NHTSA Complaint #10075247 — 2000 NISSAN XTERRA

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON WHILE DRIVING TO TRUCKEE, CALIFORNIA FROM SACRAMENTO.. I HAD THE RADIO ON AND DID NOT HEAR AN ENGINE NOISE. IT WAS 11:00 CLOCK AT NIGHT AND I WAS A WOMAN ALONE DRIVING IN A RURAL AREA. THERE WAS NO WHERE TO STOP UNTIL I GOT TO MY HOME TOWN OF TRUCKEE . WHEN I STARTED THE CAR IN THE MORNING, TO GO TO WORK I HEARD A RATHER DISTINCT NOISE IN THE ENGINE. I CALLED MY LOCAL MECHANIC AND HE TOOK THE CAR IN IMMEDIATLEY.. HE REPLACED THE TIMING BELT AND THE NOISE CONTINUED. HE RECOMMENDED TOWING IT TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP IN RENO. WHICH IS WHAT I DID. THEY LISTENED TO THE MOTOR AND SAID IT WAS THE # 5 PISTON WHICH MEANT THE I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE AT A COST OF $6500.00 , I DECLINED REPAIRS. MY XTERRA ONLY HAD 68,000 MILES ON IT, AND COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY A CAR WITH SUCH A GOOD REPUTATION HAD ENGINE FAILURE WITH SO LITTLE MILEAAGE. WHEN I BOUGHT BY CAR WHICH WAS USED AT 32,000 MILES I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANCIC. HE SAID THAT THHIS CAR SHOULD LAST ME WELL INTO THE 200,000 PLUS MILES AS DID MY FORMER CAR A ISUZU RODEO (240,000). THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE EVER PURCHASED A USED CAR AND FELT CONFIDENT IN GETTING A NISSAN PRODUCT. UNFOUTUNATELY THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. LUCKILY THE CAR MADE IT BACK TO MY HOME TOWN AND DID NOT BREAK DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE IN WINTER. I WAS MAKING THIS TRIP TO SACRAMENTO TWICE A WEEK FOR A CLASS IN OBTAINING MY SPECIAL EDUCAATION CREDENTIAL, AND I WILL HAVE T DO IT FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS. I WAS DEPENDING ON THIS CAR FOR SAFETY AND RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION. BUYING A CAR WITH 32,000 MIOLES SEEMED LIKE A NEW CAR TO ME, CONSIDERING MY OLD CAR HAD 240,000. I TAKE CARE OF MY CARS, AND I AM NOT ABUSIVE TO THEM. THEY LAST ME A LONG TIME. *AK