NHTSA Complaint #10017114 — 1998 NISSAN ALTIMA

JULY OF 2002 (DAYS BEFORE MY VACATION) MY ALTIMA WOULD NOT START. I WAS UNDER AN THIRD PARTY SERVICE AGREEMENT AND WAS TOWED 25 MILES FROM WORK TO THE SELLING DEALERSHIP. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT WIRES IN/ AROUND THE FUEL PUMP HAD BEEN SEVERELY DAMAGED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THE DAMAGE TO THE WIRES CAUSED EXCESSIVE STRAIN ON THE FUEL PUMP, IN TURN THE FUEL PUMP ALSO HAD FAILED. NOT ALL OF THE REPAIRS WERE COVERED COMPONENTS. THE EXACT SAME FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN IN OCTOBER 2002, HOWEVER THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AND ALL COSTS WERE NOW MY RESPONSIBILITY IN FULL. NOW, MAY 2003 THE EXACT FAILURE AGAIN HAS OCCURRED. EACH FAILURE HAS CARRIED A MINIMUM SHOP CHARGE OF APPROX $475.00 FOR PARTS AND LABOR, NOT TO MENTION THE SEVERAL TIMES I HAVE NEEDED A TOW. NO FAILURE CODES ARE ACTIVATED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS HOOKED UP TO A DIAGNOSTICS COMPUTER. EACH DEALER HAS HAD A HARD TIME TROUBLESHOOTING THE PROBLEM AS THE CAR USUALLY IS TOWED AND WILL STARTS THE NEXT DAY. HOWEVER AFTER LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP THE VEHICLE WILL FAIL AGAIN WITHIN 24 HOURS, RESULTING IN ANOTHER TOW. DEALERSHIPS ARE NOT PLEASED THAT THEY HAVE TO GET INTO THE CAR AND TROUBLESHOOT RATHER THAN USING THE DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER. *NLM