NHTSA Complaint #10376468 — 2007 NISSAN VERSA

IN 2008, WE BEGAN TO NOTICE INTERMITTENT STARTING PROBLEMS WITH OUR 2007 NISSAN VERSA; THE CAR WOULD NOT START AFTER PROLONGED CRANKING OF THE STARTER. IN MAY 2009, WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TO UNDERGO DIAGNOSTICS AND REPAIR. THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM TO BE A FAULTY FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR AND REPLACED THE PART UNDER WARRANTY. FIVE MONTHS LATER, THE PROBLEM REAPPEARED. THE VERSA WENT BACK TO THE DEALER FOR THE SAME REPAIR, IN NOVEMBER 2009, AND AGAIN REPLACED THE PART UNDER WARRANTY. SINCE THE LAST REPAIR, THE VERSA WAS DRIVEN INFREQUENTLY DURING THE FIRST HALF OF 2010, AND THEREFORE, DIDN?T ACCUMULATE SIGNIFICANT MILEAGE. IN THE SUMMER OF 2010, THE CAR WAS DRIVEN REGULARLY AGAIN, WITH THE STARTING PROBLEM REAPPEARING IN OCTOBER 2010. WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO TAKE THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE UNTIL JANUARY 2011. THIS MARKS THE THIRD REPAIR FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. UNFORTUNATELY, THE VERSA HAS EXCEEDED THE FACTORY WARRANTY (38K MILES) AND WE ARE PAYING OUT OF POCKET FOR THIS REPAIR. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT ISOLATED TO US. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THIS ISSUE AND THE SAME PROBLEM IS SHARED MY MANY OTHER NORTH AMERICAN VERSA OWNERS ACROSS MANY ENTHUSIAST INTERNET FORUMS, CAR SITES, BLOGS AND OTHER LOCATIONS. WITH THAT IN MIND, I CALLED NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND STATED MY CASE. THE REPLY WAS SIMPLY THAT NISSAN HAS NOT RECOGNIZED THIS PROBLEM AS A RECALL OR CAMPAIGN. WE MADE THE DECISION TO PURCHASE A NEW VEHICLE BASED ON SAFETY AND RELIABILITY. WE HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE IN OUR NISSAN VERSA, AS EVERY TIME WE TAKE THE WHEEL WE?RE LEFT WONDERING WHETHER IT WILL OR WILL NOT START. I CANNOT ACCEPT THE FACT THAT A MODERN, LOW-MILEAGE, THREE-YEAR-OLD VEHICLE WILL OCCASIONALLY NOT START, THEREBY, CREATING A SITUATION OF POTENTIAL DANGER TO FAMILY. WHILE THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN IMMINENT THREAT SUCH AS A BRAKE FAILURE OR TIRE DEFECT, HAVING YOUR CAR BECOME INOPERABLE CAN LEAD TO DANGEROUS OUTCOMES AS WELL. NISSAN IS NOT ADDRESSING A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM. *TR