NHTSA Complaint #10200408 — 2003 NISSAN MURANO

HEARD NOISE FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT UNDER LOW RPM RANGE. TOOK VEHICLE TO LOCAL NISSAN DEALER FOR INSPECTION OF PROBLEM AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE BUT WAS ADVISED BY SHOP MECHANIC ABOUT WORN DRIVE BELT. VEHICLE IS @ 34,000 MILES. UPON INVESTIGATION AT HOME FROM TOP OF ENGINE BAY, I NOTICED AC/ALTERNATOR IDLER PULLEY WAS VIBRATING AND ROTATING OF AXIS TO THE CRACK PULLEY. I INVESTIGATED ONLINE AT WWW.NISSANMURANO.ORG FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I FOUND A SERIES OF REPORTS THAT THE BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE IDLE PULLEY WAS BROKEN AND CAUSES CUTTING INTO THE ADJUSTMENT ARM AND CAUSING THE NOISE (EVENTUALLY FAILING). RETURNED VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND INFORMED DEALER OF IDLER PULLEY PROBLEM RESEARCHED ONLINE AND REQUEST BELT SERVICE. WHEN MECHANIC REMOVED THE BELT, THE IDLER PULLEY ASSEMBLY WAS FOUND TO BE BROKEN. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS DESIGN ISSUE AND NISSAN SHOULD PROVIDE A BETTER DESIGN AND RECALL A $16 PART. POTENTIAL ISSUES OF FAILURE OF PULLEY: 1) NEARBY VICINITY OF THE RADIATOR COOLANT RETURN HOSE CAN CUT BY BROKEN BRACKET AND CAN CAUSE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. 2) COULD LEAD TO AN ALTERNATOR NOT PROVIDING ENERGY TO THE CAR AND A MORE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. *TR UPDATED 01/11/08. *LJ UPDATED *JB