# I bought nissan maxima 1988



## Mark1 (Aug 18, 2005)

Hi everyone! I have bought nissan maxima 1988 model. Any comment pls. I have problem in power sterring, where can i buy O-seal? as what my tech see the problem. Thanks!


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## DonaldHays (Jul 22, 2004)

Hey there,

I just saw or noticed the post you had made. this is mainly for the 89-94 (3rd generation Maxima's) your Maxima is a 2nd generation the 85-88 year, I used to have 2 of the 2nd gens really cool cars (Nike shoe box is what one of my friends always called them) anyways I cant recall all the sites I did still have this one saved in my fav's might start off checking here and the 2nd link might have more info as well

http://secondgenmax.sifen7.com/

http://www.maxima.org/

Good luck and enjoy the 2nd gen great cars


Donnie H.


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## Mark1 (Aug 18, 2005)

Hi Donnie! 
Thanks for the reply! We already replaced the O seal but still there's a leak, most probably we will replaced the whole assembly and its make me trouble. Can this kind of model still can go up to 400+ kms? Iam planning to go out of town w/ my family and worried for any possible engine trouble. Pls. advice and more tip. Thx bro.


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## DonaldHays (Jul 22, 2004)

*This is all I can think of for you for now.*

Hey there,

I am not sure if you maxima is a Auto or stick, but if its a auto the 1st gear kick is something that is there and if it is an issue for you sell the car and get a stick or a newer maxima. I thought when my aunt first got the maxima that it was weird how hard it shifted from 1-2nd back in 87 but after much research and friends that had them and talking to other people its something the 2nd gen maxima's do. 

trunk pop's if it isn’t broken chances are it will soon if you use it much as they tend to break a lot when they got older, I am not sure if Nissan still makes them or not, if not I would grab a couple of extras if you plan on keeping the car if you can find any of them still in the junk yards that hasn’t been taken already.

Head rest on the front, if your car has the push head rest (best kind) if it has the knob head rest still decent, the knob headrest tends to break inside and then the head rest is just sort loose and rattles at times, my 87 had the knob as it had the leather seat's. I have seen the knob on the cloth seats as well also. if you have the cloth knob seat's and it breaks grab one that’s a push style from a bone yard that match's the seat (they adjust a lot more also) 

Your car a Gxe or SE? Gxe is the luxury type and SE is the sport style
Se- sport seats-leather wrapped wheel-black trim-rear lip spoiler- some had front air dams and others didn’t-no keypad on the door

If you car isn’t a SE you should have the keypad on the door, if it does have the keypad and you don’t know the code look inside the trunk where the deck speakers are mounted should be some box's there one is a amp for the stereo and one should say keyless or something like that. You want to write down all the numbers from the center should be like 3-4 sets of numbers (around 4-7 numbers) follow the directions to set a new code so you can use the key pad

Now go back outside the car to the keypad.
Hit the clear button, then punch that number into your keypad, then you'll hear a long, sustained beep. While it's sounding the beep, enter your NEW key code into it. it has to be at least 3 or 4 numbers, forget the total. When you're done punching it in, just stop pushing buttons and let it sit for a few seconds.

When it gets done beeping, hit the clear button again and punch in the code you entered. It should unlock the doors if they're locked. Hit the button with TRK on it and it'll pop the trunk. Hit the WDW or whatever button and it will roll down the front windows.

The directions are the same as for the 89-94 maxima's, I am not sure what all functions the 2nd gen had now as I don’t recall if it had a window option or not but the pad should say on it anyhow. 

a few other things to watch for on the older maxima's now days would be the CV joints are weak on most of them after years of driving (and seems most that have owned the 2nd gen tend to live mostly on dirt country roads for some odd reasons) Control arm bushings and stabilizer bar bushings and the brackets are also low and with break-tear off what ever terms you want to use if the car is bumped against something that’s too high (you will know if this happens as you will hear a thud under the front of the car near the floor board at times mostly when over bumps)

One last thing (FUEL TANKS) has an odd way of rusting. the top of them near where the fuel pump mounts tends to rust out for some reason, so if you loose or notice leaking fuel from towards the rear of the car remove the rear seat and take the fuel pump cover off and check there first, the junk yards are no help if this happens as most all of there’s is bad or worse as well (so mostly a new item) Recall has you fuel injector recall been done? The 2nd gen maxima and 300zx had a recall because of fuel leaks from the FI and hoses and fuel rails. They replace them all for free and some other small things here and there, if you notice fuel smell thru your vents or strong under the hood then it most likely hasn’t been done. Call your local Nissan dealer with the vin and ask if all recalls have been done. 

I had over 378k on my 87 with the mileage that had stopped working a few years back before I got the car (was my aunts car) I know I put around 25k on the car myself before I sold it when it had trans issues. It had its typical share of issues, the ac had stopped it had the digital dash and auto climate control and didn’t want to pay to have it fixed (was too young back then to use ac anyhow!) The Rack on my car leaked all the time of course the local Nissan/Infiniti guy as told to me the same by hundreds of others said that the older Nissan cars of that era was prone for bad seals and such and racks going bad, mine had leaked out into the boot and made it all puffy. Of course the boot broke and I just kept adding fluid to it here and there. The oil pressure sensor was an issue with the older maxima's as well so if you have low oil readings or really odd ones at times replace the sensor first but of course after checking for oil loss. The trans in my car stopped shifting one morning wouldn’t ever shift from 1-2 so I sold it as I had been watching a 300Zx that was for sale that I wanted. My friend that bought the car had the trans flushed and a line or something replaced and less than 200.00 later was driving the car for another 1.5 years and then sold the car. I don’t know where the car is now or if its even still around but it was a tuff car. 

I used to drive my 87 from Ardmore to Okc a lot during the week like 3-4 times a week at 120 miles one way and would only fill the power steering around 1-2 times every two weeks. 


If I think of any other I will write back later


Donnie H.


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