NHTSA Complaint #10615442 — 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE AND SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART THE DAY AFTER THE INITIAL FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS ANTIFREEZE ON THE SPARK PLUGS, WHICH INDICATED THAT THE CYLINDERS UNDER THE TIMING BELT WERE CRACKED AS A RESULT, THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC ALSO STATED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED AND THAT THE DEBRIS FROM THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS DRAWN UP INTO THE ENGINE CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE CYLINDERS IN THE MOTOR, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HAVE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS REPLACED, HOWEVER THE MOTOR WAS NOT REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.....UPDATED 04/08/15 *BF