NHTSA Complaint #10565168 — 2005 NISSAN XTERRA

MY 16 YEAR SON WAS DRIVING HOME AT 11:00 PM ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN, WITH NO WARNING, THE CAR LOST ALL ACCELERATION POWER. HE WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURN THE CAR OFF AND ON AND GOT IT INTO 3RD GEAR. IT WOULD NOT WORK IN DRIVE. HE PROCEEDED VERY SLOWLY FOR A SHORT DISTANCE UNTIL HE WOULD LOSE ACCELERATION POWER. HE HAD TO CONTINUE TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND ON THE HIGHWAY MULTIPLE TIMES TO GET IT HOME THAT EVENING. HE CONTINUED VERY SLOWLY WITH HIS FLASHING LIGHTS ON. IT SUBSEQUENTLY HAD TO BE TOWED. THANKFULLY, IT DID NOT RESULT IN A CRASH ON THE INTERSTATE. THE CAR IS BLACK AND IT WAS VERY DARK. IT WOULD'VE BEEN VERY DIFFICULT FOR SOMEONE IMMEDIATELY BEHIND HIM TO REACT ON THE INTERSTATE. MY SON'S SAFETY WAS SEVERELY COMPROMISED. THE PROBLEM TURNED OUT TO BE THE RADIATOR/TRANSMISSION PROBLEM NISSAN IS ALREADY BEING INVESTIGATED FOR (NHTSA ACTION NUMBER DP12004). IT REQUIRED A NEW RADIATOR, A NEW TRANSMISSION AND A NEW TRANSMISSION COMPUTER AS THIS WAS ALL RUINED WITH THE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE RADIATOR. THE COST OF REPAIRS WAS $4632.97 INCLUDING THE TOW CHARGE. NISSAN HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND EVEN SETTLED A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR THIS VERY ISSUE A FEW YEARS AGO. HAD THEY VOLUNTARILY RECALLED THE VEHICLE AND FIXED THE PROBLEM, MY SON WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PUT IN THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION AND THE COSTS WOULD HAVE BEEN MINIMIZED. I DESIRE FOR NISSAN TO BE HELD LIABLE FOR THIS - YOU HAVE RECEIVED LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF THE VERY SAME COMPLAINT. PLEASE CONDUCT A RECALL ON THE XTERRA, PATHFINDERS AND FRONTIERS YOU KNOW ARE IMPACTED. WE WERE FORTUNATE NOT TO HAVE A CRASH RESULTING IN INJURY OR DEATH; THE NEXT FAMILY MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY. *TR