NHTSA Complaint #10079157 — 2001 NISSAN SENTRA

1&2) DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH. THE CAR SUDDENLY STARTS TO SHUDDER AND BECOMES HARD TO CONTROL. SLOWED DOWN TO 35 MPH, STILL SHUDDERING BUT NOT AS MUCH. STOPPED AT A LIGHT, THE CAR DIES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. OTHER CARS VEER AROUND ME. TRIED TO START THE CAR AGAIN IMMEDIATELY. DOESN'T START. WAIT 5 MINUTES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD (IT WAS RAINING AND HAILING AT THE TIME) AND TRY TO START AGAIN. THIS TIME IT STARTS BUT IDLES VERY HEAVILY. AT THIS POINT THE CHECK ENGINE SOON LIGHT COMES ON. I TRIED TO DRIVE A FEW MORE BLOCKS, AND THE CAR ALMOST ENDED UP DYING IN AN INTERSECTION. AT THAT POINT I PULLED OVER RIGHT AFTER ROLLING SLOWLY OUT OF THE INTERSECTION AND WAITED FOR A TOW TRUCK. THE CAR WOULD STILL START BUT I DIDN'T TRUST IT TO DRIVE IT. 3) THE MECHANIC TELLS ME THAT THE FAILURE IS THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR. THE PART IS ONLY AVAILABLE FROM A NISSAN DEALERSHIP, AND COSTS $488.19 PLUS A HALF HOUR OF LABOR FOR INSTALLATION!!! THE NEW PART ALSO NEEDS TO BE SYNCHED UP WITH THE CAR'S COMPUTER BECAUSE ITS DIFFERENT THAN THE OLD PART SINCE NISSAN KNOWS THAT THE OLD PART IS NO GOOD. SEEMS TO ME THEY SHOULD HAVE INITIATED A RECALL IF THIS IS REALLY THE CASE. IF YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW THAT ANY OF THIS IS FALSE, I WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE KNOWING THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS MECHANIC KNOWS WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT OR NOT SINCE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAVE USED HIM. THANKS. *NM