Major Quest Problem

antoci · 09-12-2006, 09:13 AM

I am leasing a 04 quest, last week I started noticing white smoke when I started the car in the morning, it would linger around for a while. That happened for a couple of days, so I took the car one day for an oil change.. the service tech said my anti-freeze was low so he topped it off. right after I left the shop my van broke down. I towed it to a nissan dealer and they told me that it was probably a blown head gasket or a cracked block. Well after a week of them lying to me telling me that they were looking at the car, they finally told me that there was sludge in the engine, they charged me an additional $500 to diagnose further, and told me that I had to show them 5 receipts of oil changes or nissan would have to charge me $8000 for a new engine. I told them I only had 2 receipts, because a family friend who is a mechanic did 2 oils changes at his home and the other one I did the shop is no longer around. I cannot believe that they want to charge me that amount, I have one more year on that lease, there is no way I can afford to pay that price. I don't know if legal action is the right course, or if I should try to go to the dealer that I purchased it from and talk to them. Any help would be greatly appreciated. This has been such a financial stress on me and my family, because I have had to rent a car all these days.

chubbybubba1 · 09-12-2006, 10:26 PM

I read your post this morning and thinking how to respond all day. Not once have I had the dealer or anyone else for that matter, change the oil on my 04' Quest. No where does it say that I will get oil change at any particular retailer. I by my products at the parts store and do it myself. No where does it say I have to keep those purchase receipts. Now, being that it is a lease, that might be a different story. Have you reviewed your lease agreeement?
Does it cover maintenance. For christ sake, the owners manual has a do it yourself section that covers oil changes. It gives you the fluid capacities, fluid types to use etc......

Why are they pinning a blown head gasket on the oil changes? As long as you didn't run the engine dry of oil, that has nothing to do with a blown head gasket. If the engine was dry of oil, there will be excessive engine wear such as bearings, bearing races etc....You could have an oil sample taken to see if it has excessive iron or other materials in larger than normal amounts present.

The head gasket might not be blown, but just leaking enough to cause the engine to smoke. That leak might of been out of your control. But on the other hand, if you have been having a shop do your oil changes and they "top off" your fliuds, they could of been adding straight coolant to your system and that causes the coolant concentration to be high. That can lead to the coolant acting as a corrosive which has been known to destroy gaskets.

My friend, you have a big fight on your hands. Makes me wonder about if this was happening to me. A good relationship with your service advisor is one of the best things you can do to keep yourself out of these situations where you are trying to defend yourself. The guys at Nissan shjop I go to know me well. Even if I just go to the parts dept. I make a point to say hi, and call them by name. And hell, all they have really ever got out of me was warranty work.

I hope I've given you a few ideas how to respond to the dealer.

Mike

antoci · 09-13-2006, 12:56 PM

Thank you Mike, they only had to top off my antifreeze once which was right after i started noticing the white smoke. When I asked the dealer what the problem was with the engine they said sludge, then I asked why the white smoke and why my antifreeze was low they said there was no leak in the engine. Because I told them that I only have 2 receipts of oil changed and I did the rest myself ( which I don't have receipts that I saved ) they are trying to blame me for the cost of the engine $8000. I called 1800 nissan1 the cunsumer affairs dept and they said there was nothing they could do. So I think my next step would be to hire a lawyer. I have been on alot of forums and they all say that Nissan is not much help to there customers. It just pisses me off that I am paying for this leased car and I am not able to enjoy it.

chubbybubba1 · 09-13-2006, 01:43 PM

So what's wrong with the engine then? If it's not the head gasket, what are they saying the sludge did? I can't believe an engine with 18,000 miles has such a bad sludge problem that it destroyed the engine to the point of requiring a new engine!

FixUrNissan · 09-19-2006, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chubbybubba1

So what's wrong with the engine then? If it's not the head gasket, what are they saying the sludge did? I can't believe an engine with 18,000 miles has such a bad sludge problem that it destroyed the engine to the point of requiring a new engine!

Shhhhh don't say i told you!! change your valve covers and your engine will stop smoking and stop burning oil .

On the Nissan Quest for example . Being these engines have lower tolerances and near zero clearances . These engine need to have there oil changed every 3 thousand miles ( let me finish) . If oil changes are missed or wrong type of oil is used , Example-a heavier velocity of oil. believe it or not slugging can develop. With oil passages smaller , this requires thinner oil 5w-30 , if to heavy of a oil is used , Could cause oil starvation to occur in other engine area's or oil to burn and sludge.

Anyway back to the valve covers.. If sludge is detected .. I would agree to do this ,, Have them Remove the Plenum and see if oil is present inside , If so clean passages inside the Plenum and replace valve covers. There is a oil Passage inside the valve cover that if sludge develops can clog and and can not be cleared.

After repairs no more smoke should be present and warranty should still be intact and it will get you to the end of your lease. I know it will cost a little but not 8k. At the same time Sludge doesn't develop from having your oil changed every 3k miles . Head Gaskets i have only seen go on one car ,in my 15 years with Nissan since they developed the VQ motor in 95. These are exceptional motors and award winning Engines. These motors just don't sludge up.
Good luck...

antoci · 09-20-2006, 02:26 PM

rt sansone had my car for 3 weeks, when I called them yesterday to ask what was going on they tols me that nissan gave them the ok to start taking apart the engine to see what damage the sludge had caused. I found that to be disturbing as to why they had to wait 3 weeks to get the ok from nissan, so I went to the dealer the next day and got my van towed out of there and to my mechanic. My mechanic immediately told me that if I had white smoke coming out of the exhaust, it probably was a blown head gasket. He said he would pressurize the radiator and them pull out each plug to see which one is wet. I cannot believe that the mechanics at Sanson are that incompitent that they would not know how to diagnose that problem. I think because I told them I only have a couple of receipts of oil changes, they are trying to blame the problem on improper maintenance, and try to get out of the warranty repair. I will get the van fixed then I will proceed to take them to small claims court and try to get my money from Nissan. Nissan's customer care dept is horrible, I called them for help and they refused to help in anyway. It's true what you read on the internet, nissan has a awfull reputation for there customer service. I will never buy another nissan justed based on my experience with the company.

FixUrNissan · 09-20-2006, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by antoci

rt sansone had my car for 3 weeks, when I called them yesterday to ask what was going on they tols me that nissan gave them the ok to start taking apart the engine to see what damage the sludge had caused. I found that to be disturbing as to why they had to wait 3 weeks to get the ok from nissan, so I went to the dealer the next day and got my van towed out of there and to my mechanic. My mechanic immediately told me that if I had white smoke coming out of the exhaust, it probably was a blown head gasket. He said he would pressurize the radiator and them pull out each plug to see which one is wet. I cannot believe that the mechanics at Sanson are that incompitent that they would not know how to diagnose that problem. I think because I told them I only have a couple of receipts of oil changes, they are trying to blame the problem on improper maintenance, and try to get out of the warranty repair. I will get the van fixed then I will proceed to take them to small claims court and try to get my money from Nissan. Nissan's customer care dept is horrible, I called them for help and they refused to help in anyway. It's true what you read on the internet, nissan has a awfull reputation for there customer service. I will never buy another nissan justed based on my experience with the company.

Every Dealer is different. And before you have your mechanic change your head gasket , that never goes bad. Read my first message. The comments and the fix for your vech. What State are you in?

antoci · 09-21-2006, 08:56 AM

I live in woodbridge, nj

chubbybubba1 · 09-21-2006, 09:51 AM

Your going to really screw yourself having your mechanic work on it st this point. You run to chance of really voiding your warranty.

antoci · 09-21-2006, 09:59 AM

well what choice did I have, let them take another 3 weeks to look at the car, they kept telling me I needed a new engine that would be $ 8000. I do not trust them, they had the car for 3 weeks and did nothing but drop the oil pan, I will take my chance but I needed my car. My wife has been asking neighbors to drop off my kids at school. Nissan did not care that I needed the car and they would not give me a loaner either.

dtownfb · 09-21-2006, 11:21 AM

Why would Nissan finally give them the OK to check the damage to the engine when they alreaedy told you, you needed a new engine?

I agree with others, get this resolved through Nissa and not another mechanic. Call the regional or district manager. also write down who you talked to and when.

FixUrNissan · 09-22-2006, 09:24 PM

If you were unhappy at the dealer you were at , you should have just taken it to another dealer. If you had to , i would have towed it out the way it was to another Nissan Dealer and told them that you were taking it to another Nissan Dealer and that you would be contacting Nissan about the way you have been treated

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