I've got about 2000 miles since the dealer performed an alignment to updated specs.

Well, so far so good. I checked my tires this morning and they are smooth on the inside. The feel is now the same either way I run my hand. Just like the outside. I also like the wear I'm getting from the SO3s.

Car runs great and I'm getting a yearning for a long trip. About time for a roadtrip to Florida for some warm weather.

 

What are the updated specs? I know they changed it a couple weeks ago. My dealer said they performed the TSB, but the tires were never swapped even though they said it was done.

 

SO3s?

 

Everyone should note that as per TSB NTB03-006B dated Dec. 19th, 2003 -- Nissan has changed the toe in settings for the front tires. See this thread for TSB details:
https://my350z.com/forum/showthread....478#post619478

Alignment specs used to be 0.04in toe in, now it is 0.08in.

I know that back in December when the Nissan engineers from Japan inspected my car they did not reset the toe to these new settings. No idea why as the tires had really bad feathering.

God damn Nissan owes me another set of tires and an alignment to see if this fixes the problem.

 

I have 5000 miles on my new tires and going to go to tire store and get rotated (side to side) and another alignment. From the TSB, it sounds like I should get the alignment first and then rotate. It seems backwards to me. Is that right? Curious for your thoughts.

 

Actually the specs have not changed. Nissan is however, now recommending that the cars bet set at 2mm of total toe in and suggesting that, under no circumstances, should the car be set up with any toe out. Unfortunately this is nothing new. Dealers have had access to this guidance for quite some time. During my last alignment the toe settings were changed from close to nominal to 2mm (actually 1.8mm) total toe in as the TSB suggests. This was done back in September I believe, long before the December 12 release date of this new document. My car is back in the shop today with cupped front tires with only 3,500 miles on them since they were replaced. The one difference that I see between this set and the last set is that they are cupped on both the inside AND the outside. The other new peice of information from this document is that now Nissan has formalized their claim that Americans cannot operate alignment equipment. The data is there for anyone to see. When are the morons at Nissan going to remove there craniums from their collective fecal discharge orafice and look for another solution?

 

has anybody here had the tsb done for the tires without ever having the "drifting to the right" tsb (compression rod) done? to my knowledge my car has never had the compression rod for what i call a minimal right drift. i say this because i got mine used back in october and i do not know for sure. If this is the case should i get the compression rod changed? does this have a direct effect on tire wear and the feathering? if not i wont. i know this is a touch off topic but still related to tthe tires and also this thread has been getting the best responses. thanks.

 

I had the tires TSB done 1st before they replaced the compression rod on 8/23/03. After the first TSB repair - I took a 500 mile drive to Key West. My left arm felt like it was going to fall off after fighting the wheel for 500 miles. Following the trip was when I had the compression rod replaced for the first time. I have since had the rod replaced again during my Lemon Law repair.

Update:
Still driving her around..... I'm going to take her to a flat parking lot and see if there is any drifting. I'm going to have my wife record the test so I can see afterwards. I'm still suspect of the "final" repair.

 

I have not had the compression rod done at any stage, but I had the TSB (swap tires left to right and change toe-in) at 9000 miles to try to fix the cupping and tire noise.

The cupping and noise came back again a few thousand later. The car did not drift either before or after.

I just got the car back from the dealer again (17000 miles). I called Nissan customer care (spoke to a sympatheic and helpful Cheryl) who told me to take it back to the dealer. The dealer has done the alignment again with different settings - they explained to me that a team of Nissan techs from Japan are touring around explaining some new procedure or settings that are supposed to fix this issue - this supercedes the "set toe in to max" deal that I was given at 9000 miles. We shall see. I will post the specs when I get the promised printout from the dealer next week.

The dealer is going to bat for me with Nissan for a new pair of front tires. The car tracked straight and true on the drive home.

FYI, there was no quibble from Nissan or the dealer about tackling this under warranty even though I am at 17,000. Whether I'll get the tires remains to be seen. Mine actually aren't badly cupped - they just sound like a 4x4.

 

Anyone have any luck going to a Bridgestone dealer to try to get them to replace them? Thats what my dealer told me to do, though I think he is just trying to get the blame away from Nissan.

 

The "set the toe to max" just came out! It is dated Dec.19, 2003 and specifically says to set the toe to MAXIMUM --0.2 DEGREES! Now your dealer is saying its superceded? When? Ask your dealer, please, What is his source and why should we believe he knows what he is talking about?

I don't disbelieve you, but there are several versions of recommended alignment settings being tossed out like confetti, I want something definitive from Nissan North America, in writing, with the signature of the Suspension Engineering Dep't's Manager on it. This is a complete farce, I have something in writing, a TSB, and your dealer says its no good? You will get a printout next week carrying the now sacred alignment settings?

In the name of all that is holy, why are we continuing to suffer at NNA'S hands? Isn't ANYONE IN CHARGE?

 

I just had mine done today. According to the Service Advisor, They put the car on the rack and took readings, faxed those readings to Nissan Tech, and Nissan Tech gave them instructions for adjusting the alignment. And the instructions were to set the toe to the max toe in of 2mm. Just like they did last time in September. The final reading in September was 1.9mm. The initial reading this time around was 1.4mm and the final was again 1.9mm. I'll scan a copy of the printouts and post them tomorrow. In any case the tires were replaced in September and now have a clear pattern of heel and toe cupping on both edges. Suprisingly, the dealer would not even admit that there was a problem this time around even though a child can hear feel and see the feathering. Another Service Advisor even boasted, as I was walking out the door, that they are 8 and 0 on the feathering problem returning after their alignments. This was the same Advisor that told me several weeks ago, without even touching the tires or barely even looking at them that there was no feathering and the same advisor that told me that I had a bad attitude and shouldn't be driving a sports car. Well Dave and Steve, if you are reading this and I believe that you are, it's easy to be 8 and 0 if you just deny that any problem exists. And anyone who runs there hands across those tires and can look me in the eye and state that there is no sign of feathering is an outright liar. I asked why they did an alignment under warranty if there was no problem? I believe it is because Nissan does not want to replace any more tires and they do not wish to trigger the lemon law. If anything they have accelerated the process. They could have attempted to put me at ease and instead they chose to lie. They stated it was because they had new alignment data. And yet the 2mm recommendation, which existed before the so called Japanese Engineer tour ever took place and before the latest TSB on the subject was released, was again implemented. I immediately took the car to an independent tire shop and got a written opinion to the effect that feathering does exist. I'll be taking it to two additional shops tomorrow. I also called NNA Consumer Affairs and got nothing from them. Not even a new case number. Further the rep maintained that third party opinions would carry no weight with them. They will carry some weight in a court of law however. I'm fed up with the whole thing. Interestingly, the service advisor informed me that my transmission showed signs of iminent failure and would be replaced. So I got that going for me.

 

Sorry for the incoherent rant of last evening. To say that I am a little angry would be an understatement. Anyway my alignment data for the last two repairs can be seen here:

9/15/03 final
1/14/04 initial
1/14/04 final

Sorry for the poor quality. That is what is was given. Notice how the front toe was set at or near the max of 2mm last September. This is significant in that the 2mm guidance in ntb03-006b is not new and in that I feathered another set of tires after this setting was applied.

If anyone can send me ntb03-006a and 6b I would appreciate it. I've got part of 6b but have never seen 6a. I can also host them if desired. Mail to mweber@psta.net Thanks.

 

waldf -- where are you in california? it seems like your dealer at least is sort of informed of this whole cupping issue.

i complained to my dealer about the tires. they said they can't do ****. i said, call NNA and get me new tires. they said ok (i was actually surprised to hear them say it). i got new tires in two weeks, and they're going on today.

don't believe "national backlog" ********. my dealer didn't even put up a fight for the new tires. they did insist this is the last time they'll fix this issue. (yeah right...that's what they said last time.)

i'm also insisting they do alignment again per the 006b TSB guidelines. we will see if this fixes anything at all. i'll be rolling in new tires with Nissan-specified alignment. i'm not getting my hopes up though...

 

Hey, I'm just conveying the message the dealer gave me. Like I said in my original message "The dealer has done the alignment again with different settings - they explained to me that a team of Nissan techs from Japan are touring around explaining some new procedure or settings that are supposed to fix this issue - this supercedes the "set toe in to max" deal that I was given at 9000 miles. " The "set toe to max" was done by my dealer in July 2003.

The service advisor told me there were several engineering types from Japan, in the country, looking at this issue. Maybe I am being fed a line, maybe not. All I can do is pass on, in good faith, what I was told.

 

Yes, I am in the Bay Area. My dealer is in Fremont. The treatment I have received on a variety of warranty issues has ranged from outstandingly helpful, to snotty and hostile, depending on the service advisor.

 

No one is faulting you, Waldf, but my dealer can't find the TSB on their Nissan Assist website where they post Recalls and TSBs for all models. BTW, the TSB you are referencing IS the "set to max" 0.2 the traveling engineers have been spouting. I don't know why your dealer thinks its different, unless his techs can't read.

 

You are correct sir!

 

So how do I get my dealer to freakin get me new tires?

 

I'm having the same problem. I had mine swapped and aligned 2,000 miles ago. I told the service guy that this wouldn't fix the problem and he said that none have come back after the realignment. Of course now I have feathering on the inside of the tires again. I asked them if they were going to replace my tires and they said that it wasn't necessary and they only replaced one set of tires so far. So I guess I'll call NNA, will they give say to replace them?