NHTSA Complaint #10503980 — 2005 NISSAN XTERRA

MY DAUGHTER DRIVES THIS VEHICLE TO COLLEGE ABOUT 5 HOURS FROM HOME. ON 9-4-12 IT OVERHEATED AND SHE HAD TROUBLE DRIVING IT BUT MADE IT THE THE DEALERSHIP IN LUBBOCK. THEY SAID THE RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE OLD ONE HAD INTERNAL TRANSMISSION COOLER FAILURE. THE SERVICE ADVISOR SAID THE FLUID FROM THE RADIATOR GOT IN THE TRANSMISSION AND THE TRANSMISSION FLUID GOT IN THE RADIATOR. THEY SAID THE TRANSMISSION WOULD BE FINE AFTER THEY DID A TRANSMISSION FLUSH ON IT. WE PAID THE $814 FOR THE REPAIRS. SIX MONTHS LATER AS MY DAUGHTER IS DRIVING HOME FOR SPRING BREAK THE XTERRA STARTED VIBRATING REALLY BAD. LUCKILY SHE WAS ABOUT 30 MINUTES FROM HOME SO SHE COULD STILL DRIVE IT AS LONG AS SHE STAYED AROUND 40 MPH. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP IN ARLINGTON WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED. THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD US THE RADIATOR WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AGAIN AS WELL AS THE TRANSMISSION. THEY SAID THE LUBBOCK DEALERSHIP SHOULD HAVE ALSO REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION BACK IN SEPTEMBER SINCE A TRANSMISSION FLUSH DOESN'T GUARANTEE ALL THE CONTAMINANTS ARE REMOVED. WE HAVE JUST PAID $5600 MORE FOR REPAIRS. NISSAN HAS OBVIOUSLY ADMITTED THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM BY AGREEING TO MAKE PARTIAL REIMBURSEMENTS TO CUSTOMERS WHOSE VEHICLES HAVE LESS THAN 100,000 MILES ON THEM. UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE IN THE GROUP OF CUSTOMERS WHOSE VEHICLES HAVE OVER 100,000 MILES WHO NISSAN HAS CHOSEN TO IGNORE. SINCE NISSAN HAS NOT STEPPED UP TO DO THE RIGHT THING WE WILL NOT BE FUTURE NISSAN CUSTOMERS. *TR