I think Nissan should be paying you for all of your research and doing their job for them.

 

Ah man, I'm so ticked right now. I took my car in a few weeks back for the initial TSB visit. They said they would put new tires on, but they were on back order. While they had my car, some techs apparently went joyriding in it...don't know for sure. I found greasy hand prints on the headliner on both driver and passenger side. Then I noticed that the passenger seat had a rip in the leather on the side bolster. I managed to get the handprints off, but the seat needs to be replaced. My plan was to wait until the tires came in before I bothered to take the car up there and show them the seat.

So yesterday, I finally get a call that my tires are in. I told them I would bring the wheels/tires in rather than the whole car...because I want to minimize the car's exposure to their techs...and they said ok. So I take the wheels/tires in today. Pick them up this evening, and they had scratched and gouged both wheels! I told the service manager this is totally unnacceptable, and he agrees to buy me new wheels. The ripped seat is still up in the air, because I still need to bring the car by for them to look at the seat.

I hope this isn't what I have to go through every time I need Nissan to buy me a new set of tires. I can't wait until I have a lemon law case...no doubt I'll take full advantage of it. Never again Nissan, never again...

 

The number of different problems you are experiencing is not acceptable. I would pursue a Buyback from Nissan in your particular situation.

 

Very Interesting. I just checked my tires. the front two were recently replaced. Front right tire has both the E4 and I008 marking. Front left tire only has the E4 marking.

Rear tires have neither marking.

 

The suspense is killing me. Please let us know the outcome. I guess I'll be dreaming tonight about what I'm going to buy with the $42,000 I get back from Nissan when they buyback MY lemon Z.

 

Update!!!

Their may be a revised TSB for the 'Tire Road Noise while Breaking' condition. I brought my vehicle in for the TSB yesterday afternoon, and I was supposed to pick it up after work today, except my service advisor at Scottsdale Nissan called me and told me that they will need the vehicle another day. He said that their is a new procedure that they believe will fix the problem, this includes replacing the passenger side lower control arm. They seem to think that this should solve the problem, I on the other hand am not so sure. But he assured me that they will also adjust the toe-in to factory specs (or as close as possible), perform and alignment and flip the front tires. They may also replace the right compression rod if it is deemed that my vehicle is drifting on the highway. Additionally my grease streak problem should be fixed too, without rattles hopefully. We'll see how this all works out.

 

I thought replacing the passenger side lower control arm is the fix for the car pulling to the right and not related to the feathering issue at all?

 

No, the TSB for "2003 350Z; Steering Drift to the Right" (NTB03046) calls for replacing the right front suspension compression rod ... NOT the right front control arm. Unless I am retarded and they are the same thing. But I still don't see why they would only have to replace the one side, doesn't it seem like you would replace both sides? I don't know ... I will probe more when I pick the ****er up tomorrow.

 

Well - today is day 10 the Florida Lemon Law period. Nissan has till the close of business today to set up the final repair. If Nissan calls tomorrow - a day late and a dollar short - no repair will be necessary because they'll be buying her back. I'm so sick of the bull$hit NNA is dishing out.

Watch NNA wait till like 4:30 PM to call me - nothing like waiting till the last minute....


Typical

 

Noticed the roaring noise at about 7500 miles. At 8500 the dealer did the TSB where they swapped the front tires. At 16000 the noise came be back even louder so I took my car back to the dealer. My SM called California and they agreed to replace the front tires but I would have to pay for the alignment, which I don’t agree. He also said that the thread on the rear tires was almost gone. He said it was because I was driving too hard!!!! I told the guy you gotta be kidding. When I traded in my 01 Max it had 35000 miles and the tires still had another 25000 miles on them. I figured California told the joker to say so so that they don’t have to replace all four tires.

I am getting fed up by the bad service and lack of response to this big problem, which I think will not be solved unless Nissan comes with a major re-design of the front suspension. All 350z have this problem including the roaster. The question is when will it show up.

I agree with one of the early posts that front suspension was design this way for better handling and performance, but Nissan forgot that this car was going to spend 100% of the time on the street and not on the track.

VA lemon law here I come or maybe to avoid all headaches I will trade it in as soon as I get my two front tires.

 

Nothing like waiting till the last minute. Nissan called on the 10th and final day of my Lemon Law Claim and in doing so Nissan has elected to repair the car one final time. My Brickyard Z will be turned in on 1/5/04 for a 10 day window for the NNA Tech to fix. The NNA tech will fly in on the 5th and will stay in town till the car is fixed or the 10 days are up.

Nissan will also have to provide for me a rental car while my Z is in for the final repair. I am going to provide the Tech a 3rd party report on the current porblems with my Z. I know it's pointless, but for the sake of a future legal challange I have to make it known up front I had the Z inspected by a 3rd party.

So that's it... I'm going to wait for 3 weeks and on the 5th I'll turn her in.

 

I'm sorry you have to do this, but what will determine the problem isn't fixed after the NNA tech has done all that can be done? How do you know when it isn't fixed, just by a drive? I've missed something in your posts or all you have to do is say I'm not satisfied? Is that the case, waiting for 3 weeks is mandatory before they buy it back at your request?

 

The engineers can go back to Japan and tell their superiors "it's that lousy American dealer workmanship issue again" and save face. That record had a 2" groove worn in it the day after the first Japenese car was sold.

Jelledge I agree with you. What will happen is our cars will "feather" again and in a couple months we'll have to send another round of faxes.

I wrote a paper that was provided to them when they came and reviewed mine. The paper told them that toe and the TSB is not the answer, proof is found in my many alignments (they made copies) and the recurring wear.

 

If his suit is based upon a tire feathering problem he may have to drive the car until they feather again to demonstrate that the final repair was not successful. And if they replace the tires with a harder compound like the Pilot Sports this may take a while. But at least if they do feather again all of those miles will be on Nissan's dime.

 

My LL suit is based on (3) items

1) Incorrect Alignment - 3 times
2) Drifting to the right - 2 times (control arm replaced - still pulls)
3) Crooked Wheel - 3 times might have something to do with alignment
4) Feathered tires - fronts replaced (wrong tires ordered twice), rears are bad also (refused to replace).

So, NNA replaced the front tires with RE04's on 11/29/03. Upon drving off the lot, the Z started pulling to the right again and it still drove like a 4x4. I've had every TSB performed and the service mgr agreed that there is something not right with the car, but they were out of answers.

So if I seem unsatisfied - you're damn right. As you can see in my signature, I've been for service enough since January. Each time they send me off knowing the car is not right. The BBB has already found in my favor and that should be enough. The front tires will feather again and I will re-open my case in a heart beat if necessary.

Neither here nor there - NNA has till 1/15/03 to make this right... That's the bottom line.

 

Hey I wasn't disputing the validity of your claim. Believe me when I say that I understand your frustration. I am in the same or similar situation. I am disgusted by the way Nissan is handling this issue. I was just pointing out that if you give them the opportunity to make a final repair attempt then you will have to demonstrate that the attempt failed to continue with the case and if that contention is based largely on the tire issue then they would have to once again feather to prove your claim. And I would not be suprised if they choose to put a much harder compound tire on the car. On the other hand, it may be possible to construct a case based on the fact that, assuming that alignment and tire replacement is all they do, this is no remedy as evidenced by multiple prior attempts with the same process on this car and others. If, when they finish, the car still pulls to the right or the alignment cannot be brought within specs, then that is another story. Anyway I hope you get satisfaction. I suspect that you are laying the groundwork for many others, myself included, that will follow.

 

So did anyone else receive a thank you card from Jayme at Nissan North America for letting the Engineers from Japan look at our cars?

I will admit my hope is all but dead now on a fix...I have moved on and just purchased a Nismo S-tune suspension.

Good luck!

 

I know I've posted the article about the Europeans complaining about the suspension and the changes Nissan promised on the Euro-spec car. The same changes we think are coming on the 2004.5

Has anyone seen any posts by anyone in the European or Japanese markets? I find it difficult to belive that at least the Japanese market cars aren't having the same problem.

 

I can see your decision is dictated by your mods, I would do the same if my car weren't dead stock, except for tires. I will wait, impatiently, for the Konis to give me a better ride and handling compromise than the standard suspension. I think people need to examine how much they want to keep their Zs. Its all over but the shouting, the engineers won't do squat for the 2003s, its clear now.

You will fix it yourself or sell it, its pretty simple math for me. I never counted on NNA for anything, so I am not surprised. Konis, Camber/Caster kits when available for street use, the racing ones are too expensive, new springs if they are available for a better compromise. I'll get it done and Nissan will have the rest of the parts for 10 years if I want to keep it that long and when its done I may do just that.

 

Correct! The final repair has been set up for Jan 5th. However, for the next three weeks I have to continue to drive with a crooked wheel, a 4x4 ride and the return of the right drift even after the rod was replaced. I explained to NNA - what am I to do in the mean time? Just wait? Each day I drive this car, I'm putting myelf at risk due to the nature of having to fight the wheel. If I let go with my left hand, the car goes to the right again. They had "fixed" this during my 8/23/03 visit which was on the "old" tires. On 11/29/03 when they replaced the fronts, the crooked wheel came back as did the right drift. So it seems i'm in some sort of 360' cycle. As they fix each problem, the older problems seem to return. Now if NNA can get me out of this cycle when they conduct the final repair and of course provide it in writing - then all is forgiven. If not, then why should I be nice. I gave a certain level of trust with NNA when I ordered this car w/o a test drive or anything (Many of us did this) and I feel that level of trust is now broken. First time shame on them, second time shame on me. There will not be a second time.

So I called the NNA arbitrator and asked him what should I do during the next three weeks? Since this is my daily driver I can't exactly park it. He said and I quote: "If you feel the car is unsafe then take it to the dealership." Then what? No answer. I'm hesident to have any repairs conducted before the 1/5/03 final repair - I want the NNA Tech to see my car in all it's glory. So I don't know what to do.... Any idea's?

The main reason why I'm keep everyone up to date is there will be others that follow in this path - trust me - it's not easy but you have to stay the course and do not be swayed by a offer of a refund of a few months payment. It's an attempt to buy you off.