Nissan Maxima Problems

Nissan Maxima has enjoyed sales success in Australia over many years.

Nissan has had a knack of building good cars and disguising them so well few people get to see just how good they are. The A32 Maxima is a perfect example. It was a very good family four-door that went unnoticed by the majority of car buyers.It was a similar case with the Skyline the company previously built in the 1980s. The Skyline had a refined mechanical package that was reassuringly reliable, it was well built, but its hard-edged styling was hard to accept. Those who cared to take a closer look, however, were pleasantly surprised and became ardent fans.The Maxima is a similar case. It had a wonderfully refined mechanical package, was well built, and very reliable. Even better, its lines were much more attractive that its predecessor.Despite the positives it was a car that failed to grab much attention, but like the Skyline those who looked closer found a great car, and also like the Skyline the Maxima is a car worth taking a close look at when considering your next used car.MODEL WATCHThe Maxima first arrived here in 1991 as an imported replacement for the locally built Skyline, which had attracted a loyal following in the years it was on sale despite some early problems with diff noise.While the Skyline was a competitor for the Falcon and Commodore, the Maxima was aimed at those who wanted more and were prepared to pay for it. Unlike the two locally built cars, and the Skyline, the Maxima was front-wheel drive, but it boasted good build quality, was smooth and refined, and very reliable.Like many Nissans the Maxima’s styling was thought to be ultra conservative, and it was quickly given the tag of your “granddad’s” car. Sure it was conservative, as many Japanese cars of the time were, but it’s really being a little unfair to the Maxima, and yourself, if you disregard it on the basis of its looks.The A32 Maxima is now almost 10 years old, but it has held its looks over that time, and still looks good on the road. That’s the upside of conservative styling, it simply doesn’t date as fast as some more edgy styling does.Initially the model choices consisted of the 30J entry level, plus the better equipped 30G and luxury 30GV.The 30J came quite well equipped with air-conditioning, driver’s airbag, central locking, power windows and mirrors, cloth trim, height adjustable steering wheel, power steering and ABS.The 30G came with standard air-con, auto trans, alloys, cruise, driver’s airbag, wood trim, leather steering wheel and gearshift knob, central locking and CD player. The range topping 30GV had all of that plus leather, dual airbags, active suspension, power sunroof and fog lamps.Power for all models was provided by a jewel-like 3.0-litre V6. The silky smooth double overhead cam motor had multipoint fuel-injection and pumped out a competitive 142 kW at 5600 revs, which was more than a match for the local six cylinder family cars.Nissan initially offered a choice of five-speed manual or four-speed auto, both had floor shift, and drove through the front wheels. Auto became standard after 1996.The 30S Touring sedan replaced the 30J in 1996. Features list included standard auto trans, ally wheels, rear spoiler, leather steering wheel and gearshift knob.IN THE SHOPThe news is good for anyone who’s thinking of buying an A32 Maxima, as there is little that seems to go wrong with them in a regular or serious way.Like any car things do break, and they’re always frustrating, but there’s nothing that says there’s a serious problem lurking under that very conservative skin.The engine gives good service, and with a chain driving the camshafts, there’s nothing that needs replacing at regular intervals.The transmission can give trouble, with the various electric solenoids in the ’box the main culprits. You can expect 200,000 km out of a trannie with little trouble, but try to find a car with a service record as these will be more reliable in the long run than a car that has been neglected.The heater core can also be a source of trouble over the long term, if it fails it will dump its load into the passenger compartment and may drown the car’s computer, which is handily located below the core.It’s a nuisance if it happens, and costly if the ECU is damaged, but it’s not enough to dismiss the Maxima as this is one great car.LOOK FOR• conservative styling won’t stand out in a crowd• plenty of zip• silky smooth quad-cam V6• impeccable reliability• check for service record• high level of equipmentTHE BOTTOM LINEConservative styling can be boring, but well balanced chassis, smooth V6, and great reliability make the Maxima a very attractive used car.RATING85/100

And the car industry is not immune from being saddled with these potentially damaging problems.Apart from Ford's recent problems with brake hoses and brake booster valves on E-Gas Falcons the other ‘big two’ carmakers have had their fair share of recalls.Holden has had five recalls for its VE Commodore and Statesman range since its introduction in 2006, involving things like fuel vapor lines, fuel lines and defective valves on LPG cars.ToyotaToyota had a range of recalls for its Camry, HiLux, RAV4, Yaris and LandCruiser over the past three years. Most, like a headlight dimmer switch on a Camry, have been minor. Others, like the potential fire hazard stemming from a poorly installed insulator pad on a Yaris, raised alarm bells among some customers.NissanLast week Nissan was forced to recall 11,743 Maximas and 4972 Muranos because of a vibrating air intake in the engine bay.AudiEven the luxury German brands are not immune. Last year Audi had to recall its TT for a piece of rear side trim in its cars that unless fixed, could potentially injure passengers.Mercedes-Benz This year Mercedes-Benz has recalled its M-Class off-roader for a possible glitch in its electric rear hatch. It was also forced to recall S-Class sedans fitted with active body control because of problems with the front lower ball joints on its suspension. On some high-mileage vehicles, the front suspension could fracture on rough roads. Faulty left and right windows in the Viano van also required the replacement.BMWOf the German carmakers, BMW has fared better. It has not had a official government recall since 2006.Volvo Volvo has had three recalls this year of its S80, XC70, V70 and new XC60 for engine cooling fan problems and windscreen wiper problems with the S80 and XC70.JaguarJaguar, once widely ridiculed for its poor quality cars, has come a long way over the past few years. Jaguars these days have no less, or no more, problems with recalls than some of the other luxury brands. Last year it experienced some minor problems with the XF range involving wiring and rear seatbelts.In all cases, recalls by carmakers are handled quickly and responsibly. If you want to check out whether your vehicle has had a recall, go to www.recalls.gov.au