Troubleshoot This With Me

[Treachery]

2008 Altima Coupe 3.5L Coupe.

After starting the car after it sits overnight (cold start), I put the CVT in gear and step on the pedal. As the car moves, i hear one knock coming from the front of the car, as if the engine is "creeking".

This only happens in a cold start. I suspect that something is loose. Maybe the engine mounts need tightening?

I don't want to take it to the dealer because this will be difficult to explain. The dealer will just dismiss me as crazy.

Anyone else having this problem albeit minor?

[JOES75]

Im pretty sure thats the cars ABS self check. It will make that noise everytime you start the car and accelerate in drive or reverse.

[crystale]

I am having the same problem. I am going to take it to the dealer on Saturday. Maybe if its universal the dealer won't think your crazy. I don't think your crazy. I'll let you know what they say.

'08 Black on Black fully loaded 3.5 coupe!

[tsigoloeg]

This is the ABS self test, almost 100% sure on that one. It is definitely more noticable in the morning that's for sure, can't explain why. But if you pay close attn you'll hear/feel it after the car has sat for a while and at least to my experience more after you reverse a bit (out of a driveway for instance) and then drive forward. It also won't happen if you drive forward vvveeeerrrrrrryyyy slowly, but once you pass a certain speed <thunk>.

[generic808]

This happens to all newer Nissan's equipped with ABS. It is just an ABS check so no need to worry. It usually happens within the first 20-30ft of driving after a long sit.

[windhaven]

I concur with the rest of the responses here. I have the same behaviour on my coupe right now, and also heard it on my past Nissan ('99 Maxima and '04 Maximas).

ABS Self test was the response from the dealer ship when I took in the '04.

[shift_mikey]

+1 on ABS self check. I usually roll down my driveway real slow, but with this thread in mind, i rolled a bit faster, and sure as anything, there is that one "klunk" and nothing more

[notaverage]

GREAT THREAD!! I was hearing this noise too everytime i started and drove my coupe, I was really worried that something was wrong.

Thanks to the useful info here i'm feeling relieved now

[LinkNuc]

I also get the "click/soft knock" when 1st start it up and pull out, only then, never at lights or stops after that...and I have a 6MT, I was just gonna post this question, didn't think it was an issue.

[Miss_Lanaya]

I noticed that also and thought something might be wrong, but figured it only does it when I go to back out of my driveway once so it must not be serious.

[Treachery]

Ok.. I brought my Altima Coupe in to the Nissan dealer to have them look at it. The dealer's mechanic said it was "normal". I then took it to another Nissan dealer and left it overnight in order to recreate the knock. The mechanic then acknowledged the issue and so i left it with them. I then get a call and the service advisor said that they could NOT find the problem and the knock i was hearing is "normal".

If this is "normal" for a 2008 Altima Coupe, then i believe this is a flaw in Nissan's design. I have never heard this kind noise coming out of any other car with ABS and i find it annoying. It feels like something loose or something is going to break. I don't mean to be a pain in the *** but i had to bend over backwards to buy this car and now i discover it's making noise that Nissan considers "normal".

Where can i go from here? Nissan sends me all sorts of brochures and such over mail and states that customer's satisfaction is their main priority. I am determined to have this resolved.

A friend of mine bought an Infinity (Nissan) Q45 and said that it was making a weird noise. He said that Infinity treated him well and even had the technicians flown in the diagnose fix his problem to his satisfaction. If true, will Nissan go the extra mile for me as well? Realistically speaking, i will probably get shrugged off.

I love my '08 Altima Coupe to death but this knock noise should not be.

[pdrumans]

Go ahead and complain, it won't change. My 2003 infiniti G35 did it too. It is not a defect, it is just a part of the design.There is no indication that this is cheap. You may not like it, which is fine, but come on, to let that out of other possible things to make you not want your car.

I had an 06 Civic SI and have both an 08 Altima Coupe 3.5SE and an 04 Accord Coupe and the brakes on the Altima are better than either of them. Even in the test on Edmunds, the brakes on the Altima were fade free, whereas the 08 Accord were terrible and the ABS would not even activate due to the fading.

[Miss_Lanaya]

Its "one" knock....consider it a piece of mind that your abs works??I know this morning when I pulled out of the garage into snow......I liked hearing the "one" knock.

[Juiced06]

I havent heard the knock as of yet but,

My dodge truck has a knock when I start it up with the A/C on hot or cold but its a thump scared the piss out of me the first timen but I researched it and it seems that its normal, it turned out to be the A/C compressor I started the truck with out the A/C no thump.

Very possible that the noise you hear is normal.