NHTSA Complaint #713304 — 1999 NISSAN QUEST

I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ON JUNE 17, 1999 BRAND NEW AT TORRANCE NISSAN. ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER, FRONT BRAKES STARTED MAKING GRINDING NOISE. I WAS TOLD BY BOTH DEALER AND MANUFACTURER THAT IT WAS NORMAL SINCE THEY ABANDONED ABESTOS FROM BRAKE PADS. I INSISTED THAT THEY CHANGED THE PADS. THEY FINALLY AGREED AND ORDERED SPECIAL PADS FROM THE FACTORY. NOISE WENT AWAY UNTIL LAST MONTH. THEY REPLACED THE PADS ONCE AGAIN AND IT'S OK RIGHT NOW. AN ENGINEER FROM THE FACTORY FINALLY ADMITTED THAT THERE'S A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN AND MOST '99 QUEST HAVE THAT SAME PROBLEM. DRIVER SIDE MIRROR VIBRATES AT HIGH SPEED ABOVE 70. AGAIN, ENGINEER FROM FACTORY STATED THAT IS A DEFECT AND R&D IS TRYING TO RESOLVE IT. DRIVER SIDE SLIDING DOOR LATCH COMES OPEN AFTER SLIDING IT BACK AND FOURTH AFTER FOUR TIMES. IT HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER MANY TIMES AND SINCE YESTERDAY, IT'S OK. THE MAIN PROBLEM IS THE POOR GAS MILEAGE. WE'RE PUTTING IN 87 OCTANE GAS RECOMMENDED IN THE MANUAL. WE'VE BEEN GETTING ABOUT 13 MILES/GALLON IN THE CITY AND ABOUT 18 IF WE DRIVE BOTH FREEWAY AND CITY. THE TANK TAKES ABOUT 20 GALLONS AND EVERY 16.5 GALLONS, WE'RE ONLY GETTING ABOUT 260 MILES FROM THE TRIP READING. NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIR FIRST TOLD US THAT NEW CAR WILL GIVE POOR READING SINCE ALL PARTS HAVEN'T BEEN BROKEN INTO. WE SHOULD DRIVE IT TO 5000 MILES. THE VAN IS AT 5750 MILES AND MILEAGE HAS NOT IMPROVED AT ALL. I CONTACTED CONSUMER AFFAIR AND THEY TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD NOT BE USING MOBIL AND ARCO GAS AND TO GET THAT KIND OF MILEAGE, I SHOULD BE PUTTING IN 95 OCTANE. IF THIS IS THE CASE, THEN HOW IT'S NOT STATED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL?