NHTSA Complaint #10324190 — 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA

I HAD A SIMILAR, YET EXTREME EXPERIENCE. I TOOK MY CAR IN TO GET THE OIL CHANGED AT A LOCAL CHEVY DEALERSHIP (IT WAS CHEAP.) WHEN I WENT TO PICK UP MY CAR, THE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT HE PULLED LESS THAN A 8 OZ. OF OIL FROM THE ENGINE. HE SAID HE COULDN'T FIND ANY LEAKS, BUT TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE OIL EVERYDAY. I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP AND DECIDED TO TAKE THE CAR FOR A DRIVE TO "REOIL" THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE HAD BEEN RUNNING A BIT FUNNY: NOT STARTING RIGHT AWAY, TROUBLE SHIFTING FOR ABOUT 48 HOURS. I GOT ABOUT FIVE MILES AT ~55 MPH, AND WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A LEFT TURN, HEARD SOMETHING FALL OUT OF THE ENGINE. AFTER THAT, WHITE SMOKE STARTED POURING OUT THE EXHAUST. I KNEW THE ENGINE BLEW. THE STEERING AND BRAKES WENT OUT, AND I GOT IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD (SOMEHOW.) THE BLACK SMOKE STARTED POURING IN FROM THE VENTS. I DON'T REMEMBER STOPPING OR GETTING OUT, BUT I REMEMBER TURNING AROUND AND SEEING FLAMES OUT THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE ENGINE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND PUT THE FIRE OUT, BUT THE CAR WAS TOTALED BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY. THE ENGINE AND INTERIOR, ESPECIALLY THE DRIVER'S SIDE, WERE DESTROYED. THE BACKSEAT WAS SMOKE DAMAGED. THE TRUNK AND THREE TIRES WERE RELATIVELY UNHARMED. *TR