NHTSA Complaint #10569476 — 2007 NISSAN XTERRA

AT 60MPH AND ALSO 40MPH THE VEHICLE VIBRATES HEAVILY AND IS SLOW TO REACT TO POWER INPUTS WITH NO WARNING SIGNS PRIOR. THIS WAS DETERMINED TO BE CAUSED BY THE KNOWN DEFECT RELATED TO THE RADIATOR / HEAT EXCHANGER, WHERE THE ENGINE COOLANT MIXES WITH THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND GETS INTO THE TRANSMISSION. THIS THEN TURNS INTO A "PINK MILKSHAKE" CONSISTENCY FLUID AND COMPLETELY RUINS THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION AND VALVE ASSEMBLY. THIS REQUIRES A COMPLETE REBUILD OR REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR TO CORRECT THE ISSUE. THERE IS NO WARNING SIGN AND THIS AFFECTS THESE VEHICLES AT DIFFERENT RATES. THIS CAN CAUSE CARS TO SEIZE UP UNEXPECTEDLY IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING CREATING A DANGEROUS SITUATION. SINCE THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR NISSAN TRUCKS MODEL YEAR 2005 - 2010 THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL. IT IS NOT A MATTER OF IF THIS WILL HAPPEN, IT IS A MATTER OF WHEN. IN MY PERSONAL SITUATION I HAD NO INJURY OR IMMEDIATE CAR SHUTDOWN, HOWEVER I WOULD HAVE NO WARNING IF THAT DID OCCUR AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS HAS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND IS UNCALLED FOR TO HAVE A KNOWN DEFECT AND NOT DISCLOSE THIS TO OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES. ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS A PERFECTLY GOOD WAY TO MITIGATE THIS ISSUE BY ADDING A DEDICATED COOLER FOR THE TRANSMISSION AND BYPASS THE RADIATOR, WHICH IS A CHEAP AND EASY FIX TO NEVER HAVE THIS ISSUE. *TR