NHTSA Complaint #10422552 — 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER

MY 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER WAS LOSING SPEED ESPECIALLY WHEN PASSING VEHICLES ON THE HIGHWAY, THE 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE. I NOTICED THAT THE CAR WAS NOT RUNNING PROPERLY FOR OVER 3 WEEKS. I TOOK THE PATHFINDER TO A TRANSMISSION EXPERT AND THEY DID DIAGNOSTIC TESTS AND THE EXPERT SAID THAT THE RADIATOR HAD A HOLE IN IT AND RADIATOR FLUID WENT INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS GONE. HE SHOWED ME THE TRANSMISSION STICK THAT SHOWED ME THAT RADIATOR FLUID MIXED IN WITH THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. THE TRANSMISSION EXPERT SAID THAT THEY HAVE SEEN A NUMBER OF NISSAN PATHFINDERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. A WEEK LATER, I TOOK MY 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER TO ANOTHER TRANSMISSION EXPERT FOR A SECOND OPINION, THIS EXPERT DID THE DIAGNOSTICS AND CONFIRMED THAT THE RADIATOR HAD A HOLE IN IT THAT ALLOWED FOR RADIATOR FLUID TO GO INTO THE TRANSMISSION. HE ALSO STATED THAT THEY HAVE SEEN A NUMBER OF 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND HE RECOMMENDED THAT I GO TO A NISSAN DEALERSHIP TO SEE WHAT THEY SAY. I WENT SHEEHY NISSAN IN GLEN BURNIE, MD IN WHICH THEY DID A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND FOUND THAT COOLANT MIXING WITH THE TRANS FLUID CAUSING IMPROPER SHIFTING. THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE TO REPLACE THE TRANS ASSEMBLY, RADIATOR, AND TRANS COOLER. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT NISSAN HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE RADIATOR FOR 80, 000 MILES OR UP TO 2013. I HAD 85,000 MILES ON MY 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER. I CALLED NISSAN USA AND TOLD THEM THE PROBLEM AND FAXED THE DIAGNOSTIC INVOICE TO THEM. TWO WEEKS LATER THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE PARTS AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE LABOR. LUCKILY, MY INSURANCE COMPANY PAID FOR THE RADIATOR, TRANS, AND TRANS COOLER. NISSAN HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR AND REFUSES TO DO A RECALL ON THE RADIATOR AND THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE! THIS AFFECTS 2005-2007 NISSAN PATHFINDERS AND THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD IF THE VEHICLE TRANS STALLS OR SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAYS AND ROADS. A RECALL IS NEEDED! *TR