NHTSA Complaint #10243478 — 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA

BOUGHT MY 2002 ALTIMA NEW IN MAY \'02. THE CAR HAS RECEIVED ALL MAJOR AND MINOR SERVICES, OIL CHANGES, AND RECALLS THROUGH A NISSAN DEALERSHIP. RECENTLY THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS AN ONGOING HEAD GASKET LEAK THAT HAD GONE UNDETECTED PAIRED WITH A SOUND FROM THE TIMING CHAIN THAT INDICATED IT WAS SOON TO GO. RECOMMENDATION: ENGINE REPLACEMENT. MIND YOU, THE CAR WAS IN THIS NISSAN DEALERSHIP A MONTH PRIOR FOR A ROUTINE MINOR SERVICE AND 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS \"DIAGNOSIS\" FOR A RECALL. NOTHING WAS INDICATED ON EITHER OCCASION. AFTER PLEADING, THE DEALERSHIP SUBMITTED TO NISSAN A PROPOSAL FOR THEM TO COVER THE COST (WHICH WAS DENIED BY NISSAN HEAD QUARTERS) THEN NISSAN APPROVED A 50/50 COMPENSATION (ME PAYING 1/2 AND NISSAN PAYING 1/2) I THEN OPENED A CLAIM WITH NISSAN\'S REGIONAL OFFICE IN THE HOPES THAT THEY WOULD COVER THE COST BUT WAS TOLD THAT THE 50/50 OFFER WAS THE BEST THEY COULD DO.. DAMAGE RESULTING = A NEW ENGINE WAS QUOTED AT APPROX: 3500.00. I ENDED UP PAYING 1700 PRE-TAXED OUT OF MY POCKET. *TR