NHTSA Complaint #10759943 — 2005 NISSAN XTERRA

MY SON WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON A LOCAL ROAD NEAR HOME AT NIGHT. HE WAS ACCELERATING UP A SMALL GRADE, WHEN HE SAID THE CAR ACTED AS IF IT HAD POPPED OUT OF GEAR. IT BEGAN TO REV HIGHER AND MADE A HIGHER PITCHED SOUND. HE TRIED CHANGING FROM BEING IN "DRIVE" TO A LOWER GEAR, BUT IT STILL DID NOT ENGAGE THE TRANSMISSION. HE HAD ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO BE ABLE TO COAST ONTO OUR SIDE STREET AND PARK THE CAR. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT, BUT HE WAS ALMOST REAR-ENDED AS HIS CAR SLOWED SUDDENLY AND TRAFFIC RAN UP ON HIM. THE CAR WOULD NOT START, NOR TURN OVER AT THAT POINT. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE LOCAL NISSAN DEALER. THEY MENTIONED IT WAS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR AND IT WOULD COST OVER 5K FOR JUST A NEW TRANSMISSION, NOT INCLUDING A NEW RADIATOR OR LABOR TO INSTALL BOTH. I WAS ABLE TO FIND ANOTHER MECHANIC THAT PURCHASED A REBUILT TRANSMISSION, BUT THE WHOLE THING STILL COST OVER 5K TO HAVE THE REBUILT TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR INSTALLED WITH NO ASSURANCE THAT IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUE WITH THESE VEHICLES AND CONTINUES TO COST PEOPLE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR A VERY POOR AND DANGEROUS DESIGN.