NHTSA Complaint #10435724 — 2002 NISSAN FRONTIER

A VERY STRONG AND VERY OVERPOWERING GAS SMELL CAME INSIDE THE VEHICLE WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT AT NIGHT. I HAD MY 5-YEAR OLD STRAPPED IN HIS CAR SEAT IN THE BACK. I WAS STUCK IN TRAFFIC ON I-95 AND DIDN'T HAVE MANY OPTIONS BUT TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE HOME. THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL. THE NEXT DAY, I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICING AT MY NISSAN DEALERSHIP MECHANIC, AND I HAVE SPECIFIC TEXT FROM THE WORK INVOICE THAT STATES THE FOLLOWING WORD-FOR-WORD: "CANNISTER COMING APART. RIGHT VALVE STUCK INSIDE - REPLACED - GAS LEAKING DOWN SIDE. REPLACED GAS TANK - RUSTED." THE WORK INVOICE ALSO DETAILS THAT THE DEALERSHIP MECHANIC REPLACED THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS: (1) CANISTER ASSY E (2) VALVE ASSY - CO (3) FUEL TANK (4) RING-O FUEL GAG. THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS AND I FULLY MAINTAIN IT ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER'S SCHEDULE. I HAVE BEEN A RESPONSIBLE AND GENTLE OWNER. I FEEL THIS WAS EXTREMELY UNSAFE -- TO HAVE GASOLINE LEAKING OUT DUE TO A RUSTED GAS TANK IS [IN MY OPINION] AN UNACCEPTABLE DEFECT -- THE GAS TANK SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE [IN MY OPINION] OUT OF A NON-RUSTING MATERIAL. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO NISSAN USA AND THEY OFFERED ME (ON THE PHONE THE REPRESENTATIVE SAID IT WAS AS "GOODWILL") A $250 NISSAN DEBIT CARD FOR FUTURE REPAIRS ON THIS VEHICLE. BUT THE TOTAL COST THAT I HAD TO PAY FOR THIS LEAKING GASOLINE ISSUE WAS $1,254.83. I AM WILLING TO PROVIDE NHTSA WITH MY RECEIPT THAT SHOWS THE TEXT INDICATING THE DETAILS OF THIS DEFECT AND THAT I HAD TO PAY $1,254.83 TO RECTIFY IT. *TR