2009 Nissan Maxima

The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH, the engine was running hot and there was thick white smoke coming from the exhaust tips. In addition, the vehicle stalled and was restarted however the vehicle shut off. The contact mentioned that the check engine warning light illuminated intermittently. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 178,000.

THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER OR START AND THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED. A SMALL YELLOW KEY APPEARS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE LEFT INSTRUMENT DIAL. THE INTELLIGENT KEY DOES NOT ENGAGE. WEB RESEARCH INDICATES PROBABLE STEERING LOCK FAILURE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO NEAREST NISSAN DEALER TODAY FEB. 5 WHO CONFIRMED THAT STEERING LOCK HAS FAILED. THE DEALER SERVICE PERSONNEL TELLS ME THE REPLACEMENT PART IS ON BACK ORDER, NONE OF THE OTHER DEALERS IN THE WASHINGTON DC AREA HAVE ONE. TECHNICALLY IT MAY NOT BE A SAFETY PROBLEM REQUIRING A RECALL BUT IF YOU HAD THIS PROBLEM ON THE SHOULDER OF AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY OR SITTING ON THE TRACKS AT A RAILROAD CROSSING IT COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. NOW WE WILL NEED SOME EXPERIENCE IN ORDER TO TRUST THE CAR TO OPERATE CORRECTLY IN A SAFE MANNER. I AM GLAD WE HAVE ANOTHER CAR THAT IS WORKING CORRECTLY. *TR

MY FAMILY AND I WERE DRIVING SOUTH BOUND ON THE NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE AT 75 MPH AND THE CAR SHUTDOWN, IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND LOST POWER. LUCKILY WE WERE IN THE RIGHT LANE AND I ACTED QUICKLY TO TURN ON THE HAZARDS AND GET OFF THE HIGHWAY ON TO THE SHOULDER TO AVOID A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THIS CAR ONLY HAS ~16000 MILES AS WELL AS ALL OF ITS SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE IS UP TO DATE. AFTER GETTING IT TOWED TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP THEY INFORMED US THAT IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR AND THAT EVEN THOUGH THE CAR WAS WITHIN THE WARRANTY PERIOD THE WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER IT AS THEY FOUND A LEAF IN THE SENSOR. WE HAVE NO WAY TO VERIFY THAT THERE WAS A LEAF IN THE SENSOR AND THE CAR IS KEPT IN A GARAGE AND/OR DRIVEWAY NOWHERE NEAR A TREE. WE WANTED TO REPORT THIS INCIDENT SO THAT IF MORE INCIDENTS LIKE THIS OCCUR MAYBE A RECALL IS WARRANTED AS NISSAN'S ENGINEERING OF THE VEHICLES COULD BE AT FAULT. HOW COULD A LEAF IN GET IN THERE? IF A LEAF DOES GET IN WHY WOULD THAT CORRODE THE PART? *TR