Getting this paid for....

[dwoodard170]

I have an extended warranty that should cover the transmission. What if I fix the radiator on my own then drain and fill the tranny fluids then take it to a shop and play dumb. Is there any reason the warranty company would deny my claim in this case? The radiator will be fixed and there will be no coolant in the tranny.

Grasping at straws since evidently Nissan isn't going to man up...

05 Path LE 4WD 4.0

105000 miles.

[smj999smj]

Well, technically that would be insurance fraud, so that's your call. If the auto trans has been contaminated with coolant, there will likely still be some traces of coolant in the trans no matter how much you flush it and a good transmission mechanic should be able to recognize the signs of a transmission failure caused by coolant contamination. Have once worked as an independant mechanical inspector and having done inspections for companies such as Trans-Capital, GE Capital, Warrantech and Phoenix-American, to name a few, I can pretty much assure you they will have the trans torn down at your expense for inspection; that's the way most do it. Once apart, often an inspector is called to take pictures and make an assessment and the warranty company will make a decision to deny or approve the claim. Depending on the company, some are much more vigilant when it comes to finding reasons to deny a claim. If the claim is denied, you will still be stuck with the teardown cost of the trans and the cost to repair or replace the trans at that point. If the approve the claim, they will re-imburse your cost of the teardown. A good inspector will make not or what appears to be a replacement radiator. So, whatever you decide to do, good luck!

[dwoodard170]

Thanks SMJ.

I think fraud might be a little strong of a word. I would simply be presenting a car with a bum transmission for them to figure out. I would not lie, just omit .

Anyway I am guessing (as you may have told me on another thread) that likely the warranty people will deny the claim based on the failure of the radiator which is not covered in the powertrain warranty so I am still on the hook for paying for this anyway. Shame that Nissan is not helping people out with these.

Thanks again.

[smj999smj]

Currently the NHTSA is collecting information for transmission failures caused by the radiator on these Nissan vehicles. This is a good sign because if they deem it a safety issue, Nissan could be forced into a recall. Usually, when these recalls are put into place, they provide for reimbursement of repairs made prior to the recall and even tow charges if the vehicle owner can provide proof. So, save your receipts and keep your fingers crossed! If you want to report your issue, you can file a report at www.nhtsa.gov

[dwoodard170]

Already done. I also filed on "CarComplaints.com" and signed up to join any class action suit.

Probably most important is that I vow never to buy another Nissan product until they make this right for me and all the others affected by this. Shame is that I love Nissan cars. They are so cool!

My last 3 car purchases have been new 06 Murano, new 08 Armada and a used 05 Pathfinder. $85K in combined car purchases all spent on Nissans. Future spending will be $0 until they fix it. It is all I have now, my wallet!

Thanks for all your advice on this and other posts!