1996 Nissan Maxima

MY 1996 NISSAN MAXIMA CAUGHT ON FIRE BY ITSELF IN THE MIDNIGHT, AND IT WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY THE FIRE. I RECEIVED THE VEHICLE FROM MY FRIEND AS A GIFT, WHICH WAS IN A VERY GOOD CONDITION. AND I ALSO PAID THE BUCKNER'S AUTO SERVICE CENTER AT KNOXVILLE, TN FOR CHECKING THE CAR IN DETAIL AND GETTING IT REPAIRED. BUT 8 DAYS AFTER, THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. DURING THE 8 DAYS, THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT IN FRONT OF MY APARTMENT, AND NOBODY EVER TOUCHED THE CAR. IT'S CLOUDY OR RAINY IN ALL THESE DAYS. THOUGH FORTUNATELY MY WIFE AND I WERE SAFE, WE WERE REALLY SCARED AND MY WIFE WAS AFRAID OF VEHICLES FROM THEN ON. WE HAVE ARRIVED AT THE U.S LESS THAN 2 MONTHS, AND THIS INCIDENT ALMOST COMPLETELY DISRUPTED OUR LIVES. THE FOLLOWING IS THE DESCRIPTION FROM THE KNOXVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT CRIME REPORT: THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR EIGHT DAYS. INTERVIEWED CAR OWNER, WHO STATES HE HAS BEEN IN THE US FOR ABOUT ONE MONTH, AND HAD RECEIVED THE VEHICLE AS A GIFT FROM A FRIEND. HE SAID THAT HE HAD TAKEN THE CAR FOR REPAIRS AND TO BE SERVICED AT BUCHNERS AUTO REPAIR ON 9/8/2009 AND HAD AN INVOICE OF THE WORK PERFORMED. HE SAID THAT THE CAR HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN SINCE THEN BECAUSE HE WAS STILL IN THE PROCESS OF OBTAINING HIS DRIVER LICENSE. THERE WAS ONLY AN 8 MILE DIFFERENCE THE INVOICE MILEAGE AND THE CARS ODOMETER READING. INVESTIGATION OF THE VEHICLE REVEALED AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. THE CAR WAS LOCKED AND HOOD WAS SECURE WHEN ENG 12 ARRIVED. THEN HAD TO FORCE THE HOOD SINCE THE CABLE DID NOT FUNCTION DUE TO FIRE DAMAGE. AREAS OF HIGH HEAT WERE INDICATED ON THE HOOD OVER THE BATTERY AND FUEL/AIR INTAKE LOCATIONS. ALSO OF NOTE WAS THAT THE COOLING FANS WERE DESTROYED AND ONE HAD FALLEN TO THE GROUND. THIS FIRE IS CONSIDERED TO ACCIDENTAL AND THE CAUSE TO BE A MECHANICAL OR ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION. THE OWNER DOES NOT HAVE INSURANCE ON THE VEHICLE. SUGGESTED THAT THE OWNER TAKE PHOTOS AND CONTACT BUCHNERS TO CHECK FOR ANY RECALLS OR TO'S FOR THIS VEHICLE. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES AFTER 55-60 TRIPS TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. IN ADDITION TO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATING THE ENGINE MADE A PINGING NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING. ON ONE OCCASION,THE MECHANIC CLEANED THE COILS. THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP SUGGESTED REPLACING THE EGR VALVE, BUT THE CONTACT DECLINED BECAUSE THE STATE WOULD NOT ALLOW THE INSTALLATION OF A USED EGR VALVE. THE CODES WERE CLEARED SEVERAL TIMES IN ORDER TO GET THE LIGHT TO GO OFF. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALWAYS COMES BACK ON. SOMETIMES IT CAME ON WITHIN 30 MINUTES OF BEING REPAIRED.*AK

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON EVEN AFTER ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WAS DONE. THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING AFTER THE 1ST YEAR I BOUGHT IT. IN THE 5 YEARS I HAVE OWNED THE CAR, THE STARTER HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE, THE DIFFERENTIAL WAS REPLACED, TIE ROD ENDS WERE REPLACED, STRUTS WERE REPLACED, A NEW MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE WAS REPLACED, AND THIS YEAR, 2 OIL LEAKS DEVELOPED, 1 INSIDE THE ENGINE. THE MECHANIC SAID THIS WAS A DEFECT OF NISSAN, NOT ANYTHING THAT I DID OR DIDN'T DO. IT COST OVER $700 TO FIX THE LEAKS. THE LEAKS BLEW OUT THE SENSORS, AND THE CAR DIDN'T PASS THE EMISSIONS. I SPENT ANOTHER $850 IN GETTING NEW SENSORS. ONCE THE SENSORS WERE REPLACED, THE MECHANIC SAID THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE FUEL INJECTOR AND HE HAD TO REPLACE THAT. THERE IS STILL A SHORT IN THE CAR SOMEWHERE AS ONE OF THE BACK LIGHTS TURNS OFF AND ON WHEN IT FEELS LIKE IT, AS DOES THE LIGHT FOR THE RADIO CONSOLE (WHICH ITS THE ORIGINAL RADIO THAT CAME WITH THE CAR, SO IT'S NOT LIKE SOMEONE MESSED AROUND WITH IT.) AFTER REPLACING THE SENSORS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER THE 2ND EMISSIONS TEST, WHICH IT REJECTED THE CAR BECAUSE IT WASN'T READY YET. THE MECHANIC SPENT 7 (YES, SEVEN) DAYS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR, ONLY TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE DASH BOARD. AFTER 1 DAY OF DRIVING, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. NO ONE CAN SEEM TO FIGURE OUT WHY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. NOW THE CAR FEELS UNSAFE WHEN I'M DRIVING IT, AS WHEN THE CAR HITS 20 MPH AND 40 MPH, THE CAR JERKS TO THE RIGHT AND I HAVE TO CONCENTRATE ON MAKING SURE I DON'T HIT ANYONE. NO ONE CAN SEEM TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT IS EITHER. THE FAN IS STARTING TO SOUND LOUD WHEN THE AIR/HEAT IS ON OR WHEN THE CAR IS IDLE (STOPPED AT A LIGHT) AND THE AIR ONLY GETS COLD WHEN ITS COOL OUTSIDE, NOT WHEN IT'S HOT. I SPENT $22,000 BUYING THIS CAR, AND ABOUT ANOTHER $5000 IN REPAIRS TO DATE AND ITS NOT YET 10 YRS. OLD. *AK

WATER PUMP LEAKS RADIATOR COOLANT. THIS HAS LED TO ENGINE-OVERHEATING AND MAY CAUSE SEVERE ENGINE FAILURE (A SAFETY ISSUE). ON CHECKING WITH DEALER, THE ESTIMATED REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT OF WATER PUMP MAY COST AROUND $750. THIS IS AN UNUSUALLY HIGH COST FOR WATER PUMP REPLACEMENT. WITH THE CAR BEING A 96 MODEL HAVING ONLY A MILEAGE OF ABOUT 50 K, THIS KIND OF WATER PUMP FAILURE IS PROBABLY UNSEEN ON MOST OTHER CAR MODELS. THEREFORE, IT IS SUGGESTED TO THE MANUFACTURER TO INVESTIGATE INTO POSSIBLE DESIGN DEFECTS OF THE WATER PUMP. *NLM

IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THE NISSAN USED PLASTIC SPROCKETS IN THE TIMING CHAIN AND THEY ARE FAILING. IT IS ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT NISSAN IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS SINCE CHANGED THE PRODUCTION FROM USING PLASTIC. THE PLASTIC SPROCKETS BREAK WHICH CAN THEN CAUSE MAJOR ENGINE FAILURE. TO HAVE THE TIMING CHAIN PROBLEM REPAIRS WILL COST ME IN EXCESS OF $2K BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER CHOOSE TO EXPERIEMTN WITH USING PLASTIC IN THE ENGINE.*AK

ON GOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH ENGINE STALLING, USUALLY IT OCCURS WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP POSTION OR ACCELERATING FROM A LOW SPEED. VEHICLE BEEN IN / OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON FIVE OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. *AK DEALER REPLACED FRONT TIMING COVERS, GASKETS, INTAKE MANIFOLD COLLECTOR, COIL PACKS, PLUGS, AND PERFORMED THROTTLE CHAMBER SERVICE, NOW VEHICLE HAS AN OIL LEAK. TRANSMISSION FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. STARTER MOTOR FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. *SLC