NHTSA Complaint #10346730 — 2005 NISSAN TITAN

DESIGN FLAW ON NISSAN TITAN DUE TO EXHAUST LEAK WHICH WILL THEN BURN THE ELECTRICAL WIRING AND THE TRUCK WILL STOP ALL OF SUDDEN WITH LOST OF POWER AND BRAKES, WHICH MAY CAUSE ACCIDENTS. *TR WE WERE ON OUR WAY BACK FROM CAMPING TRIP WITH TRAVEL TRAILER IN TOW. ON INTERSTATE 81 NEAR WILKES BARRE, PA...WE WERE GOING 65 MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE ENGINE STOPPED, WE HAD A LOST OF POWER AND BRAKES AND HAD TO CRIPPLE TOWARDS THE SHOULDER AND COULDN'T START THE ENGINE AGAIN. WHAT CAUSED THIS FAILURE IS THE TAIL PIPE CAME LOOSE DUE TO RUST AND THE HEAT FROM THE EXHAUST BURNED THE ELECTRICAL WIRING THAT WAS PLACED ALONGISDE THE EXHAUST CAUSING THE ENGINE COMPUTER TO MALFUNCTION. WE HAD TO PAY $1,300.00 TO GET THE VEHICLE REPAIRED NOT INCLUDING ONE NIGHT HOTEL STAY AND RENTING A CAR BACK HOME BECAUSE THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR A FEW DAYS AND HAVING TO DRIVE BACK UP TO PICK UP THE TRUCK WITH THE TRAVEL TRAILER AND BRING THEM ALL BACK HOME. THE DISTANCE IS 156 MILES FROM WHERE IT BROKE DOWN TO WHERE WE LIVE. I BELIEVE THERE'S A DESIGN FLAW THAT COULD BE DANGEROUS. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, SERVICE MANAGER IN WILKES BARRE ACKNOWLEDGED SEVERAL OTHER TITANS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WHEN THERE IS AN EXHAUST LEAK AS WELL AS OUR LOCAL NISSAN SERVICE MANAGER ACKNOWLEDGED THE SAME. NISSAN SHOULD HAVE PROTECTED THE WIRING IN THE EXHAUST AREA WITH HEAT SHIELD OF SOME SORT. EXHAUST LEAKS OVER TIME, IT'S THE NATURE OF THE EXHAUST BUT IT SHOULD NOT REQUIRE CUSTOMERS TO PAY $1,300.00 TO GET THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM REPAIRED. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS ASKING FOR ASSISTING IN THE REPAIR COST DUE TO DESIGN FLAW, THEY DECLINED ASSISTANCE INDICATING THAT IT IS MY NEGLIGENCE THAT THE TAILPIPE SEPARATED FROM THE MUFFLER. NO OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD WITH A DANGLING TAILPIPE NEEDS TO HAVE ELECTRICAL WIRINGS REPLACED BECAUSE OF THAT, IT'S BECAUSE THEY DON'T RUN THE WIRINGS PARALLEL TO THE EXHAUST. *TR