2005 Nissan Pathfinder

COOLANT LEAKING INTO TRANSMISSION. WELL-KNOWN NISSAN ISSUE. VEHICLE STARTED RUMBLING INTERMITTENTLY GOING BETWEEN 4TH AND 5TH GEAR AROUND 40 AND 60 MPH. THE RUMBLING WILL LAST BETWEEN 2 AND 5 SECONDS UNTIL THE ACCELERATOR IS DEPRESSED HARD ENOUGH TO FORCE THE VEHICLE TO DOWNSHIFT WHICH RESULTS IN A LOUD BANGING NOISE AND A JERK. ALSO NOTICED WHAT LOOKS LIKE CURDLED MILK ALL AROUND THE RADIATOR CAP. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALERSHIP, NISSAN OF SACO, ON 08/28/2012 AND AM ALMOST CERTAIN THEY WILL TRY AND GET OUT OF COVERING THIS UNDER THE "LIFETIME POWERTRAIN WARRANTY". *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER ON AUGUST 11TH, 2012 WITH MY ENTIRE FAMILY INSIDE THE VEHICLE. WE WERE ROLLING IN TRAFFIC AT ABOUT 40 TO45 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE ALL OF A SUDDEN STOPPED ACCELERATING. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WHILE INSIDE THE VEHICLE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON, A PASSERBY TOLD ME HE SAW A FIRE UNDER THE VEHICLE. I IMMEDIATELY GOT MY FAMILY OUT AND CALLED 911 TO HAVE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT COME OUT AND LOOK AT IT. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GOT ON SCENE, THE FIRE HAD DIED OUT. I HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP BECAUSE A FIREMAN SUGGESTED IT WAS AN ISSUE WITH MY TRANSMISSION. THE REPAIR SHOP TOLD ME A COOLER UNDER THE RADIATOR BUSTED CAUSING COOLANT TO GET INSIDE MY TRANSMISSION, WHICH CAUSED TRANSMISSION FLUID TO GET ON MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER WHICH STARTED THE FIRE. THEY QUOTED ME $4900 IN REPAIRS, TELLING ME I NEEDED TO HAVE MY TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR REPLACED. I AM EXTREMELY UPSET BECAUSE FOR ONE, MY ENTIRE FAMILY COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR INJURED INCLUDING MYSELF, MY WIFE, AND 3 SONS AGES 3 9 & 13. SECONDLY, I'VE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR 5 AND HALF MONTHS AT THE TIME AND STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON IT. IN FACT, I OWE JUST ABOUT $1000 MORE ON THE LOAN FOR THE VEHICLE VERSES THE COST OF REPAIRS. SO NOW I AM LEFT WITH NO VEHICLE, NO WAY TO TAKE MY KIDS TO SCHOOL, AND THE UGLY FACT THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE. AFTER A LITTLE RESEARCH VIA THE INTERNET, IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS A NORMAL OCCURRENCE WITH THIS MODEL. IN CLOSING, I AM JUST LOOKING FOR ANY SORT OF HELP I CAN GET TO HELP GIVE ME AND MY FAMILY SOME RELIEF OF THIS TRAGIC AND DANGEROUS SITUATION. THINGS COULD HAVE ENDED UP MUCH WORSE AND I REALLY FEEL THIS VEHICLE PRESENTS A SAFETY HAZARD TO OUR ROADWAYS. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE WAY TO PICK UP MY KIDS, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHTED ON. THEN AT A TRAFFIC STOP LIGHT, WHEN THE LIGHTS TURN GREEN FOR GO, I DID RELEASE MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE BUT NO MOVEMENT ON THE CAR. I PRESS ON THE ACCELERATOR BUT HESITANT AND JERKING. AFTER A WHILE IT MOVES GRADUALLY. I STRAIGHT AWAY WENT TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECK. THEY DID PUT A SMALL INSTRUMENT TO CHECK AND I HEARD HIM ASK ANOTHER GUY WHAT 1754 IS. AFTER A WHILE HE CAME TO ME AND SAID THAT HE HAD THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHTED OFF AND IF IT LIGHTS ON AGAIN, IT MIGHT BE A COSTLY REPAIR. I ASKED HIM WHAT MIGHT BE THE PROBLEM. HE SAID MOST PROBABLY THE TRANSMISSION. THEN A WEEK LATER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ON AGAIN, AND I TRIED A SECOND OPINION, SO I WENT TO A NON DEALER TRANSMISSION SHOP. HE ASKED ME WHAT'S WRONG. I TOLD HIM I HAD A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AND THERE IS HESITATION ON THE VEHICLE AFTER A STOP. HE ASKED FOR THE YEAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE MOMENT I SAID 2005, HE KNOWS ALREADY THE PROBLEM. HE HAD PREVIOUS CASES OF THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL OF MY CAR. HE STILL DID SOME CHECKING AND HE WAS NOT WRONG. HE TOLD ME ITS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. HE SAID COOLANT FROM THE RADIATOR IS LEAKING TO THE TRANSMISSION. THIS IS CAUSING DAMAGED TO THE TRANSMISSION. HE SAID HE HAD TO REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION TO THE TUNE OF 4500. ITS A HUGE AMOUNT FOR REPAIR. ITS THE ONLY VEHICLE WE USE FOR WORK AND FOR KIDS GOING TO SCHOOL. WITH AN UNSAFE VEHICLE LIKE THIS, YOU ARE PUTTING YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY IN GRAVE DANGER. *TR

PER NISSAN DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSIS: TECHNICIAN FOUND ANTI-FREEZE/TRANSMISSION FLUID MIX IN BOTH RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION (FAILURE IN RADIATOR COOLER) TRANS (TCM); NO COMMUNICATION WITH OTHER VEHICLE ECMS CATASTROPHIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE. DEALER RECOMMENDATION: REPLACE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR. FULL TRANSMISSION FLUID AND RADIATOR FLUSH OF SYSTEMS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS CONTAMINATED WITH ENGINE COOLANT AND AS A RESULT, THE RADIATOR AND THE THERMOSTAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.

THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING/NOT RESPONDING/HESITATION/CAR 'SHAKING' WHEN SHIFTING, ETC SO WE TOOK IT TO A NISSAN DEALER TO ASK WHAT HAPPENED. THEY SAID THE RADIATOR FLUID LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND PRETTY MUCH DESTROYED IT. I ASKED IF THEY HAD SEEN THIS BEFORE OR IF THERE WAS A RECALL FOR IT AND THEY SAID THEY HAD NOT SEEN IT NOR WAS THERE A RECALL. I THEN CALLED ANOTHER NON-DEALER TRANSMISSION CENTER AND THEY KNEW WHAT THE ISSUE WAS BEFORE I EVEN FINISHED EXPLAINING. THEY SAID THEY GET 2005 PATHFINDERS ABOUT 1 PER WEEK AND CURRENTLY HAD TWO ON THE LOT -- ALL WITH THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP BACK WITH THIS INFO AND THEY TRIED TO ACT SURPRISED BUT I COULD TELL THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS GOING ON HERE. HERE IS A FULL (AND BETTER) DESCRIPTION FROM A PENDING LAWSUIT ON THIS PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLES LIKE WE (AND SO MANY OTHERS) EXPERIENCED: "TRANSMISSION FAILURE CAUSED BY CRACKED RADIATORS - FAULTY RADIATORS ARE CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK INTO AND DESTROY THE TRANSMISSION. AN ALARMING NUMBER OF NISSAN XTERRA, PATHFINDER AND FRONTIER OWNERS ARE STEPPING FORWARD WITH STORIES ABOUT THEIR CRACKED RADIATORS WHICH ARE CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE TRANSMISSION. ONCE MIXED WITH THE TRANSMISSION FLUID THIS LETHAL COMBINATION KILLS THE VALVES, SEALS AND TORQUE CONVERTER -- RENDERING YOUR ENTIRE TRANSMISSION USELESS. THIS ISSUE IS CURRENTLY CONTAINED TO THE 2005 MODEL YEAR, BUT WE'RE KEEPING OUR EYES OPEN FOR REPORTS FROM OTHER YEARS. WHAT'S EVEN MORE TROUBLING IS OWNERS WHO HAVE ALREADY HAD THEIR TRANSMISSIONS "REPAIRED" BY AN AUTHORIZED NISSAN DEALER ARE STILL REPORTING CATASTROPHIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN, NISSAN OWNERS WHO ARE OUT OF WARRANTY ARE LEFT TO COVER THE HEFTY REPAIR BILL, WHICH CAN BE OVER $4,500 WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE." *TR

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON / CODE READ P0463 - FUEL LEVEL SENSOR / SENDING UNIT CALLED NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS FOR HELP . 7/18/2012 / RECEIVED CASE #[XXX] TOOK VEHICLE (2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER) TO SOUTH CHARLOTTE NISSAN 7/25/2012 - WAS TOLD TO WAIT FOR NISSAN REGIONAL MGR. TO CALL. SPOKE WITH "EDDIE" FROM NISSAN 7/26/2012, PROVIDED INFORMATION WAS INFORMED OF AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR PART UP TO 72,000 MILES, CURRENT MILES WERE 77,182 REQUESTED HELP FROM NISSAN REGIONAL MANAGER / EDDIE CALLED 8/8/2012 AND DENIED ASSISTANCE FOR REPAIR IS THERE ANY RECOURSE TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE, THE CHECK LIGHT WAS ON AND THE GEARS SEEMED TO BE SHIFTING HARD AND ENGINE RUNNING ROUGH AS IT WAS IN SECOND GEAR. THE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO FIRST FLUSH THE TRANSMISSION AND APPLY AN EXTERIOR COOLANT ON TO THE RADIATOR BECAUSE OF KNOWN ISSUES WITH THE RADIATOR LEAKING INTO THE TRANSMISSION. THIS WAS A TEMPORARY BAND AID BECAUSE THE NEXT TIME I WAS GOING ON A LONG TRIP, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED HARD WHILE DRIVING, JERKED AND WHEN INTO 4WD AUTOMATICALLY WITHOUT ME TOUCHING ANYTHING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AGAIN. WHEN YOU DRIVE OVER 60 MILES AN HOUR THE RPMS TACK UP SUPER HIGH AND THE ENGINE RUNS WITH A ROAR. HAD THE TRANSMISSION DIAGNOSED AGAIN AND THE FAULT CODES SHOW A P1754, P1759, P1764,01731, P0102....BASICALLY THEY ARE TELLING ME I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION OR A REBUILT ONE TO THE TUNE OF 4-5000 DOLLARS, THE SOURCE OF THE ISSUE IS THE FAULTY RADIATOR WHICH LEAKED WATER INTO THE TRANSMISSION. THIS IS A CATASTROPHIC ISSUE TO ME BOTH SAFETY WISE AND FINANCIALLY WISE AND I'M NOT ALONE--THERE ARE PAGES AND PAGES OF COMPLAINTS FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM YOU CAN FIND ALL OVER THE INTERNET. I WISH I WOULD HAVE KNOWN BEFORE BUYING THE VEHICLE BUT THAT'S WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE. NISSAN EXTENDING A WARRANTY UPTO 80,000 MILES IS A MUTE POINT WHEN MOST OF THESE ISSUES HAPPENS AFTER THAT MILEAGE, TO ME IT'S JUST RIDICULOUS TO HAVE SUCH A HUGE DESIGN/COMPONENT FLAW THAT CAN CAUSE SUCH A HIGH DOLLAR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND NOT HAVE IT RECOGNIZED BY NISSAN AS A RECALL. *TR