Common Failures Of The Nissan Armada: Problems, Breakdowns And Solutions!
The Nissan Armada is a full-size SUV. The Armada shows plenty of performance with its 5.6-liter V8 engine that makes nearly 400 horsepower. But its resale value isn’t the best compared to other SUVs because the Armada caters to a niche market. Keep in mind what are the common failures of the Nissan Armada , when you are interested in one of its models.
A Nissan Armada depreciates 54% after 5 years. In general, Nissan vehicles tend to depreciate more compared to other vehicles.
How good is the Nissan Armada?
The Nissan Armada has reportedly earned a reliability rating of 3.5 out of 5.0, which is above average for a full-size SUV. Interestingly, the full-size SUV category does not usually score well because repairs are more expensive and visits to the mechanic are more frequent.
But the Nissan Armada is one of the best in the category despite its seemingly average rating , coming in second out of 14 in the full-size SUV category.
Despite its above-average reliability, there are a number of dissatisfied owners posting inflammatory reviews of the Armada. Many of the owners have reported that they keep encountering one annoying problem after another.
One owner has reported that his vehicle simply stopped working in the middle of a highway, only to be told a week after repairs that it simply needed a software update. Two users are furious because the Armada’s paint is starting to chip after just eight months of use.
Many Navy owners were disappointed that the problems seemed to stem from poor construction and sloppy design on Nissan’s part.
Common faults of the Nissan Armada
The Nissan Armada has many dissatisfied customers who complain about various problems. Here’s a list of common Nissan Armada failures that have been repeated in its 17-year history.
1. Brake problems
Early model Nissan Armadas, especially those made from 2004 to 2008, have problems with the brakes. The problem started when the ABS light would come on in the vehicle’s gauge cluster , and soon after, his brakes would squeal and eventually stop working.
An owner of a 2006 Armada was driving one day when he stepped on the pedal and realized that he was pressing down more than normal. Soon after, the ABS light came on and the power to the brakes slowly faded.
Many owners have narrowly avoided accidents as a result of the brake failure that caused this problem. Some used the manual parking brake, while others were lucky enough to have plenty of room to stop.
This problem is even more perplexing because upon inspection, no brake fluid leaks or problems were found. The issues stem from an electrical system issue as well as a faulty delta stroke sensor.
The number of complaints prompted a lawsuit against Nissan. Nissan settled in 2014 reimbursing Nissan Armada owners between $20 and $800, depending on their circumstances.
2. Faults with the upper console
One of the frustrating problems for owners is the tendency of the top console to fall over. This has been known to happen on the 2008 Nissan Armada. One owner has reported that his overhead console fell off and startled him to the point of almost causing an accident.
Another homeowner observed that the plastic became easily brittle after a while and noticed bits of plastic coming off the roof after a while. One day, as soon as he opened the door, he saw that the overhead console was hanging from the ceiling of his cabin. From him, where it was only held by cables.
The owners are infuriated that the overhead consoles that house the sunglasses and cabin light are not supposed to wear out at all. The not-so-great overhead console could have been one of the compromises Nissan made to make the car less expensive to produce. However, this has come at the cost of dissatisfied customers.
3. Catalyst failure
Several owners of the 2005 to 2014 Nissan Armada have reported that their check engine light came on due to a faulty catalytic converter. However, the reason your catalytic converter failed could vary. A faulty fuel pump caused lower fuel pressures which resulted in a leaner air to fuel mixture.
A lean air-fuel mixture causes the Nissan Armada’s catalytic converters to fail prematurely . Replacing the fuel pump along with faulty catalytic converters will fix this problem. However, some owners have blamed a faulty oxygen sensor, which also causes the engine to mess up its fuel-air mixture.
4. Brake pad problems
Several owners have reported that their brakes tend to pulsate or chatter during light to moderate braking. Owners may feel this vibration in the pedals, steering wheel, or the entire body of the vehicle.
Repairing this problem requires that all four brake rotors be reground with a brake lathe or replaced. Also, upgrading the brake pads and other brake components should fix this issue . This issue appears on 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2011 Nissan Armada models.
Nissan Armada brake pad kits can cost anywhere from $25 to $250.
5. Difficult to start due to the hardness of the rusty engine
A design problem can cause water to collect between the engine and transmission harness and corrode it. This will make it difficult to start the engine. The engine will crank but will not start, stall after starting, or the transmission will not shift correctly . To fix this problem, replace the rusty engine wiring harness.
In conclusion
The Nissan Armada’s tendency to have catastrophic problems with its brakes, as well as numerous minor problems, point to clear neglect by Nissan. The sentiment of numerous owners on the forums points to the conclusion that the Nissan Armada may not be an attractive option compared to other models on the used car market.
Looking up the most common vehicle problems can be helpful, as once you are aware of them, you can look them up before you buy a used car.
