NHTSA Complaint #10174114 — 2003 NISSAN SENTRA

THE VEHICLE HAS VERY HEAVY OIL CONSUMPTION. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY CONSUMES 1QT PER WEEK. I DID NOT NOTICE THE PROBLEM AS IT HAS PROGRESSED SINCE 40,000 MILES WHERE IT WAS ONLY 2-3 QUARTS BETWEEN CHANGES. I HAVE METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE (I WAS TRAINED BY A MASTER VOLVO TECHNICIAN). HE HAS OVER SEEN THE MAINTAINING OF MY VEHICLE SINCE MILE 1. I NOTICED THAT OIL CONSUMPTION WAS BECOMING AN ISSUE AROUND 65,000 MILES. NISSAN RECALL NOS. R3007, R3014, R3015, R3016, R3017. I HAD THIS RECALL PERFORMED SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 35,000 AND 50,000 MILES (CANNOT REMEMBER WHEN EXACTLY, NISSAN USA SHOULD HAVE RECORD). THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER OF THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER REMOVED - IT HAS NEVER BEEN REMOVED FROM THE ENGINE - THERE IS NO POSSIBLE WAY TO SEE INTERNAL DAMAGE WITHOUT REMOVAL! THE INTERNAL DAMAGE WILL NOT AFFECT THE EMISSIONS OF THE VEHICLE UNLESS IN VERY EXTREME CASES! THE BOLTS HAVE NO SCARING WHAT SO EVER TO SUGGEST THAT IT WAS EVER REMOVED AND INSPECTED. HOWEVER, THE SHIELD WAS REMOVED AND THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT LEFT THE BOLTS ON TOP OF THE SHIELD LOOSE. MANY SENTRAS (WITH 2.5L ENGINES) OWNERS ARE NOTICING VERY HIGH OIL CONSUMPTION WITH THEIR VEHICLES (I COULD EASILY FIND OVER 100 BETWEEN 2 DIFFERENT MESSAGE BOARDS THAT DO NOT COVER THE ALTIMA 2.5) EVEN WITH THE RECALL DONE. MANY HAVE CALLED NISSAN USA AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF THE ISSUE WITH THE EARLIER MODELS - NISSAN HAS PROVEN TO BE VERY DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH EVEN FOR THOSE WHO STILL HAVE FACTORY WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE, OFTEN BLAMING THE DEFECT ON "NEGLECTING THE VEHICLE". THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING TOLD THIS ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE A PASSION FOR THEIR VEHICLES, AND MAINTAIN THEM WITH THE BEST PRODUCTS THEY KNOW OF; AND CONSISTENTLY LOOK FOR BETTER PRODUCTS TO REPLACE "GOOD PRODUCTS". PLEASE LOOK HEAVILY INTO EXPANDING THE CURRENT OIL CONSUMPTION RECALL - NISSAN SEEMS TO BE DISREGARDING THE SAFETY OF ITS BUYERS. IF THEY CONTINUE TO "SLIP BY" WITH IT, THEY WILL ONLY CONTINUE.*JB