21st Jan 2007, 18:16

I am very disappointed with my '04 Maxima as well... I am in the process of having the entire ABS Module replace as well as the rear wheel sensor... $2,140 in repairs! I only bought it used 9 months ago. I live in Michigan and apparently the wheel sensors can get dirt, water and/or salt in them and will in-turn rust and corrode causing the sensors to break. The bad part is that there are sensors on each wheel and when one of them goes out, each time it can take our your entire ABS system, so I could potentially end up paying $8,000 over the course of owning this vehicle on just those repairs. Nissan was not willing to cover any of the cost, nor the dealership. I'm very disappointed to see that a large corporation like Nissan will not stand behind their products or at least make their products durable. I will not buy another Nissan of any kind due to the poor quality and service I've received. I wish I would have found this site before I bought the car... Everything I have read previously was so positive. I need to sell my car ASAP!

30th Jan 2007, 16:23

I have an 04 Maxima and I just found out about the exact same problem $1,800 in repairs, Will be calling the Nissan Local Rep tomorrow to find out what the deal is...

2nd Feb 2007, 08:40

I just bought a 2004 Nissan Maxima, 45K on it. When driving between 60 and 70 mph, I'm noticing a jerking senstation that comes and goes. Anyone have this problem and know what it is?

9th Jul 2007, 17:31

Help! I'm having trouble with my clutch and can't convince the dealer's mechanics that I'm not crazy because they can't find anything wrong. The clutch has started going out periodically. Sometimes when I start the car the clutch is completely soft and won't work at all. After a few minutes, it starts working fine again. The clutch has gone soft and failed to work once while I was driving, at which time I was merging into 75 mph traffic. This seems pretty dangerous to me and surely someone else has had this problem, too?

Otherwise, I've really loved this car. I've had minimal problems and think it's a blast to drive. I highly recommend it.

20th Jul 2007, 12:51

I also own a 2004 max. The front rotors have been replaced and two sets of brake pads. The ABS mod. is shot and also the wheel sensors. The front grille needs to be replaced along with all the rest of the body chrome. I will not buy a I Nissan again!!

6th Oct 2007, 06:56

I have a 2004 maxima with 39,000 miles. It was purchased new. The ABS Brake light came on. The solenoid and sensor on on a rear wheel are shorted out. $2,025 to repair. Customer service said " too bad, you are 3,000 miles out of warranty". No more Nissans for me.

17th Oct 2007, 22:28

Nissan maxima is bad car! Pick up my first Maxima after 10 min...guess what! >>> SEL <<< light on . Back to dealer 10 times they still can't fix for me ,after that i give up and TRADE IN another car((anything but Nissan))...this was my first and last Nissan auto forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4th Nov 2007, 11:29

What do you expect. Nissan is basically turning out Peugeot's with a Nissan badge. Last time I checked, the French can't build a car worth buying.

9th Nov 2007, 08:58

OMG! OK so I purchased a Nissan Maxima 04 SE and loved it... 1st rain.. the car was leaking inside.. Nissan told me I would have 2 pay a $150 shop charge to look at it then if they find it to be something they've done they may... I said may cover some of the cost. Next problem.. the gear shift has come off and just basically sitting there... oh and not to mention that the ABS Brake light came on 2 times since I had the car, but when it comes on the speedometer goes to -0- like I am sitting still when I am driving... 1st and last Nissan! I am paying this thing off and selling it right back to another lot... NO JOKE I Could have had a chevy cavalier for the trouble!

29th Nov 2007, 20:18

I'm crying myself. I own a 2004 maxima bought new, I enjoyed the first year then brakes problems started. Was told to replace ABS paid about $2500.00 that was like a year and half a go. My brakes was never the same as making noises when braking. Took back to the dealer many time, but was never right. Now the problem is back again I saw the warning sign for brakes/ABS a lot of noises and know for sure I will end up spend big money again.

I never had any problem with anything else just the BRAKES/ABS are killing me.

18th Dec 2007, 14:11

I had an ABS problem at 61000 km, 1 month after the complete inspection was done to the car (Maxima 2004 SE). Whem I took it back to the dealer, they told me that I had to pay $1800 to replace the ABS module! I've called Nissan Canada, but they told me my warranty was over and that they couldn't do anything for me. Very frustrating; don't buy this car!

9th Jan 2008, 15:06

I have 125,000 miles on Nissan Maxima 2004 and have never had any problems with the car. I change the oil every 5,000 miles, the transmission fluid every 30,000 miles, radiator flush every two years. Changed the belts twice. The ONLY issue I have is the freakin' headlights. The dealership charges $200 in labor to replace the bulbs because they have to take the front bumper off to pull out the headlight assembly. Why can't Nissan make changing these $75 bulbs any easier? I know they had a problem with the HIDs being stolen in previous years, but these aren't HIDs.

17th Jan 2008, 10:10

I bought a used 2004 Nissan Maxima SE in August 2007 with 18,000 miles on it.

About three weeks ago, I started having trouble with my ABS light (24,000 miles), and my brakes were making awful noises. I looked at the brakes, and noticed that I was in need of new pads and rotors, and just figured it was the reason my ABS light was on.

On the Friday before Christmas, I took it into a Nissan dealership that was close to my work (not the one I bought the car from). Unfortunately it was late, and all of the Nissan guys had left early for their "Christmas party" (4:45 pm). I had already known that I wouldn't get the work done that day, but I wanted to at least schedule an appointment, and make sure the car was suitable to drive (I have a four month year old son).

So I talked to a random guy (GM I believe), who told me that because of the four day weekend, it would be likely that they couldn't get to my car in for a week or so. I talked with the guy for about fifteen minutes or so about my ABS light and my brakes, and he said it should be okay to drive for the next week, and then I left. I told my sister and brother-in-law about it that night, and my brother-in-law (who happens to be a State Trooper) decided that he would have his buddy who is a brake mechanic fix it. Seemed like a good deal to me. I get cheaper brake work done because he is doing it on his own time, and I get my sister's vehicle to do my Christmas traveling.

Even before the mechanic fixed my brakes, he had my brother-in-law call me up, making sure that I realized that he couldn't take care of the ABS light, because the shop he works at only fixes brakes/mufflers, etc and that I would still need to take it to a Nissan Dealership. I said that’s fine, and I got my brakes fixed.

I then set up an appointment with the previous Nissan dealership I had gone to, and told them the story. They said they would look at my car.

I then get a call saying they have bad news, and that the brake sensor and ABS module need replacing for about $2500-3000. I was naturally shocked, and asked if it was under warranty. I was told that it was, but unfortunately my warranty had expired. Well luckily I had purchased the Extended Warranty, and I told this to the Nissan rep, and he replied with, "Oh... well let me look into and call you back." I get a call back saying that yes, I do have a warranty, but now they cannot cover the parts. I ask why not and they respond, "Because the mechanic who fixed your brakes COULD have broken the sensor." I replied with the previous story I just told you, and he didn't care about it. He told me that he was sorry, but they would not pay for the repairs, because I have no way to prove that the mechanic didn't ruin my sensor.

When I picked up the car later that day, the Nissan rep just happened to be standing next to the GM guy I had talked to the very first time I brought it in. So I walk up to the GM guy and say, "Hey remember me coming in the Friday before Christmas and complaining about my ABS light and brakes?" He responded, "Oh yeah! Did we get everything settled for you?" I then told him to tell that to the Nissan rep standing right next to him. Of course they gave each other "the look" and the GM guy went on to say, "Well I guess I don't really remember exactly what you had come in for." Well let’s just say it went downhill from there.

I demanded them show me this sensor with the invisible hammer dent in it, and they refused. They wouldn't even tell me what rear sensor was broken. I then called up the East Coast Nissan Investigator Rep, who supposedly investigates the case, and then comes to a conclusion on whether or not Nissan will acknowledge my warranty. Five days later, I get a call back, and I am told that no, Nissan will not stand by the warranty, because the dealership said that the mechanic who replaced my brakes broke it. This upset me, and I went on to question her investigating skills, based on the fact that she didn't even talk to me before she made this decision. All she did was take a five-day-buffer-period to reiterate what the dealership had already said. I then asked for what proof did the dealership provide that caused her to make her decision. She wouldn't give any. I threatened her with a law suit, since they have no evidence, and I have a witness testimony of a State Trooper who drove the car to the brake mechanic. She didn't care, nor did she return my later phone calls.

I decided that I would at least try a different dealership for a second opinion, before I went ahead with a law suit. I risked the long drive, and took it back to the dealership I had bought it from. Now mind you, I didn't tell them any of this previous story, just that my ABS light was on. I wanted an unbiased mechanic’s opinion. They looked at it, and sure enough it was my wheel sensor and my ABS module that needed to be replaced. They said luckily I had purchased the Extended Warranty, because the ABS module alone is $1800. I then asked how it broke and if it had anything to do with me or my driving, etc. The mechanic told me, "No, it burned out. We have been getting several of these complaints, and Nissan issued a Technical Service Bulletin back in July." He also recommended I leave the car there till they get the parts in, due to the fact that is unsuitable and dangerous to drive. Wow, thanks a lot previous dealership that tried everything in their power to screw me over. I would love to list your name in this post, but I’m sure it would get censored anyway.

The point being, that if anyone has trouble like this, make sure you stay persistent, because the Nissan dealership doesn’t lose anything by refusing your warranty. Make sure you at least take it back to the dealership you bought it from for repairs. You have a much better chance of getting a rep who wants to make sure to keep you a satisfied customer. The other dealership asked me several times why I hadn’t taken it to the dealership I had bought it from. I didn’t think it should matter, but supposedly it does.