NHTSA Complaint #10223743 — 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA

I OWN A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5L S, SUBJECT TO NHTSA RECALL # 06V242000 REGARDING OVERHEATING OF THE CRANK ANGLE SENSOR. I HAVE ALREADY EXPERIENCED THE STATED CONSEQUENCES OF THE PROBLEM, INCLUDING STALLING OF THE CAR WHILE DRIVING SEVERAL TIMES AND LIGHTING OF THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT. THE CAR WAS SERVICED BY THE DEALER ON 10/26/07 TO CORRECT THE DEFECT (FREE OF CHARGE), WHICH WAS DONE BY REPROGRAMMING THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM). THIS SEEMED TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, UP UNTIL YESTERDAY WHEN THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT APPEARED AGAIN. THE CAR HAS BEEN HESITATING DURING ACCELERATION ON OCCASION LATELY, BUT HAS NOT STALLED. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER, AND THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS A CRANK SENSOR PROBLEM. THIS IS THE SAME PART THAT IS AFFECTED BY NHTSA RECALL # 06V242000 (ABOVE). THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THAT I NEED TO HAVE THE SENSOR REPLACED (AT A COST OF $190, IN ADDITION TO THE $53 I SPENT FOR DIAGNOSIS TODAY). THEY CLAIM THAT THIS PROBLEM IS NOT RELATED TO THE RECALL, WHICH I HAVE A VERY DIFFICULT TIME BELIEVING SINCE THE RECALL NOTICE STATES THIS PART IS ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY ENGINE TEMPERATURES DUE TO POOR LOCATION. *TR