NHTSA Complaint #10726905 — 2008 NISSAN ALTIMA

WENT IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AT MOSSY NISSAN, KEARNY MESA, CA. WAS INFORMED THE HEADGASKET(S) WERE LEAKING COOLANT. NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY ALTHOUGH MECHANIC INFORMED ME THE LEAK(S) WERE A COMMON AND PRE-EXISTING CONDITION. HE WENT ON TO EXPLAIN THAT NISSAN USED THE INCORRECT HEAD GASKETS FOR THIS MODEL OF 3.5 V6 (FRONT WHEEL DRIVE VQ35HR TO BE SPECIFIC). ONCE NISSAN REALIZED THEIR MISTAKE, ALL SUBSEQUENT ENGINES RECEIVED THE CORRECT HEAD GASKETS AND THE LEAKAGE PROBLEMS WENT AWAY. I AM REQUESTING THAT NISSAN FORMALLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE HEAD GASKET DEFECT AND EXTEND THE DRIVETRAIN WARRANTY TO COVER THE REPLACEMENT EXPENSE. I AM UNSURE WHETHER THE NHTSA CAN HELP ME IN THIS CASE, BUT PERHAPS IF MY COMPLAINT CAN BE IN THE DATABASE, WE CAN GET MORE AFFECTED CONSUMERS TO SUBMIT SIMILAR HEAD GASKET DEFECT COMPLAINTS IN THE HOPES THAT NISSAN WILL BE FORCED TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM.