Faults:

Nissan Maxima 2000 / 2003.

I own 2 Maxima one 2000 and another 2003. I have convinced myself as 6 years Nissan owner that they are a REAL JUNK. Don't waste your money on it, they have all the same problems. I find the cars with no problems only in first 3-4years for a brand new car. After that they start to COLLAPSE. The Engine light is ALWAYS one. You fix it by replacing a crap sensor and then comes back in 1-2 months for another sensor. I had IDENTICAL problems on my both Maxima which include:

- mass airflow sensor - crap

- O2 sensors (prepare to change them like broken eggs)

- ignition coils

- all kinds of engine related issues like : air flow, throttle, ignition, car stales, etc.

I spent thousands of dollars on these CRAP CARs so I will never own a Nissan again, even if I get it for free. I had the chance to see a confidential car reliability report for Canada made for auto makers and only available to them. They ranked the cars based on number of defects per year. Nissan ranked no 20 out of 30. The real good brands would be in top 10. So don't bother spending your money on this junk name.

Sorry for saying all these but imagine what I feel after owning two of them with identical problems and LOTS of money wasted in repairs and ending with a POOR sale value.

General Comments:

This brand has serioUs issues, not recommended by someone who owned two Maxima, their flagship car. A shame to make this junk and sell it so expensive.

Faults:

All shocks/struts needed to be replaced

One of the catalytic converters went bad, over $700 just for the part

Ball joints

Tie rod ends replaced twice

Radiator contracted a hole in the top of it so it had to be replaced

Headlights fog up, however I believe there is a recall on them

Thermostat replaced

Water pump replaced

General Comments:

Fairly nice looking car and runs smooth when all of the issues are fixed. At freeway speeds, you can feel the car kick in more power when turn of the OD mode. Steering is pretty good and the brakes work very well (trust me on this).

One thing that hampers the car is the turning radius. If you don't like having to do 3-point turns a lot, then this vehicle may not be for you.

Also, repair parts and service for this vehicle are not for the faint of heart. Nissan charges waaaayyy too much for parts. You are better off ordering parts online from an auto parts warehouse or even an online auction site.

Oh yeah, the dealer recommends 91 octane. At today's prices, that ain't gonna happen at every fill up.

Faults:

My ignition coils have been a problem since 1000 miles after I bought the car. Now it's my sensors, as there are so many of them.

General Comments:

It's funny that many of the prior comments are sooo similar to my experience with this car.

I have had 2 other cars prior to this one, and this one has been the most problematic.

I had a 1989 Volkswagen Golf before this car, and it ran past the 187,000 mile mark like a gem, all the way until it was stolen.

Unfortunately, I can't say the same about this Nissan Maxima GLE! I too, have written to the headquarters of Nissan International in CA, about getting a recall done for the ignition coils, but to no avail.

They didn't even have the common courtesy to write back & tell me their opinion.

It is a shame that such a comfortable car with a great engine had to be saddled with very bad electronic gadgetry.

The sensors are horrible, because once you fix one, another one goes bad.

I even get the SLIP, TCS & another light, come on whenever the car starts rough idling.

As per the prior comments from other unfortunate owners; once I bring back the car from the mechanic, I get the "service engine soon" light again.

When they fix it, I'd be lucky if it last a week because it usually comes on after 2 days after coming from the shop! I even called a car repair talk show to see if they could help me. I am going to go to the mechanic that they recommended to see if they can resolve my problem. If any of you former owners want to send a petition letter to Nissan, at the same time, regarding all the problems we just stated, let me know.

I will be looking at this website from time to time.

If you want to see my other comments about my problems, go on Caranddriver.com or kbb.com (which stands for Kelly Blue Books) and read the reviews of this year and model.

Some of the former owners on the car and driver website have actually praised this same car! This even after they fixed or replaced all their ignition coils at around the 16,000 mile mark!

I am going to write to Nissan again because I've heard that they fixed the problem; at least that is what the dealer in my area said.

However, this is from the dealer, so I wouldn't expect them to tell me the truth, since they are there to sell the car, not to bad mouth it.