2008 Sentra Mystery Noise

[logicpaysoff]

Hi..

Our 2008 Sentra..4 months old..8K miles..developed a noise from the right front tire whenever a quick left is made..or a left is made at speed of 15 MPH plus, putting a load on the right

It sounded like the tire was rubbing on something..and I thought perhaps the wheel cover had warped.

After a test drive, the Nissan delaership said it was the wheel bearing...that they knew by the noise.; ther were none in stock so they had to order.

Took the car in this AM..they replaced the wheel bearing...noise still there.

The they changed the axle. Noise still there.

They gave me a loaner and sent me home.

They called a little while ago; they have a call into Nissan's Technical hotline..as they are stumped. They took off the wheel cover..no change. they said they "did everything"..and apparently the noise remains.

BTW, the car handles great..zero problems with steering, handling, etc...

This is our second brand new Nissan in 5 months. The first was a new 2007 Versa that could not track straight..no matter what they did (Nissan Master Tech only made it worse). The Sentra is the replacement for that Versa.

If anyone has any info that may be helpful, TIA.

[nametakennow]

We've had another member with similar symptoms. Take a look - zerothread/285355

[gotak]

Yeah they replaced "steering rack" didn't fix problem. Replaced "steering column" and that solved the noise. Not sure what the steering column has on it but from the factory service manuals it looks like the power steering motor is built into the column so.. maybe that's the problem.

From what I have read on myspecv it looks like others who have had the column replaced no longer have the noise.

[ssjnimma]

well what i have been hearing from everyone i have the same problem. i dont know where you live, but im in south dakota and it has been cold as hell lately, and it only seems to make that noise when i turn in really cold conditions. we had a day where it was like 30 and it dosent make the noise...??? so i think for me it may be the cold wheather?

[logicpaysoff]

We are in NJ....the noise started about a month ago....but it was cold prior to that...so I don't think that is it...

Also, there is no shudder at all...so I'm not sure what that means in terms of the problem being the same....

I initially thought of the rack..or maybe the EPS motor....I did not think of the shaft or column itself.

We will call them on Monday and tell them to check those things...however it is really disheartening to have to troubleshoot a brand new car....AGAIN.

Thanks for all the info.

I will post back here with the resolution ...if any.

[Lazybeef]

You might want to check your brakes. I don't know what it sounds like but my car made a rubbing noise when i turned to the left when I first got my car and it ended up being that the brake pads had a rough patch on them and the body roll was enough to make it rub. Try driving at 5 MPH for about 50 feet while applying the emergency brake lightly and see if that makes any change.

[logicpaysoff]

The mystery noise was apparently caused by a motor mount. They swapped the motor mount with a new one..noise gone. They don't exactly know why this worked..only that it did...

Then, next day, driving along, the car starts clicking...very much like the noise made by baseball cards in bicycycle spokes.

Apparently THAT was caused by the plate the covers the ABS. They removed it. No more noise. They claim the plate is not neccessary.

Needless to say, we are pretty much committed to trading the car in before the warranty expires. However, as getting a new car that is defect free is becoming more and more difficult..regardless of make, we are not even sure what to trade it in for...however......at this point, Nissan is out.

[gotak]

extended warranty from Nissan is pretty cheap, compared to a serious repair. So you can consider that as a way to use the car long.

Although like you I am going to get a replacement more or less before the extended warranty runs out since so far this car have had quite a few issues. Flip side is of course if all the issues are fixed and the car can be fine for a long time then it would seem stupid. However, hope to get a better car in the future anyhow.

[logicpaysoff]

The Sentra is a replacement for a month old 2007 Versa, that could not track straight..despite 5 Nissan attempts to repair. ...including the Nissan USA "Master Tech", who only made the problem worse.

A number of other Versa's on the lot had the same problem..and if you visit the Versa forum here you will see quite a few other defects...from defective fuel pumps, broken engine mounts, water leaks, busted tie rods, wheel covers that won't stay on, bad gas mileage, notchy shifting, A/C not cooling, BCM, ECU, TPMS and wiring harness issues, steering column weirdness, etc, etc...

That said..the Sentra was not the first choice...as we really needed a hatchback that was of good size but with great gas mileage..hence the Versa.

Given the problems first with the Versa, Nissan USA's abysmal response, and now with this Sentra...we are fed up.

We went with Nissan based upon our great experience with our Infiniti FX..and expected the same level of reliability....as we had with our Honda civics and the Toyota's we've owned.

The main issue is not so much that the cars have problems..but they are problems that should not be occuring to such a great extent in brand new cars...AND...its that they more often than not don't seem to know what to do about them..it is all trial and error.

At this point in time, if one wants to buy a new car (of any make) simply for the reliability factor.....good luck......as it has become a crapshoot.

[J22I]

Damn I just got a new 08 Sentra, what other problems did you have?

[nametakennow]

Basically the steering rack and one of the motor mounts are the only common problems thus far.

[logicpaysoff]

So far, the motor mount noise...which took them a week to isolate...and then the ABS plates..which they removed...

And this after only 4 months...

Hopefully yours will not be a problem at all..

However, as I'm not sure WHY the motor mount caused the noise, I have no way of knowing if the new one won't cause the problem yet again in four months and another 8K miles or so...nor do I know the long term affects of having no ABS plates..after all, if they are not required, why did the car have them to begin with?

Time will tell.

[GaryMarks281]

yah i got my sentra 2 weeks ago.. the frist week it was great then i got the MYSTERY NOISE to and i got some kind of rattle in the truck sounds like my spare is lose or somthing... its not... and my brakes have a mind of there own from slowy slowing down to a Dead stop witout moveing my foot.... i didant even get the oil changed yet

[Willy Lump Lump]

This stinks... I just bought my first brand new car. It felt great... until now. I am having trouble with the power steering and the funny brake problem at the slow to dead stop.

Man, I remember when Nissans were the best (back in the 90's), now I feel like an idiot for not looking this stuff up prior to buying a new one. I just figured they were still awesome cars.

Silly me...

[nametakennow]

This is the first I've heard of a "funny break problem."

Care to elaborate?

The steering issue is an easy fix that the dealer does for free.

[TORONTO2008]

wE PURCHASED THE SENTRA IN NOVEMBER I TOLD MY WIFE THERE SEEMED TO BE A NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS SOMETIMES ON TURNING SOMETIMES JUST OVER SMALL BUMPS OR JUST DRIVING. SHE DID NOT NOTICE AS HER MUSIC IS USUALLY FULL BLAST. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY SAID THEY ADJUSTED THE SPARE WHEEL AND THAT SOLVED THE PROBLEM. WELL IT DIDN´T, THIS IS AFTER THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR TWO HOURS. WE TOOK IT BACK AND THEY DID NOT SEEM TO KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS BUT FIGURED THEY WOULD REPLACE THE MOTOR MOUNT. OF COURSE IT IS NOT IN STOCK SO IT WILL TAKE ABOUT 2 WEEKS. WILL KEEP YOU POSTED BUT IT IS A SHAME THAT YOU GO FOR RELIABILITY AND IT SEEMS NISSAN IS NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE AS THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IT WILL BE GOING IN FOR ONE PROBLEM.

[nametakennow]

We've had several members with the noise. The motor mount and steering rack are the most common culprits.

[gotak]

This is the first I've heard of a "funny break problem."

Care to elaborate?

The steering issue is an easy fix that the dealer does for free.

Not sure if they have the CVT but it does so something slightly strange. It has a locking torque converter which at higher speeds when you lift off the gas it applies engine braking (amount really depends on the logic sometimes it let it coast more sometimes it thinks you are going down a slope and down shifts) but it unlocks at lower speed. What you get is when you are slowing down towards a stop it slows at a predictable rate until it unlocks. Then you get a shove in the back as the compression braking is gone and the converter applies torque to your wheels. You need to apply more brake pressure to compensate for that I find.

[nametakennow]

Seems to me that they should have used a clutch to make that engagement/disengagement smoother. Interesting tidbit, though.