NHTSA Complaint #10481034 — 2005 NISSAN XTERRA

MY PROBLEMS STARTED IN NOVEMBER OF 2010 WITH WHISTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. AFTER TAKING THE TRUCK TO NISSAN DEALER THEY SAID THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND NISSAN HAS SENT OUT A SERVICE BULLETIN TO THE FACT THAT THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE TIMING CHAIN THAT CAUSES THE NOISE. AFTER CONTACTING NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIR FOR TWO WEEKS AT THE END, THEY RULED THAT SINCE I WAS OVER THE STANDARD WARRANTY OF 60K, THEY WERE NOT TO COVER THE COST OF THIS REPAIR EVEN THOUGH THEY KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND NEVER SENT OUT NOTICE TO OWNERS TO HAVE THIS FIXED. SO I HAD TO SPEND THE $1063 WITH I DID NOT HAVE TO FIX THE REPAIR. AGAIN THIS LAST DECEMBER, ONE MORNING I WAS DRIVING AT 55 MILES ON THE FREEWAY WHEN OUT OF NO WHERE LOST TOTAL POWER. I STEPPED ON THE GAS AND MY TRUCK WENT FROM 55 TO 10 MILES AN HOUR. THANK GOD IT WAS CLOSE TO A OFF RAMP AND I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY AND WHEN STRAIGHT TO THE DEALER CLOSE BY. THE DETERMINED THAT THE DEFECT IS THE RADIATOR THE ANTI- FREEZE IN LEAKING TO THE TRANSMISSION AND CAUSING IT TO SEIZE. AFTER SOME RESEARCH ON-LINE, I FOUND OUT THAT THIS PROBLEM IS PLAGUING MANY OTHER OWNERS OF NISSAN XTERRA, PATHFINDER FROM 2005-2010. NISSAN HAS ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS AND EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FROM 60K TO 80K. HOWEVER I HAVE NOT YET FOUND ONE OWNER THAT DID NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM HAPPENING BEFORE 80K. AS FAR AS I SEE IT IS NISSAN TRYING TO HIDE THE FACE THAT THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL. I JUST CAME FROM NISSAN DEALER AND THEY GAVE ME AN ESTEEMED OF $4925.73 TO FIX THE TRANNY & THE RADIATOR. I HAVE CONTACTED NISSAN AND THEY HAVE DECIDED NOT TO HELP ME IN THIS MATTER. SO I HAVE NOW HAVE A TRUCK THAT I CAN'T DRIVE OR CAN AFFORD TO FIX. I AM GOING TO LOOK IN TO OTHER OPTIONS TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEMS. I WILL FIGHT THIS TO THE END. *TR