1994 Nissan Maxima

SINCE I PURCHASED VEHICLE BACK IN 2007, THIS VEHICLE LEAKS GASOLINE WHEN FULL TANK IS FUELED. IT CREATES A LARGE PUDDLE OF FUEL IN THE REAR UNDER THE FUEL NECK FILL PIPE. IT TAKES ABOUT 20 MILES OF DRIVING FOR THE LEAK TO STOP. I HAD NEVER BEEN MADE AWARE OF THIS BEING A COMMON PROBLEM BY ANY SERVICE CENTER I HAVE TAKEN IT TO. MY HOUSEHOLD IS SAFETY CONSCIOUS WHEN IT COMES TO THE USE OF ANY FLAMMABLE ITEMS THAT COULD POSE A RISK OF FIRE WHEN THESE LEAKS OCCUR. I ALWAYS TRY NOT TO FILL THE TANK COMPLETELY BUT I ADMIT SOMETIMES I SIMPLY FORGET, ONLY REALIZING IT AFTER THE FUEL STATION GASOLINE HOSE STOPS ON ITS OWN. MY CONCERN HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT WHILE DRIVING AND IS LEAKING, SOMEONE MAY THROW OUT THEIR WINDOW A CIGARETTE OR I MAY GO OVER SOMETHING THAT COULD TRIGGER A SPARK, CAUSING A FIRE/EXPLOSION. *TR

VEHICLE: 1994 NISSAN MAXIMA (VIN# [XXX]) EVERY TIME I PUMP IN A FULL TANK OF FUEL AT THE GAS STATION, THE FUEL BEGINS TO LEAK AND CREATES A PUDDLE OF FUEL UNDERNEATH THE CAR. THE FUEL FILLER TUBE AND WHEEL HOUSING IS SIGNIFICANTLY CORRODED THAT HAS RESULTED IN A FUEL LEAK. IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, IT COULD RESULT IN A FIRE. ALSO, THE LEFT REAR SEAT BELT RETRACTOR IS MOUNTED TO THE WHEEL AND THE MOUNTING COULD FAIL IN A VEHICLE CRASH. I DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 95V244000, WHICH WAS A RECALL ON THE 1994 NISSAN MAXIMA FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: STORAGE TANK: TANK ASSEMBLY: FILLER PIPE AND CAP. A MIXTURE OF MUD AND SALT GOT TRAPPED BETWEEN THE FUEL FILLER TUBE AND WHEEL HOUSING THAT RESULTED IN CORROSION OF THE FUEL FILLER TUBE AND WHEEL HOUSING. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN GARAGED-KEPT AND ONLY HAS 140,000 MILES FOR A 16-YEAR-OLD VEHICLE. ON 6/18/2010, I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO ROSENTHAL NISSAN DEALER IN VIENNA, VA FOR REPAIR/REPLACEMENT, BUT AFTER CALLING NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC., I WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR DID NOT QUALIFY FOR THE RECALL AND I WOULD HAVE TO REPAIR/REPLACE IT AT MY OWN EXPENSE (FILE# [XXX]). THE RECALL WAS SPECIFIC FOR THE TYPE OF SAFETY DEFECT THAT I AM CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING ON THE SAME YEAR AND MAKE/MODEL VEHICLE, BUT NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. REFUSES TO HEED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 95V244000. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

MY MAXIMA HAS A PLASTIC SHROUD AROUND THE FUEL FILLER NECK, PRESUMABLY TO PROTECT IT FROM ROAD DEBRIS, ROCKS, ETC, BLASTING THE FILLER NECK. UNFORTUNATELY, THE SHROUD TRAPS FINE DIRT AND MOISTURE. THIS INCLUDES WINTER ROAD SALT. WHEN I REMOVED THE SHROUD, MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF FINE SAND & DIRT FELL TO THE GROUND. WHEN I CLEANED OUT WHAT WAS STUCK UP INSIDE THE REAR QUARTER PANEL AREA, I SWEPT UP 3 FULL DUSTPANS. IT WAS CLOSE TO 10LBS OF CRAP. THE FILLER NECK WAS BADLY RUSTED. THE REAR QUARTER PANEL WAS RUSTED BADLY. WHEN I STARTED TO DISMANTLE, I WENT TO REMOVE SEATBELT BOLT. I WAS SHOCKED TO FIND THE ENTIRE AREA WHERE THE SEATBELT ATTACHED WAS BEHIND FILLER NECK AND COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. THE SHEET METAL TWISTED APART EASILY AND WOULD NOT HAVE PROTECTED THE LEFT REAR PASSENGER IN A 5 MPH COLLISION. IT WOULD HAVE JUST TORE AWAY. YEARS AGO MY '86 HONDA PRELUDE HAD A RUSTY FILLER NECK. I REMOVED IT AND WENT TO BUY THE PART, AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS A RECALL ON IT. IT WAS CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN I ASKED NISSAN A FEW MONTHS AGO, THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THIS SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE (ON 2 ISSUES: STRONG FUEL ODORS AND NO SEATBELT PROTECTION). I FIND THAT UNACCEPTABLE, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT I CAN SEE THE FLAWED DESIGN. I HAVE ALSO SEEN MANY OTHER NISSAN OWNERS WITH SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FOR NISSAN AXXESS AND NISSAN MURANO ( AND I HAVEN'T EVEN SEARCHED OR LOOKED FOR THESE COMPLAINTS). ALSO, I HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATING AUTO MVAS FOR 25 YEARS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE VEHICLE HAS COOPER TRENDSETTER SE, SIZE P206/65R15 (NA) TIRES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE SAW A DEFECTIVE TREND IN SEVERAL COOPER TIRES THAT SHE PURCHASED. SHE BOUGHT FOUR TIRES INITIALLY IN AUGUST OF 2006. THE CONTACT RETURNED ONE TIRE ON DECEMBER 6, 2007 BECAUSE IT WAS DEFECTIVE. THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE VIN, PURCHASE DATE, TRANSMISSION TYPE, NUMBER OF CYLINDERS, ENGINE SIZE, AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 178,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 176,307.

DT: FOR THE PAST YEAR SMELLED GAS. BEEN TOOK TO DEALER FOR THIS PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES. DONE REPAIRS TO HOSES,EXHAUST, ETC. LATER DISCOVERED THIS WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE FUEL INJECTION. SYSTEM. WHEN AIR CONDITIONER WAS ON HIGH THE SMELL WAS EVIDENT. ALSO, THIS WAS PRESENT IN THE MORNING WHEN THE CAR WAS STARTED FOR THE FIRST 5 MINUTES. TOOK TO SERVICE DEALER, AND FOUND NO LEAKS, BUT DID PERFORM SMOKE TEST AND NUMEROUS INSPECTIONS, BUT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THIS PROBLEM. ALSO, IS WAS PRESENT WHEN IS DEFROST WAS TURNED ON. GAS SMELL IWASSTRONGER WHEN ACCELERATING ABOUT 25 MPH OR SO IN STOP OR GO TRAFFIC. *AK

CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR RECALLS 95V244000 AND 94V194000 REPAIRS CONCERNING WHEELS AND THE FUEL FILLER. CONSUMER WAS CHARGED FOR THE LABOR, AND THE REPAIRS ON THE WHEELS WAS NOT PERFORMED. *AK THE VEHICLE HAD A FUEL LEAK UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. A BROKE VACUUM LINE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO IDLE POORLY. THE VEHICLE'S WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED. *NM