1996 Nissan Altima

MY DAUGHTER'S 1996 NISSAN ALTIMA DEVELOPED AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM THAT SOMETIMES LEFT HER STRANDED. WHEN I DISCOVERED WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, I WANTED OTHERS TO KNOW. THE PROBLEM TURNED OUT TO BE AN INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL CONNECTION INSIDE THE FUEL TANK. IT WAS BURNED AND HAD ACTUALLY MELTED THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK WHERE THE CONNECTORS WERE. IT WAS THE TWO WIRE CONNECTOR THAT CONNECTED DIRECTLY TO THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP. THE FUSE WAS A 15 AMP FUSE, BUT THE WIRES AND THE CONNECTORS LOOKED SMALL FOR THAT KIND OF CURRENT DRAW. THIS LOOKS TO ME LIKE A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. ALSO, I FOUND IT INTERESTING THAT THE WIRE "PIGTAIL" WAS NOT AVAILABLE FROM NISSAN AS A REPAIR PART. *NM

THIS COMPLAINT IS ON 1996 NISSAN ALTIMA GXE. ON 9/21/03, THE CAR FAILED TO START IN THE MORNING EVEN THOUGH IT HAD NO ISSUES THE NIGHT BEFORETHE ENGINE TURNED BUT WOULD NOT CATCH ON AND IGNITE. ON THE FOLLOWING DAY, A LOCAL MECHANIC FOUND THE ROOT CAUSE TO BE THE FAILED FUEL PUMP, THEREBY EXPLAINING THE SYMPTOMNO FUEL TO THE ENGINE, NO IGNITION. ADDITIONALLY AND MORE CRITICALLY, HE FOUND THAT THE PLASTIC HOUSING OF THE POWER CONNECTOR (POWER TO DRIVE THE PUMP) WAS SEVERELY DAMAGEDIT HAD MELTED WITH INDICATIONS FOR ARCS. THE CRITICAL ASPECT IS THAT THE BURNED/ARC-ED SIDE OF THE CONNECTOR (ELECTRICAL FEED-THROUGH) SITS INSIDE THE FUEL TANK AND WOULD SIT IN THE FUEL VAPOR WHEN THE FUEL IS LOW IN THE TANK. THIS COMBINATION OF ARCING AND FUEL VAPOR, I BELIEVE, CONSTITUTES A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE WITH POTENTIALLY EXPLOSIVE CONSEQUENCES. IT IS VERY FORTUNATE THAT THIS POTENTIAL FOR EXPLOSION DID NOT MATERIALIZE. HOWEVER, THE SITUATION, I BELIEVE, DEFINITELY WARRANTS FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY THE MANUFACTURER AND BY NHTSA. PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, INCLUDING THE DAMAGED PARTS. *JB