NHTSA Complaint #10557511 — 2006 NISSAN PATHFINDER

ON AUGUST 19TH WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN I NOTICED WHAT APPEARED TO SMOKE COMING FROM MY ENGINE AND NOTICED MY TEMPERATURE GAUGE READING THAT IT WAS OVERHEATING. I PULLED OVER ON THE SHOULDER AND OBSERVED, WHAT I NOW KNOW WAS, COOLANT VAPORIZING FROM MY ENGINE. AT THIS TIME ALL THE MECHANICS I CALLED WHERE WRAPPING UP FOR THE DAY, SO I HAD IT TOWED AND TAKEN TO A LOCAL NISSAN SERVICE THE NEXT MORNING. AFTER PAYING $49.95 FOR THE INSPECTION THE SERVICE CENTER INFORMED ME THAT THE RADIATOR FAILED MIXED COOLANT IN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID KILLING MY TRANSMISSION AS WELL. THEY GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF $5,901, $6,373.08 AFTER TAXES, TO FIX THE DAMAGES. I REMEMBERED BEING SENT A NOTICE OF A RADIATOR RECALL, THAT I WAS TOLD DIDN'T CONCERN MY VEHICLE WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN, SO I ASKED ABOUT IT. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST NISSAN FOR THIS ISSUE AND THEY EXTENDED THE YEARS/MILEAGE ON THE WARRANTY AND I SHOULD CALL THEIR 800 NUMBER. I CALLED THE NUMBER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL DIDN'T EFFECT MY VIN# AND THAT MY MILEAGE WAS OUTSIDE OF THE EXTENSION. I WASN'T PREPARED FOR $6K IN ADDITIONAL EXPENSES SO I STARTED LOOKING AROUND FOR A MORE AFFORDABLE PRICE. I ENDED UP FINDING A SHOP THAT WAS ABLE TO DO THE WORK FOR $2,784, AND DURING THE PRICE SHOPPING AND REPAIRS I SPENT $495.72 ON A RENTAL TO GET AROUND. DURING THIS ORDEAL I BOTH ASKED THE MECHANIC WHO ASSESSED MY VEHICLE AND GOOGLE THE ISSUE ON THE INTERNET. BOTH SHOWED THAT I WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE THAT MY VIN WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE EFFECTED BY, AND THAT IT WAS A COMMON ISSUE FOR MY MODEL. BOTH SOURCES ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE SITUATION WAS A TICKING TIME BOMB THAT NOTHING SHORT OF COOLANT SYSTEM WORK AROUND OR REPLACING NISSAN'S DEFECTIVE RADIATOR WOULD STOP IT FROM OCCURRING. *TR