1998 NISSAN MAXIMA Electrical System Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, SMOKE STARTED TO EMIT FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS MERGED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE CONTACT NOTICED THE PRESENCE OF FIRE COMING FROM THE ALTERNATOR. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 02V171000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

Mileage: 170,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO ACTIVATE THE AIR CONDITIONER BUT IT WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEY STATED THAT THE A/C CONTROL UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 185,000.

Mileage: 185,000

WHEN WE BOUGHT OUR NISSAN AT 96648 MILES, THERE WAS REMARKABLY LITTLE RUST UNDERNEATH. THE ALTERNATOR WENT OUT ON 10-12-12 AND WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. THEY REFUSED TO REPAIR IT AFTER FINDING THAT THE CORE SUPPORT FOR THE MOTOR IS RUSTED AND ROTTED OUT. FURTHER RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THIS ISSUE HAS OCCURRED IN THIS MODEL OF CAR FOR MANY YEARS. IF WE HAD KNOWN THAT THIS CAR WAS SO UNSAFE WE WOULD NEVER HAVE PURCHASED IT IN THE FIRST PLACE. TOYOTA HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH THEIR PICKUP TRUCKS AND THEY WERE BUYING BACK THE TRUCKS FOR LARGE SUMS OF MONEY. WHY ISN'T NISSAN DOING / BEING FORCED TO DO THE SAME? WE EXPECTED ANOTHER 50,000 MILES OUT OF THIS CAR AND NOW IT IS WORTHLESS. THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE, THERE HAS TO BE A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN. A MAJOR STRUCTURAL COMPONENT SHOULD BE THE LAST THING TO CORRODE. *TR

Mileage: 239,900

I HAVE A 1998 NISSAN MAXIMA I NOW HAVE TO REPLACE ALL SIX COILS, MAF MASS AIRFLOW, ALL SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES, ALL THREE O2 SENSORS IT STALLS, RUNS ROUGH, AND CUTS OFF. NOW IT WILL NOT START. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND NOONE SEEMS TO WANT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES THE CUSTOMERS ARE HAVING INCLUDING ME. SEEMS LIKE NISSAN NEEDS A RECALL ON THESE PARTS IT IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR THE CAR TO SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. *TR

Mileage: 170,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR AN OIL CHANGE, FIGURING THAT WOULD REMEDY THE VEHICLE DEFECT, BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR. THE DEALER STATED THAT OWNER OF THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT EVEN THOUGH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS OUT AFTER REPAIR, THE VEHICLE STILL DEFECTIVE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 177,055. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 177,106. UPDATED 5/6/10 *CN UPDATED 07/09/10.*JB

Mileage: 177,055

MY CAR IS A NISSAN MAXIMA 1998, IT HAS 120K MILES ON IT. THIS IS MY ONLY MEAN OF TRANSPORTATION; RECENTLY THE CAR JUST WON'T START. I HAVE TO KEEP TRYING SEVERAL TIMES UNTIL IT STARTS. I RECENTLY REPLACED THE 'STARTER' BUT THE PROBLEM STILL HAPPENS. I HAVE BEEN READING DIFFERENT INTERNET FORUMS THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS KIND OF PROBLEMS, THE DEALERS CHARGE ABOUT $1,000.00 TO REPLACE THE IGNITION COILS. THIS SINCE TO BE THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM, I DO NOT HAVE THIS MONEY. I THINK BECAUSE ON BEHAVE OF ALL PEOPLE HAVING TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS CARS. *TR

Mileage: 120,000

MY 1998 NISSAN MAXIMA HAS BEEN MISFIRING. IT TURNS OUT THAT I HAVE BAD IGNITION COILS. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING, ESPECIALLY AT 80K MILES. IT'S ESPECIALLY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY COSTLY PROBLEM. I DID SOME RESEARCH, AND THIS IS AN EXTREMELY TYPICAL PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL. JUDGING BY THE FREQUENCY OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE THERE SHOULD WITHOUT A DOUBT BE A RECALL. *JB

ON 30 NOVEMBER 2006 I STARTED THE CAR WHICH THEN QUIT RUNNING AND STARTED SMOKING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I COULD SEE THE ALTERNATOR WAS BURNING SO I PULLED THE BATTERY CABLE TO STOP THE FIRE. DAMAGE AFFECTED THE ALTERNATOR, ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR AND SOME WIRING. I DISCOVERED THERE WAS A RECALL FOR DEFECTIVE ALTERNATORS ON THIS VEHICLE. MY ALTERNATOR FAILURE APPEARS TO BE THE SAME AS THE FAILURES COVERED BY THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 02V171000 DATED JUNE 24, 2002. I CONTACTED NISSAN ON DECEMBER 1, 2006 WHO STATED MY VIN WAS WITHIN THE RANGE OF VEHICLES FOR THIS RECALL AND THEY WOULD CONTACT THE DEALER AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH. I CONTACTED THE DEALER WHO STATED IT APPEARED THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE RECALL BUT COULD NOT PROCEED UNTIL AUTHORIZATION FROM NISSAN. ON 8 DECEMBER, 2006,AFTER 7 DAYS, NISSAN CONTACTED ME AND STATED MY VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND REFUSED TO FIX THE DEFECTIVE ALTERNATOR. NISSAN COULD NOT EXPLAIN HOW MY VIN WAS WITHIN THE RANGE OF VEHICLES AFFECTED BY THE RECALL BUT MY PARTICULAR VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. I HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT MY EXPENSE AND HAD TO TURN-IN THE DEFECTIVE ALTERNATOR AS A CORE SO THE DEFECTIVE ALTERNATOR IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. IT APPEARS THE RANGE OF DEFECTIVE ALTERNATORS IS LARGER THAN NISSAN IS WILLING TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY. THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND NISSAN HELD ACCOUNTABLE. THE DAMAGE COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. *NM

Mileage: 125,996

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ALTERNATOR CAUGHT ON FIRE. THERE IS AN NHTSA RECALL, # 02V171000 REGARDING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. *AK

Mileage: 113,000

ON THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2006 AT APPROXIMATELY 10:15AM I WENT OUT TO MY DRIVEWAY AND STARTED MY 1998 NISSAN MAXIMA. UPON STARTING THERE WAS A TERRIBLE GRINDING NOISE. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTATED IT AT WHICH TIME THE CAR BEGAN SMOKING. I DROVE THE CAR DIRECTLY TO MY INDEPENDENT SERVICE STATION (APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE ) FOR THEM TO CHECK THE VEHICLE. UPON OPENING THE HOOD, WE OBSERVED FIRE, WHICH WAS EXTINGUISHED. FURTHER OBSERVATION CONFIRMED THAT THE ALTERNATOR HAD CAUGHT FIRE AND THE SERVICE STATION MADE THE REPAIRS. THE OLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. AS THERE IS A RECALL ON SOME 1998 NISSAN MAXIMA'S FOR THIS PROBLEM I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS MATTER IS BEING TAKEN SO LIGHTLY. THE NEXT TIME THIS OCCURS, THE RESULTS COULD BE TRAGIC. *NM

RECALL-NISSAN MAXIMA ALTERNATOR ,1998 .OPEN RECALL,DOES NOT NEED TO BE ORIGINAL OWNER. BEFORE I WAS INFORMED OF RECALL ALTERNATOR STOPPED WORKING (ON HIGHWAY GOING 55 LUCKY TO BE ALIVE)! AFTER REPAIRS WERE MADE,CAR CAME OUT OF REPAIR SHOP WITH AIR BAG LIGHT BLINKING. TOOK CAR TO NISSAN. AFTER PAYING $100.00,THEY INFORMED ME SIDE AIR BAGS WERE FAULTY AND THEY'RE NOT SURE IF FRONT AIR BAGS WILL WORK PROPERLY. AFTER I WAS INFORMED OF RECALL I BROUGHT CAR BACK TO NISSAN,THEY REPLACED NEW ALTERNATOR WITH ANOTHER NEW ALTERNATOR AND PAID ME FOR THE FIRST ALTERNATOR. MY CLAIM IS THAT THE FAULTY ALTERNATOR UNDER A RECALL NOTICE CAUSED MY AIR BAGS TO STOP WORKING. NISSAN HAS INFORMED ME IT'S POSSIBLE WE WILL LOOK INTO IT. HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING FROM NISSAN. THEY DID INFORM ME IT WOULD COST $1,200.00 TO FIX. SO NOW MY SON IS DRIVING THE CAR WITHOUT KNOWING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER IF THE AIR BAGS WILL WORK. NISSANS NOT SURE IF FRONTS WILL WORK! NISSAN NEEDS TO REPLACE AIR BAGS AT THERE COST. THERE PRODUCT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY THE ALTERNATOR CAUGHT ON FIRE, AND THE FIRE WAS IMMEDIATELY EXTINGUISHED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP YET FOR INSPECTION. THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT UNDER NHTSA RECALL 02V171000 .THE MANUFACTURER HAS AGREED TO FIX THE VEHICLE UNDER THE RECALL. THE REPAIRS HAVE NOT MADE. *AK

Mileage: 103,000

DT: THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE ALTERNATOR, HOWEVER, NISSAN STATED THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE AND COULD HEAR A SOUND AND VIEWED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONSUMER OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW FIRE IN MIDDLE OF THE ALTERNATOR. THIS HAPPENED ON AUGUST 15, 2005. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONSUMER KEPT THE BAD ALTERNATOR. *AK RECALL CAMPAIGN# 02V171000. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ALTERNATOR. THERE WAS ALSO A VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. *SC

Mileage: 64,336

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. RECALL 02V171000 WAS ISSUED. CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK WHEN THE CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. AS THE HOOD WAS OPENED FIRE WAS SEEN BURNING INSIDE THE ALTERNATOR. AFTER TESTING THE ALTERNATOR RESULTS CONFIRMED THAT THE MALFUNTION TO BE IDENTICAL WITH THE BASIS OF THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FAULTYALTERNATOR WITH A NEW ONE. *TC

1998 NISSAN MAXIMA , VIN # [XXX] . I CHECK THE RECALL VIN # ON THIS VEHICLE AND IT WAS NOT IN THE RANGE OF #'S. BUT MY ALTERNATOR STARTED ON FIRE IN MY DRIVEWAY WHEN I STARTED IT UP THAT NIGHT. IT DID EVERYTHING THE RECALL STATED IT WOULD. I AM CALLING THE DEALER TOMORROW TO SEE IF ITS COVERED. *JB UPDATED 07/26/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Mileage: 135,000

THE BATTERY WAS CONSTANTLY DRAINED AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WERE DIM. *JB

HEADLIGHT HARNESS CONNECTORS BURNED OUT IN 3 MONTHS CAUSING SAFETY HAZARD FOR NIGHT DRIVING. I HAVE REPLACED THE RIGHT AND LEFT HARNESS 6 TIMES AND THEY CONTINUE TO BLOW. THE REPLACEMENT HARNASSES ARE OEM REPLACEMENT PARTS AND WERE PURCHASED FROM THE NISSAN DEALER.

Mileage: 8,788

A CLICKING NOISE WAS COMING FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE THAT WAS GETTING LOUDER AND LOUDER. ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND ENGINE SHUT OFF. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO STATED IT WAS THE ALTERNATER, NOT TO USE REAR DEFOGGER BECAUSE IT MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE, ALSO DEALER TOLD CONSUMER NOT TO FIX IT BECAUSE THERE WAS GOING TO BE A RECALL.*AK *JB

VEHICLE STALLED AND STARTED SMOKING IN A BUSY INTERSECTION WHILE MAKING A TURN. ENGINE FAILED WITH NO DASBBOARD WARNING LIGHTS. VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED FOR A LOOSE WIRE IN ALTERNATOR WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ELECTRICAL FIRE TO VEHICLE. CONSUMER JUST RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL 02-V-171-000/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM THAT OCCURRED.*AK

BATTERY EXPLODED WHEN STARTING VEHICLE. BATTERY WAS REPLACED BY DEALER IN FEBRUARY 2002. THE DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

DIAGNOSE FROM NISSAN ELMWOOD FOR $39.22 STATES: " A CK FOG LAMP BURNT BY IGNITION WIRING WHOEVER INSTALLED ALARM SYSTEM IN VEHICLE TAPPED INTO HARNESS NEAR IGNITION AND LEFT WIRES BARE AND AFTER TIME THESE WIRES TOUCH AND BURNT. BRING VEHICLE BACK TO WHOEVER INSTALLED ALARM SYSTEM INTO VEHICLE FOR REPAIRS!!!". I BROUGHT MY CAR TO NISSAN ROUTE 22 WERE I HAD ALARM INSTALLED. THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME FOR DIAGNOSES AND PERHAPS REPAIRS THEN. I BOUGHT NEW CAR FROM NISSAN DEALER, DID ALL REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE WITH NISSAN. DEMAGE WASN'T CAUSED BY ME. DRIVING WITH DANGER OF ANOTHER SHORT AND PERHAPS FIRE. DID DIAGNOSE WITH INDEPENDENT MECHANIC SHOP WHO STATES: "NISSAN IGNITION SIDE IS NOT SECURE, IT IS COMPLETELY OPEN AND MY WIRES ARE ALREADY MELTED WHICH HE DOESN'T WARRANTY MY SAFTY." I WOUL LIKE TO FAX COPIES OF THOSE STATMENTS. I HAD CALLED NISSAN HOT LINE. I HAD CALLED GM FROM NISSAN ROUTE 22 WHO NEVER RETURNED MY CALL AND LEFT ME WITH THIS SITUATION. CAR MAY GO ON FIRE AT ANY TIME.

AIR SUSPENSION REPLACED TWICE; WIRING HARNESS ALSO REPLACED

BATTERY FAILED. YH

BATTERY FAILED. NLM