I bought my 2009 Nissan Altima Coupe 2.5s in January 2010. In October 2010, my car developed an oil leak. Since this was a power train issue, I took it to the dealership. They informed me that there was no leak and that the dripping I was noticing was from spillage from the last oil change. According to them, the last person who changed the oil either spilled some or overfilled the reservoir leading to an overflow. The dealership cleaned up the residue and said that would solve the problem. I continued to drive the vehicle. The problem wasnt solved and oil continued to leaknot a lot, but enough to smell it burning and to soil my garage floor. In November 2010, I brought the car back to the dealership complaining of the oil leak. Again, they said they couldnt find a leak and that it was still from either spillage or overflow. They cleaned up the residue and said that would solve the problem. Of course, it did not. Not trusting what the dealership was telling me, I brought my car to AAA in December 2010 and had them investigate the issue. They put dye into the oil and had me return in a week so that they could trace the source of the leak. After the diagnostic, AAA told me the oil was coming from the cover plate on the side of the engine by the timing belt. AAA put the car on a lift and showed me where they thought the problem was coming from. The repair estimate AAA provided was about $1500. Since this was still a warranty issue, I made another appointment with the dealership to address the problem. On December 18, 2010, I brought my car to the dealership and explained to them the findings from AAAs dye test. The dealership said they would examine the problem. They determined that it was a faulty oil cooler. They replaced it, but my car continued to leak. In February 2011, I brought the car back to the dealership and they inspected it. This time, they told me that the oil filler neck was faulty. They replaced it and said that would solve the problem. It did not. My car continued to leak oil so I brought it back to them later that month for them to re-address the problem. This time around they said they would replace the valve cover and gaskets. They didnt have the parts at the time so they ordered them. In March 2011, they replaced the valve cover and gaskets. The car still continued to leak. They investigated again and said that this time, they were sure they found the problem. It was a faulty intake manifold stud. So they replaced it. The mechanic told me he had never seen this problem before in all his years of fixing Nissan vehicles. In fact, that was the second time someone from the dealership told theyd never seen this kind of repair before on an 2009 altima. Just what I wanted to hear. A week goes by and the car begins leaking oil again. In April 2011, they ran another dye test. This time they told me it was a cracked front engine cover and seal. They ordered the replacement. When the replacement arrived, it too was cracked so they ordered another one. They completed the replacement and the leak was stopped. They drove it, tested it, etc., and no more leak. I took my car home. The next couple of days, I continued to notice fluid leaking from my car. I couldnt believe it. In May 2011, I took the car back to the dealership yet again. They inspected it, and this time they said it was the high pressure power steering hose that was leaking. This repair was not covered under the power train warranty and I had to pay out of pocket for it. And though I cant prove anything, the power steering line that broke was directly adjacent to the front engine cover they replaced. They assured me that they didnt touch it and that it was just coincidence that it started leaking. I have no way to prove otherwise, but given my history with them Im suspect. Meanwhile, as they put my car on the lift to show me all the work they had completed and to promise that the car was done leaking, I noticed that the front engine cover that they replaced was the exact thing that AAA showed me to be the problem when I took it to them in December. Apparently, the dealership never once considered AAAs diagnostic. It could have saved them thousands in repairs and months of my time. In summary, Ive owned this car for 1yr and 4mos and it has been leaking something for 7 of those months. All combined, Ive made 11 trips to the mechanic for repairs and Ive lost count of the number of days and hours Ive spent either without a car or in a loaner. In my opinion, this is unacceptable for a 2009. If I had bought this car new, it would have qualified as a lemon under the Arizona State Lemon Law after the fourth repair under warranty for the same problem. Unfortunately, I bought it used and lemon laws in AZ for used cars do not favor the buyer. I have filed a claim with Nissan customer service but have not made much progress in getting any amends. Its hard to describe just how frustrated I am about this situation. The coupe is not a cheap car and the altima brand is supposed to be synonymous with quality. The reality, is that this dealership sold me a lemon. And while they have worked to repair the vehicle that is not the experience I had in mind. I had hoped to buy a car that would last me 10yrs with minimal concerns. Instead, I bought a leak. I will certainly not recommend Nissan vehicles to any friends or family. And if I can dissuade just one person from buying a Nissan with this review, I will feel as though I have exacted at least some reparation for the frustration and disappointment Nissan has brought into my life.
liste25
May 11, 2011
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