NHTSA Complaint #10748919 — 2003 NISSAN MAXIMA

WAS DRIVING ON 4 LANE DIVIDED ROAD AT APPROX. 50 MPH. WHEN DEPRESSED GAS PEDAL TO ACCELERATE, CAR ACTED LIKE IT WASN'T GETTING GAS. AFTER A FEW SECONDS, IT ACTED NORMAL AGAIN. CAME UPON STOP LIGHT. AS I WAS WAITING FOR LIGHT TO CHANGE, ENGINE SUDDENLY CUT OFF WITHOUT ANY WARNING, ALL DASH LIGHTS FLASHED. I IMMEDIATELY CUT THE A/C, RADIO AND LIGHTS THINKING IT WAS MY BATTERY GOING BAD. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND RESTARTED IT WITH NO PROBLEM. I IMMEDIATELY DROVE APPROX. 15 MILES TO NEAREST AAA SHOP TO GET BATTERY CHECKED. BATTERY CHECKED OUT FINE AND MECHANIC LOOKED UNDER HOOD AND COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING OBVIOUS. I GOT HOME AND FOUND OUT THAT THIS YEAR NISSAN HAD BEEN RECALLED FOR CAMSHAFT PROBLEMS. THE DESCRIPTION OF CAMSHAFT PROBLEMS (ENGINE SUDDENLY TURNING OFF) MADE ME SUSPICIOUS ESPECIALLY SINCE IT HAD BEEN RECALLED. TOOK TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP NEXT MORNING AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE CAMSHAFT WAS WEAK SO THEY REPLACED ($552.00 EXPENSE). DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY ALL THE NISSAN 2003 MAXIMAS WERE NOT RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM. I AM ASKING THAT NISSAN CONSIDERING RECALLING ALL THE 2003 MAXIMAS FOR THIS PROBLEM. I WAS VERY FRIGHTENED WHEN ENGINE CUT OUT AND COULD HAVE BE STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND REAR-ENDED. I AM GRATEFUL I WAS STOPPED WHEN IT HAPPENED AND NOT TRAVELING AT A HIGH SPEED.