NHTSA Complaint #10292817 — 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE NOISE IN ENGINE AFTER OIL CHANGE. TWO DAYS AFTER OIL WAS TOPPED OFF, OIL LEVEL SHOWED IT BURNED 4 QUARTS WITH NO LEAKS. SINCE, IT HAS CONSUMED AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL. THE LOW ENGINE OIL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AGAIN. THE CONTACT PLACED MORE OIL INTO THE VEHICLE BEFORE IT WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC VERIFIED THE LOW OIL LEVEL AND VEHICLE WAS BURNING OIL AT AN ALARMING RATE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF OIL LEAKAGE ANYWHERE IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT FOUND OVER 700 COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA WEB SITE FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 88,000 MILES. INTERNET COMPLAINTS SHOW 4 CYLINDER ALTIMA ENGINES HAD DESIGN FLAW AND PRE-CATALYTIC CONVERTER OVERHEATS AND ASH MATERIAL ENTERS ENGINE AND SCORES CYLINDER WALLS CAUSING EXCESSIVE OIL USE AND ENGINE FAILURE. NHTSA HAD RECALL FOR THIS IN 2003 (NHTSA RECALL #03V08400 .ODI) NISSAN ONLY INSPECTED ENGINES BUT DID NOT REPAIR. ENGINE FAILURES CONTINUED TO OCCUR TO DATE AS NHTSA CLOSED RECALL AND DID NOT MONITOR NISSAN SINCE. NHTSA IS NEGLIGENT IN DUE DILIGENCE AND FOLLOW UP WITH NISSAN BY ALLOWING FAILURES TO CONTINUE. IN LAST SEVERAL YEARS, THE PRE CONVERTER HAS CONTINUED TO FAIL AND DESTROY ENGINES. ORIGINAL RECALL ONLY DELAYED CONVERTER FAILURE UNTIL WARRANTY EXPIRED AND $5000 ENGINE REPLACEMENT COSTS WAS PUSHED ONTO OWNER. NISSAN WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE DESIGN FLAW STILL DESTROYING ENGINES. REINSTATE RECALL AND PAYMENT BY NISSAN. *"TR