2000 Nissan Xterra

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE STATIONARY, THE VEHICLE UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 270,000.

IN A 2000 NISSAN XTERRA AN EVENT SIMILAR TO THE RECENT TOYOTA PROBLEMS OCCURRED (SEVERAL TIMES) ABOUT 7-8 YEARS AGO. IN ONE CASE THE CAR JUMPED A CURB AND HIT A TREE. IT WAS DRIVABLE, SO NO POLICE REPORT WAS FILED- AS NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE CAR- WHICH HAD ABOUT $2000 BODY DAMAGE. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED AND NISSAN SAID THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. AS A RESULT OUR INSURANCE WENT UP AND WE HAD TO PAY THE DEDUCTIBLE (ABOUT $500). IT HAPPENED ONCE MORE A FEW MONTHS LATER, WITH NO DAMAGE RESULTING. IN BOTH CASES THE CAR WAS SLOWING FROM <20MPH TO A STOP, AND PAVEMENT WAS SLICK BUT NOT REAL WET- WHEN THE ACCELERATOR REVVED UP FOR NO REASON. IT HAS NOT HAPPENED SINCE. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED ABOUT 2 YRS LATER. NISSAN HAS A RECORD OF A COMPLAINT FILED, BUT I LOST THE NUMBER. THE DATE LISTED BELOW IS FOR ONE ACCIDENT THAT HAPPENED (I THINK IT'S THE ONE, BUT IT MIGHT BE ANOTHER). *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 65MPH. WHEN ENCOUNTERING SLOWER MOVING TRAFFIC I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN BY APPLYING MY BRAKES.THE VEHCILE WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN. I TRIED AGAIN IT WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN. I STEERED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. I PLACED THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE ROARED THE RPM INDICATOR WAS IN THE RED ZONE AND WOLD NOT COME DOWN AS THE VEHICLE CONTINUED DOWN THE BERM OF THE FREEWAY. I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND THE VEHCILE EVENTUALLY SLOWED TO A STOP.TREMBLING I CALLED MY FATHER, WHEN HE ARRIVED HE CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD AND DISCOVERED THAT THE THROTTLE ASSEMBLY CONTROLLING THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM JAMMED AND LOCKED U THE VEHICLE A 2000 NISSAN EXTERRA WAS TAKEN TO THE BOARDMAN, OHIO NISSAN DEALER. THEY DID NOT REACT TOO CONCERNED REGARDING MY NARROW ESCAPE WITH POSSIBLE INJURY OR DEATH AND GREASED THE ASSEMBLY AND SAID IT SHOULD BE OKAY. I WANTED THE ASSEMBLY REPLACED THEY CLAIMED IT DID NOT RQUIRE REPLACEMENT. I THOUGHT IT BEST THAT I REPORT THIS INCIDENT TO YOUR AGENCY.

WHILE DRIVING GAS GAUAGE FALLS BELOW EMPTY, REGARDLESS OF ACTUAL FUEL LEVEL, ALSO THE SPEEDOMETER EITHER DROPS TO ZERO OR JUMPS EXACTLY TO 75 MPH, REGARDLESS OF SPEED, THE ODOMETER FIRST CHANGES TO NON-NUMERIC LINE SEGMENTS, THEN GRADUALLY FADES TO BLANK OR INSTANTLY TURNS BLANK, THE TACHOMETER EITHER DROPS TO ZERO OR JUMPS TO APPROXIMATELY 2850 RPM, THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE GUAGE EITHER DROPS TO ZERO OR JUMPS TO WHERE THE NEEDLE IS EXACTLY HORIZONTAL.*JB

WHILE PARKED WITH ONE WHEEL BEHIND PARKING STOP, A/C RUNNING AND VEHICLE THOUGHT TO BE IN PARK, VEHICLE SAT THERE FOR 5 OR MORE MINUTES, VEHICLE STARTS MOVING FORWARD,GOES DOWN ABOUT 8'SLOPE, ACROSS ROAD, DOWN ANOTHER 14'SLOPE, THROUGH FENCE TAKING UP 4/4 POST SET IN CONCRETE, STRAIGHT AS ARROW ABOUT 100 PLUS FEET INTO LAKE. MOTHER AND STRANGER WERE ABLE TO OPEN DOORS AND REMOVE TWO CHILDREN BEFORE CAR SUNK TO TOP, WHEN WRECKER GOT CAR OUT IT WAS IN REVERSE, AND THE DOORS OR WINDOWS WOULD NOT OPEN.*AK

WHILE ACCELERATING ON TO THE FREEWAY, MY VEHICLE BEGAN TO CLIMB IN SPEED. I THOUGHT I HAD ACCIDENTLY HIT THE "CRUISE" BUTTON SO, I CANCELLED THE CRUISE CONTROL. THAT DID NOT WORK AND THE CAR BEGAN TO GAIN MORE SPEED DESPITE MY ATTEMPTS TO BRAKE. I ALSO PLACED MY FOOT BEHIND THE FOOT PEDAL; NOTHING WOULD SLOW THE CAR DOWN. I FINALLY STOPPED THE VEHICLE BY PRESSING ON THE BRAKES WHICH, WERE TO THE FLOOR. I WILL NEVER GET IN THIS VEHICLE AGAIN, EITHER AS A DRIVER OR A PASSENGER. *AK