NHTSA Complaint #10260562 — 2002 NISSAN SENTRA

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2002 NISSAN SENTRA. THE DIPSTICK BROKE IN THE ORDINARY COURSE OF STANDARD MAINTENANCE OF THE OIL IN THE CAR AND THE BROKEN DIPSTICK FELL IN, RESULTING IN A $250-$300 REPAIR (TO RETRIEVE THE DIPSTICK FROM THE ENGINE AND REPLACE THE DIPSTICK). THE DIPSTICK IS CLEARLY DEFECTIVE, AS A BRIEF INTERNET SEARCH REVEALS HUNDREDS OF NISSAN SENTRA OWNER COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS EXACT PROBLEM, INCLUDING NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA WEBSITER (OVER SEVERAL MODEL YEARS). THIS DIPSTICK, WITH ITS FLIMSY PLASTIC PART, IS CLEARLY NOT SUITABLE FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE AND CAN ULTIMATELY RESULT IN A DANGEROUS ENGINE FAILURE. NISSAN IS TRYING TO AVOID RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM BY SAYING THAT THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE, IN MY CASE, THE DIPSTICK BROKE WHEN IT WAS BEING HANDLED BY AN INDEPENDENT SERVICE STATION, RATHER THAN BY NISSAN SERVICE. THIS RESPONSE IS ABSURD SINCE THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED EPISODE AND SINCE DIPSTICKS ARE MEANT TO BE USED IN GAS STATIONS AND IN CAR OWNERS' OWN GARAGES AND DRIVEWAYS. NOBODY TAKES THEIR CAR BACK TO THE CAR MANUFACTURER TO CHECK THE OIL. THAT IS LIKE SAYING THAT IF THE GAS TANK IS DEFECTIVE, NISSAN WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIR BECAUSE GAS WAS PUT IN THE CAR AT A GAS STATION INSTEAD OF AT A NISSAN DEALER. APPARENTLY, EVEN JIFFY LUBE HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH NISSAN ON THIS FRONT AS WELL. IT WAS NECESSARY FOR US TO PROCEED WITH THE REPAIR IMMEDIATELY AND AT OUR OWN EXPENSE, SINCE THE BROKEN DIPSTICK IN THE ENGINE WAS OBSTRUCTING THE ENTRY OF A NEW DIPSTICK AND ALSO DISTORTING THE MEASUREMENT OF THE OIL. THUS, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW IF THE CAR NEEDED OIL, AND RUNNING THE CAR WITH INSUFFICIENT OIL WOULD HAVE FURTHER DAMAGED THE ENGINE. THIS COULD ULTIMATELY RESULT IN ENGINE FAILURE AND AN ACCIDENT. WE HAD THE DIPSTICK REPAIR DONE AT A LOCAL NISSAN DEALER AND ARE SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIR (BUT, AS STATED ABOVE, NISSAN HAS REFUSED TO REIMBURSE US). THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. *TR