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2004 Maxima < 20,000m needs new engine!
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stupidgirl
New User
Feb 14, 2008, 8:22 PM
Post #1 of 4
(1478 views)
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2004 Maxima < 20,000m needs new engine!
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I need some advise.....badly! I have a 2004 Nissan Maxima SE and I stupidly missed an oil change,actually,my first change was at 13,000m. I know..IGNORANT! but,the car ran great. I had no problems with it.Until I took it to the garage. When I took the car in I told the guy oil change was late(also stupid). I get a phone call later that day telling me I also need a spark plug (oh yeah, the engine light had come on, service lite maybe).So, that was changed, then found out had something like 100,000m life.When I pick up the car-the guy says oil spilled in the sprk plg chamber and it was burning smoke off. however, the smoke came out both tailpipes. I left anyway(didn't know if normal) and the next week or so the car didn't run the same(not as much power,the engine was not as quiet, and the smoke continued. A friend checked the oil to find that there wasn't ANY in the car. My theory is, something went wrong when they were changing the spark plug and they were so worried about covering their tracks, they forgot to put oil in the car!!!!I added oil, but a month or so later the engine light was back on and this time the car was worse-very sluggish. They told me this time it was due to oil sludge. They charged me $80 and flushed it out. I was told to come back every 500m. Eighty bucks ea time. That fixed nothing and I didn't have them do it again. The car still smoked. I was told by the third visit(total of 3mo)that the engine was bad because of the sludge. Engine coils were replaced and so on,told not covered by warranty-but everything done has been. I believe the sludge was from drivin with no oil. Now warranty out and the car is back in shop and I'm told I need a new engine. I only have 17,000m on the car!! I have had the car in the shop about 6times or more and every time it was worse when I got it home. the smoke never did go away. The dealership says that it is my fault because the oil wasn't changed. But, if that were the case, would they not have noticed the oil sludge the first time I took it in.I have looked at the papers they printed for me the other day when I went in to speak to a supervisor and I have looked at the yellow receipt they gave me and there is no mention of sludge. In fact, when I asked the guy, he told me it was fine. I have talked to other mech. and they have laughed out loud at their theory. At this point, I just don't know what to do. I am NOT allowing them to replace engine. someone else may have to...... If I had the engine taken apart,would it be possible to determine if there was faulty repairs or no? The dealership has called back since offering a trade, but we have not talked price. They stated that Nissan would not cover work but they are still trying. Thanks for any advise you can give!
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Feb 15, 2008, 7:38 AM
Post #2 of 4
(1473 views)
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Re: 2004 Maxima < 20,000m needs new engine!
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You are a bit screwed for being up front about a late oil service. None-the -less I think something went terribly wrong with that first oil change. Was the "service engine" light on before all this? Ignoring that forever just tacked in the last nail.
Most enines from new would go 13k without changing the oil and no exibit much of a problem. Sludge builds up much faster with cars that run hot or running low on oil - did that ever happen?
Hey - I think this is a nightmare right now and if the dealer will give you a good deal to trade in now it could save you a lot of headaches which you just know are coming. And DON'T DO THAT AGAIN!!
T
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stupidgirl
New User
Feb 15, 2008, 11:41 AM
Post #3 of 4
(1466 views)
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Re: 2004 Maxima < 20,000m needs new engine!
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the engine light had come on, but I was smart enough to take it straight to the shop. I had asked when I picked up the car if everything was ok, he told me (on the first visit) that it was fine. No mention the oil was low,nothing that there was sludge. As far as running the car hot, never. I only drive through a small town twice a day. That's why the car only has 17,000m right now....even if the car had been running better, I probably wouldn't have gotten the miles. I don't know what kind of trade in I can get from em.The last I was told was that I would take a financial loss. I am more than certain now that will be the new avenue used to screw me! I have even gone as far as to take the car to other mechanics. One told me it did sound like there was something dropped in the spark plug chamber. The other thought that was possible or that it could be the valve guides. I have had the engine light come on more than once and have never driven it that way. I have known from the beginning that something was WRONG so I have taken every precaution with the car. I check the oil regularly and only use premium gas. This morning, I went ahead and called a prepaid legal service that I subscribe to, so maybe something will turn this around. I do appreciate you taking the time to answer though and for restraining (for the most part) from berating me for the oil
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Feb 15, 2008, 12:16 PM
Post #4 of 4
(1463 views)
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Re: 2004 Maxima < 20,000m needs new engine!
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Something went wrong as you suggest. It shouldn't have just blown up like that. Yes - dropping something down or in a spark plug hole can be fatal for an engine. I don't really know why at 13k they even wanted to look at them - late oil change or not. The amber check engine if it was that one AND engine is running well is not considered a right-now emergency and tons of short trip could aggrevate a car to set one off.
For the record: I've seen several new vehicles go over 40k without an oil change and not all showed evidence. Not a great thing to save money on in any car. Sludge would be evident easily now if in fact that was there at all. It's more of a problem with cheap oil and let run low a lot and the overheating which you didn't say happened.
Engines that do build up sludge usuall start ticking or have a symptom. Flushing it out fast causes more harm in most. I doubt this engine had or has any sludge. It wouldn't just clean out so easy with the strongest stuff I've ever used with parts off the engine!
A tear down probably would show something other than late maintenance was in fact the cause.
The trade in idea was just that I expect this to need major stuff now and they'll know that and devalue it accordingly and a dealer might just decide to put a nice whole new engine in it with a low mile car and sell it again themselves.
This is prime time of year for hungry car makers to sell some cars. There are unseen incentives to move inventory for them. You still never win swapping cars all the time but they can fix it cheaper than you will find on your own and they know it. Good luck,
T
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