NHTSA Complaint #10824140 — 2005 NISSAN XTERRA

THE RADIATOR LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION, WITHOUT ANY INCIDENT LEADING UP TO THE MECHANIC FINDING THE LEAK. THE RADIATOR HAD TO BE REPLACED, AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT. THE TRANSMISSION STILL SEEMS TO IMPROPERLY SHIFT, AND A STRONG, RICH, OIL SMELL IS COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT NOW. I DO NOT QUALIFY FOR ANY REIMBURSMENT BECAUSE OF A PREVIOUS SETTLEMENT WHICH I, LIKE MANY OTHERS, WERE NOT INVOLVED IN, AND WHICH DID NOT COVER AND PROBLEMS OVER 100,000 MILES. I BELIEVE THE MANUFACTURER KNEW ABOUT THE DEFECT IN THEIR CAR AND CHOSE NOT TO FIX THE PROBLEM IN A PART WHICH SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED, AND SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL. IF WE HAD NOT CAUGHT THE DAMAGE IN TIME, THE ENGINE COULD HAVE FAILED IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING, AND AND ACCIDENT MIGHT HAVE BEEN UNAVOIDABLE. I ALSO BELIEVE THE DEALER WHO SOLD ME THE CAR WAS INFORMED ABOUT THE SETTLEMENT AND INTENTIONALLY CHOSE NOT TO TELL ME ABOUT IT, EVEN WHEN I ASKED SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE PROBLEM DURING NEGOTIATIONS.