Ask the Car People.SM


Nissan Maxima: Stolen Headlights!!

229 messages,  Last post on Dec 31, 2010 at 4:41 PM

You are in the Nissan Maxima Forum.

What is this discussion about? Nissan Maxima, Lights

Messages Page 19 of 23

#180 of 229 Vin numbers removed by monkeyshift

Aug 29, 2005 (9:55 am)

So they tell me I'm getting my '05 Escalade back, without the VIN numbers. (except for the secret one they can't remove off the bottom). The cops told me that my dealer would just put a temp vin tag back on the front, but this would forever be a car that has lost 25% of its value due to be stolen/ recovered. Good luck selling it, ever, was their quote. So why doesn't insurance companies consider this 25% loss and cover me for it? Instead, I get a 60 grand car back that's only worth 45 or 40 with not much help of anyone purchasing it. What next?

#181 of 229 Re: Stolen, then found, leased car [monkeyshift] by tidester

Aug 29, 2005 (1:08 pm)

Replying to: monkeyshift (Aug 27, 2005 1:57 pm)
That sounds like a nightmare.
 
You may be able to find some help in Lease Questions - Ask Here and Questions About Auto Insurance & Accidents.
 
Best wishes.
 
tidester, host

#182 of 229 Stolen Headlights on 2005 Maxima? by toucanet

Aug 29, 2005 (7:02 pm)

Is this problem occuring on the 2005 Maxima as well? I'm interested in getting one. However, this deeply concerns me.

#183 of 229 Re: Stolen Headlights!! [bewstadd1ct] by klarkman

Sep 01, 2005 (11:57 am)

Replying to: bewstadd1ct (Aug 01, 2005 9:21 am)
I consider myself somewhat of an expert in the Maxima - stolen HID issue, since it's happened to me 3 times in 13 months. I'm in Miami and work in a "secure" parking garage with patrolling security vehicles, but it's no help. After the first heist (June 2004), I worked with the dealer to get the first version of the "Theft Deterrent Kit" (Part #65601-6Y300). It consisted of four parts: tamper resistant Torx bolts, protective pads on hood lock cable, hood lock/cable protector and a driver door key cylinder protector. At first, the kit was on back order and, after three months or so, removed altogether from the Nissan parts list. The best explanation I could get from service technicians was "it did not perform as intended".
 
In between thefts, I received a notice of a class action suit against NNA in South Florida which was in the settlement phase. Basically, Nissan would make available a theft deterrent kit at a cost not to exeed $30 for members of the class (ie: 02-03 Maxima owners). A final hearing was scheduled in July, 2005.
 
In July 2005, they were yanked again. This time, I worked with NNA and secured the new version of the theft deterrent kit (Parts #26040-6Y325 & #12089-6Y300). While it still contains the Torx bolts, Nissan has abandoned the hood lock and cylinder key protector; the new kit are a set of brackets that bolt the bottom of the HID assembly to the frame of the car. It was installed in my Maxima on 08/11 at a cost to me of $377.00. NNA agreed to reimbiurse me everything above $30 once I receive the "official" settlement letter.
 
Four days later, 08/15, the HIDs were stolen again. Not only were the brackets ineffective; it appears they did not even slow the bad guys down. The time of day these thefts occur, combined with the activity in the garage during that time would only allow for a couple of minutes to steal the lights. Apparently, that's more than enough time.
 
So, the remedy Nissan is proposing to settle these class action suits (in FL and NJ) simply does not work. You can bolt the HID assemply to anything you want, but it's still easily breakable plastic. If they were serious about stopping these thefts, they would recall all 02-03 Maxima's and retrofit the lights with at least two design changes that would stop the thefts cold: encase the HID assembly in a metal (rather than plastic) casing and move the ballast back further in the engine compartment. The HIDs are worthless without the ballast, and Nissan conveniently packages the ballast in the same plastic case as the HIDs.
 
Great car, but after $10,000+ in repairs caused by HID theft, I doubt I'll ever buy a Nissan again. They really left us hanging on this one.

#184 of 229 HID Headlights 2003 nissan maximas by letgig

Sep 18, 2005 (6:16 am)

It is true, they will put the kit on, according to cops doesn't work, the theives will take more than a minute and do more damage...What Nissan should have done was create a different type of light or alarm unit to any proximaty or tampering with those lights or alerting customers before hand (god forbid). I bought mine at nissan nemet in queens, and will never buy from them again, having been battling for 2 months on a trade to get one excuse after another...They claim they weren't aware of the class action suit against nissan or that these were hot items...well i fell victim again, this time for airbags, my car is fixed and in a lot, i'm paying for it, can't use it. obviously don't want to contine being a victim again, will try my business with another dealership...it's frustrating and expensive...the 2005 don't have that problem, but trust me, maximas are hot for parts, so if they don't go for the lights, they'll go for the airbags, the stereo the tires...so having a nice quality expensive car, may not be worth it, if it's gonna benefit the theives...My advice sell your 2003's if you have them and get a toyota, a chevrolet or some other good car that the appearance or parts are so appealing....Good luck.
 
If there is a class action suit in the New York area, please let me know, cause i will definitely join in on that, and get all my money back as a settlement.
 
Thanks.

#186 of 229 Re: HID Headlights 2003 nissan maximas [letgig] by russianmd

Sep 21, 2005 (9:53 am)

Replying to: letgig (Sep 18, 2005 6:16 am)
Someone should also get their act together at Lexus: the stolen headlights on my RX400h cost $8400 (!!!) to repair. And, of course, Lexus (dealer and corporate) deny any responsibility.
 
It takes less than a minute to pop those suckers out - how is it not a defect? And we'll see if their fix is as effective as Nissan's.

#187 of 229 Re: HID Headlights 2003 nissan maximas [russianmd] by cornellpinoy

Sep 21, 2005 (7:37 pm)

Replying to: russianmd (Sep 21, 2005 9:53 am)
I feel for you. I have a friend who had the headlamps stolen from her RX300 - parked on her driveway! I also know quite a few folks that have had their Maxima lights stolen. Recently, I saw a CTS that also had the same thing happen - and it only had halogen bulbs, not HID. Do you live in the NY/NJ Metro area?

#188 of 229 Re: HID Headlights 2003 nissan maximas [cornellpinoy] by djlax152

Oct 09, 2005 (7:37 pm)

Replying to: cornellpinoy (Sep 21, 2005 7:37 pm)
Well Add me to the list also my 02 maxima had its headlights yanked from it not even 2 weeks after i bought the car! This is insane that the motor companies refuse to do anything about this. Its as if they begg you to buy their car with their billions in advertising then once you buy the car your screwed. I too will never buy another nissan or any other auto manufactur that refuses to take action about this !!! NEVER NEVER NEVER and i am also getting rid of my maxima as well

#189 of 229 Stolen HID Headlamp Rampage!!!!! by blkhemi

Oct 14, 2005 (11:47 pm)

I just made a 1345 mile trip to come to my daughter's rescue after some thugs made off with her headlights at a football game. Not only did they get hers, they made off with 13 other cars, most of them Nissans(7 Maxima's, 2 I30's, 1 G35 2 350 Z's and oddly, a Chrysler 300 C, all with HID's) So I decided the best thing to do was to call the local Nissan dealer in Austin, Texas(GO LONGHORNS) and purchase the headlamps . The rep told me that they were on back-order for 3 MONTHS. He further said that they cost an estimated $789 a piece. I was in total shock. So I called the insurance company after I got the police report and they implied that they would suck up the cost minus the $500 deductible AFTER they locate a set of lights. WHAT?? So the car was completely unusable at night and because my daughter wouldn't be caught dead driving a car without headlamps even in the daytime, I left her my 3500 Dodge Ram to drive until I could get back home and find the lights. Turns out, no one had them because of this latest round of theft to the Nissan cars. Here comes the gotcha!
 
Checked out E-bay, and guess what people ? I saw all of our lights.
 
Wonder what would've been the outcome of all of this if Nissan would've stamped the VIN# on all of the headlamp assembly's? These guys were selling them for like $100 bucks. So I managed to buy 2 sets, 1 as a spare. After about 5 days, flew back down to Texas and the bandits had made off with the Dean of Students Infiniti Q45 headlamps and a few other Nissan-related cars. Now they had finally done it. He had ordered 24/7 police patrol after "his" car got snabbed.
 
To say the least, I left my truck with her and drove the Max back home to Long Island and trade it in on a '06 GTO for her today. She originally wanted a G35 Coupe, but as you can see they're just as easy to be vandilized. I will never buy another Nissan again. Nissan, knowingly mad a bad headlamp design, has lost me and quite a few other customers. And for more reasons than the headlamps. But that is whole nother story........................

Messages Page 19 of 23

To POST a message, please Sign In.

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement