NHTSA Complaint #10285848 — 2003 NISSAN MURANO

DURING A ROUTINE SERVICE OF MY 2003 NISSAN MURANO, WHICH HAS 33,293 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN NOTICED RADIATOR FLUID LEAKING FROM A HOSE THAT IS LOCATED BEHIND A FAN-BELT TENSION PULLEY. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE BRACKET ON WHICH THE PULLEY IS MOUNTED HAD FAILED CAUSING THE PULLEY TO BE PUSHED OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND SUBSEQUENTLY DAMAGING THE HOSE AND BELT, RESULTING IN A REPAIR COST OF $450.27. THE REPAIR CONSISTED OF REPLACING ALL THE EFFECTED COMPONENTS AT MY EXPENSE. AS FAR AS I KNOW, THE "DEFECTIVE BRACKET" WAS REPLACED WITH AN IDENTICAL ITEM SHARING THE SAME DEFECTIVE QUALITIES. NISSAN WILL NOT DIVULGE THE REASON FOR THE BRACKETS FAILURE. MY CONCERN IS: IF THIS "PULLEY DEVISE" HAD BROKEN OFF THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE BRACKET WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT SPEED, IT WOULD HAVE DONE INCALCULABLE DAMAGE ,POSSIBLY CAUSING ME TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, PROBABLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT RESULTING IN INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE. WHEN I ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER WHAT CAUSED THE BRACKET TO FAIL, HE SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW, BUT THAT I SHOULD CONSIDER MYSELF FORTUNATE THAT HE DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM WHEN HE DID. APPARENTLY, OTHER OWNERS WERE NOT SO FORTUNATE, THEIR CARS HAD TO BE TOWED AND THE DAMAGE WAS MUCH MORE EXTENSIVE. AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED I ASKED TO BE GIVEN THE DEFECTIVE AND DAMAGED PARTS AND NOW HAVE THEM IN MY POSSESSION. *TR