99 Maxima Toll Collection Problem
Nicholas Dietz
transponder in my new 99 Maxima since I bought the car a month ago.
Until yesterday I had no problems.
Yesterday I went to move the car into the garage from the driveway after
putting my groceries in the house, and neither of my keys would start
the car. The Vehicle Immobilizer did not recognize the keys any more.
(Note: the transponder had been innactive for about five hours before
this incident, and the I had started and stopped the vehicle without
trouble since I had last gone near a toll booth. Thus to peg the IPASS
device as the culprit is a stretch in my opinion.)
I checked the manual and it says: "if the engine fails to start... when
interference is caused by ... an automated toll road device ... restart
the engine using the following procedures..."
I followed the procedures and they failed to solve the problem. Thus I
was forced to have my car towed to the dealership. The dealership called
me after a few hours and said I could pick up my car.
But then they called back and said Nissan would not pay for the warranty
work. The dealer claimed that Nissan did not cover the malfunction of
the keys because the owner's manual said "not to use the automated toll
road device."
I was very angry because this is an insult to my intelligence. Unlike
most car owners I read the owner's manual and the manual says not this,
but only what I quoted.
I talked to people at Nissan and at the dealership and tried to get a
straight answer. Finally I was assured that I was not allowed to use the
toll road device if I expected Nissan to pay for this type of
malfunction in the future.
I am angry because Nissan insists that the manual says something it does
not. Also, I consider the Vehicle Immobilizer system to be at fault and
I consider this fault to be a manufacturers defect that should always be
covered under the warranty. I think that the part should be redesigned
or replaced in all 99 Maximas at the user's request because it fails to
preform as described. I am writing an official complaint to Nissan
asking for the redesign of this faulty system.
At one point the dealer claimed that the FCC Warning was reason enough
for them not to honor the work under the warranty as a manufacturers
defect. Their logic was apparantly that since the device must "accept
any interference received" then I am responsible for not exposing the
device to these conditions. This is true to an extent I suppose, however
the FCC warning under part 15 was not intended to be used as a
protection for manufacturers. I consider Nissan's device faulty and
their policy illicit and dishonest because the Immobilizer does not
"accept" the interference and continue to work, but rather it is
affected adversely by the interference and is rendered inoperable. By
what stretch of the imagination can this be called "accepting
interference?"
If anybody has had experience with this type of problem before, or has
information that may be of use to me, please email or call me. All other
consumers beware, and remove your transponders or risk being stranded.
I am going to send a message similar to this one to the Nissan
Corporation, to the dealership, and to IPASS (Illinois Tollway). If the
issue is not resolved better than it now stands, I will report this
incident to the consumer protection agency which has jurisdiction and
authority to prosecute.
Nick Dietz.
--
----------------
"The greatest trick the devil ever pulled
was convincing the world he didn't exist" - Verbal
Nick Dietz, 244 S Wesley Av, Oak Park, IL 60302-3210,
(708) 848-3835, nix...@mediaone.net, ICQ:8814350
Work: Applied Telecom, 3060 Ogden Av #300, Lisle, IL 60532,
(630) 357-9290 Ext 219, ni...@apptel.com, ICQ:44384534
--- http://people.ce.mediaone.net/nixster ---
Scott Simard
I would recommend you give up. Nissan will do nothing for you, they are a
joke now, and only a shell of what they once were. Your experience is
similar to mine, the dealer does not notify the customer until they
afterwards that the work will not be covered under warranty, and does
everything in their power to assure that whatever the ailment is, it is not
under warranty.
The damn keys didn't work. It is not an uncommon problem on the 99 Maxima.
It has little to do with IPASS.
Forget about Nissan corporate, they don't care. They used to, but most of
the jobs in Consumer Affairs were canned a year or two ago. Now disputes
are resolved by the same people that are the 'managers' for the dealers.
What a joke! You will get no satisfaction, nor will you get free service
the next time you are in under warranty. Now that they have a record of it
you will certainly be charged again.
What did you expect from a company that was all but out of business 6 months
ago? They really just don't care about their customers anymore and are
letting the few good dealers get stomped by dealers like the one you dealt
with.
Scott Simard
the 96 Maximas. I was told after the third visit I must be doing something
wrong or driving offroad. They threatened to charge me on the next visit.
Six months later nissan issued a technical bulletin for a problem that
effected almost all their cars that year.
Adeel
offering license plate bracket transponders. Maybe that will help by keeping
it away from whatevers interfering in the engine
Scott Simard <scott...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:7pg2mp$lnv$1...@nntp4.atl.mindspring.net...
nix...@my-deja.com
$eW1....@nntp0.chicago.il.ameritech.net>,
"Adeel" <nod...@ameritech.net> wrote:
> sorry to reply group, but i have the IPASS as
well. I noticed they're
> offering license plate bracket transponders.
Maybe that will help by keeping
> it away from whatevers interfering in the engine
So you are not worried that the IPASS will
clobber your keys and leave you stranded?
And you are not concerned that the towing and
reprogramming will not be paid for?
Nick.
nix...@mediaone.net
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