Brake Sensor problems of the 2007 Nissan Maxima

I took my car in to the dealership due to all of my warning lights coming on. Upon putting it on the lift, they showed me where the underside was significant rust that caused the tire & brake sensors to fall off the struts. Additionally, the floor pans were completely rusted out with holes, which can cause my feet to crash through the floorboards causing an accident or carbon dioxide poisoning. I have researched the many problems reported online regarding rusted floor pans and believe the NHTSA should force Nissan to provide a recall to get these items fixed. I understand rust is not a standard reason for NHTSA to be involved, but will it take my death to have you regulate & resolve this issue?.

Abs sensor problems . Vehicle will not accelerate.

The contact owns a 2007 Nissan Maxima. While the contact was driving, the vehicle failed to accelerate over 30 mph and when the brakes were applied there was excessive vibration. In addition, the abs and traction control system warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. The warning indicators remained illuminated until the engine was turned off. The contact was able to continue driving cautiously to his residence and upon arrival the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer for diagnostic testing. The technician stated the abs actuator and both rear brake sensors would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and was taken an independent mechanic; however they advised for that type of repair the vehicle be taken back to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified and they were unable to provide assistance. The failure mileage was 54,000. The VIN was unavailable.

After leaving home & driving 1 mile the car would not accelerate to highway speed and had difficulty going over 30 mph. At just over 40 mph the engine was running at over 4,500 rpm. Not wanting to risk driving the car on the highway to the nearest Nissan dealer (20+ mi. ), I made an appointment with a shop closer to home. When I drove to the shop it was difficult to maintain any speed over 40 mph and the car slowed to under 25 mph going up an incline. Half way to the shop, approx. 4 miles, several warning lights lit up on the dash. At the shop the mechanic said that the abs brake system was showing a problem with the right rear sensor, after talking to the Nissan dealer where I bought the car it was decided that the right rear abs sensor should be replaced. That was done but it did not solve the problem. More phone calls were made and the consensus was that the abs actuator (control unit) needed to be replaced. The Nissan dealer indicated that abs brake system problems are common with this vehicle. A failure of such a critical part in the abs brake system would be very dangerous at highway speeds. . This was an expensive repair and the abs system control unit is something that should last the life of the vehicle. With a vehicle with just over 50,000 miles, it seems like there is a design or manufacturing problem here.

I first took my 07 Maxima in to the dealership oct 2010 because the car lost engine power when it was cold outside. They had it for about a week and finally decided the car needed a rear wheel sensor and a larger hole ground in the rear "nuckle" to let moisture and salt out. This cost me $807 and they assured me this was not a common problem and the car was fixed. It is now Feb 2011 and the car is back in the shop. The diagnosis is 2 more wheel sensors need replaced and now it also needs a abs actuator. Total bill $2500. When this problem is accuring the car loses power which is probably not a bad idea cause the brake pedal goes down to the floor while growling and acting like it is sliding on ice. Nissan knows there is a problem with these cars as I know they issued a service bulletin to grind some openings in the plastic cover to let moisture out. They will not issue a recall though. I have seen many of these complaints for 2006 Maximas.

2007 Nissan Maxima abs activates with normal braking. There was a service bulletin ntb07-016b for this problem which is clearly a design defect from Nissan. As I was driving and catching speed I noticed my car slipped into a lower gear I would hear abs engaging and if I steped on the brake pedal abs would be activated. Took it to the dealer even though I have no warranty they told me it would cost me $1,200 to replace the bearings and the sensors as they were corroded due to water and dirt trapped where the sensors rest. The service bulletin clearly states that a piece has to be grinded off on knuckle in order to allow proper drainage of water and dirt. This is a safety concern and a very expensive repair to be done coming out of consumers pockets due to the obvious design defect from Nissan. They should be held responsible for this ongoing defect and a recall should be mandated to correct this potential hazard while driving.