2005 Nissan Frontier

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP GEARS WITH HESITATION. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS, IN WHICH BOTH ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. UPDATED 04/24/13 *BF THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE RADIATOR WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. UPDATED 06/13/13

WHILE TRAVELING IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC MY 2005 NISSAN FRONTIER STARTED TO LOSS POWER AND I WAS ALMOST HIT BY 3 OTHER VEHICLES WHEN THE TRUCK STOPPED MOVING IN THE TRAFFIC. I HAD IT TOWED TO RELIABLE MECHANIC AND WAS NOTIFIED BY HIM THAT THERE WAS RADIATOR FLUID IN THE TRANSMISSION AND THAT THIS HAS BECOME A GROWING ISSUES WITH NISSAN BETWEEN 2005-2010 MODEL PATHFINDERS, XTERRAS,AND FRONTIERS. THIS IS THE THIRD NISSAN FRONTIER I HAVE OWNED AND I SING THE PRAISES OF NISSAN TO EVERYONE I KNOW, I AM SHOCKED TO SEE HOW MANY COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FILED AND STILL NISSAN ACTS IRRESPONSIBLE AND REFUSES TO RECALL THIS ISSUE IT IS A $3800 REPAIR AND NISSAN KNOWS IT IS RAMPANT IN THESE MODELS. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN NISSAN THIS IS NO WAY TO TREAT THEIR LOYAL FOLLOWING MAKES MORE SENSE PUTTING THE $3800 TOWARDS A NEW TOYOTA PICKUP. *TR

WHEN I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND AT ABOUT 45 TO 50 MPH, MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT LEAVING THE TRUCK POWERLESS AND NOT BEING ABLE TO MAKE IT TO A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER! I WAS STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, WHICH WAS A DEATH TRAP NOT ONLY FOR MYSELF BUT FOR MY WIFE OR DAUGHTER AS WELL. I BEGAN CHECKING THE FLUIDS AND I DISCOVERED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS A BURNT BROWN STRAWBERRY MILK SHAKE COLOR. I WAS VERY CONFUSED ABOUT THE COLOR OF MY TRANSMISSION FLUID SO I HOPPED ON GOOGLE TO RESEARCH PROBLEMS WITH FRONTIERS TRANSMISSION. I FOUND LIST OF COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME ISSUE I HAD JUST EXPERIENCED. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE DEALERSHIP IN GAINESVILLE GA. I ASKED THE TECH IF THE TRUCK HAD ANY RECALLS. THE TECH STATED THAT THERE WHERE 2 RECALLS. I ASKED HIM IF THERE WAS ANY KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH THE RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION, AND OF COURSE NO WAS THE RESPONSE. I INQUIRED ABOUT THE ISSUES I DISCOVERED. THE TECH THEN REPLIED "WELL NISSAN DID EXTEND THERE WARRANTY ON THAT PROBLEM". HE TOLD ME TO CALL NISSAN N. AMERICA. THE NISSAN REPRESENTATIVE ASKED ALL THE QUESTIONS THE DEALERSHIP DID AND ASKED ABOUT THE MILES. I REPLIED 101570. THE REP. STATED HE WAS SORRY I WAS OUT OF ALL EXTENDED WARRANTY PLANS. I ASKED HIM JUST BECAUSE I AM 1500 MILES OVER YOU GUYS CANT HELP ME? THE REPRESENTATIVE REPLIED THAT IT WAS OUT OF THEIR EXTENDED WARRANTY WINDOW, SO HE WAS SORRY THEY CAN NOT ASSIST ME. THEN HE GAVE ME A NUMBER TO THE RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION HOT LINE. I REPLIED TO HIM BY STATING, WOW THIS IS THAT BIG OF A PROBLEM THAT NISSAN SPECIFICALLY HAS A HOTLINE FOR THE SITUATION? THE REPRESENTATIVE JUST HANG UP. I THEN CALLED THE 1877-208-9275 RADIATOR AND COOLANT ASSIST LINE. THEY WHERE CLOSED BECAUSE OF MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY. MY ARGUMENT IS WHY HAS NISSAN NOT MADE A RECALL ABOUT THIS SAFETY ISSUE? *TR

TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR/COOLING SYSTEM TO BE REPLACED DUE TO CONTAMINATION OF TRANSMISSION BY RADIATOR FLUID. ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED REGULARLY. AT 98,000 MILES BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE SPORADIC VIBRATION WHEN DRIVING, WAS DIAGNOSED WITH ABOVE STATE ISSUE. I USE THE TRUCK TO COMMUTE WITH MY CHILDREN EVERYDAY ON THE INTERSTATE, WHILE I AM THANKFUL THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAS NOT STOPPED FUNCTIONING, IT HAS PUT US AT GREATER RISK THAN USUAL WITH A COMPROMISED TRANSMISSION. TO HAVE BOTH SYSTEMS REPLACED, I HAVE BEEN GIVEN "AN OPPORTUNITY" TO PROVIDE A "CO-PAY" OF $3000.00. I PAID NISSAN ONCE FOR A FUNCTIONAL AND RELIABLE TRANSMISSION AND COOLING SYSTEM, I RESENT HAVING TO PAY AN ADDITIONAL $3000.00 FOR A DESIGN FLAW MADE BY NISSAN. AS A CONSUMER, $3000.00 IS THE TYPE OF MONEY USED AS A DOWN PAYMENT FOR A NEW CAR, NOT WHAT I EXPECT TO PAY AS "ROUTINE MAINTENANCE" ON A VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 100,000 MILES ON IT. MY PAYMENT WOULD HAVE BEEN LOWER IF MILEAGE WERE LOWER. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CORROSION HAPPENS OVER TIME, I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH TIME IT TAKES, BUT I FEEL CERTAIN IT WAS THOUSANDS OF MILES AGO. IF I HAD BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE EARLIER, I COULD HAVE ADDRESSED IT, POSSIBLY WITH LESS DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE, LESS SAFETY/RISK TO MY FAMILY, AND CERTAINLY AT LESS COST REGARDING THE "COPAY" FOR ME AS THE COPAY IS BASED ON MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE. THE HEATER HAS NEVER BLOWN WARM AIR WHEN IDLING, WHICH IS ONE OF THE FEW EARLY SIGNS OF THIS ISSUE FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND. THIS INDICATES TO ME THAT PROBLEM HAS EXISTED FOR MOST OF THE LIFE OF THE TRUCK. *TR

DISCOVERY OF AN APPARENTLY KNOWN ISSUE OF FAILED RADIATOR IN THIS VEHICLE THAT CONTAMINATES THE COOLANT AND TRANSMISSION FLUID RESULTING IN FAILED TRANSMISSION REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF IT AS WELL AS THE RADIATORS. SURPRISED AND EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED TO FIND THIS ISSUE HAPPENING TO MY VEHICLE WHICH I PURCHASED NEW FROM THIS DEALER AND LOYALLY HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED AND MAINTAINED AT THE SAME PLACE OF PURCHASE. THIS APPARENTLY IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND YET MY VEHICLE WAS NEVER CHECKED FOR THIS PROBLEM AT ANY OF MY MAINTENANCE INTERVALS BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THE INITIAL REVEALING OF THE PROBLEM WAS PRESENTED TO ME AT FULL PRICE OF THE REPAIR. AFTER EXPRESSING MY DISAPPOINTMENT IN THE FINDINGS AND THE QUALITY OF THE VEHICLE TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT I RECEIVED A CALL BACK STATING THAT I COULD CALL THE CUSTOMER CARE AND HAVE THE REPAIR PERFORMED WITH A CO-PAY OF $3000 OF THE $6400 QUOTED REPAIR. STILL UNHAPPY ABOUT WHAT I WAS FACING FOR A VEHICLE THAT HAD NOT YET REACHED 100K MILES, I WAS LEFT WITH NO OPTION BUT TO CALL AND GO WITH THE OFFER OF PARTIAL PAYMENT. THIS IS THE SECOND MAJOR REPAIR I HAVE HAD TO HAVE, FIRST BEING REPLACEMENT OF TIMING CHAIN AT APPROXIMATELY 80K MILES AT A COST OF $1500. *TR

SUDDENLY MY TRUCK APPEARED TO HAVE NO POWER; COULD NOT ACCELERATE UP TO TRAFFIC SPEED OR EFFECTIVELY GET ACROSS AN INTERSECTION. IT WAS SCARY AND DANGEROUS AS THIS COULD HAVE EASILY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON AND I PROMPTLY TOOK MY 2005 NISSAN FRONTIER NISMO V6 TO MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALER FOR SERVICE. I HAD JUST HAD THE FULL 90K MILE SERVICE WITH RADIATOR FLUSH AND NO ISSUES WHERE REPORTED TO ME. SO I WAS SHOCKED WHEN THEY TOLD ME THAT IT NEEDED TO HAVE BOTH THE RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION REPLACED DUE TO "FLUIDS MIXING". ANTIFREEZE AND WATER FROM THE RADIATOR HAD LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND DESTROYED IT. AND I WAS FURTHER SHOCKED AND ANGRY THAT IT WOULD COST ME $3K EVEN AFTER NISSAN'S "EXTENDED WARRANTY". (I DON'T HAVE THIS KIND OF MONEY LYING AROUND TO DUMP INTO MY 7+ YEAR OLD TRUCK, THAT I HAD BOUGHT NEW IN '05.) THIS IS A CATASTROPHIC DEFECT IN THE DESIGN - KNOWN BY THE MANUFACTURER AND SHOULD BE MADE RIGHT BY THE MANUFACTURER. I'VE FOUND THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE ACROSS THE INTERNET FOR OTHER 2005-2010 FRONTIERS, PATHFINDERS AND XTERRAS. NISSAN NEEDS TO DO THEIR CONSUMERS RIGHT, OR RISK LOOSING LOYALTY. UP UNTIL NOW, I'VE BEEN REALLY HAPPY WITH MY TRUCK, MY SERVICE DEALER AND NISSAN, BUT NOW I'LL BE LOOKING AT OTHER BRANDS THAT BACK THEIR PRODUCTS AND CONSUMERS BETTER. *TR

I PURCHASED MY 2005 NISSAN FRONTIER AT APPROX. 95K IN FEBRUARY. THE TEST DRIVES WERE FINE, THE CAR SOUNDED AND DROVE PERFECTLY FINE FOR A FEW MONTHS. IT RECENTLY BEGAN TO START SHIFTING ROUGHLY . THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM DID SOMETHING TO COVER UP THE ISSUE WHICH WAS OBVIOUSLY WHY THEY WERE TRYING TO SELL IT BEFORE 100K AND I GOT BURNED ON IT. I PURCHASED THE TRUCK FROM MARIETTA, GA AT TEAM NISSAN. I DIDN'T GET IT CHECKED UNTIL NOW, BUT HAVE SINCE DISCOVERED THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF A RECALL RELATED TO RADIATOR ANTIFREEZE LEAKING INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND CAUSING FAILURE OF BOTH. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND IT REALLY DOES BAFFLE ME THAT A WHOLE GENERATION OF NISSAN VEHICLES FROM 2005-2010 HAVE THIS ISSUE AND THAT IT COULD CAUSED SOME ACCIDENTS DUE TO HIGH SPEED TRANSMISSION FAILURE. I SEE THIS AS BEING A SAFETY ISSUE ON THE SAME SCALE AS THE TOYOTA ISSUES OF A FEW YEARS BACK. TO HAVE THIS BE A LIMITED WARRANTY RECALL IS DISGRACEFUL. YOU CAN BELIEVE NISSAN KNOWS EXACTLY WHEN THESE INCIDENTS ARE LIKELY TO OCCUR SO THEY EXTENDED THEIR COVERAGE UP TO THAT POINT AND THEY FAIL THEREAFTER. NOT TO MENTION THAT THE CURRENT RECALL DOES NOT SEEM TO INCLUDE ISSUES IT CAUSES TO THE TRANSMISSION. MY TRUCK AS YOU CAN SEE IS OUT OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THE RADIATOR AND WAS WHEN I PURCHASED IT. *TR

MY 2005 NISSAN FRONTIER BEGAN SHIFTING HARD NOTICEABLY. I TOOK IT TO A TRUSTED MECHANIC TO EVALUATE THE CAUSE AND LEARNED THAT THERE IS CONTAMINATION IN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. COOLANT FROM THE RADIATOR HAS LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION BODY, RESULTING IN CONTAMINATION AND CORROSION. AT THIS TIME THE TRANSMISSION STILL FUNCTIONS, BUT WILL NOT CONTINUE TO DO SO FOR LONG. THIS ISSUE REQUIRES THE REPLACEMENT OF BOTH THE RADIATOR AND THE TRANSMISSION WITH AN ESTIMATED COST OF $3,800. *TR