2008 Nissan Altima service brakes, hydraulic problems

“The contact's mother owned a 2008 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while her mother was driving 20 MPH, the brakes suddenly stopped responding when the brake pedal was depressed and the vehicle crashed into a pole. The brake pedal was depressed, and the parking brake was activated, but the vehicle failed to respond. The driver sustained injuries to the face with cuts and bruises to the stomach, chest, arms, back and neck pain. The vehicle was towed. The vehicle was serviced at a Nissan dealer. The local dealer was notified. The vehicle was totaled. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000”

“STEPPING ON BRAKE PEDAL INTERMITTENTLY FAILS TO ACTIVATE BRAKE-LIGHTS,WHICH ALSO INHIBITS STARTER.IF BRAKE LIGHTS DON'T WORK ONCE VEHICLE IS UNDERWAY THAT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE BEEN REPAIRING THING FOR 50 YEARS AND AM 99.9% SURE THE PINS OF THE BRAKE PEDAL SWITCHES ARE HANGING UP INSIDE THE BORES,SINCE WEDGING SNOW SCRAPER AGAINST BRAKE PEDAL AND PUSHING PLUNGERS UNTIL THEY POPPED ALL THE WAY OUT ALLOWS STARTING. PHONING A NISSAN DEALER'S PARTS DEPARTMENT CONFIRMED AVAILABILITY THEN GAVE ME A PRICE OF $39.17 FOR SWITCH(ES). NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO HUNCHING UNDER THE DASH,I TALKED TO SERVICE TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH TO INSTALL.AN "IMPROVED BRAKE WIRING HARNESS"IS NEEDED FOR "RARE" OCCURRENCES AT COST OF $238 AND LABOR OF $149.WHEN I ASKED IF THIS MIGHT BE A RECALL OR UNDER WARRANTY HE SAID"COULD NOT MAKE ANY MONEY" THAT WAY. IF IT IS A DESIGN/CONSTRUCTION PROBLEM NISSAN SHOULD EAT THE COST.INTERNET SEARCH HAS SOME DEALER RECOMMENDING PUSHING HARDER ON PEDAL OR POUNDING-PULSING.SOME REPLACED SWITCHES SHOWED PITTING OF CONTACTS{TOO MUCH CURRENT TOO OFTEN?} DO DOZENS OF CARS HAVE TO GET REAR-ENDED BEFORE ACTION TAKES PLACE??????????????????????? OR DOES MY WIFE…”

“BRAKE LIGHT BEGAN GOING ON/OFF INTERMITTENTLY STARTING ON JANUARY 10, 2012. DEFINITELY MORE COMMON ON DAYS WITH TEMPS AT FREEZING OR BELOW. LIGHT WOULD EVENTUALLY GO OUT ONCE CAR WARMED UP, BUT WOULD COME BACK ON AFTER USING THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP. BRAKES DID SEEM TO STOP OKAY, ALTHOUGH THERE WERE A FEW TIMES VERY RECENTLY THAT THEY MADE AN UNUSUAL NOISE. CHECKED/ADDED BRAKE FLUID SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS. HAD CAR SERVICED AT LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIP LAST WEEK AND WAS TOLD THAT MASTER CYLINDER NEEDED REPLACED DUE TO A LEAK. COST WAS $100 OUT OF POCKET -- REMAINDER COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY AS MY VEHICLE NOW HAS 41,494 MILES ON IT. *TR”

“I TOOK MY CAR FOR SERVICE AT THE NISSAN DEALER FOR A OIL CHANGE AND TO CHECK UP MY BRAKES PAD BECAUSE THE CAR FEEL WEIRD WHEN BRAKING. COME TO FIND OUT THAT MY BRAKE PADS ARE GOOD BUT MY MASTER CYLINDER IS LEAKING . I REFUSE TO PAY FOR THE SERVICE BECAUSE THIS IS A MANUFACTURE PROBLEM BECAUSE MY BRAKES LIGHT HASN'T CAME ON. PLEASE INVESTIGATE IF THIS IS A DEFECT FROM MANUFACTURER BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO REPLACE IT AND THEY HAVE MORE THAN 400,000 CARS REPORT IT THEIR SYSTEM. *TR”

“BRAKE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON, SUGGESTING I NEED TO ADD BRAKE FLUID. I'VE READ THIS IS BECOMING A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS VEHICLE MODEL AND PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO SPEND A LOT TO REPLACE A LEAKY MASTER CYLINDER. PLEASE INITIATE A RECALL TO CORRECT THIS DEFECT. *TR”

“LEAKING MASTER CYLINDER CAUSED BRAKE LIGHT AND VDC/SLIP LIGHTS TO COME ON INTERMITTENTLY. MY CAR HAS 54,000 MILES. THIS SAME ISSUE HAPPENED AT 31,000 MILES, BUT THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS MY BRAKE PADS AND REPLACED THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS AT THAT TIME. THE BRAKES HAVE SQUEAKED HORRIBLY SINCE THE PADS WERE REPLACED. NOW HAVING TROUBLE FINDING A PART BECAUSE APPARENTLY THIS IS HAPPENING TO MANY, MANY NISSAN OWNERS. *TR”