NHTSA Complaint #10243166 — 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA

IN JUNE OF 2008, I RECEIVED A NOTICE IN THE MAIL REGARDING A RECALL ON THE ENGINE COOLING OF THE 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5L ENGINE. I TOOK MY CAR IN THE TO LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIP IN LUBBOCK, TX AND THE ISSUE WAS SUPPOSEDLY CORRECTED. I HAD NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES WITH MY CAR UNTIL AFTER THIS REPAIR WAS DONE. I WENT TO PICK UP MY CAR AND RIGHT AFTERWARDS MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND HAS REMAINED ON SINCE THEN. I CALLED OVER TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS ADVISED THAT IT WAS OK FOR THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT TO BE ON AND NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT. SOON AFTERWARD MY CAR BEGAN TO HAVE TROUBLE CRANKING. I WOULD GO SEVERAL DAYS WITHOUT WANTING TO CRANK AT ALL AND ALSO IT WOULD TAKE A WHILE TO TURN OVER IF IT WAS CRANKING. ABOUT TWO DAYS AGO MY CAR WOULD NOT CRANK ONCE AGAIN. I LET THE CAR SIT UNTIL THE NEXT DAY AND ATTEMPTED TO CRANK IT AGAIN. THE CAR STILL WOULD NOT CRANK. I GOT THE CAR TOWED BACK TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE ISSUE WAS, AS OTHERS PREVIOUSLY STATED, THE CRANKSHAFT AND CAMSHAFT THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ASKED IF THE CRANKSHAFT WOULD BE MY RESPONSIBILITY AND WAS ADVISED THAT IT WAS BECAUSE THE CRANKSHAFT WAS "MENTIONED" IN THE RECALL BUT NOT SPECIFICALLY COVERED TO BE REPAIRED BY THE RECALL. I WAS ADVISED THAT THOSE TWO REPAIRS WILL BE $208.00 TO REPAIR PLUS TAXES AND THAT THERE WAS NO WAY TO REPAIR IT FREE BECAUSE IT WAS NOT SPECIFICALLY STATED THAT THESE ISSUES WOULD BE FREE UNDER THE RECALL. I CALLED THE NISSAN USA NUMBER AND ASKED FOR A RESOLVE. I ASKED FOR THE REPAIRS TO BE PAID BY THEM BECAUSE THE RECALL WAS SUPPOSED TO PREVENT THIS VERY PROBLEM FROM OCCURRING HOWEVER INSTEAD OF PREVENTING THE PROBLEM, THE REPAIRS CAUSED THE PROBLEM TO START. THEY REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE FEES AND TOLD ME THAT I WOULD NEED TO PAY THE BILL AND THEN SUBMIT THE BILL TO THEM FOR RESEARCH TO SEE IF THEY COULD DO ANYTHING ABOUT REIMBURSEMENT. THE FEE SHOULD NOT BE MY RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE NISSAN REFUSES TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THE PROBLEM. *TR