# Maxima Clutch fade problem...again ( Long)



## terrys (Sep 24, 2004)

I did post this problem under General but thought I post the issue here as well. My Maxima with 13k miles on it will experience clutch fade when in heavy stop and go traffic and hot weather. This has occured 3 times. Fading to the point there is only a couple of inches till the pedal hits the floor. Shifting then becomes difficult. I've brought it to the dealer, under warrenty, and they can not duplicate the problem. Hence, there is no problem according to them. They did attempt to bled the master clutch cylinder but they said they found no air or leaks in the system. Fluid all normal. They took it for a long test drive but didn't follow what I asked them to do.... at least drive it in heavy stop and go traffic.I asked that they at least remove the cylinder and inspect it. T They refused to do this because there was no reason to ( can't duplicate problem = there is no problem). I did call the 1-800 number and asked for help and got the same story. Besides 'can't duplicate problem = no problem'. they said spending in more time on the car is like working for free.

Not sure what to do next. I actually understand their view about it's hard to fix a problem they can't see but somewhat upset that they won't at least physically inspect the master cylinder. Any suggestions? Last time it happened, last week, I tried to get it to the dealer but of course, a block before I got there, the problem went away. Even stranger still as I haven't a clue what would suddenly make the problem go away. Starts on the freeway, pull off the exit to the dealership, two blocks later the problem goes away.

Thought I'd vent and solicit suggestions. Thanks.

Terry


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## asleepz (Feb 24, 2004)

Try talking to a manger, if he won't help you. Ask him for a number that you can call for someone at a corperate office and I'm sure it'll change his mind.


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## terrys (Sep 24, 2004)

SKD_Tech said:


> Try talking to a manger, if he won't help you. Ask him for a number that you can call for someone at a corperate office and I'm sure it'll change his mind.


 Hi SKD... Good advice.... as usual. The only number they would give me is the 1-800 #. Since I know when the problem is most likely to happen, I thought I might plan to do some heavy duty stop and go driving near the dealership to see if I could get the problem to happen. In Ca. we still have some hot days in front of us. I'm also a AAA member, as is the dealership, so I'm making a compliant to AAA as well. More for documentation than anything else.

Terry


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## Matt93SE (Sep 17, 2003)

sounds like you're taking the right steps.

I had a problem with clutch slippage shortly after I had the tranny rebuilt and clutch replaced by a shop. I complained to them and asked for them to drive the car. the tech took it out and babied it.. never shifted over 2000rpm. ummm, hello?! it's not going to slip unless you're in the power band! I couldn't even merge on the highway without is going up in smoke in 3rd gear, yet they wouldn't do anything about it... 
blah blah blah.. I just said f*** 'em and replaced the clutch myself, then disputed the credit card charge by $250 off their insane price of $2000 for a rebuilt tranny.

so yeah, I've been there. for you, the results will hopefully be different than mine. get the service manager involved. if that doesn't work, get the general manager involved. if that doesn't work, get Nissan NA and AAA involved.


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## Manon (Jul 13, 2005)

terrys said:


> I did post this problem under General but thought I post the issue here as well. My Maxima with 13k miles on it will experience clutch fade when in heavy stop and go traffic and hot weather. This has occured 3 times. Fading to the point there is only a couple of inches till the pedal hits the floor. Shifting then becomes difficult. I've brought it to the dealer, under warrenty, and they can not duplicate the problem. Hence, there is no problem according to them. They did attempt to bled the master clutch cylinder but they said they found no air or leaks in the system. Fluid all normal. They took it for a long test drive but didn't follow what I asked them to do.... at least drive it in heavy stop and go traffic.I asked that they at least remove the cylinder and inspect it. T They refused to do this because there was no reason to ( can't duplicate problem = there is no problem). I did call the 1-800 number and asked for help and got the same story. Besides 'can't duplicate problem = no problem'. they said spending in more time on the car is like working for free.
> 
> Not sure what to do next. I actually understand their view about it's hard to fix a problem they can't see but somewhat upset that they won't at least physically inspect the master cylinder. Any suggestions? Last time it happened, last week, I tried to get it to the dealer but of course, a block before I got there, the problem went away. Even stranger still as I haven't a clue what would suddenly make the problem go away. Starts on the freeway, pull off the exit to the dealership, two blocks later the problem goes away.
> 
> ...



Hello Terry, 

This same problem has happened to me about 5 times. I have a 2004. Just 2 weeks ago it happened while I was on the highway so I called my friend to get the number to the dealership to tell them I was on my way.. and just as I got about a mile away from the dealership, it went away. They have looked at it once but told me the same thing, nothing found. This is the type of issues people have before recalls. They can't find anything wrong with something NO person is going to make up, then 2 yrs later a recall. I just LOVE my MAX but if it keeps happening and they continue to refuse to do the inspections I feel need to be done (like you, check every inch of it) then I will have to get rid it. It is bad enough we are somewhat compromising our safety. Not to mention its kind of embarrassing driving with someone and just as they are complimenting your new ride, you have to pull over or take a detour to the dealership. Like with you; it has seemed to do it on hot days. I try to keep mine clean so I thought it may have been water getting somewhere for some reason but then it did it several days after a washing so I excluded that.

Have you found out anything about this problem?


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## Zfreak (Jul 8, 2005)

its the heat guys. my 300ZX is doing the same thing your max's are. i live in las vegas so ive gotten used to this. the fluid is reaching its melt down point for lack of the technical term. hydralic fluid all has a point, be it temperature or presure, that the fluid will start loosing its .... funtionality. kinda turns to water till it cools down.

when this starts up in my ZX, i pump the clutch pedal a few times and it goes away..... alot of folks use brake fluid in thier clutch master and just like brake fade at high temp the clutch acks the same way. im looking for a stiffer, high temp fluid to use myself.


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## brianw (Feb 25, 2004)

Nissan does specify brake fluid for the clutch system.

Pick up some Motul 600 or ATE Super Blue...


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## Matt93SE (Sep 17, 2003)

dude, if the fluid in your clutch hydraulic line is boiling under driving conditions, you have some SEVERE underhood temp problems. clutch lines use standard brake fluid, with a boiling point of over 300F. these kinds of underhood temps are only seen very near the exhaust, and usually only when stopped in heavy traffic. any other time and it's usually no more than about 180F anywhere inside the engine bay, especially where the clutch and fluid lines run in these cars.


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## vadik56 (Aug 14, 2009)

Did you ever get this problem resolved? It is happening to my Max 2004 also. Once last year and second time today. Clutch becomes so low that I can't even shift gears.


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## PbLead (Aug 8, 2009)

If it's a hydraulic system problem, the master and slave cylinders need to be replaced. I would have a dealer do it because the master cylinder needs to be adjusted so the clevis pin floats freely when the pedal is released, and really no one else knows about this. PLUS bleeding them is a bitch, and it really needs to be done right.


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## sflowers (Aug 22, 2009)

*Similar clutch problems*

My wife has a 2004 Maxima which also has clutch problems. When ever there is a large puddle she drives through or getting an undercarriage wash her pedal will drop to the floor. She would have to stand on the pedal and jam it into gear to get it to move. After a "drying out period", typically 5 to 10 minutes, the pedal would be restored to it's top position with full pressure. We have mentioned it to the dealer/mechanic and they have not heard of this issue, nor have they been able to reproduce it. Has anyone else experienced this under these conditions, and more importantly have a solid remedy?


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## PbLead (Aug 8, 2009)

That is weird. Sounds like to me you have air in the system. Since the slave cylinder is on the front of the transmission, if it gets splashed it will cool the air and make it contract. But that may just be a bunch of BS. Bleed it or have it bled first.


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## xblcougarx (Feb 2, 2009)

my 04 max is doing the same thing. mine mostly does it in heavy stop and go traffic.a couple of weeks ago i actually had to push my damn car off the road bc the clutch dropped to the floor. i waited about 15 min and it was fine so i drove it home which was another 20 min. after that i took it to a dealer and had them test drive it in traffic and of course it ran fine, so he told me if he didnt notice a problem then he couldnt look at it or take it apart. i hate when dealers think your some kind of retard, i know whats going on with my car.
i found it interesting when i was reading that it seems to happen to people when they hit puddles and wash their cars bc i just washed my car and as soon as i took off the pedal felt soft but it didnt go to the floor. the farther i went though it got gradually worse and worse till i got home and it was like an inchfrom the floor.

if anyone figured anything out please post it here.
thanks


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## [email protected] (Oct 5, 2009)

I am experiencing the same issue with my 04 Maxima. I am taking it to the dealer today. By the reading the previous posts, I does not seem like anyone has found the cause and/or fix for this problem. I have heard the system should be bled, and the cyclinder checked so,if I have missed the fix someone please enlighten me.


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## JMurdoch (Apr 23, 2012)

*Same Clutch issue 2004 maxima*

This thread is probably dead, but I am having the exact same issues with my 2004 Maxima ever since I bought it in 2009. I bought mine in the winter so I never noticed until summer. It is definitely heat related. I am contemplated putting in the 600 degree fluid as mentioned. Two years ago I put in ATE Super Blue and it did seem to help for a summer or two.

Is this a design flaw? Can we sue Nissan? Haha, in all seriousness...do I have to get rid of this car now?


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## Gina (May 5, 2015)

*Four Maximas, Same Problem*

I'm on my 4th Maxima, all manny trannies. I love Maximas and how they handle, especially with a stick. But EVERY LAST ONE has had this stupid floppy clutch problem. My stick wouldn't go into any gear at all! The clutch went totally flat on me on the highway once too, so bad that I had couldn't even pump it. I had to pull over by the divider median because I couldn't make it over to the right lane to get off the road. It was more than a little dangerous. Not being able to shift on the highway is actually pretty terrifying. Fortunately I kept brake fluid in the trunk and after sitting there pumping the pedal for a few minutes, the tension finally came back to the pedal like nothing had ever happened. And I had the same experience with the mechanics only worse because I'm female. They acted like I was just some dumb girl that imagined it all. I couldn't reproduce the problem, so again, there was no problem. And they acted like they'd never heard of this before, but four Maximas with the exact same flaw leads me to believe that they know all about this problem but they're told to play crazy. And since you can't reproduce the problem when you try to get it serviced, they get away with it. 

Sounds like they are trying to avoid a recall and a class-action lawsuit to me. And for it to happen in four of my Maximas suggests to me that they don't have a clue what is causing it or how to fix it, because they keep building the same flaw into every new model. And they play crazy because Maximas are so popular and they sell so well. But if this thread is any indication, every manual-transmission Maxima since at least 1998 has been built with this flaw. If it came out that the whole line has this problem going back years, it could potentially be a financial bloodbath for Nissan. Guess if I were them, I'd play crazy too!

My first car was a Sentra back in the early 90's but it never had this crazy clutch flopping problem, so it's not all Nissans. Just Maximas. I could understand if just one of my Maximas had a clutch issue but all of them???!!! That's a design flaw, guys. I've had it happen to me in the dead of Chicago winters, but there's something to that heat thing because it happens A LOT in hot, wet weather. No way Nissan's not aware of this. Makes me wonder how many fatalities have happened to Maxima owners who's clutch failed at a critical moment, causing a crash. I'll bet nobody ever thinks to investigate clutch failure in a Maxima accident, probably because just like when you go to the mechanic, there's no evidence of a problem, so the cause of a fatal crash is chalked up bad driving rather than mechanical failure.


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## Korenat (Jul 22, 2016)

Not trying to burst anyones bubble but, I disagree with it being heat or anything to do with puddles or any of that. When it was happening to me I was driving down the road on a cool night when it started. I had finally go to a light and waited for a minute and when I went to go it was fine. I went home though. The fluids are all fine. Then again yesterday it did it again. There is no way this is heat or water related. Something else is going on.


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