2004 Nissan Armada

NISSAN ARMADA HAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH IT'S FRONT BRAKES BEING UNDERSIZED IN THE EARLY MODELS OF SAID VEHICLES (MODEL YEARS 2004-2006). SEVERAL TIMES HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH BRAKES NOT RESPODING AND LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. THIS IS CAUSED BY UNDERSIZED BREAKS. NOT HAVING PROPER SIZED BRAKES HAS LED TO ROTORS EASILY OVERHEATING AND GLAZING THE BRAKE PADS WHICH THEN LED TO HOT SPOTTED, WARPED, OR OTHERWISE RUINED FRONT ROTORS AND PADS. THE GREATEST UNSAFE SYMPTOM IS THAT ESPECIALLY IN THE WARMER MONTHS THE OVERHEATING OF THE ROTORS WOULD CAUSE THE ANTI-LOCK FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM SENSORS TO TRIGGER (FALSE POSITIVE) RANDOMLY AND YOU WOULD DANGEROUSLY LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLES ABILITY TO BRAKE (AND STEER) SAFELY. *TR

WHILE DRIVING BRAKE LIGHT, VDC OFF LIGHT, AND SLIP LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN BRAKES APPLIED, VERY LOUD GRINDING NOISE HAPPENED AND BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD SAFELY AND TURN CAR OFF AND BACK ON. ONCE CAR WAS TURNED ON, LIGHTS REMAINED ON AND BRAKES FUNCTIONED NORMAL. LUCKILY, I WAS NOT GOING VERY FAST AND NO OTHER CARS WERE CLOSE OR AN ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE RESULTED. *TR

NISSAN ARMADA (AND TITAN WHICH IS IDENTICAL MECHANICALLY) HAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH IT'S FRONT BRAKES BEING UNDERSIZED IN THE EARLY MODELS OF SAID VEHICLES (MODEL YEARS 2004-2006). THIS CAN EASILY BE CONFIRMED BY NISSAN'S THREE CHANGES THEY HAVE MADE TO THE FRONT BRAKES OF THESE VEHICLES EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLES HAVE ESSENTIALLY REMAINED UNCHANGED FROM YEARS 2004 RIGHT UP THOUGH THE CURRENT MODEL YEAR 2015. THEY FIRST CHANGED THE ROTOR THICKNESS, THEN THE ROTOR DIAMETER (320MM TO 350MM) AND THE CALIPERS/TORQUE MEMBERS/BRAKE HOSES, THEN FINALLY THEY CHANGED THE INNER HUB DIAMETER OF THE ROTOR DUE TO AN INCREASE IN THE HUB/BEARING SIZE (82MM TO 90MM). NISSAN HAD ISSUED AT LEAST ONE TSB ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BUT THEY NEVER ISSUED A RECALL WHICH IS WHAT THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE. THE CORE ISSUE IS THAT THESE RATHER LARGE FULL SIZE SUV'S AND PICKUP TRUCKS WERE DESIGNED INITIALLY WITH FRONT BRAKES THAT WERE SEVERELY UNDERSIZED FOR THE WEIGHT/SIZE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS LED TO THE VEHICLES ROTORS EASILY OVERHEATING AND GLAZING THE BRAKE PADS WHICH THEN LED TO HOT SPOTTED, WARPED, OR OTHERWISE RUINED FRONT ROTORS AND PADS. ANOTHER SYMPTOM (THAT I BELIEVE IT CAUSED AND THE MOST DANGEROUS PART) IS THAT ESPECIALLY IN THE WARMER MONTHS THE OVERHEATING OF THE ROTORS WOULD CAUSE THE ANTI LOCK FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM SENSORS (LOCATED WITHIN THE FRONT WHEEL HUB) TO TRIGGER (FALSE POSITIVE) RANDOMLY AND YOU WOULD DANGEROUSLY LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLES ABILITY TO BRAKE (AND STEER) SAFELY. TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF MOMENTARILY AND RESTARTING WOULD "CLEAR" THE PROBLEM BUT NEVER THE LESS EXTREMELY UNSAFE. I HAVE CONTACTED NISSAN OF NORTH AMERICA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND INFORMED THEM OF THIS BUT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO HELP OTHER THAN TO TELL ME TO TAKE IT TO A DEALER AT MY OWN COST. I SAID I WOULD BE HAPPY TO DO SO IF THEY COVERED THE COST OF THE "DIAGNOSTICS" BUT THEY REFUSED. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY 3 CHILDREN, SUDDENLY THE VDC AND SLIP LIGHTS CAME ON, FOLLOWED BY THE BRAKE LIGHT. WHEN I TRIED TO SLOW AROUND A CURVE AND USE THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN I HEARD AND FELT A GRINDING SENSATION UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE. LUCKILY, I MANAGED TO SLOW DOWN ENOUGH AND COME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHERE I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE, TURNED IT BACK ON AND THE SYSTEM RESET. *TR

WAS DRIVING VEHICLE 35 MPH SLOWED DOWN TO GO AROUND SHARP CURVE. WHEN VEHICLE DROVE AROUND CURVE THERE WERE VEHICLES IN FRONT OF US THAT STOPPED SUDDENLY. APPLIED BRAKES AND PEDAL PULSED AND REQUIRED ALOT OF EFFORT TO SLOW DOWN. WAS UNABLE TO SLOW VEHICLE DOWN FAST ENOUGH AND REAR ENDED VEHICLE IN FRONT OF US. CAUSED A 3 CAR PILEUP. THE 3 PASSENGERS IN OUR 04 ARMADA SUFFERED WHIPLASH, THE DRIVER SPRAINED HER WRIST AND WAS OUT OF WORK FOR 3 DAYS BECAUSE OF ACCIDENT. THE NISSAN ARMADA WAS TOTALED AND HAD TO PURCHASE ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE BRAKES NOT WORKING CORRECTLY IS WHAT CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. *TR

WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE LOST MOST OF ITS BRAKING POWER. THE PEDAL WENT SOFT AND BEGAN PULSATING WITH A GRINDING NOISE. THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. IT ACTED AS THOUGH THE ABS SYSTEM WAS ACTIVATED. THE BRAKE SYSTEM STAYED IN THE FAILED MODE UNTIL I COULD PULL OVER AND TURN THE ENGINE OFF AND THE COMPUTER WOULD RESET ITSELF. *TR

I HAVE ISSUES WITH MY BRAKES ON A FREQUENT BASIS. SINCE I PURCHASED MY CAR, I HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS ISSUE. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO SEVERAL NISSAN DEALERS. WHEN MY CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND I WOULD ALSO GET THE RUN AROUND. I HAVE BEEN TOLD MY NISSAN THAT UNLESS THE ISSUE HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS IN THE SHOP THEN THEY ARE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I HEAR A LOUD GRINDING NOISE FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENS WHILE I AM DRIVING. THE ONLY WAY TO GET IT TO WORK IS IF TURN OFF THE TRUCK WHILE CRUISING AND TURN IT BACK ON WHILE CRUISING AND IT FIXES THE ISSUE AND I AM ABLE TO STOP FINE. I HAVE CONTACTED NISSAN BEFORE AND THEY FAILED TO HELP ME. I HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN. THIS ISSUE IS HAPPENING WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE. THE NISSAN ARMADA 2004 WAS THE FIRST ARMADA MODEL, WHICH THIS ISSUE IS A FACTORY DEFECT THAT IS IMPACTING HUNDREDS OF CAR OWNERS. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY, SINCE BRAKES IS LIFE THREATENING. *TR