NHTSA Complaint #10542065 — 2007 NISSAN PATHFINDER

NOTE: AFFECTED PARTS ARE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR (NOT SURE WHAT CATEGORY THOSE FALL IN) I PURCHASED A 2007 NISSAN PATHFINDER FROM A NISSAN DEALERSHIP LESS THAN 3 MONTHS AGO. IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASING I NOTICED WHAT SEEMED TO BE A MINOR LACK OF POWER OR CUTTING OUT WHEN COASTING DOWNHILL. I MENTIONED IT TO MY SALES REP, AND AGAIN WHEN I HAD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE SHOP ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR A TIRE PRESSURE GAUGE AND REAR DOOR HANDLE PROBLEM. I HAD NEVER OWNED A 4WD BEFORE AND IT WAS DISMISSED AS NO BIG DEAL SINCE IT STILL DROVE OKAY. THEN LAST WEEK, OVER LABOR DAY WEEKEND, MY CAR OVERHEATED AND IMMEDIATELY DISCHARGED A GREY MILKY SUBSTANCE FROM THE RADIATOR WITHOUT WARNING. IT HAD NOT OVERHEATED PRIOR TO THIS. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY INFORMED ME THAT BOTH THE TRANSMISSION AND THE RADIATOR NEED REPLACING TO THE TUNE OF $6,600. THE CAUSE BEING THE RADIATOR FLUID LEAKING INTO THE TRANSMISSION. THIS REPAIR IS OVER HALF THE VALUE OF THE CAR. I NEVER WOULD HAVE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE HAD I KNOWN ABOUT THE DEFECT. AT A MINIMUM I WOULD HAVE INSISTED IT BE COVERED BY WARRANTY. I PAID FULL RETAIL PRICE FOR THE CAR NOT KNOWING OF THIS DEFECT. WHILE I'M GRATEFUL NO ONE WAS INJURED BY THIS DEFECT THIS TIME, I HAVE NO MEANS TO PAY THE REPAIR COSTS AND OWE $13,000 TO THE BANK FOR A VEHICLE I CANNOT DRIVE OR RESELL. *JB