NHTSA Complaint #10217593 — 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA

I PURCHASED A NEW 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA FROM PENCE NISSAN ON 3/23/02. SINCE THE 2002 WAS A NEW MODEL YEAR FOR THE ALTIMA, I ALSO PURCHASED A SECURITY+PLUS GOLD VEHICLE WARRANTY FOR $995.00 EXTENDING THE WARRANTY TO 3/23/2008 OR 75,000 MILES WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST. AFTER HAVING RECURRING CLUTCH PROBLEMS, I STARTED RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THIS MODEL HAD FREQUENT COMPLAINTS REGARDING ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER BREAKING APART. BECAUSE OF THIS I MADE ESPECIALLY CERTAIN THAT I CHECKED MY OIL EVERY WEEK, THAT I HAD ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE PERFORMED AND THAT THEY WERE PERFORMED BY PENCE NISSAN (I HAVE COPIES OF EACH RECEIPT TOTALING $3,853.06). DESPITE ALL OF THESE PRECAUTIONS, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON SEPTEMBER 25TH. I TOOK THE CAR IMMEDIATELY TO THE DEALER WHO SAID THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAD BROKEN APART SOME. I WAS ADVISED NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL I REPLACED THE CONVERTER AND TWO OXYGEN SENSORS. I WAS TOLD PARTICLES FROM THE CONVERTER COULD ENTER THE ENGINE AND DESTROY IT RESULTING IN AN $8,000 REPAIR. I TOOK THE DEALER?S ADVICE AND REPLACED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND BOTH OXYGEN SENSORS AT A COST OF $1251.05. UPON INSPECTION, THE DEALER NOTED THAT THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF METAL IN THE OIL. I WAS TOLD THAT ALTHOUGH THE OIL LOOKED CLEAR, THERE WAS NO GUARANTEE THAT FRAGMENTS FROM THE CONVERTER HADN'T MADE THEIR WAY INTO THE ENGINE AND IT COULD BE TWO WEEKS OR TWO YEARS BEFORE POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE. AFTER HEARING THIS, I DECIDED TO PURCHASE A NEW CAR. GIVEN MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE 2002 ALTIMA AND WHAT I READ FROM OTHER OWNERS, I FEEL THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND NISSAN SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIRS. I SENT NISSAN TWO LETTERS RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THAT NISSAN CONSIDER REIMBURSING ME FOR THE $1251.05 REPAIR CHARGE, BUT HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING BACK. *TR