jelledge

Posted Previously
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Maroone_MIA Posted:

Feathering and Nissan Warranty
I can't believe a lot of you are getting a hard time from your dealer on this issue. Any new vehicle within 1 year or 12000 miles from the in-service date is entitled to warranty adjustments (in this case - toe in adjustments).

If abnormal tire wear is the result of improper toe in specs, then warranty WILL take care of the tires and alignment.

I can't imagine Nissan not properly aligning a majority of the vehicles I've been reading about in these posts. My guess, and ONLY a guess, is the possibility the vehicle transporters to the dealer are tying down the cars so tight possibly bending the aluminum control arms causing improper toe set. It is not something a dealer will easily catch during pre delivery inspection.

Again, this is my guess and if I prove to be correct, dealers may have to replace parts in addition to setting the toe and replacing tires. I'll see what my Service Manager comes up with and let you all know.



Follow up from Maroone_MIA:

I'm sure checking the toe is something we will do during PDI. Our guys do have a checklist to follow and Nissan pays a tech. 1 hour to PDI a 350.

Ever since I found out about this site, we took a couple of Z's from the lot and inspected them on a lift. 1 out of the 3 we did had a bent control arm from being tied down too tight during transport.

The fact that the car is so new, replacement parts are in short supply and in some cases, backordered. This burdens the dealer when inventory is on hold due to maintenance and parts unavailability.

I hope Nissan has a solution for us ASAP.
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So is this the answer to the tire feathering and odd alignment problems??? The control arms are being damaged during shipment? This would explain why the problem seems to so sporatic.

My question would be that if the control arms are being bent then how is it that so many of the Z's that are being aligned have the correct caster and camber and only suffer from bad toe adjustment?[I][B]

waukee

Is the control arm somthing we can tell is bent on our own, maby by jacking up the car or somthing that we can look or measure for?

MannishBoy

iTrader: (1)

I can understand them being knocked out of alignment, but BENDING from being strapped down? That sounds rather bad.

WashUJon

I agree! I find it hard to believe that compressing the suspension on a tied-down car would bend control arms! If those suckers will bend from that, then we're going to be replacing them quite a bit in the lifetime of the car. They'll bend for other reasons, too. I sincerely hope that's not the real case here...

stungeon

I may be showing my ignorance but I thought aluminum was not easily bendable. I thought that it was more likely to crack or break rather than bend. It is much stiffer than steel.

westpak

iTrader: (19)

They might have seen that but I think it is an exception, the main problem is the toe being out on these cars from the plant. Mine were all out so I was going straight but causing the scalloping on the inside edges, they fixed the alignment but now for the past 2 weeks I have been going back and forth with Nissan on getting new tires.

To top it off the Nissan Tech rep for the area told me that the first couple of months of production they sent the cars out with the toe out on purpose, mine was a July production VIN 573 and even though it was their fault they still give me a hard time.

Boomer

Toyota had a similar problem when they shipped cars by rail. My 91 MR2T had a camber problem from the way they tied down the cars, Camrys included too. Toyota provided camber kits for the Camrys, but not the MR2s. I had to have my own put on and the camber adjusted by an idependent shop. Who is communicating this to Nissan? Anyone?

I just had the alignment checked immediately after I put on a new set of tires. I would hate to find out my tires were going bad because of another suspension problem. Remember, the control arms are aluminum alloy to save weight, not steel, and I am guessing they are not as strong either. Should we all pursue our dealer to recheck the alignment, but focus on the camber and caster? Will we get a TSB on this? I plan to put a lot of miles on my car this spring and summer, I would be really upset if I started having problems.

What does Maroone_MIA say about rechecking the alignment in view of this new revelation? Would a bent control arm show up in a toe-in alignment like I just had?

I have just called my SW at the dealership and he said he said he will talk to the tech to see if anything showed up about the caster or camber. He also said if there are prblems they send the car to a frame! shop who then, by hand measure from the center line I believe diagonally from front left to right rear, and vice versa and then loosen everything in the suspension and retighten to the manufacturer's specs.

My SW says its pretty straightforward and not complex at all. He also said Nissan will not allow an alignment until the car has as least 750 miles on it to allow the suspension to "settle" after its delivered. I'll let you know if I find out anything useful.

stungeon

Why would they send them out with the toe out on purpose?

WashUJon

If this were caused in transport, then a percentage of all Zs will have this problem. If its a manufacturing flaw, then I wonder if only the first production set has the problem? I wonder how many recent buyers are encountering this. Not too many have enough mileage, I'm sure...