OF COMMISSION DUE TO NEEDING A NEW COMPUTER SYSTEM, IDLE SPEED CONTROL SENSOR, AND REAR O2 SENSORS(AGAIN)! ALSO A LEAKING POWER STEERING PUMP AND POWER WINDOW MOTORS ARE NEAR DEATH. I UNDERSTAND WEAR AND TEAR ON A VEHICLE BUT THIS IS AN EXTREME CASE! POTENTIAL EPA ISSUES DUE TO THE OXYGEN SENSORS FAILING TIME AFTER TIME. *CN

WE OWN A 2001 MAXIMA, PURCHASED NEW, AND LIKE LOTS OF OTHER PEOPLE ON THIS WEB SITE, HAVE EXPERIENCED ROTOR PROBLEMS. WE HAVE HAD THEM RESURFACED AND REPLACED AT LEAST 4 TIMES SINCE WE HAVE OWNED THE CAR. THE CAR ONLY HAS 64,000 MILES ON IT, NOT DRIVEN ON DIRT ROADS, I DO NOT JAM ON THE BRAKES, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, AND WE HAVE OWNED OTHER VEHICLES AND NEVER HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH THEM. WE ALSO OWN A 1999 CHEVROLET PICKUP WITH MORE MILES ON IT, AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM ON IT. NISSAN SAYS, LIKE IT TELLS EVERYONE ELSE, THAT IT IS THE DRIVER'S HABITS WHICH IS UNTRUE, AND THEY JUST DO NOT WANT TO TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT. WE ARE TIRED OF HAVING TO FIX THESE BRAKES, AND SPEND UNNECESSARY MONEY EVERY 12,000-15,000 MILES. IT FEELS LIKE IT IS NOT SAFE WHEN WE ARE TRYING TO STOP THE CAR, AS IT VIBRATES IN THE STEERING WHEEL TERRIBLY, AND FEELS LIKE YOU COULD VERY EASILY LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. NEXT TIME WE PURCHASE A CAR, WE WOULD PROBABLY NOT CONSIDER A NISSAN BECAUSE OF THIS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE ABS AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH AND GREATER, THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD PULSATE WHEN DEPRESSED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE BRAKE SENSORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE WHY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 54,000.

THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD PULSATE WHEN SLOWING DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY TO PAY A TOLL, MAKING THE CAR DIFFICULT TO STEER. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A NISSAN DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE ROTORS WERE WARPED. THE CAR HAS ONLY 30,000 MILES AND WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY BUT THE DEALER REFUSED TO COVER THE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE ROTORS. INSTEAD THEY CHARGED ME $150 TO RESURFACE THE TWO FRONT ROTORS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THIS IS ONLY A TEMPORARY FIX, AND THE ROTORS WILL WARP AGAIN JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE A DEFECTIVE PART, AND NISSAN DOESN'T WANT TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM.*AK

I HAVE EXPERIENCED REPEATED PROBLEMS ON AT LEAST 6 OCCASIONS SINCE I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR WITH THE ROTORS. EVERYTIME I HAVE THIS FIXED THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THIS WAS CAUSED BY MY DRIVING HABITS WHICH I DID NOT AGREE WITH SEEING AS HOW I HAVE OWNED 3 CARS PRIOR AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED, 3 OXYGEN SENSORS REPLACED, AND 2 WHEEL SENSORS. THESE OCCURRENCES HAVE SPANNED OVER 18 MONTHS AND HAVE COST LOTS OF MONEY! THE CALIPERS HAVE LOCKED, AND THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE WHEEL WELL, ALSO. I HAVE TRIED TO GET ASSISTANCE FROM THE DEALER I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM, NO ASSISTANCE FROM THE LOCAL NISSAN DEALER IN RALEIGH, AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST - NISSAN THEMSELVES - THEY EVEN LIED TO ME ON THE PHONE AND TOLD ME THAT IT WAS SENT BACK TO THE LOCAL NISSAN DEALER, WHO HAD THE RIGHT TO COVER THE COSTS, BUT WAS DENYING THE CHARGE. THE LOCAL NISSAN DEALER DISPUTED THIS AND IT LEFT ME WITH NOTHING BUT FRUSTRATION AND WITH A LEMON OF A CAR! I PURCHASED THIS CAR WITH LESS THAN 40000 MILES AND CHECKED THE VIN THROUGH CARFAX. I ALSO CHECKED WHAT CONSUMER REPORTS SAID ABOUT THE MAKE AND MODEL. FROM WHAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED ,AND THE COMPLAINTS I HAVE SEEN ON THIS SITE, I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER NISSAN AGAIN, AND FEEL THAT THE ROTORS AND SENSORS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED BY NISSAN.*AK

WITHIN 50,000 MILES ROTERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES AND HAVE BEEN RESURFACED ONCE. THE FIRST ROTOR REPLACEMENT OCCURRED AT 15, 000 MILES. SYMPTOMS OF THE PROBLEM RANGE FROM SHAKING STEERING WHEEL, HAVING TO PUMP THE BRAKES TO REDUCE SHAKING AND GRINDING SOUNDS THAT OCCUR DURING BREAKING. THE CAR IS DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY WITH INFREQUENT CITY STOP AND GO DRIVING. THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED OR RESURFACED THE ROTERS ON ALL FOUR OCCASSIONS FREE OF CHARGE, BUT FAILS TO ADMIT THAT THERE IS ANY DEFECT AND CITES POSSIBLE DRIVING HABITS AS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

WARPED ROTORS RESURFACED ONCE 18,000 MILES AGO BECAUSE OF HEAVY VIBRATION IN STEERING ON BRAKING (CLOSE TO LOSS OF CONTROL OF CAR). EXPERIENCING SAME PROBLEM AGAIN AND DEALER CLAIMS IT'S DUE TO DRIVE HABITS AND REFUSES TO SERVICE UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE WARPED ROTORS CAUSES YOU TO HAVE TO PUMP THE BRAKES TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN WHICH WOULD EXPLAIN THE WEAR ON THE BRAKE DUE TO DEFECTIVE ROTORS. I DO MOSTLY HIGHWAY DRIVING SO BRAKES NOT USED EXTENSIVELY. NEED TO LOOK AT THE POSSIBILITY THAT SOME COMPONENT IS CAUSING THE ROTORS TO OVERHEAT AND WARP AND NOT A RESULT OF HEAVY BRAKING. SPOUSE EXPERIENCING SAME PROBLEM ON 2002 PATHFINDER WITH 22,000 MILES. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AS I THINK THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM THAT NISSAN IS TRYING TO ATTRIBUTE TO THE CONSUMERS' DRIVE HABITS. LET'S NOT WAIT FOR SEVERE INJURY TO OCCUR BEFORE TAKING ACTION.*AK

ALMOST EVERY 10,000 MILES THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. ON 7/18/2003 VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO RESURFACED THE ROTORS ON THE FRONT AND BACK. *AK

ROTORS WARP AND CAUSE STEERING TO SHAKE WHEN BRAKES APPLIED - ON MY MAXIMA I HAVE NEEDED TO HAVE THE DISKS TURNED 3 TIMES (1ST TIME AT 13K MILES) AND THEN THE ROTORS REPLACED BEFORE I HAD 30K MILES ON MY CAR. NOW AT 44500 I NEED TO GET THE DISKS TURNED AGAIN. I HAD A 98 MAXIMA BEFORE THE 01 AND NEVER HAD TO GET WORK. *NLM

EVERY 15000 MILES FRONT BRAKE ROTOR HAS TO BE REPLACED DUE TO WARPING. CONSUMER OWNS TWO VEHICLE OF THE SAME MAKE/MODEL, BUT DIFFERENT YEARS, AND THEY ARE BOTH SUFFERING THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK

THE ROTORS MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THEM TO WARP. WHEN THE ROTORS WARPED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED STEERING WHEEL SHOOK. THE FASTER VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AND WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED THE WORSE THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK. THIS COULD RESULT IN CONSUMER LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP RESURFACED THE ROTORS, BUT THEY WARPED AGAIN WITHIN 17,000 MILES. *AK

EVERY 3,000-6,000 MILES BRAKE ROTORS BECOME WARPED, CAUSING A SHAKING IN THE STEERING WHILE WHILE BRAKING. NISSAN, ACKNOWLEDGING A PROBLEM WITH THEIR PART, WOULD REPAIR ROTORS OR REPLACE THEM, BUT IT WAS ONLY A TEMPORARY REPAIR, AS THEY WOULD BECOME WARPED AGAIN AFTER A FEW THOUSAND MILES. NISSAN HAS NOW REFUSED TO REPAIR/REPLACE NEW ROTORS THAT WARPED ONLY AFTER FEW THOUSAND MILES.

I AM EXPERIENCING BRAKE ROTOR WARPING PROBLEMS WITH MY 2001 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE DEALER REFUSES TO EVEN INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM. *JB

FRONT ROTORS HAVE FAILED THREE TIMES WITHIN 60,000 AND NISSAN SAYS THAT THIS IS DUE TO DRIVING HABITS, I.E., ROTORS GET HOT AND THEN FAIL. REFERENCE # 4029350 PERJUDY EXT. 3773. DEALER HAS REPLACED ROTORS EACH TIME AND I FIND NO FAULT WITH DEALER WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING THIS; OTHER THAN THE DRIVING HABITS AS EXPRESSED BY THE NISSAN REP. JUDY. THIS CONDITION IS DANGEROUS AND CAUSES THE CAR TO BE BOUNCE WITH LOSS OF CONTROL A VERY REAL POSSIBLITY. FOR THE SECOND REPLACEMENT, A STATEMENT IN THE FOLLOWUP TO NISSAN WAS MADE THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS SERIOUS. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVEN IN THE CITY OR UNDER CITY CONDITIONS WHERE BRAKE PRESSURE OCCURS OFTEN; THE MILES ARE HIGHWAY MILES AS WE LIVE IN THE COUNTRY; WE HAVE A PAVED ROAD TO THE HOUSE SO ROAD CONDITIONS ARE NOT A FACTOR. THE RESPONSE BY NISSAN IS A "RUN-AROUND" WITH THE SAME VERBAGE AND REFLECTS THE NISSAN REP'S ATTTEMPT TO DEFUSE ANY COMPLAINT. IN LOOKING AT THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATIONS, THERE ARE SEVERAL REFERENCES TO ROTOR FAILURE: NISSAN SAID THAT THEY WERE UNAWARE OF ANY PROBLEMS. IN FACT, THE NISSAN DEALER (ANCIRA-SAN ANTONIO, TX) INDICATED THAT I SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN CONCERNING THIS SITUATION. I DID AND AM NOT SATISFIED THE LEAST WITH THEIR RUNAROUND AS I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS CONDITION OF AT LEAST THE VEHICLE WHICH WE HAVE.

MY ROTORS HAD TO BE TURNED AT 17,000 (11/30/2001) AND 32,000 (11/15/2002) MILES DUE TO VIBRATION ON BRAKING. THE SERVICE REP CLAIMS IT IS DUE TO THE ROTORS WARPING DUE TO HEATING UP AND CLAIMS IT IS DUE TO DRIVING HABITS. I DRIVE PRIMARILY HIGHWAY MILES AND LIMITED CITY DRIVING AND THIS REASONING DOESN'T SEEM LIKELY. ESPECIALLY TWICE. I'VE ALSO OWNED A HONDA ACCORD (112,000 MILES) AND A TOYOTA CAMRY (70,000 MILES) AND NEVER HAD ANY SUCH PROBLEMS. THIS MAKES ME QUESTION THE CLAIM THAT IT IS MY BRAKING HABITS. *AK

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN TRYING TO APPLY THE BRAKES THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE AND A VEHICLE ACCIDENT. DEALER NOTIFIED TS

ROTORS WERE WARPING AFTER ONLY 15000 MILES. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER CANNOT FIND CAUSE OF PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE VIBRATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR AN INSPECTION AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE PROBLEM STILL CONTINUED AT THIS TIME. *AK THE FRONT ROTORS WERE REPLACED AND TURNED. ON A LATER DATE THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE RESURFACED. THE DEALER WOULD NOT FIX THE VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY. *SC *JB

FRONT BRAKE WHEEL BEARING FAILED, BRAKE ROTORS WARPS IN LESS THAN 15,000 MI. 02 SENSOR FAILED < 15,000 MI, NEED BRAKES REPLACED LESS THAN EVERY 15,000 MI. EXCESSIVE VIBRATION IN FRONT OF AUTOMOBILE. DEALER IS UNABLE TO ISOLATE AND REPAIR. AUTOMOBILE IS NO DAM GOOD. *JB

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH OR HIGHER THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED WHEN THE BRAKE WERE APPLIED. THE DRIVER SUSPECTED THAT THE ROTORS WERE WARPED. *NLM *CB *NLM