This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Nissan power control valve loose fasteners: My concern resonates with consumer safety that involves gross engine failure during operations due to loosening internal fasteners/components. While driving on a city street, I noticed an abrupt and unusual mechanical grinding sound coming from my vehicle (V6 Pathfinder). Eventually the car would not start. After having it towed to the dealer for diagnostics and service, the technician noticed that an internal power control valve was missing from the intake after he had removed the valve cover during his troubleshooting. I purchased this vehicle new (sole owner) and have never had any work/maintenance performed that required the valve cover to be removed. After doing some research on my own, I found multiple complaints about Nissan power control valve screws loosening, falling within the engine and causing severe engine failure while driving and more than $2K in repairs to the consumer. I also noted that Nissan (West coast, California) recently recalled various models/multi-years, including the 2002 Pathfinder, acknowledging the problem with loosening fasteners within the respective engines; however, no recall was enacted for the same models on the East coast usa. Although my vehicle was eventually diagnosed with idle air control valve and electronic control module (engine) problems, the location (within my engine) of the missing power control valve and it's fasteners is not known and I am not convinced that this foreign material (loose screws/valve) would not have been the root cause of these diagnosed failures. Please note that I have been very fortunate in that my vehicle has over 200K miles; however, there are multiple power control valves within my (these) vehicles that may be subject to failure and most importantly if other consumers may be one engine failure away from a potential catastrophic result.
The contact owns a 2002 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start and the check engine warning illuminated. Prior to the failure, the vehicle stalled. The failure recurred several times. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing. The technician diagnosed that the oil pan was faulty. The failure mileage was 108,000.
The first time while driving the Pathfinder in regular driving conditions, the engine stalled at approximately 30 mph. To restart the engine I had to put the transmission in neutral and turn the key all the way off and then restart the vehicle.the second time this happened I was driving again the same day, cruising along at about 50 mph in traffic, and the engine died again with no warning. The instrument cluster showed all the typical "dummy lights" after the engine failed the first two times. When we parked the Pathfinder we could smell gas at the rear passenger door on the drivers side. We took the Pathfinder to the shop for repair. Fuel smell was corrected by installing a fuel pump seal and the fuel pump system was reseated, and reinstalled after an incorrect installation by a previous mechanic. After receiving the Pathfinder back fro our shop, the engine died again while sitting in a parked position running in an idle state. No instrument cluster lights came on when engine died this time (the 3rd time), no check engine or codes displayed. Then while driving again at 50 mph in normal driving conditions the engine died again, no indication of electrical issues, no flashes in headlights, interior lights, no flux in the HVAC fan, nothing. Tachometer dropped to zero with no other indication the engine died, no vibration, no jerking. I put the transmission in neutral, shut of the key, and try to restart with no success. I coasted the car to the side of the road and turned the key off and removed it from the ignition and then re inserted it to restart the Pathfinder. Again, no check engine lights, no codes, nothing to indicate a problem. I purchased this car used only days ago 11/30/2014, and it has spent everyday in the shop trying to resolve this issue. It has only 96540 original miles on it, and is a very clean vehicle
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Chesapeake, VA, USA