NHTSA Complaint #10563134 — 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER

THE VEHICLE ENGINE TIMING CHAIN HAD MADE A SLIGHT "WHIRRING" SOUND FOR MANY MONTHS - NOTHING REALLY LOUD ENOUGH TO CAUSE ALARM, BUT NOTICEABLE. THEN WHEN IDLING THE VEHICLE IN MY DRIVEWAY, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO WHINE LOUDLY, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND BEGAN TO EMIT A LOUD SLAPPING/ CLUNKING SOUND. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAS FAILED AND THE CHAIN IS SLAPPING AROUND INSIDE OF THE TIMING COVER. I WAS LUCKY THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING IN MY DRIVEWAY AT THE TIME! THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF REPORTED INCIDENTS TO BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET WHERE NISSAN OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THAT TIMING CHAINS HAVE FAILED, AND SOME OWNERS IN CALIFORNIA HAVE FILED A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT TO FORCE NISSAN TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS FACTORY DEFECT. NISSAN KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM - THERE ARE FACTORY SERVICE BULLETINS TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM, BUT NO RECALL. THIS ENGINE DEFECT IS DANGEROUS - ENGINE FAILURE ON BUSY NY / NJ / CT HIGHWAYS CAN BE LIFE-THREATENING!! WHY IS THE NISSAN TIMING CHAIN DEFECT NOT DEEMED A MANDATORY FACTORY DEFECT RECALL?? AS A FORMER MECHANIC, I CAN SAY WITH CONFIDENCE THAT MODERN VEHICLE ENGINE TIMING CHAINS CAN BE REASONABLY EXPECTED TO LAST THE LIFE OF THE ENGINE! TIMING CHAINS ARE NOT CONSIDERED A REGULAR MAINTENANCE ITEM! NOT ONLY DOES TIMING CHAIN FAILURE PUT THE VEHICLE PASSENGERS IN EXTREME DANGER, BUT IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. WHY SHOULD CONSUMERS HAVE TO BEAR THE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR A FACTORY DEFECT? AT THIS TIME THE VEHICLE IS SITTING "DEAD" IN MY DRIVEWAY - I DO NOT HAVE $2000 REQUIRED TO REPAIR THE FACTORY DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAIN ASSEMBLY! PLEASE FORCE NISSAN TO RECALL AND REPAIR THEIR DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAINS!!! *TR