NHTSA Complaint #10409282 — 2004 NISSAN QUEST

WARNING LIGHTS "SLIP", "TCS OFF" AND "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" WOULD INTERMITTENTLY REMAIN ON WELL PAST IGNITION -- USUALLY AFTER THE ENGINE HAD STRUGGLED TO START. DASHBOARD "TCS ON" SWITCH DID NOTHING TO REMEDY THIS. SOMETIMES, EVEN WHEN THE VAN WAS BEING DRIVEN AT 25 TO 55MPH, THESE LIGHTS WOULD SUDDENLY POP ON AND THE ENGINE WOULD STALL OUT, DEPRIVING ME OF MOST OF MY STEERING AND BRAKING CAPABILITIES WITH TRAFFIC RIGHT BEHIND ME. IN MY AREA, THE MAIN HIGHWAY IS HEAVILY TRAVELED, FULL OF CURVES AND OFTEN NARROWS TO 2 LANES WITH VERY LIMITED SHOULDERS. THE ENGINE DYING UNEXPECTEDLY ON THIS ROAD IS A SAFETY HAZARD NOT ONLY TO EVERYONE IN MY VEHICLE BUT TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AS WELL. I AM FREQUENTLY FOLLOWED BY FULLY-LOADED LOGGING TRUCKS AND SEMIS, WHOSE DRIVERS WOULD FIND IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT (IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE) TO AVOID HITTING ME, ESPECIALLY IF I WERE IN A SPOT WHERE I COULD NOT COAST ALL THE WAY OFF THE ROAD. AFTER READING NUMEROUS ONLINE COMPLAINTS OF OTHERS HAVING THE SAME ENGINE PROBLEM, I WROTE TO NISSAN REPORTING THE DANGER, SUGGESTING A RECALL. (FILE #7197243) THEY REFUSED TO COVER REPAIR BECAUSE MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. TOLD ME TO TAKE MY QUEST TO A DEALERSHIP, WHO WANTED $104 JUST TO HOOK UP THEIR DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPMENT, PLUS THE ACTUAL REPAIR COSTS. THE PROBLEM -- A FAULTY CAMSHAFT SENSOR -- WAS SUBSEQUENTLY FIXED BY A LOCAL SHOP. THE MECHANIC THERE TOLD ME THAT THE MECHANICS' "CRYSTAL BALL" HOTLINE WAS REPORTING FREQUENT FAILURES OF THIS COMPONENT -- IN ADDITION TO A TSB NISSAN PUT OUT ON THE PROBLEM. (SO, THEY ARE AWARE!) GIVEN THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS SENSOR FOR SAFE OPERATION OF THEIR ENGINES, SHOULDN'T THE COMPANY ADDRESS THE HIGH FAILURE RATE OF THE ONES INSTALLED IN THEIR VEHICLES, REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE? I HOPE YOU WILL LOOK INTO THIS BEFORE LIVES ARE LOST AS A RESULT OF NISSAN'S REFUSAL TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND DEAL WITH THIS SAFETY ISSUE. *TR