NHTSA Complaint #10436293 — 2005 NISSAN XTERRA

RECENTLY I EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF ACCELERATION AS I ATTEMPTED TO MERGE ONTO A HIGHWAY. I WAS ALSO VERY LUCKY THAT I DIDN'T CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT AT FIRST AND THEN INCREASED. NISSAN ACKNOWLEDGED A RADIATOR DESIGN FLAW AND EXTENDED THE BASIC WARRANTY TO LESSOR OF 96 MONTHS OR 80K MILES. I CONTACTED NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS TO INFORM THEM MY XTERRA WAS AFFECTED BY THE SAME PROBLEM. WHILE UNDER 96 MOS, MY VEHICLE HAS 89K MILES. I REQUESTED AN EXCEPTION WHICH WAS DENIED. NISSAN'S FAILURE TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS, PARTICULARLY WHEN THE PROBLEM REPRESENTS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN AND ATTRIBUTABLE TO A DESIGN FLAW, IS INEXCUSABLE. NISSAN DENIES ANY SAFETY CONCERN. THIS PROBLEM (REFERENCED BY NISSAN IN THE RADIATOR ASSEMBLY CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM DESCRIPTION) PERTAINS TO 2005-2010 XTERRA, PATHFINDER AND FRONTIER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTO TRANSMISSIONS. CORROSION WITHIN THE RADIATOR LEADS TO A CRACK AND CONTAMINATION OF ENGINE COOLANT WITH TRANS FLUID, DAMAGING RADIATOR & TRANSMISSION CORROSION DEVELOPS OVER TIME AND MOST VEHICLE OWNERS WILL LIKELY EXCEED THE 80K LIMIT BEFORE PROBLEM PRESENTS ITSELF. AN INTERNET SEARCH REVEALED 15 DEDICATED WEB THREADS TO THIS PROBLEM AND THEY ARE MOSTLY 2005 VEHICLES. IF NISSAN DIDN?T CORRECT THE DESIGN FLAW BEFORE 2010, THE # OF FAILURES WILL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE OVER THE COMING YEARS AS MODEL YR 2005-2010 CARS AGE. HOW MANY ACCIDENTS OR FATALITIES NEED TO OCCUR DURING THIS PERIOD BEFORE NISSAN IS HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR NEGLIGENCE? THE DEALER ESTIMATE TO REPAIR MY XTERRA IS $6,760. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL BURDEN AND HARDSHIP ON ANY VEHICLE WITH JUST OVER 80,000 MILES. HOW MANY NISSAN OWNERS HAVE TO EXPERIENCE FINANCIAL HARDSHIP BEFORE NISSAN IS HELD ACCOUNTABLE?? *TR