NHTSA Complaint #10090698 — 2004 NISSAN QUEST

ON MARCH 31 2004, MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A 2004 NISSAN QUEST SE. (VIN 5N1BV2U44N352872). THE REASON FOR THE PURCHASE WAS DUE TO THE SIZE AND AGES OF OUR FAMILY MEMBERS. WE HAVE 4 CHILDREN. THEY ARE AGED AS FOLLOWS: 14 YEARS, 11 YEARS, 20 MONTHS, 6 WEEKS. SINCE WE HAVE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE WE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM OVER AND OVER. WITH ABOUT 350 MILES ON IT, THE AIR CONDITIONER LOCKED UP AND THE COMPRESSOR WAS REPLACED. AROUND MAY WE NOTICED THE AC WAS NOT COOLING THE VAN OFF AT ALL. KEEP IN MIND WE ARE IN TEXAS AND THIS IS ONE OF THE MILDER MONTHS. WE TOOK THE VAN IN SOMETIME IN EARLY JUNE TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT IT. SHORTLY THERE AFTER THEY RETURNED THE VEHICLE STATING IT WAS PERFORMING TO MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATIONS. I THEN WENT AND PURCHASED A AC VENT THERMOMETER. ON LOW THE TEMPERATURE BLOWING OUT OF THE VENTS IS COLD AROUND 50 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. HOWEVER WHEN YOU TURN IT TO MEDIUM OR HIGH SPEED THE TEMPERATURE THAT BLOWS OUT AT THE VENTS IS AROUND 70-75 DEGREES. THIS TEMPERATURE IS CONSISTENT EVEN AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN RUNNING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS FOR APPROXIMATELY 30-35 MINUTES WITH AN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE OF AROUND 90. (WHICH AGAIN IS MILD FOR A TEXAS SUMMER). WITH THE AIR ON HIGH FOR 30-35 MINUTES THE TEMPERATURE IN THE CABIN AT THE MIDDLE ROW OF SEATS IS 87 DEGREES. THIS IS ALSO WITH THE REAR AIR ON HIGH AS WELL. MY CHILD'S PEDIATRICIAN ADVISED ME TO NOT LET MY INFANT RIDE IN THESE TEMPERATURES FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF DEHYDRATION. SO, BASICALLY I AM IN A $35,000 (MSRP) AUTOMOBILE THAT I CAN NOT LET MY CHILD RIDE IN ON ANY TRIPS FOR FEAR THAT HE MAY GET SICK. THIS IS NOT RIGHT AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SUFFER NOR SHOULD MY CHILD. THE VEHICLE IS SIMPLY NOT PERFORMING AS IT SHOULD.*AK