Have Your Car Fixed For Free : Auto Recalls And My 2003 Nissan Murano

Posted by The Happy Rock on November 15, 2007

If you don’t get your car serviced at a dealership it can be very worthwhile to check the recalls that have been issued for your model vehicle. At SaferCar.gov The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration(NHTSA) provides a simple tool for viewing and researching all auto recalls. Their website provides a host of information on all recalls, documents containing manufacturer communications to dealer, recall statistics, and even a complaint system. Click here for the NHTSA recall website. You should just be able to schedule an appointment with an approved dealer, if your vehicle identification number falls with the recall campaigns range. The dealer should fix the recall problems for free.

I hadn’t really given recalls much thought until I started to have some recurring problems with my autos. We have a strange electrical problem on my 2003 Nissan Murano that has manifested itself in some strange ways. A recurring check engine light problem, hesitation on acceleration after sitting in traffic for a while, poor idling, and the even a complete shutoff while my wife was driving.

The first repair was a cam sensor by an out of town Nissan dealer. They also fixed at least one recall without me having to ask. Within a few months the same problems existed again. I had the other cam sensor replaced at my local garage. After that I did some searching on the net. That is when I came across a recall for the exact problems I was experiencing. Here are the details :

Summary: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE CIRCUIT BOARD FOR THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR OR CAM POSITION SENSOR MAY HAVE AN IMPROPER SOLDER JOINT DUE TO SOLDER DEFORMATION CAUSED BY HEAT STRESS ACCELERATED BY THE EXISTENCE OF FLUX RESIDUE DURING THE SOLDERING PROCESS.

Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE THE “SERVICE ENGINE SOON” WARNING LIGHT TO COME ON, CREATE A NO START CONDITION, CAUSE REDUCED ENGINE POWER, OR CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STOP RUNNING WITHOUT WARNING DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CRANK POSITION SENSORS. CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR(S), AND IN SOME CASES, THE VARIABLE TIMING CONTROL SENSOR(S).”

I called Nissan to at 1-800-647-7261 to see what they could do for me. They said that my VIN didn’t fall within the recall! What! After a week or so of phone tag and my continually pressing the issue, I finally got the Northeast Region Customer Service Manager. She treated me nicely only to tell me go pound sand. Ok, then who do I call to complain? She explained that she was the end of the line and told me to report my complaint to the correct governmental body.

They weren’t going to do anything. How great is that? I have the EXACT problem the recall is addressing, but Nissan could care less. One of the problems is quite dangerous; the engine could “stop running without warning during vehicle operation, which could result in a crash.” Nissan puts my family’s lives at risk, and doesn’t care one bit. That sounds like a huge lawsuit waiting to happen.

I dropped the issue for a while, until the car started doing the same things a month or two later. My mechanic said it was one of the newly replaced cam sensors again, and this time he noticed the recall too. He suggested I try a dealer to see if they will fix it. To really fix the Nissan’s flaws, he would need to buy the approved kit from a dealer and replace the full array of sensors, which could cost around $800. Now I am on the warpath again!

I tried another dealer again, with the same run around. I am not quite sure what the next step is, but I am considering a formal government complaint, a written letter to Nissan, and whining on a personal finance website. If anyone in the industry or anyone with similar experiences has any suggestions, I am all ears.

What I do know is this: I have owned multiple Nissan cars, but I won’t buy another one. The old adage is “don’t by a car that is the first year of a new model”. It is certainly holding true for the Murano.

» Filed Under Cars, Money Savers

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Comments

12 Responses to “Have Your Car Fixed For Free : Auto Recalls And My 2003 Nissan Murano”

Katie (1 comments.) on December 9th, 2007 11:00 pm

This happened to me last year. I was, (thankfully), driving down a neighborhood road at 20 mph when the check engine light came on and the car just lost power. With the accelerator all the way down, I managed to get to 7 mph. I was only 2 blocks from home, so I just turned around and went back and promptly got the car brought to the local NISSAN dealership. (Might I add… I had *just* returned from Germany - so had my Pathfinder. This could have happened on the AUTOBAHN where going 100 MPH is REQUIRED if you dont want someone to rear end you!) I knew nothing about a recall (if it is recent, there you go) but since the car was a 2004 and under warranty, I did not have to pay for the issue to be fixed. Thank goodness. But the NISSAN dealership was very friendly and helpful.
The Happy Rock (213 comments.) on December 18th, 2007 11:52 pm

@Katie - I am glad you had a better experience than me. I am still trying to get ANY help.
Cooper on January 7th, 2008 10:17 pm

I to own a 2003 nissan murano that has had troubles in the electrical department with the car dying on start up. for two days now my murano started dying while driving while driving on the freeway. luckily the car coasted on the side of the road till i got it to the dealer. they told me it was the camshaft sensor…. after i told them that first. then charged me 95 dollars for there two cents. next to say that it will be 270 to change one sensor. i asked of the recall and they said there was none for my vin number. knowing i read something online i found the recall to see my vin does not fall in the range. even though i have the same problem.. i’m pissed that i have to replace everything myself..but i will be writing nissan of my dissatisfaction. as much as possible.
The Happy Rock (213 comments.) on January 7th, 2008 11:16 pm

Sorry to here that Cooper. I am still quite furious too, and I already submitted my claim/report through safercar.gov. Hopefully, if enough people get mad, Nissan will be forced to do something.

Also don’t be surprised that the same sensor goes again after you fix. The problem looks like improper design, and needs the Nissan recall kit to really fix it correctly.

Keep us posted.
cooper on January 8th, 2008 7:31 pm

I have called the nissan hotline now and submitted a claim for the sake of them knowing there is a problem with all nissan murano’s not just a few. then called the NHTSA (safercar.gov) and filed my report with them and my opinion of the unsafe conditions that nissan is leaving people in. hopefully more people come forward and it forces them to correct all of the problems.
The Happy Rock (213 comments.) on January 9th, 2008 3:59 pm

Great work! Hopefully Nissan will realize that they are going to lose faithful customers over this.
Evelyn Gibson (1 comments.) on June 28th, 2008 10:21 am

We have experienced problems with our engine light also. Have had murano in shop over the struts and wheel bearings going out. Costing us $850.00. We are now experiencing the transfer case gong out. The button is telling the electrical sensor that it is in all wheel drive, We have rarely used it. It wil cost us $1900.00 for the part. $2500.00 overall.I never heard about any recalls since I have had the nissan. I will never own another Nissan.
The Happy Rock (213 comments.) on June 29th, 2008 12:10 am

@Evelyn - I haven’t read about any of those problems being common Murano problems. It sounds like you are having a run of bad luck. $1900 for the part seems astronomical though, have you gotten a second opinion or verification? Don’t give up on Nissan. I have a 1994 Sentra that refuses to die and I don’t think I have spent more than $1500 dollars on it in the last 6 years.
Godfrey on July 11th, 2008 10:49 pm

I have a 2004 Nissan Murano. After driving more than 30-45 mins. in the summer heat, I am unable to restart the engine when I shut it off. I have to wait 30-45 mins for the engine to cool before the car will start again.
The Happy Rock (213 comments.) on July 12th, 2008 5:06 pm

@Godfrey - Sometimes ours doesn’t start on the first try or two, but it has never left us stranded like that. My 1994 Sentra is amazing, but this Murano thing really leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth.