NHTSA Complaint #10578491 — 2004 NISSAN MURANO

WIFE AND I TRAVELING FROM NORTH GEORGIA MOUNTAINS ON A STATE HWY, APPROX 55 MPH. THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE AND FELT AS IF THE CAR VIOLENTLY DOWNSHIFTED (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). THERE WAS NO FOREWARNING, NO 'WARNING LIGHTS' ILLUMINATED BEFORE, DURING, OR AFTER THE EVENT. FORTUNATELY FOR US, I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR OFF THE ROAD. THE CAR DID NOT LOSE ELECTRICAL POWER, NOR DID THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. THE SHIFTER DID NOT ACCIDENTALLY GET MOVED, AS THE CAR WAS STILL IN DRIVE. AFTER WE SAT ON SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR SEVERAL MINUTES REGAINING OUR WITS, I DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR, TO MOVE BACK ONTO THE HIGHWAY. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THE GAS PEDAL. IT JUST IDLED. AGAIN, I PUMPED THE GAS PEDAL AND THERE WAS NO CHANGE TO ENGINE IDLE. I TURNED THE IGNITION SWITCH OFF, AND BACK ON, AND THE PROBLEM CLEARED. THIS IS THE "THIRD SUCH OCCURRENCE" IN TWO WEEKS TIME. WE TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIP IN LILBURN, GEORGIA (HWY 78) AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM IN DETAIL. THE SERVICE ADVISOR DID NOT COMMENT IF THEY HAD EVER HEARD OF A SIMILAR ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE. ON THE 8TH OF APRIL, WE WENT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROGNOSIS WAS FOR THIS VEHICLE. NISSAN DID NOT HAVE AN EXPLANATION. THEIR COMPUTER READOUT DID NOT INDICATE A PROBLEM RELATED TO OUR COMPLAINT. IN OTHERWORDS, THEY HAD NO IDEA, AFTER CHARGING US $125.00 FOR A COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC. WE'RE BACK TO TAKING IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC TO SEE IF THEY CAN DISCOVER THE PROBLEM. *TR