NHTSA Complaint #10704296 — 2005 NISSAN XTERRA

DRIVING ON FREEWAY AT 65MPH CAR STARTED STALLING AND LOOSING SPEED, I STEPPED ON THE GAS BUT CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I WAS A FEW YARDS FROM EXIT, SO I EXITED AND WHEN I REACHED THE BOTTOM OF THE EXIT, CAR STOPPED AND IT ACCELERATED IN REVERSE. VERY SCARY AND STRANGE. I PULLED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF EVEN THOUGH IT SEEMED TO NOT BE RUNNING. I TOWED THE CAR TO A MECHANIC AND I FOUND OUT THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE CAR THAT NISSAN HAS ACKNOWLEDGED BUT DID NOT RECALL THE VEHICLES. I FIND MYSELF WITH A $6,000 REPAIR ESTIMATE. I CALLED THE DEALER AFTER FINDING OUT WHAT CAUSED MY CAR TO DIE AND THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AS WELL AND INFORMED ME THAT NISSAN HAD EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE CAR WITH A $3,000 CO-PAY. THE PROBLEM IS NOT ONLY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR BUT A REAL DANGER IF THE CAR GOES INTO REVERSE WHILE ON HEAVY, FAST TRAFFIC. I'M COMPLETELY AGHAST THAT NISSAN AND THE DEALERS HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BUT HAVE NOT NOTIFIED CAR OWNERS NOR WILL THEY OWN UP TO THE DESIGN DEFECT AND REPAIR THE VEHICLES WHICH SHOULD NOT BE NEEDING NEW TRANSMISSIONS WITH LESS THAN 100,000 OF DRIVING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DO WITH THESE COMPLAINTS, BUT NISSAN NEEDS TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT THAT THEY SETTLED IS A SHAM. WHEN WE BUY CARS WE EXPECT THEM TO RUN WELL, AND NOT HAVE MAJOR FLAWS THAT WOULD RENDER THE CARS USELESS IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE HUGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY THAT IT TAKES TO REPAIR THEM. WHAT DOES THE LAW ALLOW NISSAN TO DO IN THIS CASE. THEY'VE ALREADY RIPPED US OFF BY SELLING US FAULTY VEHICLES AND NOW THEY WANT TO RIP US OFF BY HAVING US PAY FOR REPAIRS THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN INCURRED TO BEGIN WITH. *TR