# Struts



## TommyD (Dec 7, 2005)

I own a 2004 Maxima with about 62K miles....I just got the word from my dealer that it requires the FOURTH set of front stuts. I have been putting struts on this car since it had 8k miles on it. This last set (the third) lasted 22K miles. HELP I don;t want to put another set of OEM struts on this care does anyone know of aftermarket struts...or any suggestions! I'm starting to dislike this car!


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## brianw (Feb 25, 2004)

Any suggestions as to why the front struts are wearing out?

Are they even wearing out at all? Is the ride getting floaty or are the struts actually leaking? Or is it just some imagined reason? Generally as a rule you can run struts for over 100k miles if you don't mind a degraded ride, there's no reason to actually replace the struts...


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## TommyD (Dec 7, 2005)

brianw said:


> Any suggestions as to why the front struts are wearing out?
> 
> Are they even wearing out at all? Is the ride getting floaty or are the struts actually leaking? Or is it just some imagined reason? Generally as a rule you can run struts for over 100k miles if you don't mind a degraded ride, there's no reason to actually replace the struts...



Well thanks for the advise but NO the struts make a hollow knocking noices over bumps that will gradually get worse until it sounds as if your driving an old truck...the ride gets worse and generally very noisey...this will be the FORTH SET that has failed in this manner...I searched the web and it appears to be common.


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## Matt93SE (Sep 17, 2003)

the 6gen struts are known to be crap.
I think there are finally some aftermarket ones out there now. check maxima.org for more info on what's available. are you using the SE struts or GXE/GLE/whatever the new trim lines are?


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## TommyD (Dec 7, 2005)

Matt93SE said:


> the 6gen struts are known to be crap.
> I think there are finally some aftermarket ones out there now. check maxima.org for more info on what's available. are you using the SE struts or GXE/GLE/whatever the new trim lines are?


I am using SE struts OEM what ever the dealer put on...I hope you are correct about after market I have NOT been able to locate anything at all! Thanks for the info.


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## Luvmy04Maxie (Oct 21, 2005)

TommyD said:


> I own a 2004 Maxima with about 62K miles....I just got the word from my dealer that it requires the FOURTH set of front stuts. I have been putting struts on this car since it had 8k miles on it. This last set (the third) lasted 22K miles. HELP I don;t want to put another set of OEM struts on this care does anyone know of aftermarket struts...or any suggestions! I'm starting to dislike this car!


Go to this website (national highway and transporation investigation site) and put in your year, make and model and see who else has had this problem, many....also I would ad your comment! They should recall them! So, far on my 4-04 Maxima I haven't had that problem. Fingers crossed.
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/tsb/tsbsearch.cfm


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## TommyD (Dec 7, 2005)

:givebeer: WOW thanks for the nhtsa connection I put my name there and compliant. ...also I have sen numerous accounts of faulty struts on the net and from talking with the various dealers in the area...the first response at 21k after the 2nd set of strusts was installed seemed to be disbelief from the service managers...now they simply smile and offer quotes to install yet another set of strusts cost to me 500-600 bucks...so maybe my name would be love my maxie too had i not already experienced the sour taste of lemon..LOL...my last bill was $450+ for the AC high pressure hose....of course I had them change out the belts too...for another 165 and then there is the idler pulley bearing another 57 bucks...the best thing about the car seems to be the tires ...few makers make and few dealer carry a smooth 213-257 a pop NOT...yep I love my Maxie too especially when it's running  




Luvmy04Maxie said:


> Go to this website (national highway and transporation investigation site) and put in your year, make and model and see who else has had this problem, many....also I would ad your comment! They should recall them! So, far on my 4-04 Maxima I haven't had that problem. Fingers crossed.
> http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/tsb/tsbsearch.cfm


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## Luvmy04Maxie (Oct 21, 2005)

TommyD said:


> :givebeer: WOW thanks for the nhtsa connection I put my name there and compliant. ...also I have sen numerous accounts of faulty struts on the net and from talking with the various dealers in the area...the first response at 21k after the 2nd set of strusts was installed seemed to be disbelief from the service managers...now they simply smile and offer quotes to install yet another set of strusts cost to me 500-600 bucks...so maybe my name would be love my maxie too had i not already experienced the sour taste of lemon..LOL...my last bill was $450+ for the AC high pressure hose....of course I had them change out the belts too...for another 165 and then there is the idler pulley bearing another 57 bucks...the best thing about the car seems to be the tires ...few makers make and few dealer carry a smooth 213-257 a pop NOT...yep I love my Maxie too especially when it's running


If I had that much problems with my car it would of been taken back to the dealership and say you can keep the damn thing! Or traded it for something else! Yes, you have got a pure LEMON! I have only 16,800 on my 04 Maxima (and I bought it right after it came out). I baby it. The only problems I have had so far is the recall on the skyroof, the navigation screen fogged up and the front rotors were warped...had to slam on brakes one day because an 85 yr old nearly hit me which didn't help. So, hopefully when this car gets more miles on it, I don't have any problems with the struts either! We have had four lemons (Chevy's and a Jeep) so far. So, I better not have another one! Or it will gone and I will have another Mustang in my garage instead! Sorry to hear you have had so much problems!


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## TommyD (Dec 7, 2005)

Well thanks for the kind words...I di look into the Lemon laws they are very specific about time betweeen repairs etc...and thus far do not apply. I did get an email from Nissan saying thye will help...I'm holding my breath NOT LOL. Oh yes you reminded me about the brakes... LOL...I've had the rotors turned 3 TIMES for the exact same problem you mentioned...so say tuned...hope you don't have the problem any more... I baby mine too it doe s not help...oh yes forgot to mention the 3 lens ammembly will peel the anti-reflection caoting if the car wash guys clean them with ??? cost = 90 bucks plus installation for the three lens set....and they have them in stock (common problem)!





Luvmy04Maxie said:


> If I had that much problems with my car it would of been taken back to the dealership and say you can keep the damn thing! Or traded it for something else! Yes, you have got a pure LEMON! I have only 16,800 on my 04 Maxima (and I bought it right after it came out). I baby it. The only problems I have had so far is the recall on the skyroof, the navigation screen fogged up and the front rotors were warped...had to slam on brakes one day because an 85 yr old nearly hit me which didn't help. So, hopefully when this car gets more miles on it, I don't have any problems with the struts either! We have had four lemons (Chevy's and a Jeep) so far. So, I better not have another one! Or it will gone and I will have another Mustang in my garage instead! Sorry to hear you have had so much problems!


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## Matt93SE (Sep 17, 2003)

on the brakes, the first thing you need to do is throw the crappy OEM pads away. they're absolute crap. get some decent pads like Wagner, Raybestos, etc.. they all do better than the stockers.


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## TommyD (Dec 7, 2005)

:thumbup: Thanks that is a great tip about the brake pads...I have suspected such becaue after 62k miles they have still not worn out. I will gues I will likely need new discs too when the pads ar e repalced!


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## modenaf1 (Nov 12, 2005)

Matt93SE said:


> on the brakes, the first thing you need to do is throw the crappy OEM pads away. they're absolute crap. get some decent pads like Wagner, Raybestos, etc.. they all do better than the stockers.


Raybestos pads have lasted pretty good on my Sentra. My caliper piston seals leaked brake fluid all over and it lit off on fire so hot the pads disintegrated. Other than that, they would have lasted much longer. 

As for the struts, that is insane, they should definitely do a recall on those. I have a relative with a 10 year old Taurus with 150,000 miles on it with the stock struts and it hasn't gotten floaty yet.


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## TommyD (Dec 7, 2005)

modenaf1 said:


> Raybestos pads have lasted pretty good on my Sentra. My caliper piston seals leaked brake fluid all over and it lit off on fire so hot the pads disintegrated. Other than that, they would have lasted much longer.
> 
> As for the struts, that is insane, they should definitely do a recall on those. I have a relative with a 10 year old Taurus with 150,000 miles on it with the stock struts and it hasn't gotten floaty yet.



Thanks again Matt...the struts do seem to be a problem....as of today I have recieved an email from Nissan and one voice message saying they are 'investagating' The struts fail with a load knocking noise!

T


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## TommyD (Dec 7, 2005)

*UPDATE!!!!*

:thumbup: After much effort and many phone calls I have an agreement with Nissan! They offer to pay for yet one-more-set of struts (forth set) as they NOW say that a special fix/design was developed late last year and is now available. So give the price of the Koni's and the expense of me paying for another set of factory strusts I figure I will allow Nissan to fix it once again at no cost to me!


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## Luvmy04Maxie (Oct 21, 2005)

TommyD said:


> :thumbup: After much effort and many phone calls I have an agreement with Nissan! They offer to pay for yet one-more-set of struts (forth set) as they NOW say that a special fix/design was developed late last year and is now available. So give the price of the Koni's and the expense of me paying for another set of factory strusts I figure I will allow Nissan to fix it once again at no cost to me!



Do you know if Nissan has given the dealerships a technical advisory on the struts? Probably not right? You need to go back to the National Highway and Transportation website....if you put in a complaint with them....and let them know what Nissan did for you about this, so other people can copy that report you gave and take it to their dealership... if they are having the same problems! I am glad it worked out for you. But, if I were you, I would save up some cash and then get better struts on it still!!


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## 2004BlkMaxSl (May 17, 2006)

Tommy,

Check the warranty information in your user's manual. I took a look at this section last night because I'm in the process of replacing my struts for the 1st time at 60K miles. It is kinda cryptic, but from my understanding replacement Nissan struts that are installed by Nissan for the original owner are covered with a lifetime warranty. If I am remembering this correctly, you can find this information on 2-41 in the warranty section of the user manual. Because my struts are the original struts, they are not covered after 36000 miles.

-- Marty





TommyD said:


> :givebeer: WOW thanks for the nhtsa connection I put my name there and compliant. ...also I have sen numerous accounts of faulty struts on the net and from talking with the various dealers in the area...the first response at 21k after the 2nd set of strusts was installed seemed to be disbelief from the service managers...now they simply smile and offer quotes to install yet another set of strusts cost to me 500-600 bucks...so maybe my name would be love my maxie too had i not already experienced the sour taste of lemon..LOL...my last bill was $450+ for the AC high pressure hose....of course I had them change out the belts too...for another 165 and then there is the idler pulley bearing another 57 bucks...the best thing about the car seems to be the tires ...few makers make and few dealer carry a smooth 213-257 a pop NOT...yep I love my Maxie too especially when it's running


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## 2004BlkMaxSl (May 17, 2006)

Here is a link to to the warranty book. Go to page 41

http://www.nissanusa.com/pdf/warranty/2004_Wrnty.pdf




2004BlkMaxSl said:


> Tommy,
> 
> Check the warranty information in your user's manual. I took a look at this section last night because I'm in the process of replacing my struts for the 1st time at 60K miles. It is kinda cryptic, but from my understanding replacement Nissan struts that are installed by Nissan for the original owner are covered with a lifetime warranty. If I am remembering this correctly, you can find this information on 2-41 in the warranty section of the user manual. Because my struts are the original struts, they are not covered after 36000 miles.
> 
> -- Marty


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