jaak, could yougive nthsa a call on monday ?

and ask about not being able to choose nissan murano when filing a complain like it used to be?

 

I have a 2004 SE I purchased in April 2004 with 4900 miles on it. The BRAKE and BATTERY LIGHT came on. I called the Nissan Dealer on a Saturday and they confirmed it was a bad alternator and to bring it on on Monday morning. Although is drives fine I will not drive until Monday when I bring it in to the dealership which is less than 5 miles away. Hopfully they have a alternator in stock and they have loaner car. Yes I do have the extended warranty. Wish me luck and again this site has helped me even with a negative issue such as this. I hope the new alternator models resolve this problem for good and there are no more issues.

 

Why is it that some people get the warning lights (Brake and Battery) that signify an impending alternator failure and drive OK to their dealers and others die in the middle of heavy traffic or even worse while traveling at high speed on the highway? What is there about this problem that would ever cause someone to come to a dead stop on the highway as some have reported???

I have to admit that I love this vehicle so much but this issue has me constantly looking for lights and afraid to go on long trips.

 

Adding to the list... 2004 Murano, 5400 miles, build date 04/04.

Brake/Battery lights both came on right after getting the 7500 mile service done (a little early, of course, and I'm sure it was coincidental). Took it in the next morning at 7:00am, was out by 8:30am. Obviously, they had an alternator in stock.

 

Why is it that some people get the warning lights (Brake and Battery) that signify an impending alternator failure and drive OK to their dealers and others die in the middle of heavy traffic or even worse while traveling at high speed on the highway? What is there about this problem that would ever cause someone to come to a dead stop on the highway as some have reported???

I have to admit that I love this vehicle so much but this issue has me constantly looking for lights and afraid to go on long trips.

From what I understand, if you happen to have a fully charged battery when the alternator fails, the car will operate just fine and you will not (or are not supposed to) notice a thing. However, you will be driving using your battery from that point on. If that happens at night, or if you do not notice the warning lights right away and take corrective actions (i.e. turn lights and accessories off, drive streight home, etc.) chances are you will run down the battery really fast and once the battery voltage drops below a certain amount, then... you know the rest of the story!

 

Why is it that some people get the warning lights (Brake and Battery) that signify an impending alternator failure and drive OK to their dealers and others die in the middle of heavy traffic or even worse while traveling at high speed on the highway? What is there about this problem that would ever cause someone to come to a dead stop on the highway as some have reported???

I have to admit that I love this vehicle so much but this issue has me constantly looking for lights and afraid to go on long trips.

When the warning lights come on, the alternator has quit. The amount of drive time you have after this is dependent on how good your battery is, what it is you have running, etc., since you are now running on battery power alone. I was one of the hi speed hiway victims. When the battery finally goes and you haven't reached your destination, the entire vehicle basically shuts down.
I wouldn't worry about taking any long trips, there seems to be enough word out there that most dealers are now at least stocking one or two alternators, so even if you did end up with a dead one on a trip, you should be able to be back on the road the next day. I had to wait several days to get one in, so things have improved some.

 

Don't forget that the DTRL cannot be turned off without removing a fuse and they draw a big amount of juice. If you are driving in the rain, the wipers motor will also draw some juice so it all depends on everyone's particular condition and the battery charge as well.

I am thinking about installing a backup battery in one of the trunk compartment in order to get more autonomy *when* the problem occurs. There are a few very slim ones designed to prevent your main battery from getting exhausted from using amplifiers with the engine off. This requires running another set of huge wires from the engine bay to the back but there is plenty of room left on the yet untouched passenger side...

 

I am thinking about installing a backup battery in one of the trunk compartment in order to get more autonomy *when* the problem occurs. There are a few very slim ones designed to prevent your main battery from getting exhausted from using amplifiers with the engine off. This requires running another set of huge wires from the engine bay to the back but there is plenty of room left on the yet untouched passenger side...

I hate to think we have to be so defensive in our new car. But unfortunately facts are what they are. I hope factory starts a recall on this soon and they replace all exosting alternators with ones that have passed the test.

 

I am thinking about installing a backup battery in one of the trunk compartment in order to get more autonomy *when* the problem occurs. There are a few very slim ones designed to prevent your main battery from getting exhausted from using amplifiers with the engine off. This requires running another set of huge wires from the engine bay to the back but there is plenty of room left on the yet untouched passenger side...

If someone were to simply keep a spare battery in the back, not hooked up to anything, what are the drawbacks and how long might the battery hold a charge over time? I know there are a lot of variables, but how far would you expect to be able to drive on a fully-charged back-up battery alone, with all unnecessary accessories turned off? Seriously considering this as an option as well, as I'm not completely confident in my replacement alternator, and I don't want to get stranded as I did last time.

 

I would suppose that one could do like us boaters do and have a second battery WITH a battery switch, and switch over maybe once a week thereby ensuring a fully charged backup at all time.
The switches are available at your friendly marine supply house.
BoatUS is one near me.


Homer

 

My Alternator

I got my call from the DOT and had a rather long conversation with the woman handling the inquiry. She stated that they were in the process of gathering enough information to make it an official complaint? Does that sound accurate? Anyway she seemed particularly interested in the fact that my dealership has been yoking me around about reimburing me for the tow to the dealership. I found that rather intersting given the fact that the focus of the inquiry is in regards to the safety or lack there of caused by these failures.

 

Calimar75, did you mention anything about their website is not allowing us to

choose murano and file a complain on?
As of today 11/15/2004, NTHSa website still only show nissan maxima and frontier... Anyone who read this, when DOT gives you a call, please kindly dont forget to mention it to the DOT reps will ya :4: ? Thank you.

My Alternator
I got my call from the DOT and had a rather long conversation with the woman handling the inquiry. She stated that they were in the process of gathering enough information to make it an official complaint?

 

Wow! 28 complaints on the NHTSA website related the the alternator. Guess word is getting out.

By contrast, there are only 6 complaints regarding the steering. Yet, we know that ANYONE with an 03/04 has this problem. Do folks not think this is an issue?

 

JIM C...as of 11/5/2004 NTHSA wont allow murano to be complained on!

In their online form, one is not able to choose murano any longer and hence no complains can be filed, at all. I have escalated this issue to this forum, hoping forum members will call NHTSA.
Yet, no one calls NTHSA and inquire on it.
My alt has not failed, so it will sound weird if i call.

What i am afraid of is NNA will get away with this alt issue afterall. So sad but true

 

Just an update that the Alternator Failure List, which is a compilation of members reports of alternator failures, was unexpectedly moved and is no longer "sticky". The new thread location is http://www.nissanmurano.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3192. (The "views" count was also apparently reset.) Thanks.

 

Moved? It's still in the same group...

Count reset? Hmmm...

I made it sticky again.

Should have merged them, way back, but it is what it is...

 

When the thread became unstuck, the forum thread group remained the same but the thread ID number changed, so links to it no longer worked. This is what I meant by "moved", aside from the actual move out of the grouping of "sticky" threads of course. (I believe the Views count got reset at the same time for some reason, but maybe I'm mistaken?) Anyway, I changed the links in a couple of posts to the new thread ID (3192) so that they worked again.

There are a few alternator threads going now, so if you feel the List needs to be joined with the Poll, I still say fine if you can find a way to do it that makes sense. If so, the first post of the List thread really needs to be the second post of this one to have any value. But as you've said, merging the remaining will probably make the flow awkward. I would have made the List the next post right after Eric posted the Poll, but it took me until my alternator failed to realize just how many were happening in the groups and that the list was worth doing.

Anyway, thanks again for resticking it!

And thanks for adding the "mad" face icon to the List thread. I think the "eek" face is more what I looked like on the highway when it happened though!

 

I see that this thread has over 14 thousand views, but only about 150 votes in the poll to date. Now I know a lot of those views are from the same people, but can't we get more people to vote? Yes or No votes, either way. For the poll to have much credibility, we really need to get a better sampling. Maybe if we raffle off a new (or "re-manufactured") alternator to anyone who votes...

 

LOL! Yeah, wouldn't that be a good raffle!

I think I figured out what happened with the thread. There was a comment made in a new thread that belonged in this one, so I merged it. Well, it reset everything, so I've learned my lesson!!!

So I won't mess with them, as it's important not to destroy links to this thread.

I thought the angry face might get it more attention but I can change it to whatever you like.

And remember, VOTE! Yeah, vote for other stuff too, if you have time. Alternator poll first, elections maybe later... All votes are reversible, just say the word.

 

Damn! I thought it was all part of a conspiracy by Nissan, the NHTSA and people who hate frowning smilies.

So much for starting THAT new thread! :3: (Now THAT's an angry smilie!)

 

I'm a new member who registered because of the alternator failure happened last weekend on Bay Bridge (Hwy 80). Mileage: 16,582.

Remember the ad that Nissan had last year with a Copper Murano cruising around SF downtown and Golden Gate? My MO was just like that with 4 passengers inside and 4 bikes in the back -- except that it couldn't move at all and got stranded on the shoulder of Bay Bridge. !!!

 

Dont forget to file your complain with NHTSA....

If this is made as an official recall, NNA will have to reimburse your tow.

 

My alternator went out this past Spring (8,000 mi). I started experiencing shocks when I touched the outside of my door. Then the battery light came on 20 miles from home. Got it to the dealer the next day without losing power. The dealer said it was their first MO alternator replacement. They said it was putting TOO MUCH power and replaced it. The MO's starting to put out shocks again!

 

This is the first I've heard about getting shocks when touching the outside of the door. (Some people have reported static shocks when exiting the vehicle due to the cloth seats.) And it's the first I've heard of the alternator putting out too much power. Seems much different than the alternator failures people have been experiencing. Anybody have any thoughts on this?

 

The dealer did say that the shocks had nothing to do with the alternator. The alternator repair did coincide with the end of Winter/beginning of Spring when the humidity levels were on the rise. And now the shocks have returned with the onset of Winter. Elementary, my dear Watson, I have deducted that you are correct that the shocks were static in nature and originated from my cloth seats! Who would've thunk?

BTW, I've had cloth seats in other vehicles for many years without shocks. Must be the funky material the MO has.

Thanks.