Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||||
| 06029 | 03/30/2006 | 10019626 | Engine oil cooler gasket available. *tt | 04/05/2006 | |
| 99063C | 05/17/2005 | 99063D | 10000401 | Engine will not start. nissan vehicle immobilizer system / nissan anti-theft system (nvis/nats) description key registration. *tt update. *tt | 02/26/2003 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||||
| NTB02010 | 01/22/2002 | 629174 | Some vehicles may exhibit engine idle dropping excessively or stops when engine is started cold. *tt | 03/27/2002 | |
| NTB02010 | 01/22/2002 | 627801 | Subject regarding low/no idle after cold start. *yd | 02/25/2002 | |
| NTB01076 | 11/16/2001 | 627388 | Subject regarding egi harness, wire breakage. *jg | 02/07/2002 | |
| NTB01061 | 09/11/2001 | 624004 | Subject pertaining to engine surge during driving.*jb | 10/31/2001 | |
| NTB01010 | 02/15/2001 | 618795 | Some vehicles may exhibit a buzzing noise coming from the engine compartment for several seconds after the ignition key is turned off. *tt | 04/30/2001 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL | |||||
| NTB01036A | 09/17/2001 | NTB01036 | 628205 | Subject regarding malfunction indicator lamp | 03/06/2002 |
| NTB01036 | 09/17/2001 | 624041 | Information regarding mil on dtc massairflow sensor, mafs.*jb | 10/31/2001 | |
| NTB01016A | 07/02/2001 | NTB01016 | 623204 | This bulletin focuses on vehicles exhibit a malfunction indicator lamp on with rear o2 sensor diagnostic trouble codes p0138 - p0140 or p0158 - p0160. *sb | 10/26/2001 |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
| 01/26/2009 | 1 | ||
| My car seemed to not be getting enough gas and numerous lights including check engine are on. my local repair shop could only figure out it was one of the coils but told me nissan would be able to tell me which one so i would not have to replace all of them. after bringing my car to nissan i am now told i need to replace all the coils since they are defective. nissan should be responsible for this repair. *tr | |||
| 04/03/2007 | 100000 | 1 | 09/17/2004 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2001 nissan maxima. at 55 mph the vehicle suddenly shut off. the vehicle was towed to a local mechanic, who diagnosed the failure as the mass air flow sensor. the replacement part was ordered from the dealer, but the new sensor also failed. the diagnostic test showed that the sensor needed to be reprogrammed. the contact towed the vehicle to the dealer, who stated that the engine motor mounts short-circuited the aac which caused it to blow. once the aac failed the electric shock blew out the emc. in order to properly repair the vehicle the contact must pay almost $3,000. the contact stated that when the key was put in the ignition and the accelerator pedal depressed the vehicle operated normally. however, as soon as the pedal was released the car shut off again. the current and failure mileages were 100,000. *ak | |||
| 02/01/2002 | 70000 | 3 | |
| Check engine light illuminated intermittently. consumer had the computer reset at 36000 miles. vehicle had 70000 miles on it, but problem continued. consumer contacted the dealer. however, problem recurred.*ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM | |||
| 05/05/2005 | 43000 | 5 | 05/05/2005 |
| My service engine comes on every week. i have to put it in the shop all the time and the steering keeps pulling to the right | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 04/04/2011 | 140000 | ||
| Driving to work on the freeway and the car bucked and randomly accelerated and idled high. later found out that the iac valve had antifreeze that leaked through a gasket causing it to short out. shortly after also discovered that the valve shorting out ($200 part) cause the ecm to short out. after labor and parts this turns a $200 repair into over a $2000 repair and causes for unsafe driving due to the erratic idle and surging at the time when the valve shorts out. | |||
| 02/01/2010 | 40000 | 3 | |
| We own a 2001 nissan maxima, which we purchased new from a nissan dealer. it has, on 3 occasions, experienced a problem with surging/high revving.*dt the cause in every case has been a part known as an idle air control valve (iacv), which fails and in doing so, causes the ecm (the engine computer) to fail. we have discovered that hitachi is the sole source for the iacv, whether the part is obtained from a nissan dealer or any other source under any other brand. this issue is apparently a particularly well-known issue with this model series of vehicle, both nissan and infiniti. the first time the vehicle had this issue, it was under warranty and was supposedly repaired by nissan. however, the same issue has recurred on 2 subsequent occasions, and both times nissan has wholly failed to address the issue. we have repeatedly attempted to address this issue with nissan, including, but not limited to, nissan consumer relations, nissan's vp of customer satisfaction, the executive offices escalation department, etc., all with no substantive response from nissan beyond their stating that since the vehicle is no longer under warranty, it isn't nissan's problem. however, it should be noted that in this latest occurrence, nissan initially stated that their refusal to address this issue was due to our allegedly having installed an aftermarket ecm (we had not). however, when the nissan dealer confirmed to nissan that the ecm was in fact a factory nissan part, and we discovered that there is no such thing as an aftermarket ecm, nissan then refused to correct this situation. from our layperson's investigation of this issue, it appears to be a design flaw in the circuitry, and is generally widely known in the repair industry, by enthusiasts, major auto reviewing companies, etc. therefore, it seems that nissan's claim to not know of this issue is disingenuous at best. *tr *dt | |||
| 05/05/2008 | 80000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2001 nissan maxima. while driving approximately 55 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning and then immediately restarted. the dealer stated that the air control valve needed to be replaced at the cost of $550. the contact has not repaired the vehicle because he believes it is a safety defect. the manufacturer did not provide any assistance. the failure and current mileages were 80,000. | |||
| 02/07/2006 | 81740 | 1 | 11/05/2001 |
| 2001 nissan maxima : in december 2004 service engine light came on and i pulled code p0420. vehicle was under 80,000 emissions warranty. dealer reprogrammed the ecm. feb 2007 at 81,800 miles, but within the 96 month warranty, same code appears, however now dealer says that o2 sensor and catalytic converter are bad. dealer says o2 sensor damaged catalytic converter, yet no code appeared for the o2 sensor, and vehicle was only driven less than 2 days with light on. in process of dealing with nissan north america for replacement. also, vehicle was new out of alignment, and alignment was never perfect. *nm | |||
| 02/01/2006 | 1 | ||
| Engine wiring harness has broken causing engine to misfire. took to dealer and they said this happens all the time. want $700 to fix and from research it appears it often breaks again. *nm | |||
| 04/07/2001 | 53579 | 5 | 04/07/2001 |
| While driving 70 mph engine check light came on. vehicle started to run rough and hesitated. vehicle was taken to the dealer, and dealer inspected and diagnosed the vehicle with the following problems: both rear oxygen sensor needed to be replaced, the ecm needed to be reprogrammed, and both front and rear engine mounts were weak, and needed to be replaced. also, manufacturer was notified. *ak replace two motor mounts and two rear oxygen sensors. *bf | |||
| 02/04/2005 | 04/01/2001 | ||
| I experienced trouble starting the car for a couple of weeks prior to this incident also during this time the car was hesitating at various times both on acceleration and cruising. on feb 3, 2005, after returning to the vehicle after a quick stop at the store, the engine would turn over but not catch and start. after trying to start it at least 6 to 8 times, the engine started but the cel, slp and tc engine warning lights went on and stayed on. the vehicle was brought to the nissan dealer and according to the invoice: scanned obd2 system for dtc trouble codes: has code p0430. further diagnosis determined that cam sensor is bad. replaced cam sensor, cleared codes and rechecked. my question which was not fully answered by the nissan dealer is what prompted the mechanic to do further diagnostics after receiving the p0430 which according the information i've been able to gather is not related to a problem caused by the cam sensor. i was advised that the nissan mechanic had a decision tree to follow when diagnosing. in may and june of 2004 the cel light came on i had my local mechanic look at the car and he determined each time that an oxygen sensor was bad replaced them. i will provide a copy of the bill(s) related to all repairs if requested. i have 2 questions of nissan, were the error codes displayed in may and june of 2004 in fact generated in error? what internal information did the nissan dealer have that prompted him to do further diagnostics to come up with a cam sensor failure? *nm | |||
| 10/15/2003 | 1 | 11/01/2000 | |
| Service engine light stays on approximately 70% of the time. purchased car in nov 2000. *la | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | |||
| 06/01/2007 | 96000 | 1 | 10/01/2000 |
| Timing chain, guide or tensioner worn. rattle noise coming from timing chain cover when accelerating from stop or at low end of rpms when revving motor in neutral. could puncture timing chain cover, causing loss of oil or chain could fail. dealers states that removal of engine is required for service , and by the time labor and parts are totaled, it makes more sense to replace the engine. d dealers state that this was a part that should not require service. cost of replacement $4,000, half or more of the value of the vehicle, depending on what price reference was used.*ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||
| 02/25/2008 | 54888 | 1 | |
| In feb. 2008, my maxima 2001, with 55000 miles, stalled out at a stop light--it would start up again but then stalled out when i tried to go. it was towed to the dealership, and the iac valve and the ecm were both replaced for about $1700. then, on oct. 20, 2008, 8 months later with the mileage just under 60,000 miles, the same thing happened but it was preceded by a smell of burning rubber. it was towed to the dealership and i was told that the engine harness needed to be replaced ($2000 parts and labor) and the iac valve and the ecm again needed to replaced (another $1700). at first, the dealer said that the iac valve and ecm were covered under the new parts warranty, but then i was told that if it was the engine harness that was responsible for the failure of the iac valve and the ecm, they were not under warranty and i'd have to pay the total bill of $3700! i started a case file with nissan consumer affairs and was told by a regional specialist that nissan could do nothing for me since the parts were not under warranty. from the internet (and not from the dealership), i learned that the ecm is covered under the epa specified major emission control components warranty for 8 years/80,000 miles but nissan has declined my claim, saying that the iac valve caused the failure of the ecm that first time in feb. 2008, so the ecm is not covered by that warranty. there is no language in the epa warranty that states that as an exclusion and there is no language in nissan's own new parts warranty that states that as an exclusion (i.e., a new part is not covered by the warranty if its failure is caused by another non-warranted part). i have read online many, many similar complaints about the failure of these parts. this seems to be a very dangerous design defect with the potential to cause serious harm. both times i narrowly avoided accidents. nissan hasn't been willing to honor the warranties. i have yet to authorize the repairs and i am not sure what to do next. *tr | |||
| 09/01/2001 | 15000 | 5 | 12/07/2000 |
| 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 | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL | |||
| 03/15/2007 | 95025 | 1 | 06/19/2004 |
| While driving at approximately 30 mph and decelerating the car began to slightly buck when the transmission tried to down shift. after approximately one to two minutes i smelled an electrical burn. when i came to a stop and put the car in park the engine raced to approximately 1600 to 1900 rpms at idle. the obd-ii indicated codes of p0505: idle air control valve and p0420: three way catalyst function. my local mechanic inspected the car and replaced the faulty idle air control valve. he contacted the local nissan service shop, and they informed him that idle air control valve failed and shorted the engine control module, ecm. this seemed to be a common problem the dealer noted, and currently had another 2001 maxima in the shop that was exhibiting the same failures. the dealer inspected my car and reported the idle air control valve failed and shorted the ecm. the failure of the idle air control valve should not short the ecm. this is a design failure and should not be the responsibility of the car owner. the ecm is a $915 part plus labor. the ecm was replaced. this is similar to odi id numbers: 10179328 and 10179390. *ak | |||
| 10/10/2006 | 1 | ||
| Tl*- the contact stated that the 2001idle air control (iac valve) f and the engine computer unit (ecu) failed. the contact stated that 3 months ago he had dealership look at vehicle because the check engine light turned on and the vehicle would not start properly. the contact stated that the burned out ecu causes the vehicle to lose power while driving and causes a loss of steering ability and locked up of the brakes. *ak | |||
| 12/16/2006 | 90000 | 1 | 08/01/2001 |
| Tl* - while driving his 2001 nissan maxima at a speed of 30 mph the vehicle stalled completely losing power. at the time of the failure contact stated that the steering wheel locked, as well as, losing the ability to brake. the contact could not restart the vehicle so he had to have the vehicle towed to dealer. the dealer stated that the idol air control valves caused the computer to short circuit, and that this seemed to be a common problem with the vehicle. *ak | |||
| 07/18/2005 | |||
| I have an '01 maxima se. my check engine light came on, brought it to a dealer who said it was an emission problem & it would cost $900 to fix !!!! and i need it done before i can get my car inspected, which is this month. i have had nothing but issues with this car. when i bought it it kept steering to the right, they used my one free nissan alignment and it was still not right! it was my tires because i had to get new tires @ 30k miles (i had bridgestone potenzas, they don't last very long i found out) so i ended up buying cooper tires for $200/tire. the pulling to the right was cured after that. i have also had a computer problem, an abs light problem, and have already had my rotors & brakes replaced at 30k. i only have 40k on it now. sometimes it doesn't want to start either. (it will putter and die) all in all i will never buy a nissan again. i hope someone will read this & take it from me, do not get a maxima, especially an '01. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - CATALYTIC CONVERTOR | |||
| 12/15/2007 | 90000 | 2 | 10/13/2000 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2001 nissan maxima. while driving (mph unknown) the check engine light illuminated. the dealer inspected the vehicle twice, stated that the catalytic converter failed, and should be replaced. the dealer replaced the catalytic converter at 90,000 and again at 121,000 miles. the current mileage was 121,000 and failure mileage was 90,000. | |||
| 10/08/2006 | 70000 | 10/22/2001 | |
| Service engine light will not go off. no problem with car or the emission or enviormental equipment. spent $100 twice for nissan analysis. they want $1400 for light to go off. ridiculous. called nissan usa after seeing many maxima 2001 cars have similar problem and frustration. recommend another $100 analysis and no support whatsoever. never buying nissan again. | |||
| 05/04/2006 | 1 | 04/21/2001 | |
| I have a problem with emission system and catalyst converter, light service engine went on,and i replaced oxygen sensors while car was under warranty 2 times. and now i need to spent $700 to fix will never buy nissan cars again. *nm | |||
| 02/01/2006 | 3 | ||
| Soon after my warranty expire on my nissan maxima se 2001. my catalytic converter failed. i call the company to complain about it as i understand the converter is not a part that is likely to fail. i have always purchased a 91 octane gasoline or higher and kept a routine maintenance. i also have to replace my exhaust system because of corrosion just recently and as if this was not enough, driving home from work the other day, my car started shaking and vibrating. i am not quite sure what has caused the vibration but would like to bring it to your attention. *nm | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE) | |||
| 06/01/2004 | 33000 | 1 | 02/01/2004 |
| Both oxygen sensors failed. the check engine light illuminated intermittently at first. then the light just stayed on. *jb *sc | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | |||
| 01/11/2008 | 87000 | 1 | 09/12/2005 |
| The intake manifold gasket needed to be replace at 87,000 miles. i have noticed that other maxima owners have had the same experience. *tr | |||
| 04/07/2001 | 53579 | 5 | 04/07/2001 |
| While driving 70 mph engine check light came on. vehicle started to run rough and hesitated. vehicle was taken to the dealer, and dealer inspected and diagnosed the vehicle with the following problems: both rear oxygen sensor needed to be replaced, the ecm needed to be reprogrammed, and both front and rear engine mounts were weak, and needed to be replaced. also, manufacturer was notified. *ak replace two motor mounts and two rear oxygen sensors. *bf | |||
| 11/02/2004 | 50322 | 1 | 06/08/2001 |
| Rear muffler, and gasket needed to be replaced, rotted and loose. *jb | |||
| 09/02/2004 | 50000 | 1 | 10/01/2000 |
| Rear muffler flange will completely rust-through, causing separation of muffler and intake pipe. exhaust fumes will leak at this point which is near rear passengar seating. both muffler and corresponding exhaust pipes are solid and relatively free of rust, however failure of this flange resulted in both pipe and muffler replacement. this seems rather extreme for a flange failure. problem ocurred within four years of ownership (car was purchased new). a letter was sent to the manufacturer, they responded my stating car was out of warranty. my out of pocket expense $300. *ak | |||