NHTSA Complaint #10870318 — 2013 NISSAN ALTIMA

I PURCHASED MY 2013 NISSAN ALTIMA (44K MILES) IN MAY 2015. I HAD NO ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE UNTIL I REACHED THE 50K MILE MARK IN JANUARY 2016. THE FIRST ISSUE STARTED WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD PUSH REALLY HARD DRIVING UP A HILL. THE NEXT ISSUE HAPPENED ON 5/2/16 WHEN I PLACED THE VEHICLE IN 'DRIVE' AND IT WENT FORWARD FOR A FEW SECONDS AND IT COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. TO BE CLEAR, IT WAS NOT THE BATTERY. EVERYTHING WORKED IN THE CAR EXCEPT ITS ABILITY TO ACTUALLY DRIVE. I TOOK IT TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND THEY KEPT THE VEHICLE FOR ABOUT 2 DAYS FOR INSPECTION. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND A THING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE; NO ERROR CODES OR DRIVING ISSUES WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS WITH THEM. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO TAKE BACK MY VEHICLE AND HOPE FOR THE BEST. HOWEVER, ON MAY 21, 2016, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AGAIN. I WAS ALMOST REAR-ENDED BECAUSE IT SHUT OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. I SAT IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY STREET FOR 20 MINS BEFORE THE VEHICLE DECIDED TO DRIVE AGAIN. I'M ALMOST SURE THAT IT IS THE CVT TRANSMISSION. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM AND IT SEEMS AS IF I'M NOT THE ONLY NISSAN OWNER WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE CVT TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO "GO OUT" AT THE 50K MILE MARK. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS VEHICLE CAN SHUT OFF WHILE IN USE AND THERE IS NO CODE OR TRAIL AS TO WHY. THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THIS EXPERIENCE IS THAT THE CAR SHUTS OFF WHILE IT IS BEING ACTIVELY DRIVEN. I USE THE FREEWAY TWICE A WEEK AND THERE WOULD LIFE-THREATENING EFFECTS IF THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF IN THAT TYPE OF TRAFFIC (65-75 MPH). I HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE THAT COMPLETELY SHUT OFF AND A CERTIFIED MECHANIC COULD NOT TELL YOU WHY. AS I PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, I'M SURE IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE THE VEHICLE'S DRIVING CAPABILITIES ARE AFFECTED. THERE'S NO TELLING WHAT OTHER PARTS ARE BEING AFFECTED BY THIS ISSUE.