# 09 Floating Car



## 09blackMnM (Aug 24, 2010)

Hello Everyone! I'm new to Nissan... my gf just bought an new 09 Sentra s Fe+ with 30 miles on the odometer and it’s been a disaster since day 1. I just wanted to see if anyone has had the same problems as us. Since she’s bought the car it has been in the shop about 15-20 times to fix a "floating" problem. The car feels like it’s on ice when you drive it around 60-80 mph. It could also be construed as a wobble that is back and forth and it gets worse when it's raining out or icy on the road. The car has been in the shop and aligned multiple times and the resurfaced the rotors which made things worse. The dealships we have taken it to tell us they don’t feel anything and that they see nothing wrong. One dealer said they felt the brakes were warped and resurfaced the rotors which made things worse. They are now replacing all of the rotors because they are “warped” again. Please help! The car has 15k miles on it now and we've owned it less than a year. We tried doing the lemon law thing and Nissan gives us the ring around and now wont return our calls or the dealerships calls.


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## chimmike (Oct 17, 2002)

well, warped rotors won't give the car a 'floaty' feeling on the highway. Check the tire pressure, check ALL the suspension components to make sure they're properly bolted down.

As for lemon law proceedings, check with your state's attorney general's office for guidance.


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## 09blackMnM (Aug 24, 2010)

The tire pressure is fine. I have tire discounters check it once every few weeks to make sure its at the proper level. Also the dealer ship it's at right now claims they have checked the suspension bolts multiple times when it comes in and everything is tight and in the proper locations. I read somewhere on here that there is a common rear end problem on the 08 sentra's with the cvt trans where the car goes out of alignment and causes problems. Is this a common problem people have been talking about?


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## Faja (Aug 31, 2009)

It almost sounds like your car is hydroplaning on dry roads!!!! Trying putting some weight in the back seat and trunk (couple hundred pounds) and see if you get the same effect. A lot of people have complained about the alignment problem but I haven't heard about the "floating" part.


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## 09blackMnM (Aug 24, 2010)

What sort of alignment problems have they been complaining about? Do you have sites to back this up. The dealers I have taken the car to say they have never had this problem before and they feel the car feeling "floaty" is caused by the wind and crown in the road... which is bs.


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## Faja (Aug 31, 2009)

09blackMnM said:


> What sort of alignment problems have they been complaining about? Do you have sites to back this up. The dealers I have taken the car to say they have never had this problem before and they feel the car feeling "floaty" is caused by the wind and crown in the road... which is bs.


Read this.... very interesting stuff!!!

http://www.nissanforums.com/b16-2007/148753-2007-sentra-2008-sentra-rear-alignment.html


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## DiaJoe (Sep 2, 2010)

*I have a Lemon Too!!!*

I bought a certified used car from a Nissan dealership in 2008, the car was a 2007 Nissan Sentra. The car worked for about 1 month. The first time my car didn't start I was about 50 miles away from my house and it was 11 pm at night and I was by myself. 
Then right after, there was a clicking sounds in the front and rear on the right side of my car. This would happen anytime I would Stop or Accelerate the car. I brought the car into the dealership for the click sound. They could never recreate it, so they sent me home. This happened a multiple times, same dealership, for the same 2 issues. They would never take responsibility for the issues, not until I told them I would contact Nissan Consumer Affairs! 
Once I got through to Nissan Consumer Affairs, after dealing with these issues for almost 1 year and half, Nissan Consumer Affairs, told me that I have 2 options. 1. to have a engineer come see my car and see if they can fix it, which is the same thing as me bringing in the car into the dealership. 2. if I trade the Sentra in for a Used car, I'll get $500-$750 towards that. 3. if I get a brand new car, they will give me an extent warranty, worth $1800. 
After almost 2 years of putting up with Nissan, I have gotten to the point where I would rather turn the car in and go without one, then own a Nissan!!!

Good Luck on your 2009. Nissan, does not care for the consumer!!!


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## Louis138 (Nov 19, 2007)

Get a 4 wheel alignment. It's probably about $100 and I'd almost guarantee that the rear axle has excessive toe-in. This is a known issue with these cars from the factory. I've personally experienced this exact problem and it was completely fixed by correctly shimming the rear axle.


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## ChrisAce (Sep 30, 2004)

Try to keep it under 180MPH, this should help with the floating feeling. Either that or install a rear spoiler. 

Seriously though. Couldn't you just check the rear toe in/out using a string before spending the $100? Park your car on a relatively flat spot. Turn your front wheels straight. Tie a string somewhere near the middle of the bumper and wrap the string around your car at the caenter of each wheel and pull it tight. See if there is a gap between the string and either the front or back of the rear tires. If there is a gap, then this means the tires are toed in or toed out.

See this site for pictures of the string.


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## ChrisAce (Sep 30, 2004)

Here is another example. This guy was a little more elaborate though. I love the wheel mod.


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## Louis138 (Nov 19, 2007)

You are correct. I was able to use a similar "String" method, which is basically outlined in the Factory Service Manual, and was able to estimate the total rear toe to within about 0.050". I didn't completely trust my method, so I took the car to an alignment shop, where they verified with a laser rack and adjusted with partial contact shims.


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## sup_mario (Jun 30, 2010)

I misunderstood the word "floating" lol


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## ChrisAce (Sep 30, 2004)

Louis138 said:


> ... was able to estimate the total rear toe to within about 0.050"...


But that only equals about 0.14 degrees of toe in. For a toe in of about 3 degrees you are looking at a toe in of about 1.0". I don't see how what you measured was even worth adjusting. What did the shop report as the original error?


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## Louis138 (Nov 19, 2007)

The original error is the known manufacturing flaw in the rear beam axles, causing excessive toe in. The fix is to shim the rear wheel bearing assemblies out. I guessed about 0.200" toe in from the rear edge of the tire to the front using a plumb bob, some masking tape, a marker, and a tape measure. The alignment shop recorded it as being about 1/4" in, hence my 0.050" disparity. Either way, my '07 Sentra had a very similar sounding "float" or "sway" in the rear end caused by the factory rear toe in. After the shims, the car tracks significantly better and the average gas mileage is about 3.5 MPG higher now than it was before.


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