2004 Nissan Armada

OUR MECHANIC INFORMED US THAT HE BELIEVED THE TIRES ON OUR NISSAN ARMADA WERE NOT RATED HIGH ENOUGH TO TOW THE CAPACITY THAT NISSAN CLAIMS THEY WILL. STANDARD WITH THE ARMADA ARE P265 70 R18 "PASSENGER" TIRES THAT ARE 4 PLY. WE TOW A LARGE 3 HORSE TRAILER THAT WHEN LOADED TO CAPACITY IS AT THE LIMITS OF THE ARMADA, NOT TO MENTION THE INCREASED WEIGHT OF PASSENGERS AND LUGGAGE IN THE ARMADA. WE HAVE CONTACTED NUMEROUS TIRE COMPANIES ASKING ABOUT WHAT TIRES THEY WOULD RECOMMEND KNOWING THAT IT IS OUR INTENT TO TOW HEAVY LOADS, NOT TO EXCEED THE LIMITS OF THE VEHICLE. NO TIRE COMPANY (GOODYEAR, BF GOODRICH, LES SCHWAB) STATED THEY WOULD SELL US "P" RATED 4 PLY TIRES FOR OUR VEHICLE BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED THE TIRES WERE NOT UP TO THE JOB OF HANDLING SUCH HEAVY WEIGHT CAPACITY. RENO NISSAN SAYS THERE IS "NO PROBLEM", HOWEVER, WHEN WE EXPLAINED TO THEM THE PROBLEM WITH THE ARMADA "BRAKE RECALL" AND THE "TRAILER WIRING" RECALL, WE TOLD THEM WE DIDN'T BELIEVE THEM. ALSO, THE XTERRA HAD A "TRAILER HITCH" RECALL BECAUSE THE HITCH SYSTEM WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO HANDLE THE LOADS NISSAN SAID THEY WOULD. WE HAVE MADE CONTACT WITH SEVERAL REP'S FROM NHTSA WHO ASKED THAT WE FILE THIS FORMAL COMPLAINT ABOUT THE TOW CAPACITY RATING/TIRES OF THE ARMADA. FORTUNATELY, THERE HAVE BEEN NO FAILURES WITH REGARDS TO OUR TOWING, HOWEVER, THE ARMADA IS NEW AND FEW PEOPLE MAY HAVE YET TO EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM. ADDITIONALLY, IT IS UNKNOWN HOW MANY OWNERS ACTUALLY USE THE ARMADA FOR THIS TYPE OF TOWING APPLICATION WHICH WOULD SKEW THE NUMBER OF REPORTED FAILURES AND/OR COMPLAINTS RELATING TO IMPROPER TIRES SUPPLIED BY NISSAN. WITH THE FAILURE OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM AND THE TRAILER WIRING HARNESS ON THE ARMADA, IT IS NOT UNREASONABLE TO SUSPECT THAT NISSAN ENGINEERS SIMPLY MADE ANOTHER MISTAKE AS NISSAN WAS TRYING TO GET INTO THE LARGE SUV MARKET. *JB

TODAY I TOOK 2004 ARMADA THROUGH A TOUCH LESS CAR WASH AS I HAVE DONE MANY TIMES BEFORE. THE UPPER REAR HIGH MOUNT BRAKE LIGHT HOUSING, ACTUALLY A BODY PART OF THE VEHICLE, CAME OFF DURING THE EXITING OF THE CAR WASH. THIS HAPPENED WHEN THE BLOWER BLEW THE WATER OFF THE ARMADA AND BLEW THIS HOUSING DOWN ONTO THE REAR WINDOW. UPON INSPECTION THE PLASTIC RIVETS THAT HOLD THE HOUSING IN PLACE HAD SHEERED OFF, AND THE WIND BLEW THE UNIT DOWN ONTO THE WINDOW. THE UNIT CAME DOWN WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO BREAK THE BACK WINDOW AND DID INFECT SCRATCH IT. THE ONLY THING PREVENTING THE UNIT FROM COMING COMPLETELY OFF AND BECOMING A PROJECTILE OBJECT WAS THE WIRING. IT APPEARS THAT THE AUTO MOBILE MAKER IS AWARE OF THIS, BUT DOES NOT WARN CONSUMERS, AND WILL NOT REPAIR THIS DESIGN FLAW WITH SUBSTANTIAL ANCHORS. IN A ROLL OVER THIS COULD COME OFF COMPLETELY AND BECOME A PROJECTILE OBJECT. ADDITIONALLY, UNTIL I AM ABLE TO GET THIS FIXED I AM RIDING AROUND WITHOUT BENEFIT OF A REAR BRAKE LIGHT AS REQUIRED BY FEDERAL LAW. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY OTHERS, ARMADA NEWSGROUP, THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE UNITS, AND THAT NISSAN REFUSES TO ACCEPT THE LIABILITY. WE HAVE PAID A LOT FOR THESE VEHICLES, AND DO EXPECT A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF SAFETY.*AK

DT: CONTACT STATED NISSAN, ARMADA HAD A SERIOUS BRAKE SYSTEM PROBLEM. ON ONE OCCASION WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL THE VEHICLE STEERED BY ITSELF TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND THEN CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE NORMAL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE SIX TIMES TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE. ON FOUR OCCASIONS THE BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS WERE CHANGED. THE CONTACT SAID THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO BE DRIVEN AT A RISK OF AN ACCIDENT. *AK

THE REAR END WENT OUT ON MY NISSAN ARMADA. I WAS TOWING A CAMPER WELL BELOW THE TOW LIMIT. I ALSO OWN A NISSAN TITAN TRUCK. THE REAR ENDS ARE MADE BY DANA FOR NISSAN. I LOVE MY NISSAN TRUCKS BUT FILL DANA SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM FOR NISSAN BEFORE SOMEBODY GETS HURT OR KILLED. NISSAN DID REPLACE MY REAR END AT NO CHARGE, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE NEXT TIME. *NM

EVER SINCE I PURCHASED THIS CAR (2004 NISSAN PATHFINDER ARMADA) IN DECEMBER 2003 I AM EXPERIENCING SOME BRAKE PROBLEMS AND THE DEALER HAS BEEN TRYING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM AND IT IS GETTING WORSE. THE CAR HAD ONLY ABOUT 3000 MILES WHEN IT ALL STARTED. I COOPERATED WITH THE DEALER BECAUSE HE SAID THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND THAT NISSAN'S ENGINEERS ARE WORKING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM AND NOW I CANNOT INVOKE THE LEMON LAW BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN OVER A YEAR, AT LEAST THIS IS WHAT A LAWYER TOLD ME TODAY. ANYWAY, THE CAR STARTED TO BRAKE ON ITS OWN WITHOUT ANYONE APPLYING THE BRAKES AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHTS COMES ON WHEN THIS HAPPENS. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE MASTER CYNLINDER. THEY REPLACED IT AFTER 2 WEEKS AND WHILE MY WIFE WAS TAKING THE CAR HOME, THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURED AGAIN. THIS TIME THE DEALER IS BLAMING THE PROBLEM ON THE BRAKE BOOSTERS. THEY WILL NOT HAVE A REPLACEMENT AVAILABLE BEFORE 3 TO 6 WEEKS. THE MAJOR INCIDENT OCCURED ON SEPTEMBER 29, 2005 BUT THE OVERALL BRAKE PROBLEMS STARTED IN MARCH 2004.

OCTOBER 5, 2005 RE: VIN# [XXX] (2004 NISSAN ARMADA) THE BRAKES ARE DEFECTIVE AND DO NOT WORK PROPERLY WHEN APPLYING PRESSURE TO STOP. WE HAVE NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATION FROM NISSAN DISCLOSING ANY BRAKE ISSUES OR CONCERNS. WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THE ONES TO INFORM THE DEALER OF OUR PROBLEMS EACH TIME EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A NISSAN BULLETIN IN EXISTENCE. LAST MONTH (SEPTEMBER, 2005) WAS THE FIRST TIME WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM NISSAN WITH RESPECT TO THE BRAKES AND THEY HAVE INFORMED ALL OF THE NISSAN ARMADA OWNERS THAT THEY WILL ALLOW UNLIMITED MILEAGE/OR UP TO 36 MONTHS TO FIX ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE BRAKES. AFTER FOUR TIMES GETTING THE BRAKES FIXED THE BRAKES ARE STILL DEFECTIVE. THE BRAKES ARE A HAZARD TO ME AND MY FAMILY AS WELL AS TO OTHERS ON THE ROAD. THE BRAKES VIBRATE INTENSELY AND CAUSES THE WHOLE CAR TO SHAKE AND VIBRATE NOT JUST THE STEERING WHEEL. IT IS HARD TO CONTROL THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE VEHICLE ITSELF IS HARD TO CONTROL. MY WIFE AND MY CHILD ARE NOT RIDING IN THE VEHICLE AT ALL AND WE HAD BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE TO HAVE AS OUR NEW SAFE FAMILY VEHICLE BUT IT IS NOT SAFE AT ALL. WE HAVE BEGUN THE PROCESS ALLOWED UNDER THE MASSACHUSETTS NEW CAR LEMON LAW AND OTHER POSSIBLE OPTIONS INCLUDING COURT ACTION. JUST YESTERDAY ON OCTOBER 4TH, I (DINO) WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WAS ALMOST IN A THREE CAR ACCIDENT I HAD APPLIED MY BRAKES GOING 50 MPH TO AVOID A ANOTHER CAR CHANGING LANES WITHOUT A SIGNAL AND WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO AVOID THE CAR THE BRAKES VIBRATED SO MUCH AND THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE WHOLE CAR SHOOK, I LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND SPUN AROUND TO THE BREAKDOWN LANE THANKFULLY, AND WAS NOT HIT FROM BEHIND. I AM FORMALLY INFORMING THE NHTSA OF THIS AND AM PRAYING THAT THESE VEHICLES ARE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD BEFORE ACCIDENTS OCCUR AND GOD FORBID SOMEONE IS INJURED OR KILLED. [XXX], [XXX] [XXX], [XXX],[XXX], [XXX]. *NM UPDATED 07/18/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)