1995 Nissan Quest

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 NISSAN QUEST. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. AFTER HAVING THE STARTER AND BATTERY REPLACED, THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY WOULD ALSO TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 236,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 260,000.

(THIS IS MY THIRD COMPLAINT REGARDING THE SAME ISSUE. SEE EARLIER COMPLAINTS (10208146 AND 10208146) FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS.) THIS IS THE SEVENTH (7TH) TIME THE FRONT-PASSENGER-SIDE LAP BELT RETRACTOR (MOUNTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DOOR POST / BODY FRAME) HAS JAMMED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS OR SO. FOR THE 6TH REPAIR/REPLACEMENT (AND NOW THE 7TH WHICH IS PENDING ARRIVAL OF YET ANOTHER REPLACEMENT PART) I WENT TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP, BUSAM NISSAN, 1501 EAST KEMPER ROAD CINCINNATI, OH 45246 (513) 771-8100. THE 6TH UNIT THEY INSTALLED LASTED ONLY ABOUT 2 WEEKS BEFORE JAMMING EARLY THIS YEAR. THEY THEN CONFIRMED THE FAILURE AND THE DEALERSHIPS SERVICE MANAGER SAID THEY WOULD GET WITH THE FACTORY BEFORE SIMPLY PUTTING IN YET ANOTHER WAREHOUSE-STOCKED "CURRENT-DESIGN" BELT RETRACTOR THAT WOULD LIKELY HAVE THE SAME FAILURE AS ALL THE OTHERS. AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS I CHECKED IN TO ASK WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ORDERED PART. THEY SAID THE FACTORY HAD YET TO RESPOND WITH A BETTER/PERMANENT SOLUTION. I SAID FOR NOW I'D RATHER GO AHEAD AND GET ANOTHER WAREHOUSE-STOCKED "CURRENT-DESIGN" ONE RE-INSTALLED THAN CONTINUE TO OPEN-ENDED WAITING WITH NO WORKING BELT AT ALL. AND I'D KEEP COMING BACK FOR REPAIRS TO GET THE FACTORY'S ATTENTION SINCE IT COSTS THEM EACH TIME A DEALERSHIP GETS REIMBURSED. AT PRESENT I'M AWAITING THAT WAREHOUSE-STOCKED "CURRENT-DESIGN" REPLACEMENT UNIT TO ARRIVE. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT BUSAM NISSAN TENTATIVELY AGREED WITH ME THAT IT MIGHT BE THAT THE LUBRICANTS HAVE DRIED OUT, BUT THAT HE COULD NOT "EXPERIMENT" WITH IT, SUCH AS GENTLY WARMING UP A UNIT IN AN OVEN TO SEE IF IT WOULD POSSIBLY HELP ANY INTERNAL LUBRICANTS RE-DISTRIBUTE AND ALLOW THE MECHANISM TO PROPERLY RELEASE. HE SAID THAT HIS OR MY DOING SO WOULD END ANY FREE FACTORY REPLACEMENT POSSIBILITIES AND FIXES. AGAIN, I DOUBT I'M THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM IF THIS UNIT IS USED IN OTHER NISSAN MODELS AS WELL. *TR

WE HAVE A 1995 NISSAN QUEST AT 75,000 MILEAGES THAT IS WELL MAINTAINED AND RUNS VERY SMOOTHLY. WE DROPPED OFF THE CAR TO APPLE NISSAN IN YORK PA ON 11/26 FOR A PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE (CHANGE OF TIMING BELT, WATER PUMP, THERMOSTAT, ALL DRIVING BELTS) OF ITS ENGINE. AFTER WE PAID $848 AND DROVE IT HOME, I FOUND THE COOLANT IN THE RESERVOIR WAS TOTALLY EMPTY SO I ADDED COOLANT ON THE FOLLOWING TWO DAYS TO MAINTAIN IT AT A PROPER LEVEL. ON THE THIRD DAY (11/28) WHEN I DROVE THE CAR TO WORK, ITS CRANKSHAFT BROKE AND THE WHOLE ENGINE WAS DESTROYED. THE TOTAL DRIVING DISTANCE IS LESS THAN 50 MILES AFTER THE SERVICE. THE NISSAN DEALER BLAMED NISSAN INC. HAD DESIGNED THE CRANKSHAFT TOO SMALL SO THE SHAFT IS EASY TO BREAK AND COULD BE BROKEN ANYTIME LIKE A TV AND MINE WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE, WHILE NISSAN USA SAID THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED SO IT COULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. NONE OF THEM WOULD TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY, WHETHER THE BROKEN SHAFT WAS DUE TO IMPROPER SERVICE OR IMPROPER DESIGN BY NISSAN. AS A RESULT, WE BECAME A VICTIM WHO HAD TO DECIDE EITHER PAYING ADDITIONAL $4,670+TAX FOR THE REPAIR OR LETTING THE CAR ($4500 VALUE BEFORE THE SERVICE) TOWED TO A JUNK YARD. ASSUMING A DESIGN FATIGUE LIFE OF A CRANKSHAFT IS 150,000 MILE, THE PROBABILITY OF THE EVENT OCCURS AT 75,000 MILES WITHIN 50 MILES DRIVING IS LESS THAN 0.1%. WITHOUT THE SERVICE, WE MIGHT STILL DRIVE THE CAR SMOOTHLY. ON THE NISSAN USA SIDE, THEY WERE AWARE THAT THE CRANKSHAFT WAS TOO SMALL SO THEY INCREASED THE DIAMETER IN 1996 MODELS. WHY DIDN'T THEY WARN THE FIRST OWNERS SO THAT I COULD HAVE A CHOICE TO EITHER TRADE IN THE CAR OR LET THE CAR NATURALLY DIE WITHOUT SPENDING ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR NEW TIRES (3 WEEKS AGO) AND THE ENGINE SERVICE? THE OTHER FAULTY CRANKSHAFT CASES CAN BE FOUND AT HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/DIRECT/VIEW/.EE93B52/1938 HTTP://WWW1.EPINIONS.COM/AUTO-REVIEW-CCC-AD8A28C-396533D0-PROD2. *TR

(THIS IS MY SECOND COMPLAINT LODGED ON THIS SITE REGARDING THE SAME ISSUE. SEE MY EARLIER COMPLAINT FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON THE POSSIBLE CAUSES.) THIS IS THE FIFTH/5TH TIME THE FRONT-PASSENGER-SIDE LAP BELT RETRACTOR (MOUNTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DOOR POST / BODY FRAME) HAS JAMMED OVER THE LAST 5-6 YEARS OR SO. THE REPLACED PART IS WORKING FOR SHORTER AND SHORTER PERIODS BEFORE ANOTHER FAILURE. COULD THIS BE DUE TO AGING OF THE STOCK OF REPLACEMENT PARTS? SEE NISSAN DEALERS RECORDS FOR EXACT DATES: FALHABER NISSAN, INC. 8680 COLERAIN AVE. CINCINNATI (GROSBECK), OH 45251 (513) 385-1400 (SALES, SERVICE, BODY SHOP). IT WILL NOT EXTEND MORE THAN ABOUT 8-12 INCHES BEFORE THE RATCHET MECHANISM "CATCHES" AND PREVENTS THE SEAT BELT FROM REACHING OVER TO THE BUCKLE BY THE CENTER CONSOLE. ON THE SURFACE THERE SEEMS TO BE NOTHING UNUSUAL ABOUT THE INSTALLATION -- THE UNIT IS BOLTED IN, AND THE BELT SIMPLY FEEDS THROUGH A SLOT IN THE TRIM PLASTIC. IN FRUSTRATION I DISCOVERED I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO EXTEND A FEW TIMES MORE BY VERY RAPIDLY SNATCHING THE BELT UNTIL IT WOULD CATCH, I SUPPOSE SIMULATING THE DECELERATION OF THE VEHICLE DURING AN ACCIDENT (AND THE ACCELERATION OF THE SPRING WINDING MECHANISM TRYING TO RESTRAIN A "BODY" FROM FLYING THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD). THEN AFTER RETRACTING FULLY THE BELT WOULD THEN EXTEND FULLY FOR A ONE-TIME USE, BUT ONLY TO SEIZE UP AGAIN AFTER RETRACTING. BUT THIS WORKED FOR ONLY A VERY BRIEF PERIOD (COUPLE OF DAYS) THEN EVEN THAT WOULD NOT WORK. FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE I SUSPECT THIS PROBLEM IS MORE PREVALENT THAN THE FEW RECORDS ON THIS WEB SITE WOULD INDICATE. I SUSPECT THE ENGINEERS AT THE FACTORY ARE NOT GETTING THE FEEDBACK THEY NEED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM FROM THE DEALERSHIPS THAT (I PRESUME) ARE REIMBURSED BY NISSAN FOR REPEATEDLY PERFORMING THIS FREE-TO-THE-CONSUMER SERVICE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 NISSAN QUEST. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE FAILED CRANKSHAFT DAMAGED THE MOTOR. THE 23 MM CRANKSHAFT WAS REPLACED WITH A 25 MM CRANKSHAFT. THE MOTOR WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $3,400. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 200,014 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 161,000. THE CONSUMER STATED HAVE A SMALL CLAIM HEARING TO ATTEND IN SEPTEMBER AND HOPE THAT THE MANUFACTURER TO SEE SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS. THE CONSUMER PROVIDED NUMBERS EMAILS FROM THE WEBSITE PERTAINING TO DEFECT AND COURT DOCUMENTS PERTAINING TO THIS CASE. THE CONSUMER STATED IS JUST ASKING FOR HALF OF THE REPAIRS FOR THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER THE MANUFACTURER WILL ONLY PAY $1,000 DUE TO THE FACT OF THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 08/07/07 *TR

THE NISSAN QUEST VAN HAD A STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF THE CRANKSHAFT. I FOUND THAT NISSAN BEGAN BUILDING MOTORS WITH 23 MM CRANKSHAFT IN 1993, BUT CHANGED TO 25 MM CRANKSHAFT IN 1996 DUE TO THE LACK OF STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE SMALLER PART. I HAD TO REPLACE THE MOTOR AT A COST OF $3400. I FELT THAT SINCE THE ORIGINAL PART WAS DEFECTIVE THEY SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF REPAIRS. I HAVE THE DEFECTIVE PART. *AK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 NISSAN QUEST. HE WAS THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE AND THERE WERE 5 SAFETY RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. EACH OF THE SAFETY RECALLS WERE RELATED TO THE VEHICLE, AND HE NEVER RECEIVED ANY SAFETY RECALL NOTICE. THERE WAS NEVER A CHANGE OF ADDRESS SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ALL OF THE SAFETY RECALLS REPAIRED, AND AN EXPLANATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER STATING WHY HE NEVER RECEIVED A NOTICE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,792. *AK

THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THE FRONT-PASSENGER-SIDE LAP BELT RETRACTOR (MOUNTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DOOR POST / BODY FRAME) HAS JAMMED OVER THE LAST 3-4 YEARS OR SO. SEE NISSAN DEALERS RECORDS FOR EXACT DATES: FALHABER NISSAN, INC. 8680 COLERAIN AVE. CINCINNATI (GROSBECK), OH 45251 (513) 385-1400 (SALES, SERVICE, BODY SHOP) IT WILL NOT EXTEND MORE THAN ABOUT 8 INCHES BEFORE THE RATCHET MECHANISM "CATCHES" AND PREVENTS THE BELT FROM REACHING OVER TO THE BUCKLE BY THE CENTER CONSOLE. DUE TO THE FREQUENCY OF FAILURES, I WONDER IF I AM SIMPLY GETTING RECIRCULATED USED PARTS? THE MAN IN THE PARTS DEPARTMENT OF MY DEALERSHIP SAYS THESE ARE NOT STOCKED, HAS NOT NOTICED ANY "RUN" ON THIS KIND OF ITEM, OLD ONES ARE DESTROYED, AND THEY ONLY INSTALL NEW ONES. SOMETHING NOT RIGHT. MY DRIVER'S SIDE AND THE MIDDLE AND REAR ROW SEAT RETRACTORS HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM. MY WIFE AND OTHERS DO NOTHING ODD OUT OF HABIT THAT I CAN TELL AS FAR AS USING THAT ONE BELT. *JB