NHTSA Complaint #10495247 — 2013 NISSAN PATHFINDER

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WHEN MY 2013 NISSAN PATHFINDER STARTED TO ACT STRANGE. THE RPM'S WOULD BE ERRATIC GOING FROM 3000 - 5000 IF I TOUCHED THE ACCELERATOR. THEN IT WOULD STOP IF I DID NOT TOUCH THE ACCELERATOR. THEN 4000 - 6000 RPMS. IT SEEMED VERY UNSAFE AND OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING WAS WRONG. I DECIDED TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY AND ON THE EXIT RAMP WHEN I HEARD A LARGE GRINDING NOISE AND THE CAR STOPPED. THERE WAS AN AWFUL BURNING SMELL AND THE CABIN FILLED WITH SMOKE IN ADDITION TO THE SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE HOOD. I TURNED THE CAR OFF, TURNED IT BACK ON AND IT WOULD NOT START. IT ALSO STOPPED IN A VERY UNSAFE LOCATION AND EVENTUALLY THE STATE POLICE CAME TO PUSH ME OUT OF THE WAY. CALLED MY NISSAN DEALER, THEY SENT A TOW TRUCK AND I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP. LATER THAT DAY I FOUND OUT THAT THE RECOMMENDATION WAS FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. I COULD NOT BELIEVE THIS, I WAS DRIVING A $40,000 BRAND NEW SUV AND THAT WAS THE ONLY OPTION. HOW COULD A NEW TRANSMISSION HELP, IF THERE IS A DESIGN DEFECT IN NISSAN'S PATHFINDER TRANSMISSIONS? MY NEW CAR WOULD NEVER BE THE SAME. *TR