NHTSA Complaint #10228587 — 2000 NISSAN ALTIMA

A LONG TIME AGO I STARTED HEARING SOME RATTLING SORT OF NOISE IN THE FRONT. TOOK IT TO CARMAX, AS I HAVE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THEY SAID IT WAS A LOOSE BELT AND CHARGED ME $80 SINCE BELTS AREN'T COVERED BY WARRANTY. THE PROBLEM DIDN'T REALLY GO AWAY AND ONLY GOT WORSE. AROUND 89,000 MILES IT BEGAN TO SHAKE WHEN IDLING AND THE NOISE WAS WORSE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON INTERMITTENTLY. MY HUSBAND FOUND THE INFO ON THIS SITE, I PRINTED IT OUT AND TOOK IT TO CARMAX AND TOLD THEM TO FIX MY MANIFOLD INTAKE GASKET! THEY WOULDN'T REFUND MY $80 FROM THE FIRST VISIT, NOR WOULD THE PAY ME $80 FOR DIAGNOSING IT MYSELF. HA. OH WELL. THEY DID $600 WORTH OF REPAIRS, WHICH WAS MOSTLY COVERED BY MY EXTENDED WARRANTY (WHICH EXPIRES AT 92,500 MILES). THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE PROBLEM HAD ALSO CAUSED PREMATURE WEAR OF MY SPARK PLUGS, HOWEVER, AND THE WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER THAT. BASED ON MY ONLINE RESEARCH, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS DUE TO HEAT AROUND THE CYLINDER 4 AREA FROM THE EGR PIPE WHICH BAKES THE GASKET INTO LEAKING AND THAT EVEN THOUGH I GOT IT FIXED THIS TIME, IT WILL LIKELY HAVE TO BE REPLACED AGAIN IN THE FUTURE. SEE #10167168 #10145161 #10100639 #10163901 ALSO, SEE CARCOMPLAINTS.COM WHERE YOU WILL FIND 36 COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE. *TR