NHTSA Complaint #10503011 — 2007 NISSAN PATHFINDER

I BOUGHT A 2007 PATHFINDER FROM A VERY REPUTABLE USED CAR BUSINESS, CARMAX ALMOST 3 YEARS AGO. THEY ARE VERY WELL KNOWN IN THE AREA FOR THOROUGHLY CHECKING THEIR VEHICLES BEFORE RESELLING. IT HAD APPROX 59K MILES ON IT AND I'VE LOVED IT UNTIL RECENTLY. I STARTED EXPERIENCING HEATING PROBLEMS AWHILE AGO BUT MY MECHANIC COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG - HE EVEN CHECKED THE RADIATOR. A FEW MONTHS AGO, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SHUDDER OCCASIONALLY WHEN I REACHED ABOUT 40 MPH. AT FIRST IT WAS VERY MINOR, I ACTUALLY THOUGHT IT WAS MAYBE GROOVES IN THE ROAD, ETC BUT THE ISSUE GOT WORSE. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD I NEED A NEW RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION - THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM. I WAS ALSO TOLD FLUSHING THE TRANSMISSION PROBABLY WOULDN'T HELP. THE RADIATOR IS GOING TO COST ME $913 AND BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM, A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS THE ONLY THING THEY COULD FIND AT $7400! I STILL OWE ON THIS VEHICLE AND AM WONDERING HOW WILL I EVER TRADE THIS IN OR EVEN AFFORD TO FIX IT. NISSAN WON'T HELP IN ANY WAY, EVEN BY DISCOUNTING THE LABOR AND PARTS AND THE CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT WON'T HELP EITHER BECAUSE MY PATHFINDER HAS 109K MILES ON IT - 9K OVER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY NISSAN ISSUED. WHAT A DISASTER. I'M A SINGLE MOM WITH A YOUNG DAUGHTER AND A MOTHER I CARE FOR. I RECENTLY TOOK MY FAMILY TO VISIT MY SISTER IN WEST VIRGINIA, YOU KNOW - MOUNTAINS. IMAGINE IF SOMETHING WOULD'VE HAPPENED THEN. I HAD NO IDEA ALL OF THIS WAS GOING ON AND AM NOW TERRIFIED TO DRIVE IT. I'VE NEVER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FROM NISSAN THAT THERE WAS A POTENTIAL ISSUE - I WOULD'VE BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER IMMEDIATELY AND BEEN COVERED FOR REPAIRS!!! THIS IS A NIGHTMARE AND NISSAN SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE IN SOME WAY. WHY AREN'T THEY STANDING BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AT ALL!! DO A COUPLE OF HUNDRED PEOPLE HAVE TO GET HURT BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE? *TR