NHTSA Complaint #10378782 — 2005 NISSAN SENTRA

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN AND THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING. SHE READ DETAILS REGARDING A HAIR LINE FRACTURE IN THE HEAD GASKET. THE NORMAL PRESSURE IN THE ENGINE SHOULD BE 60 AND IT COULD DECREASE WHICH WOULD ALSO BE AN INDICATION THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN; HOWEVER, IT WAS ONLY DUE TO THE BOLTS THAT WERE ON THE HEAD GASKET AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC THREE TIMES WHO STATED THAT THE IGNITION COIL, THE THROTTLE BODY AND THE GASOLINE PEDAL WERE THE REASON THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE THIRD TIME THE FAILURE OCCURRED SHE WAS TOLD THAT THE ACTUAL FAILURE WAS THE HEAD GASKET ALTHOUGH THERE WERE NO PRIOR SIGNS OF THE VEHICLE OVER HEATING. THE THERMOSTAT WAS CHECKED AND THERE WAS NO WATER MIXING WITH THE OIL NOR WAS IT OPENING AND CLOSING AT THAT TIME. SHE WAS THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. SHE WAS CONCERNED THAT THE BOLTS WERE A COMMON FAILURE FOR HER YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE. THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURRED AT 44,900 MILES WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 45,100.