NHTSA Complaint #10597084 — 2005 NISSAN SENTRA

WHILE HEADING TO WORK, MY CAR LOST POWER DUE TO A SCREW FROM A POWER INTAKE VALVE (BUTTERFLY VALVE AS THE DEALERSHIP REFERRED TO IT) COMING LOOSE AND FALLING INSIDE THE #1 CYLINDER CHAMBER. INSIDE THE CHAMBER, THE PISTON QUICKLY BENT THE SPARK PLUG ELECTRODES TOGETHER CAUSING THE CAR TO SHUT OFF AND LOSE POWER. I WAS INSIDE MORNING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT AND WAS NEARLY IN A REAR END COLLISION AS A RESULT. THE DEALERSHIP POINTED OUT INADVERTENTLY THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN COVERING THIS ISSUE. I RESEARCHED THESE BULLETINS AND FOUND BULLETIN NTB05-058B. THIS COVERS THE EXACT PROBLEM THAT HAPPENED TO MY VEHICLE. THERE IS A CATCH WITH THIS BULLETIN. I OWN A 2005 NISSAN SENTRA SER SPECV MANUFACTURED IN OCT. 2004. THE COMPANY CLAIMS MY VIN FALLS OUTSIDE THE SERVICE BULLETIN BY MERE WEEKS. THIS PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN PROPERLY ADDRESSED AND MY ENGINE FAILED BECAUSE OF SUCH. I HAVE CONTACTED NISSAN CORP. DIRECTLY AND THEY PLACE ME IN THE HANDS OF NISSAN REGIONAL. I WAS GIVEN EXCUSE AFTER EXCUSE AS TO WHY MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED BY THE FACTORY. #1. VEHICLE FELL OUTSIDE THE SERVICE BULLETIN DATE RANGE. #2 AGE OF VEHICLE AND MILEAGE EVEN THOUGH A BRAND NEW ENGINE WAS PLACED IN OCT 2008. #3. CUSTOMER LOYALTY WAS IN QUESTION AS NISSAN DID NOT SERVICE MY ENGINE. WHEN I INQUIRED HOW OIL CHANGES WERE RELEVANT, I WAS TOLD THE TECHNICIANS WOULD HAVE FOUND THIS ISSUE DURING A TWENTY-ONE POINT INSPECTION. I ASKED FOR CLARIFICATION AS TO WHY I WOULD BELIEVE NISSAN WOULD HAVE DISSEMBLED MY ENGINE, FOUND A LOOSE SCREW AND RE-ASSEMBLED MY ENGINE ALL DURING AN OIL CHANGE. ALSO, THIS PROBLEM SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED PROPERLY WHEN MY ENGINE WAS REPLACED IN OCTOBER OF 2008. LOOSING ENGINE POWER IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, NEARLY BEING IN AN ACCIDENT IS NOT A MATTER I WANT TO TAKE LIGHTLY. DO I HAVE A VALID ARGUMENT AGAINST NISSAN? *TR