NHTSA Complaint #10493438 — 2006 NISSAN XTERRA

TOLD THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER PLASTIC PART FAILED; ONLY INDICATION IS A WHINE SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. NISSAN ISSUED A TSB TO THEIR DEALERS ABOUT THIS ISSUE, BUT NOTHING TO THE CONSUMER. IF THE TIMING CHAIN FAILS IT WILL CAUSE A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE ENGINE AND A POSSIBLE CRASH. AN UNKNOWING CONSUMER HAS NO IDEA ABOUT WHAT THIS SOUND MEANS (JUST SOUNDS LIKE A NOISY ENGINE) AND MIGHT HAVE LITTLE WARNING PRIOR TO A TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE ON THE TYPE OF ENGINE IN THE XTERRA, IT AFFECTS OTHER MODEL ALSO, AND AT A VERY LOW MILEAGE 50-60K MI. CONSUMERS NEED TO BE NOTIFIED OF THIS DEFECT AND TO LISTEN FOR THE NOISE. NOT EVERYONE TAKES THEIR VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. MOST MECHANICS KNOW THAT TIMING CHAINS ARE SUPPOSED TO LAST WELL OVER 100,000 - 200,000 MILES AND WOULD NEVER SUSPECT THE DEFECT. A SAFETY RECALL OR AT LEAST A NOTIFICATION TO CONSUMERS WOULD BE ADVISABLE. *TR