NHTSA Complaint #10446352 — 2007 NISSAN FRONTIER

MY 2007 NISSAN FRONTIER WITH 4.0 V-6 ENGINE HAS 43,600 MILES, AND IT MAKING A KNOCKING / BANGING NOISE, I CONTACTED NISSAN NORTH AMERICA TO FILE A COMPLAINT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 43,600 AND HAD ALL ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AS SCHEDULED. THEY SENT ME A REPLY BACK STATING "A REVIEW OF OUR RECORDS INDICATES THAT THE ABOVE-REFERENCED VEHICLE IS NOT CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN ANY RECALLS OR SERVICE CAMPAIGNS. IN ORDER TO LOOK INTO POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE, A RECENT DIAGNOSIS BY A AUTHORIZED NISSAN DEALERSHIP IS REQUIRED. SO I CONTACTED MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED. AND DROPPED OFF MY FRONTIER AT MY LOCAL DEALER ON MONDAY EVENING (1/30/12). TUESDAY AFTERNOON (1/31/12) THE SERVICE MANAGER CALLED ME AND SAID THAT THE KNOCKING IS FROM A LOWER PISTON ROD, THE TIMING CHAIN AND COMPONENTS ARE WORN OUT, THERE ARE METAL SHAVINGS IN THE TOP OF THE ENGINE, AND IT IS ALSO BLOWING OIL INTO THE AIR INTAKE. BASICALLY,THE ENGINE IS COMPLETELY SHOT!. THE COST TO REPLACE THE ENGINE IS $6,000 NOT INCLUDING LABOR. HE THEN WENT ON TO TELL ME,THAT HE CALLED NISSAN NORTH AMERICA AND INFORMED THEM OF WHAT HE FOUND SO FAR,AND SAID THAT ACCORDING TO COMPANY POLICY,HE NEEDS THE VEHICLE "A FEW MORE DAYS" TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE IF THERE IS IN FACT A DEFECT, BECAUSE MORE INFORMATION IS NECESSARY TO DETERMINE IF IT IS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. IT IS OBVIOUSLY VERY UPSETTING THAT THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 43,600 MILES AND THE ENGINE IS SHOT,NOT TO MENTION,NOW I AM WITHOUT A VEHICLE. SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS AND PROBLEMS WITH THIS 4.0 V6 ENGINE, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL TO REPLACE/REPAIR THE DEFECTIVE PARTS, OR ATLEAST BE COVERED UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY AT NO COST TO ME. IT IS MY OPINION, NOT ONLY IS THIS A "MECHANICAL DEFECT" IT IS ALSO A "SAFETY ISSUE", DUE TO THE FACT, WHILE DRIVING ON THE HWY, THE ENGINE CAN FAIL, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *KB