NHTSA Complaint #11128488 — 2006 NISSAN PATHFINDER

THERE IS A SYSTEM DESIGN FLAW WITH THE 05-10 NISSAN TRUCKS; PATHFINDER, FRONTIER, XTERRA. THE RADIATOR HOUSES BOTH COOLANT AND TRANSMISSION FLUID. WHEN THE RADIATOR FAILS, IT LEADS TO COOLANT AND TRANSMISSION FLUID MIXING; RESULTING IN CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AND PREMATURE DESTRUCTION OF THE TRANSMISSION. OUR TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED WITH A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION AFTER THE ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 89K MILES. AFTER THE NEW TRANSMISSION WAS PUT IN, THE TRANSMISSION WAS DESTROYED AT 90K MILES AND THE ISSUE WAS TRACED BACK TO A CRACKED/RUPTURED RADIATOR; LEADING TO MIXING OF COOLANT AND RADIATOR FLUID WHICH IN TURN RUINED THE TRANSMISSION. THE COST OF THE INITIAL TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT WAS $6000; THE ESTIMATED COST OF REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION AGAIN ALONG WITH THE RADIATOR AND FLUSHING THE SYSTEM AND REPLACING THE FLUIDS IS $8000. IN BOTH INSTANCES OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE, IT HAPPENED DURING DRIVING CONDITIONS ON A HIGHWAY WITHOUT SYMPTOMS OF TRANSMISSION ISSUES. THE WORST PART OF THIS IS NOT THE COST. THE WORST PART IS THAT THIS KNOWN ISSUE ON NISSAN TRUCKS SHOULD HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED AS A RECALL ISSUE BECAUSE THE FAILURE CAN HAPPEN ANYTIME, ESPECIALLY DURING DRIVING CONDITIONS AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE A CRASH, SERIOUS INJURY, OR DEATH.