2002 Nissan Maxima Electrical System Problems

[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I OWN A 2002 NISSAN MAXIMA WITH LOW MILES, APPROXIMATELY 102,000. THE ENGINE TURNS OVER BUT DOES NOT START. THE DEALER STATES THAT THE PROBLEM WITHIN THE ELECTRICAL HARNESS AND BEHAVES AS IF THE ALARM REMAINS ARMED. THE DEALER STATED THAT HE OWNED THE SAME CAR AROUND THAT YEAR AND THE SAME THING OCCURRED. THE CAR HAS BEEN CARED FOR PROPERLY OVER THE YEARS AND FEEL THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD ASSUME SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER AND IT WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS JUMPSTARTED AND DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC (AUTO ZONE IN ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA) WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ALTERNATOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN. THE FRIEND OF THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE BUSHING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN SINCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000.

AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY AFTER FRONT END COLLISION. (JUNE 2017) PICTURES AFTER ACCIDENT AVAILABLE.

IN SEPT. 2014, MY CAR WAS IN FOR SERVICE AND RECALL NUMBER "03V455000" WAS PERFORMED. THE 2 CAMSHAFT SENSORS AND 1 CRANKSHAFT SENSOR WERE TO ALL BE REPLACED. IN APRIL 2016, MY CAR WAS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH ALL 3 SENSORS. MY CAR WOULD STOP AT ANY MOMENT (STOPPED OR DRIVING). I'VE BEEN IN MANY INTERSECTIONS OR THE INTERSTATE AND IT'LL DIE ON ME AND TAKE A LONG TIME TO CRANK BACK UP. I HAD TO PAY OVER $120 AT THE DEALERSHIP TO GET THE DIAGNOSIS. UPON LOOKING AT MY RECALL PAPERWORK, ONLY THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR WAS REPLACED. WHEN BRINGING THAT INFO TO DEALER, THEY CLAIMED IT WAS A KIT THAT INCLUDED ALL 3 SENSORS. EVERY SINGLE INTERNET SEARCH, INCLUDING NISSAN'S OWN PUBLIC PARTS WEBSITE, SAYS THAT PART # 23731-AL60C IS A SINGLE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR AND COULD NOT PROVE THAT THEIR INTERNAL/PRIVATE PARTS SYSTEM CLAIMED IT WAS A KIT. I THEM REACHED OUT TO THE NISSAN RECALL NUMBER (1-800-647-7261) LISTED ON THE RECALL TO EXPLAIN THE ISSUE WITH ALL THE SENSORS NOT BEING REPLACED. AFTER A FEW CALLS, MY INFO WAS ROUTED TO A REGIONAL ASSOCIATE. I ASKED HER IF SHE NEEDED TO EXPLAIN THE STORY TO HER AND SHE SAID SHE DIDN'T. AFTER 5 DAYS, THE REGIONAL ASSOCIATE CALLED ME BACK AND EXPLAINED TO ME THAT SHE REACHED OUT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND SAID THAT NISSAN IS AGREEING WITH THE DEALERSHIP AND CANNOT ASSIST ME ANY FURTHER. SHE COULD SEE THE WORK INFORMATION, BUT SEEMED SIMPLY SIDED WITH THE DEALERSHIP WITHOUT ANY FURTHER INFO OR QUESTIONING ME FOR A BETTER UNDERSTANDING.

PURCHASED USED FROM DEALER IN PETALUMA CALIFORNIA IN FEBRUARY 2010. NO PROBLEMS UNTIL VEHICLE BEGAN LOOSING POWER WHILE DRIVING AT 55. DASH ABS INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. VEHICLE SUDDENLY SLOWED TO 5 MILES AN HOUR, RPM'S DECREASED. STEERING STILL ENABLED AS WELL AS BRAKES. ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENT SEVERAL TIMES. TOWED TO DEALER (SANTA ROSA NISSAN, SANTA ROSA CALIFORNIA). RENTED A CAR. JUST RECEIVED CALL FROM DEALER STATING I NEED AN ALTERNATOR, BELTS AND HAVE A MASSIVE OIL LEAK AT VALVE COVER GASKET. TOLD HIM I SPILLED OIL YESTERDAY, MY MECHANIC ALREADY CHECKED FOR LEAKS, THERE ARE NONE. MADE HIM AWARE OF THE 3 RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE ADDRESSING LOSS OF POWER (2 OUT OF 3 RECALLS). SAID HE WOULD CHECK AND GET BACK TO ME. MY MECHANICS HAVE NOT MENTIONED BELTS OR ALTERNATOR TO ME. *TR

AUTOMATIC AND MANUAL DOOR LOCKS FAIL TO UNLOCK DRIVERS DOOR THEREBY PREVENTING EASY EGRESS FROM VEHICLE IN CASE OF EMERGENCY. ONCE FAILURE OCCURS THE DRIVERS DOOR CAN NOT BE OPENED FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE FORCING THE PASSENGER TO EVACUATE THE VEHICLE VIA THE OPEN WINDOW OR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED RANDOMLY OVER THE LAST 30 DAYS. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AS ROOT CAUSE OF PROBLEM HAS NOT BE DIAGNOSED.

PROBLEM RELATED TO CAM POSITION SENSORS (CAM SHAFT SENSOR AND POSSIBLY VIAS SENSORS). THIS INTERMITTENT FAILURE, CAUSES THE CAR TO BUCK. OFTEN THIS WILL CAUSE THE CAR TO STALL. THIS ISSUE IS PROMINENT WITH A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF NISSAN MAXIMA 2002 OWNERS AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL NISSAN YEARS AND MODELS (MURANO, ALTIMA). THE FREQUENCY OF THE ISSUE OCCURRING FOR NISSAN OWNERS AS WELL AS THE SEVERITY - STALLS HAVE OCCURRED FOR ME US AT ANY TIME INCLUDING MIDDLE OF INTERSECTION AND ALSO ON THE HIGHWAY RESULTING IN SOME VERY CLOSE CALLS AND POTENTIAL UPCOMING ACCIDENTS. NISSAN'S NEGLIGENCE IN RECALLING AND FIXING THIS PROBLEM, IS LIKELY TO LEAD TO ACCIDENTS AND LOSS OF LIFE. THE NISSAN DEALER HAS NOT RESPONDED TO MY DIRECT REQUESTS TO PLEASE FIX THE ISSUE AS THEY WILL ONLY DO THIS IF NISSAN ISSUES A RECALL. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS, THIS IS AN EXTREMELY FREQUENT AND EXPENSIVE REPAIR FOR NISSAN OWNERS. PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE AT RISK IF THIS IS NOT ADDRESSED AND THIS IS THE AVENUE THAT THE NORTHEAST NISSAN REP SAID I NEED TO TAKE TO START THE RECALL PROCESS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE APPROACHING A STOP AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. AFTER THE VEHICLE LOST POWER, THE CONTACT STARTED THE ENGINE AND DROVE TO THE DEALER. NO FAILURES WERE FOUND. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE, WHICH STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE. SHE RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THEY REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. A FEW MONTHS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD REPAIR THE VEHICLE AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 71,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

WHEN I GOT INTO MY CAR TO LEAVE, THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I HAD SOME ONE GIVE ME A JUMP, AND MY CAR STARTED. I WAS DRIVING HOME, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE CAR QUICK RUNNING. I COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND PARKED. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO PEAK NISSAN. PEAK CHECK THE CAR THE NEXT DAY AND TOLD ME ALL I NEED WAS A BATTERY. THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY, THE CAR HAS RUN FINE SINCE. I DRIVE A 2002 NISSAN MAXIMA. MY BIG QUESTION, WHY DID THE BATTERY FAILURE CAUSE THE CAR TO STOP RUNNING? *JB

I DRIVE THE CAR TO WHEREVER I AM GOING, PARK IT AND WHEN I RETURN IT WILL NOT START. I JUMP START THE CAR AND IT MAY NOT HAPPEN FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I OWNED THE VEHICLE. I AM ON MY FOURTH BATTERY SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A TEMPORARY FIX AND WILL LAST A FEW MONTHS AND THE SAME THING WILL START TO HAPPEN. THEY DID A DIAGNOSIS AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. *NM

DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. PING AND NOCKING COMING FROM ENGINE DURING LIGHT ACCELERATION. CAUSES LOSS OF POWER , LOUD NOISE AND POSSIBLE INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE IF GOES UN REPAIRD. NISSAN IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT CHOOSES NOT TO MAKE IT A RECALL. USES TACTICS TO GET OWNER OF VEHICLE TO PAY FOR REPAIR OR ULTIMATELY REPAIRS WHILE MAKING CUSTOMER AWARE THEY ARE ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES.*AK

2K2 HID THEFT. FRONT LIGHTS. HOOD, GRILL, ELECTRICAL, FENDER AND BUMPER DAMAGE.*AK

RE: ODI CASE NUMBER: 10095661 SAME COMPLAINT. STARTED THE CAR AND DRIVE TO A DESTINATION. TRIED TO RESTART CAR AND IT WILL NOT START. FIRST OCCURRENCE ON 07/08/03 AT 11,488 MILES. WE JUMP STARTED THE CAR AND TOOK IT TO HILL NISSAN WINTER HAVEN FLORIDA. THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. TOLD US TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED SO THEY COULD CHECK WITH COMPUTER IF HAPPENED AGAIN. THE SECOND OCCURRENCE WAS ON 08/19/02 AT 11,567 MILES. VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND THE ORIGINAL BATTERY, IT HAD A FAULTY CELL AND BATTERY WAS REPLACED. THIRD OCCURRENCE 05/03/04 AND 17,673 MILES. WE CHARGED BATTERY, AND TOOK TO DEALERSHIP. COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. FOURTH OCCURRENCE 05/27/04 AND 21,488 MILES. AT THIS TIME WE EXPRESSED OUR CONCERN ALTERNATOR PROBLEM. WE WERE PROMISED BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR THAT BASED ON THE INTERMITTENT NATURE OF THE PROBLEM THEY WOULD TEST THE CAR ALL DAY, AND THEY WOULD CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER AS WELL. THIS DID NOT HAPPEN. AGAIN THEY COULD NOT FIND NOTHING WRONG. WHEN WE PICKED UP THE CAR, WE ASKED TO HAVE THE ALTERNATOR BENCH TESTED, BUT THEY REFUSED. WE OFFERED TO PAY FOR A BENCH TEST, AND IF FOUND FAULTY, THEY WOULD REPLACE UNDER WARRANTY. THIS WAS ALSO DECLINED, STATING THEY COULD NOT DO THAT BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. AT THIS TIME WE EXPRESSED OUR CONCERN AS TO THE WARRANTY EXPIRATION. FIFTH OCCURRENCE WAS ON 11/02/04 AND 22,558 MILES. VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND AGAIN A FAULTY CELL IN THE BATTERY WAS NOTED. SIXTH OCCURRENCE 4/19/05 AND 23,298 MILES. VEHICLE TOWED. AGAIN, DEALERSHIP STATES FAULTY BATTERY. THIS WAS THE FOURTH BATTERY.*AK

EXCESSIVE CRANKING TIME BEFORE ENGINE TURNS OVER. OCCASIONALLY HAVE TO ATTEMPT TO START MORE THAN ONCE. ONCE STARTED ENGINE MAKES A CHATTERING NOISE AS THE RPM'S DROP TO IDLE... DEALER STATES "CANNOT DUPLICATE AT THIS TIME". *NLM

HEAD LIGHTS WERE STOLEN FROM THE VEHICLE. DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, HOOD AND BUMPER BECAUSE THIEF KNEW THAT THERE WAS NO MOTION SENSOR ALARM. THE BRACKETS HOLDING EACH $724 LIGHT IS MADE OF PLASTIC AND CAN EASILY BE SNAPPED/BROKEN. THE ANTI-THEFT KIT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE IT DOESN'T FIX THE ISSUE THAT THE LIGHTS CAN STILL BE REMOVED BY BREAKING THE BRACKET WITHOUT OPENING THE HOOD. THE HORN WIRING WAS ALSO REMOVED BECAUSE OF ITS EASY ACCESSIBILITY THROUGH THE GRILL. *LA