2005 Nissan Xterra

COOLANT MIXING WITH TRANSMISSION FLUID. THE XTERRA WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS CORRECTLY AND THEREFORE I INVESTIGATED MORE BY CHECKING THE FLUID. I FOUND BROWN COOLANT SO I DECIDED TO DO A DRAIN/FILL. IT WAS RUNNING BETTER AND I RESEARCHED FURTHER AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. I TOOK MY XTERRA TO A TRANSMISSION MECHANIC WHO ALSO DRAINED IT AND REPAIRED A VALVE THAT WENT BAD DUE TO THE COOLANT FLUID MIXING. THERE WAS A TRANSMISSION COOLER ADDED AS WELL. HE ALSO DRAINED AND FILLED. I THEN HAD A TRANSMISSION FLUSH JUST TO MAKE SURE ALL COOLANT WAS OUT. WITH ALL THIS DONE, IT GAVE ME MORE TIME BUT THE DAMAGE WAS DONE AND I AM CONTINUING TO HAVE SHIFTING ISSUES. I NOW HAVE TO REPLACE MY XTERRA TRANSMISSION. I REALLY ENJOY MY XTERRA AND HAVE TAKEN CARE OF IT BY REGULAR FLUID CHANGES AND KEEPING UP WITH IT MAINTENANCE. IT HAS A STRONG ENGINE WITH NO LEAKS AND CONSTANTLY CLEAN MOTOR OIL. IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT I HAVE HAD TO GO THROUGH THE STRESS OF ALL OF THIS BECAUSE OF A DESIGN FLAW THAT NISSAN IS UNABLE TO REMEDY.

MY VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER. FIRST STARTED TO SHAKE AND RATTLE, THEN ALL POWER WAS LOST. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, MY ENGINE COOLANT LOOKED LIKE A MILK SHAKE. CALL NISSAN, AND THEY SAID IT HAPPENS QUITE OFTEN THAT THEY HAVE A NAME FOR IT, "THE MILK SHAKE". APPEARENTLY THE INNER TUBE, THAT COOLS THE TRANS, BROKE CAUSING FLUIDS TO MIX, RESULTING IN FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION.

"TRANSMISSION/RADIATOR RECALL" I OWN A 2005 NISSAN XTERRA OFFROAD V-6. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN SEPT. 2005. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF AN AIR INTAKE PROBLEM WITHIN A FEW MONTHS OF PURCHASE, I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS VEHICLE! UNTIL IT WENT OVER 90,000 MILES IN FEB. 2014, THE TRANSMISSION JUST STOPPED AND WENT INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED IN THE FAST LANE ON A BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO PASS OVER THE OTHER LANES OF TRAFFIC AND MAKE IT TO THE SHOULDER BEFORE THE CAR ROLLED TO A COMPLETE STOP. I LET IT SIT AND COOL AND STARTED IT UP AGAIN TO FIND THAT I WAS ABLE AT LEAST DRIVE IT TO THE DEALER. IT WAS THEN THAT I WAS FIRST MADE AWARE OF THE RADIATOR/TRANSMISSION RECALL AND SUBSEQUENT ISSUES. THEY "SERVICED" THE COOLING SYSTEM BY REPLACING THE RADIATOR HOSES AND CLAMPS AND FLUSHING THE SYSTEM OUT AND TELLING ME THAT THAT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM. (AT MY EXPENSE OF COURSE) THEY CHECKED THE TRANSMISSION AND SAID THAT IT WAS FUNCTIONING NORMALLY WITH NO PROBLEMS. FINE. 2 YEARS AND 6,000 MILES LATER WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON A LOS ANGELES FREEWAY (IT IS SOMETIMES POSSIBLE) THE TRANSMISSION SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AND SWITCHES INTO NEUTRAL LEAVING ME TRYING TO AND WEAVE MY WAY TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY WHERE THERE IS A SHOULDER BEFORE I LOOSE MOMENTUM. THEN THE VEHICLE WAS NON OPERATIONAL AND I WAS STRANDED 100 MILES FROM HOME. IN THE 2 YEARS SINCE, THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION REBUILD, HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 4 MORE TIMES AND HAD 2 MORE CATASTROPHIC TRANSMISSION FAILURES WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE IMPORTANT POINT TO BE ADDRESSED HERE IS THAT THE INVESTIGATION INTO THIS RECALL ENDED AND IT WAS DETERMINED NOT TO BE A "SAFETY HAZARD". WELL, WHEN MY VEHICLE FAILED ON A BLIND CURVE ON CA ST HWY 74 (THE CORRIDOR OF DEATH), WITH NO MEDIAN OR SHOULDER, IT BECAME A REAL TIME SAFETY HAZARD TO ME.

WHILE DRIVING MY XTERRA WOULD NOT MOVE WHEN I DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR. THE ENGINE WOULD REV HIGH MAKING A LOUD NOISE AND THE CAR WOULD BARELY MOVE. SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT TURNED ON AND STAYED ON. TOOK TO A REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT SHOWED A CODE FOR THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. I WAS TOLD TO REPLACE IT, OVER A $1,300. MECHANIC DISASSEMBLED TRANSMISSION TO REACH CONTROL MODULE AND FOUND TRANSMISSION FLUID MIXED WITH WATER. I WAS ADVISED TO REPLACE RADIATOR AND FLUSH TRANSMISSION. LOOKING AT $2,000 IN REPAIRS. NISSAN HAS BEEN AWARE OF A PROBLEM WITH THE RADIATOR CRACKING AND MIXING WITH THE TRANSMISSION FLUID FOR AWHILE. NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED AND CONSUMERS ARE STUCK WITH THE BILL. THEY SHOULD AT LEAST ISSUE A SAFETY BULLETIN ADVISING THEIR CUSTOMERS OF THE RISK. INSTEAD NISSAN OPTED TO STAY SILENT AND HAS FAILED TO ADDRESS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. NISSAN HAS PUT PROFITS BEFORE CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEY SHOULD BE FINED AND HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS ONGOING PROBLEM.

WHILE DRIVING MY CAR WITH JUST OVER 40,000 MILES ON IT THE CLUTCH BEGAN TO SLIP AS I HIT THE GAS. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN WHILE IN TRAFFIC AND OTHER DRIVERS WERE FORCED TO AVOID MY VEHICLE WHICH COULD NOT SAFELY MAINTAIN HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE CLUTCH HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS AGAIN JUST HAPPENED AT OVER 80,000 MILES. THE CLUTCH IS WEARING VERY QUICKLY ON THIS VEHICLE. LUCKILY NONE OF THESE HAVE CAUSED ANY REAL SAFETY CONCERN BUT I WANT IT DOCUMENTED THAT NISSAN IS SELLING A VEHICLE WITH A POORLY MADE CLUTCH THAT COULD CAUSE SAFETY ISSUE DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURS. IF A VEHICLE LOSES ITS CLUTCH IT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SHIFT GEARS OR LOSE MOTIVE POWER INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

PURCHASED A ONE OWNER NISSAN IN LATE 2016 W/ APPROX. 85-86K MILES ON IT.GOT APPROX. 4-5 MTHS OF USE BEFORE IT COMPLETELY LOST POWER & BECAME INOPERABLE(APPROX FEB/MARCH OF 2017).MY WIFE & I WERE DRIVING HOME & BASICALLY LOST ALL POWER W/O ANY WARNING.THANK GOD WE WERE ON A SIDE ROAD @ THE TIME & WERE ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER.IT HAS BEEN PARKED SINCE EARLY 2017 & RENDERED USELESS.$9000 DOWN THE DRAIN.VEHICLE ONLY HAS 89K MILES ON IT & IN IMMACULATE SHAPE INSIDE&OUT.NOW WE'RE FACED WITH THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF A $4000+ TRANSMISSION REBUILD + ECM/TCM MODULE REPLACEMENT. MY MECHANIC PICKED UP ON THE PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY.HE CHECKED THE RADIATOR & IT LOOKED LIKE STRAWBERRY MILK.I OWNED 1 OTHER NISSAN BEFORE THIS & CAN TRULY SAY I WILL NEVER,EVER OWN ANOTHER.I FELT VERY CONFIDENT IN THE VEHICLE MECHANICALLY. BUT IF I'D KNOWN ABOUT THIS DEFECT I'D HAVE NEVER PURCHASED IT.NOW I'M BASICALLY OUT $9000 OR HAVE A $4000+ REPAIR TO EVEN BE ABLE TO RECOUP ANY MONEY & SOME OF MY LOSSES.IF I HAD ANY INKLING OF INFORMATION ABOUT THIS DEFECTIVE PART IN NISSAN'S I'D HAVE NEVER PURCHASED IT.I ORIGINALLY CONSIDERED NISSAN A GOOD CAR MAKER & RANKED THEM CLOSELY W/ HONDA & TOYOTA IN PERFORMANCE & DEPENDABILITY.NEEDLESS TO SAY.ALL THAT'S NOW CHANGED.I CANNOT BELIEVE THE NHTSA DID NOT DEMAND THAT NISSAN PUBLICLY ANNOUNCE THESE ISSUES AS TO PROTECT THE CONSUMERS & CURRENT OWNERS. BUT I'D NEVER HEARD A THING ABOUT IT & I "WORK IN AUTOMOTIVE FINANCE"!!! I WILL ADMIT, NISSAN WAS SUCCESSFUL IN RIPPING MANY PEOPLE OFF & WITHOUT SO MUCH AS AN APOLOGY. MUCH LESS ANY POTENTIAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE THAT THEY CAUSED.NISSAN NEEDS TO WAKE UP & DO RIGHT BY THEIR CUSTOMERS OR THEY WONT HAVE THEM LONG.TRUST ME WHEN I SAY.THAT DAY DRAWS CLOSER W/ EVERY PERSON WHO FINDS THEMSELVES IN THIS SIMILAR SITUATION.THANKS & I HOPE YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS INJUSTICE THAT WAS ALLOWED TO HAPPEN ON YOUR WATCH!!!!!!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN XTERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SLOW TO CHANGE GEARS AND ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR SERVICING AND TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR KEPT ILLUMINATING AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. A DEALER WAS CONTACTED (MASSAPEQUA NISSAN, 200 SUNRISE HIGHWAY, AMITYVILLE, NY 11701, (516) 799-2800). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V517000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: DP-12004 (POWER TRAIN). THE MANUFACTURER ISSUED FOUR TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS (TSBS) ON THE ENGINE AND FOUR TSBS ON THE POWER TRAIN, BUT THERE WAS NO REMEDY TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,074.