NHTSA Complaint #10496618 — 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA

IN DEC 2012, THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS DAMAGED AND WAS REMOVED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT WOULD HAPPEN. LESS THAN 30 DAYS LATER, BUTTERFLY VALVE AND 2 SCREWS WERE SUCKED THROUGH ENGINE'S INTAKE. DEALER TOLD ME CAMERA INSERTED INTO ENGINE AND SCREWS NOT FOUND BUT DUE TO BUTTERFLY VALVE, SCREWS AND PLATE MISSING SO DIAGNOSIS WAS SUCKED IN THROUGH INTAKE DUE TO MASSIVE DAMAGE TO ENGINE. I PURCHASED THE CAR WITH ZERO MILES ON 2/28/04 AND HAD IT SERVICED (OIL CHANGE) APPROX EVERY 3 MONTHS AT AUTOWAY NISSAN CLEARWATER, FL. THE CAR RAN PERFECTLY, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, 87,000 FOR A 9 YEAR OLD VEHICLE IS EXCEPTIONAL. THE CAR WAS IN PERFECT SHAPE AND RUNNING SMOOTHLY EVEN AFTER THE CAT WAS REMOVED. THERE WAS NO OTHER EVENT TO COINCIDE WITH MY ENGINE BLOWING UP. DEALER NEVER MENTIONED ANY RECALL, WANTED $5000 TO FIX ENGINE ONLY, NO CONVERTER REPLACEMENT MENTIONED. WAS TOLD TO FORGET ABOUT THE CAR. DEALER OFFERED ME $500 AND A NEW CAR. I'M A SINGLE MOM WITH 2 KIDS IN COLLEGE. HAVING TO USE MY ENTIRE TAX RETURN TO FIX THE CAR AS CANNOT AFFORD A CAR PAYMENT. NOT A HAPPY CONSUMER. WAS A LOYAL CUSTOMER FOR 9 YEARS. DO I HAVE ANY RECOURSE? IS THERE A CLASS ACTION SUIT IN THE WORKS? *TR