My wife was driving her Nissan Xterra when the vehicle engine suddenly died in traffic in a multi-lane street with heavy traffic. She had to get out of the car and, with the help of our son, push it off to the side of the road to clear the street. The failure was found later to be a bad fuel pump and bad fuel sending unit. The vehicle was towed to a repair shop that did the diagnosis and isolated the fault to those two components. They replaced the fuel pump and sending unit, as well as the fuel filter and strainer. During the conversation with the repair shop (not a Nissan dealership) they mentioned that there was a Nissan recall out for the sending unit, and that I ought to be reimbursed by Nissan. When I contacted Nissan they told me I could not be reimbursed because the recall / repair had already been done on this same vehicle in 2005. If the recall was done correctly by the dealership, this item should not have failed when my wife was driving it.

- Moore, OK, USA

The contact owns a 2002 Nissan Xterra. While driving approximately 65 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was towed to a local repair shop where the contact was informed that the cause of the failure was the fuel sending harness which shorted and caused the plastic fuel line to melt and started a small fire. The contact called the manufacturer who took a complaint and stated that they would review the problem. The vehicle had not been repaired. The current and failure mileages were approximately 138,000.

- Queensbury , NY, USA

Check engine light is on and a there is an obvious smell of gasoline on the drivers side in the back of the vehicle. Dealer tells me that the fuel tank needs to be replaced and this is a common issue with them as they rust around the top of the tank. This is a separate issue from the fuel sending unit recall that has been done to these vehicles.

- Merrimack , NH, USA

I was driving down the highway at 65 mph when my engine died. I cruised it to the side of the road and attempted to start it again, but it would not turn over. I could smell gas. After having it towed, we initially determined fuel pump failure. Once the repair was initiated, we found that the wire to the fuel sending unit was corroded and had heated up enough to cause a pea size hole in the plug. After some research I found that there was a recall for this exact failure completed on my vehicle in 12/2004, but instead of replacing the unit, they only sprayed sealant on the wire (because no corrosion was found) to prevent corrosion in the future. We replaced the sending unit, fuel pump and fuel filter. The old part is still available for inspection. I am filing a complaint with Nissan. I am not the original owner.

- Salt Lake City, UT, USA

- the contact owns a 2002 Nissan Xterra. While driving at 35 mph the vehicle began to vibrate. The contact pulled into a gas station, purchased oil and put it into the vehicle, and then the vehicle would not start. The contact had triple aaa tow the vehicle to a Nissan dealership. The problem was diagnosed as diesel fuel mixed with gas. The contact was told that the vehicle needed the fuel tank and the fuel system to be flushed, and the oil changed, spark plugs replaced, and the fuel filter replaced. The dealer had the contacts vehicle for approximately three weeks and performed an oil change, flushed the fuel tank, and fuel system. The contact picked up the vehicle, went directly across the street and purchased high octane gas. The vehicle ran long enough for him to go across the street, got the gas and then the vehicle stalled. The contact did not believe that the vehicle was working as it did before the repairs were performed. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where another diagnostic had to be done, and the dealer told the contact that the engine needed to be rebuilt. The contact believed that the first diagnostic should have revealed that the engine had a problem, and that nothing on the dashboard ever indicated that the oil was low. The vehicle was purchased in August, and the problems began at the end of January. The contact felt that if the vehicle did not have oil it was purchased that way. The current and failure mileage were 50,000. The dealer states tag light not working and cd player not working. The consumer provided information from carfax and a repair invoice. Updated 06/08/07

- Gainesville, VA, USA

Engine makes loud "whistling" sound; engine definitely lost power over the last year; will not go over 70-75 mph; makes loud whining/grinding sound when shifting gears; pulls to the right all the while driving; using an extraordinary amount of gas. (consumer can also be emailed at coranncoyner@msn.com)

- Eagle River, AK, USA