2000 Nissan Xterra

THE SPARE TIRE (WHICH IS MOUNTED BENEATH THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE) FELL OFF DUE TO RUST IN THE MECHANISM WHICH SUSPENDS IT. THE MECHANISM WHICH HOLDS THE SPARE TIRE IS CLEARLY DEFECTIVE (A RELATIVELY THIN METAL BAR ATTACHED TO A METAL CHAIN), AND IT IS CLEAR THAT NORMAL WEAR AND RUST CAUSED IT TO BREAK UNDER THE WEIGHT OF THE SPARE TIRE (WHICH IS A FULL SIZE, FULL WEIGHT TIRE). FORTUNATELY, THE TIRE FELL OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN MOTION. HAD IT FALLEN OFF WHILE IN MOTION, THE TIRE COULD HAVE CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO NEARBY VEHICLES (INCLUDING MY OWN) AND THEIR OCCUPANTS. THE FALLEN TIRE COULD HAVE CAUSED MY VEHICLE OR NEARBY VEHICLES TO FLIP OVER, PARTICULARLY AT HIGHER SPEEDS. NISSAN HAS BEEN INFORMED (BY PHONE) OF THIS DEFECTIVE PART. THEY HAVE REFUSED TO TAKE ACTION. ALL NISSAN XTERRA OWNERS SHOULD BE AWARE-- YOUR SPARE TIRE MAY BE HANGING BY A THREAD. THIS IS A SERIOUS HAZARD WHICH SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED.

I AM SURPRISED TO SEE ONLY A FEW COMPLAINTS ON THIS SIGHT, THERE'S PROBABLY THOUSANDS THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO. I WAS DRIVING HOME ONE NIGHT AND THE TRUCK STALLED OUT, LUCKILY THERE WAS A PLACE TO PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AFTER I GOT TOWED AND SPOKE TO NISSAN THEY WERE READY WITH THE ANSWER - IT'S THE FUEL SENDING UNIT! A BUILD UP OF CORROSION IN THE WIRE OF THE SENDING HAD SHORTED OUT THE SIGNAL TO SUPPLY GAS. NICE JOB NISSAN! PIECE OF CRAP! RECALL!!!!!!!!!!!

FUEL SENDING UNIT SHORT/***EXCESSIVE HEAT PRODUCED*** PROBLEM STARTED W/MY WIFE, WHICH DRIVES THE 200 NISSAN XTERRA EXCLUSIVELY. IT STALLED ON HER WHILE DRIVING. WOULD RESTART OFTEN THROUGHOUT THE TRIP SHE WAS ON. THE NEXT DAY I DROVE IT TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND DECIDED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT W/GERMAIN NISSAN OF COLUMBUS, OHIO. WHILE ON MY WAY THERE IT STALLED FOR GOOD. LEFT ME HIGH AND DRY. I DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A MALFUNCTIONING FUEL PUMP. I REPLACED THE PUMP, FUEL FILTER AND FUEL PUMP RELAY AT THE SAME TIME IN A LOCAL SCHOOL PARKING LOT. NO SUCCESS. STILL NOT STARTING. I THEN HAD MY WIFE TRY TO START THE VEHICLE WHILE I LISTENED FOR THE SOUND OF THE FUEL PUMP RUNNING. I HEARD THE PUMP OPERATE SPORADICALLY. I THEN NOTICED, TO MY SHOCKING SURPRISE, THAT THE FUEL PUMP POWER CONNECTION ON THE FUEL SENDING UNIT WAS GLOWING FROM THE EXCESSIVE HEAT CREATED BY A CORRODED CRACK IN THE INLET CONNECTION SIDE OF THE PUMP POWER SOURCE. I IMMEDIATELY DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY AND HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS AS I FELT THIS WOULD BE A DEFINITE SAFETY RECALL. TO MY SURPRISE IT IS NOT. I ASKED THIS AFTER ALLOWING THE SERVICE MAN TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM OF HIS OWN. I WAS TOLD OF THE SAME GLOWING AFFECT SEEN FROM HEAT CREATED AT THE ELECTRICAL SHORT. I INQUIRED IF THIS WAS SEEN BEFORE AND THE TECH SAID IT IS COMMON. HE ALSO WRAPPED THE PART FOR ME TO KEEP AS "I MAY NEED THIS FOR FUTURE RECALL REIMBURSEMENT". I WONDER HOW LONG IT MAY BE BEFORE SOMEONE'S' CHILD IS BURNED IN A CAR FIRE AS THIS MALFUNCTIONING AND DANGEROUS COMPONENT IS LOCATED LESS THAN 4 INCHES DIRECTLY BELOW THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT! I AM OUT OVER$400 PLUS TOWING FOR WHAT I HAVE DISCOVERED TO BE A COMMON DEFECT RESULTING IN THE MOST SEVERE OF SAFETY ISSUES. I JUST HOPE I CAN SELL THIS TRUCK BEFORE THE NEW PART. WHICH I AM SURE IS OF THE DEFECTIVE DESIGN, FAILS. *NLM

WIRING ON FUEL SENDING UNIT CORRODES, FUEL PUMP TURNS OFF, ENGINE SHUTS OFF -- NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE NOR HOW FAST YOU'RE DRIVING! OBVIOUSLY, A UNIT THAT CORRODES SO EASILY ON NEWISH VEHICLES IS A DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING. IT'S A NO BRAINER THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE TOO. I LIKE THE IDEA OF YOUR WEBSITE: "PEOPLE SAVING PEOPLE". I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS ON THIS PROBLEM, WITH THE BACKORDER ON REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR IT, ALL THE TALK ABOUT IT, THAT THERE HASN'T BEEN A DEFECT INVESTIGATION ON IT. I LOOKED IN YOUR DATABASE AND IT SHOWS ZERO DEFECT INVESTIGATIONS ON ANY NISSAN MADE IN 2000 -- DOESN'T MATTER WHAT MAKE OR MODEL, NISSAN IS RUBBER-STAMPED FOR APPROVAL??? I OWN A 2000 XTERRA. THIS PROBLEM HASN'T HAPPENED TO MINE YET, BUT I'M SURE IT WILL SINCE I'M APPROACHING 47K MILES. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM AS A PASSENGER IN ANOTHER VEHICLE. AND I SWEAR, IT IS SCARY! SINCE NISSAN WON'T INITIATE A RECALL, AND YOU SAY ON THE WEBSITE YOU DON'T NEED A SPECIFIC NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS IN ORDER TO INVESTIGATE, DON'T YOU THINK THIS IS ONE THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO??? THANKS. *NLM