NHTSA Complaint #767273 — 1994 NISSAN ALTIMA

I HAD NOTICED THAT THERE WAS AN OIL STAIN ON MY GARAGE FLOOR, AFTER SEVICING THIS VEHICLE THE DEALER SAID THAT THEY HAD TO REPLACE A SEAL. I HAD PURCHASED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY ON MY CAR SO IT WAS COVERED FOR THE REPAIR. A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER I NOTICED THE SMALL OIL STAIN RETURNING, EVERY TIME I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR SERVICE IS WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN TRANSMISSION LEAKING (EVEN THOUGH OIL WAS NOT RED), THEY HAD TO CLEAN SOMETHING AND SO ONE. FINALLY THIS PAST WINTER THEY ADMITTED THAT THE SEAL HAD TO BE REPLACED IN THE ENGINE AGAIN. AT THIS TIME I WAS INFORMED FROM THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE ORIGINAL REPAIR THEY PERFORMED WAS NO LONGER WARRANTEED AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY OVER $800. TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED. IF NISSAN RECOGNIZES A DEFECT IN DESIGN WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. THEY WERE SUPPOSE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM 4 YEARS AGO, AND NOT TELL ME EVERY 6 MONTHS THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE A FIGMENT OF MY IMAGINATION THAT I HAVE A SMALL OIL LEAK. THIS VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 37,000 ORIGINAL MILES ON IT, I HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, AND I HAVE TAKEN EXCELLENT CARE OF MY CAR. I HAVE NOT RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP AFTER THIS INCIDENT AND HAVE NOT REPAIRED THE PROBLEM, I FEEL THAT IF NISSAN MOTOR CORP, KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AS EARLY AS 1995 THEY SHOULD HAVE REPAIRED PEOPLES CARS INSTEAD OF LETTING THE PROBLEM CONTINUE UNTIL THEIR WARRANTEE EXPIRED. THIS IS WHAT I KNOW THEY DID WITH ME AND I DO NOT APPRECIATE IT THAT I WAS TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF BY KOEPPEL NISSAN BY TELLING ME THAT THE CAR WAS NOT LEAKING OIL WHEN IN REALITY IT WAS. *AK