MURANO SUSPENSION

[[email protected]]

I do not like my car! a 2005 Murano. 12,000 miles. Thin paint scratches easy. Cheap interior black plastic scratches easy. CD does not work when cold. and the worst suspension that I have ever felt in my 20 cars and 40 years of driving. Not bad for two people but when you put two more people in the back they say things like "OUCH!" and "OH MY GOD!" or "HOLY S_IT!". For over $30,000.00 they should be saying "nice ride". I would never buy another and as my first NEW car it has been a great disappointment. If I could afford to lose a bundle I would sell it. BTW if anyone has any ideas about how to better the suspension please let me know. I have a 1965 Ford Thunderbird that puts this car to shame. Thanks. Joe

[nissans13240sx]

Is the suspension to stiff? I work at a Nissan dealership and I have driven quite a few Muranos, I have never been disappointed with ride quality.

[[email protected]]

Well, there might be some hope for me yet. The ride is not bad with 2 people but when you put four or five the ride is like night and day. If you work at a dealer I imagine you are riding with one or maybe two people at the most. Am I correct? You need more people in the car to examine the problem I am talking about. Very ,very stiff. If you hit a 2 inch hole it feels like a 2 foot hole. Really. I hate to give my friends a ride.

[nissans13240sx]

Yeah I cant say that I have driven in one with more then two people. What I would suggest, if you havent already, take it to your local dealership and explain to them exactly what is happening. You should still be under warrenty. They will probably replace your CD player for you, and can attempt to verify the suspension concern. Good luck to you and I hope you can get it fixed.

[[email protected]]

They are going to replace the radio. Nice! But how will they hear/feel my suspension problem unless they put in 4 or 5 people and go for a drive. I wish they would. Thanks for your help. Joe

[Timmbo]

That is strange....one of the things that is great about the Murano is the suspension.

[nissans13240sx]

If you tell the service writer at the dealership that it seems really bumpy with 4 or more in it, the techs should try to duplicate the concern. they will probably grab some hourly people to go for a ride and try to duplicate the problem.

[[email protected]]

I am going in next Tuesday to get a new radio. I will tell them about the ride and see what they say. Also I have a rattle (top dash by the window and air bag) and I get a gas smell outside and inside the car when I first start it after it's been sitting for a day or two. After I first start it I never get the smell again until the car sits again. Any ideas? Thanks. Joe

[Timmbo]

Hmmmm, very interesting, surely above my head.....air bag maybe???

[[email protected]]

Another person with a new post with the same EXACT problem. That makes three that I can find. I know it only happens in a few Murano's but it is a terrible $30,000 problem. If you find an answer let me know. Thanks.

Joe

[laurin1]

Not sure it it's related, but I have an 09 LE AWD (love it, btw, my favorite car ever...and i've owned some nice cars), and when it was brand new (i got 30k on it already), i had a problem with the right-rear shock. it was bottoming out as well. Turns out, it was leaking. Dealer replaced it and no problems since.

I will admit, the suspension is a good deal tighter than, say, my previous SUV (GMC Envoy Denali), but it handles so much better, it is worth the trade-off (it doesn't matter what I drive....i drive like Nascar, and so I need tight suspension.)

[[email protected]]

Do your rear passengers say "OH MY GOD" and "HOLY SH-T!" when you hit a small bump in the road? If not, then you do not have the same problem that I do. I am not exaggerating when I say I am embarrassed when I have people in the back. I also feel like an idiot spending over $30,000 for car that rides like it has no shocks at all.

Joe

[nissans13240sx]

What did the dealership tell you about your suspension? Did they just say it was normal?

[[email protected]]

They said they could not duplicate the problem. I was thinking of going back to them and tell to test the car with me and others in the rear seats but it's kind of awkward. I would have to go there and wait until everyone got together etc. I must fix this one way or the other. I was talking to my mechanic and told him there was one thing that I did not kike about the Murano and he said "shocks, right" He knew someone with a murano with the same problem. he told me new struts and rear shocks would solve the problem. I bet it would at about $1,000,00.

Joe

[kerrton]

Yeah well they shouldn't have to pile 4 people into a vehicle to determine if the shocks and struts are bad, there has to be a way of diagnosing a worn shock while on the hoist, especially one that is as badly worn and apparently leaking like yours are, this just doesn't sound right to me, I think your service department needs to do a detailed inspection/assessment of the rear shocks which should reveal if they're worn or defective and in need of replacement. A couple of people on my Rogue forum has the rear shocks replaced early on, and it took the techs no time at all to immediately declare them "crap" and in need of replacement....tell your service guys to check them in detail, and try experimenting on your own - if you pop the rear hatch and push down hard to try to get the shocks activating, what do you find? If it bottoms out as easily as you say, you should be able to rock that car up and down from behind just by pushing or even kneel in the back and bounce to get the shocks working, which should reveal the problem. Do this and let us know what you find, you should be able to prove there is a problem by doing this.

[lastmurano]

same deal, bought an 05 murano few months ago. rides like crap over small bumps. hate it..Dealer said tires need to be replaced. rolls fine, bumps terrible

[67hat34c]

2010 and no issues at all, I believe suspension is too soft if anything. I came from 2002 Acura MDX. I just got back from vacation and we ran to and from airport with 5 of us and 5 large suitcases that weighed 50lbs each and the ride was just fine, just the same as with just me driving.

Sorry you are having issues but from what i can verify, these are not problem cars in general. Also a car will not please everone all of the time. I would challange anyone to find a car that no one complains about. For example Acura MDX was a superior vehicle with one exception. the Honda transmissions were a real problem for many years including mine. It was the reason i got rid if it before I wanted. Otherwise it was an awsome vehicle. But go to an acura forum and there are all kinds of complaints for all year models over and above the transmission issues.

My MDX now has 5500 miles on it, still new but so far so good.

[nafddur]

2010 and no issues at all, I believe suspension is too soft if anything.

That's why many of us always bought SE versions of Nissan's premium cars when they were available. In marketing the Maxima and Murano to mostly older people now, Nissan has abandoned the sportier versions of those cars. I know that when I get ready for another car, I'll be looking elsewhere - ie BMW or Infiniti.

[Zhu8]

I do not like my car! a 2005 Murano. 12,000 miles. Thin paint scratches easy. Cheap interior black plastic scratches easy. CD does not work when cold. and the worst suspension that I have ever felt in my 20 cars and 40 years of driving. Not bad for two people but when you put two more people in the back they say things like "OUCH!" and "OH MY GOD!" or "HOLY S_IT!". For over $30,000.00 they should be saying "nice ride". I would never buy another and as my first NEW car it has been a great disappointment. If I could afford to lose a bundle I would sell it. BTW if anyone has any ideas about how to better the suspension please let me know. I have a 1965 Ford Thunderbird that puts this car to shame. Thanks. Joe

You most likely got a lemon, I have a Facelifted model, It does't suffer from any of these problems, and the ride is great even with a trunk full of cargo and 4 passengers, on a roadtrip. I know that the Pre facelift one is bad compared to the facelift one, but it ain't that bad!

The murano was by far the best Car I've driven

[67hat34c]

My MDX was a far superior vehicle and drove and rode way better than the Murano but I could not afford to spend that kind of money again. Murano is however a very good car and for the money I am pleased with it. I will however look into changing out the springs and struts as some others have done.

[doctorq]

I am going in next Tuesday to get a new radio. I will tell them about the ride and see what they say. Also I have a rattle (top dash by the window and air bag) and I get a gas smell outside and inside the car when I first start it after it's been sitting for a day or two. After I first start it I never get the smell again until the car sits again. Any ideas? Thanks. Joe

ur gas pump might have a crack in it. i had same problem.