WOWA!!!

I've seen minor rippling on grilles before but never something that bad. It looks to me like the plastic was not cured correctly before it was coated with the appropriate metal layers before being chromed.

Have you been able to determine which layer is at fault here?

There are grilles all the time on eBay. Maybe you can get a used one for cheap if the dealership and Nissan refuse to do the rework under warranty.

My grill had a small spot that rippled up after something hit it. It looke like a chemical reaction to me but it only happened on one spot. I'll be getting a good used grill from eBay when I get a bit more in my savings.

 

Ahh, now I see what you are up to.

-njjoe

:2:

 

NJJOE;

You're a funny guy! I wish that was the truth but it's not. I just figured I'd check out the upgraded grills if I have to bone up the money for a new grill because Nissan won't do the proper thing.

I am planning on taking it to my local dealer so they can actually see it. If they still offer the same response, I'll Thank them and tell them they'll never see me in their dealership again!

Any advice on the OEM replacement for 140 at autopartswarehouse?

 

Venams:

Try this website. They list an OEM-like replacement for $90.88. Don't know anything about the website/company but probably worth checking out at nearly half the price! Hopefully, shipping is not too prohibitive!!

 

i just got that bubbling too on my grille...so i'm planning to change it or just have it painted...if i'm gonna have it painted what color do you guys suggest???? i have a pewter mo.

 

I also live in Chicago and found that my 04 Murano's grille had bubbled overnight as well. My Murano is garage-kept and I know that it was fine yesterday. My grille looks EXACTLY the same as venom's grille. It pisses me off to know that Nissan won't do a thing about it.

 

It seems clear now that extreme cold weather is causing a defect in the grille to bubble up. Everyone affected should file defect reports with NHTSA as Nissan doesn't want to cover this.

 

Seems like everyone that has reported this has their MO garaged, and that it happened while the MO was garaged. Sounds to me like it's an issue of being really cold during the day, then when it "warms up" in the garage (possibly due to the engine still being warm, and being closed up in the garage) that's when the separation occurs.

Any chance that those of you having this problem have heated garages? Or possibly that your garage is significantly warmer than outside even if not heated? Anyone have this happen that does NOT put their MO in a garage?

 

Everyone affected should file defect reports with NHTSA as Nissan doesn't want to cover this.

You can file thousands (heck, millions!) of complaints on this issue with NHTSA and it won't get you anywhere. The chrome peeling off the grill is not a safety-related defect. Under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, NHTSA only has authority to compel recalls for defects related to motor vehicle safety and noncompliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. With all that NHTSA has to do with respect to those noncompliances, safety defects, NCAP testing and even fuel economy under CAFE, they are not going to give two hoots about a cosmetic issue.

 

You can file thousands (heck, millions!) of complaints on this issue with NHTSA and it won't get you anywhere. The chrome peeling off the grill is not a safety-related defect. Under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, NHTSA only has authority to compel recalls for defects related to motor vehicle safety and noncompliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. With all that NHTSA has to do with respect to those noncompliances, safety defects, NCAP testing and even fuel economy under CAFE, they are not going to give two hoots about a cosmetic issue.

That's a valid point. Its not a safety issue, so no recall will be issued. I guess out of warrnaty folks are either stuck with an ugly grille, or have to buy a new one. At least its not *that* expensive, unlike a busted drivers seat.

 

bad luck already out of warranty ......looks like i'm going to change it or just have it painted...if i'm gonna have it painted what color do you guys suggest???? i have a pewter mo.

 

bad luck already out of warranty ......looks like i'm going to change it or just have it painted...if i'm gonna have it painted what color do you guys suggest???? i have a pewter mo.

If you want something that attracts the least attention, paint it silver.

 

I have an 04 Black Murano, it too has the bubbling with the grille- it just happend during the cold snap in Chi-town... I spoke w/ the dealer, they said it is not covered- "out of warranty" they said $275.00 for a replacement grille --- I came here for some info., thanks to all who have posted similar experiences-

 

wheew at least mine is still ok.

 

It seems to me that so far of all the owners having problems with their grill ALL own '04 MO!!! I wonder if it is a manufacturing issue with that year??
Any other '04 owners NOT having similar problems in the extreme cold-to-warm effect?
I think we are on to something here....:4:

 

Makes me glad I moved from Chicago to Rhode Island. For one it saves me from a bubbly grill, and secondly saves me from having to deal with that extreme cold...brrrr!!! Since multiple people said they're from Chicago, yall should get together and go to the dealership as a group and ask them "what's up with this?"

 

It seems to me that so far of all the owners having problems with their grill ALL own '04 MO!!! I wonder if it is a manufacturing issue with that year??
Any other '04 owners NOT having similar problems in the extreme cold-to-warm effect?
I think we are on to something here....:4:

I think it affected all the Nissans. I have a friend with an 04 Maxima and he has the same bubbling on his grille. It's worse than my MO. I've only got a couple by the badge, he has it all along the grille.

For those that have painted one; Did the paint cover the missing chrome alright or is there still a little dip?

 

evjm;
Again; it's an '04 that you mention....
I have an '03 with 152,000 km with 5 Ontario winters with no signs of bubbling or pealing.
Our winters don't get as fridgid as our brothers and sisters in the mid-provinces but it regularly gets down to -20 to -25C at times with no problems.
I would be curious to know the production dates for the '04 with the problem......
Jasher; what year is your MO?

 

"Jasher; what year is your MO"

i have an 04 MO with 90000km

 

"Jasher; what year is your MO"

i have an 04 MO with 90000km

I think we have an emerging pattern here......

 

it's only the 04 mo's that has this bubbling...hmmm weird

 

I had some minor bubbling on my 03.

 

04 Murano here in SoCal. I have bubbling at the mounting points of the grill (not on the grill face.) No super cold weather here. I have the extended warranty and was waiting for the problem to get worse before having Nissan replace it (if it's covered.) Maybe there is an emerging trend that '04 grills had problems.

 

Wow. I'm glad I posted here seeing that others in the CHGO area had the same thing occur recently. Very weird.

I'm not surprised that one just recently bubbled since we had another blast of negative temps here in CHI-TOWN over the weekend.

I think it may have to do with the grill being in extreme cold and then possibly warming up too fast since the vehicles are then pulled into stalls out of the elements and the heat radiates from the engine/radiator. I bet that is why they peel, even though the chrome shouldn't separate.

I wish there was a way that us CHI-TOWN owners could get together but sadly I don't believe that the outcome would be any different at the dealers.

That said is seems like the cheapest solution is the 90 grill replacement that was pointed out earlier. Comes to about 140 shipped.

Anyone else have any suggestions before I pull the trigger and order that replacement? I just can't stand to look at the front end of this thing any longer. Really looks hideous!!

 

Are the grilles all the same on the first generation? I've been looking on ebay and some are listed 03-07, while others are listed 06 and 07. Did Nissan change anything in the last couple years?