1996 NISSAN SENTRA Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

AIR CONDITIONER -- WHEN I HAD AIR CONDITIONER ON THE CAR WOULD STALL. AFTER BRINGING IT TO SEVERAL MECHANICS, I FINALLY CONVINCED ONE THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND HE CLEANED THE THROTTLE AND THE CAR HAS BEEN RUNNING MUCH BETTER. *TR

Mileage: 30,000

INSUFFICIENT HEADREST FOAM COVERAGE. FOAM DEGRADES OR SELF MOVES OUT OF POSITION TO REVEAL INTERNAL METAL FRAME WHICH RUNS ACROSS ENTIRE HEADREST AT POINT OF HEAD IMPACT. PART DOES NOT SEEM SERVICEABLE FOR REPAIR, AND SHOULD BE REPLACED BY MANUFACTURER WITH UPDATED VERSION. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND AIRBAG LIGHT ARE BOTH TRIGGERED TOO EASILY BY TOO MANY SENSORS, SO VEHICLE IS CONSTANTLY IN SHOP WITH NO TROUBLE FOUND. SEEMS LIKE IT WAS DESIGNED BY AN OVERLY-WORRIED CAR MANUFACTURER, OR FOR THE PURPOSES OF MAKING OWNERS FEEL THE CAR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IT ALSO GREATLY INCREASES THE LIKELY HOOD OF FAILING AN ANNUAL INSPECTION. THE SAFETY ISSUE STEMS FROM ALL THE BLINKING LIGHTS ON THE DASH WHICH ARE VERY DISTRACTIVE, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT, AND USUALLY COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY. IN 1996, THERE WAS A RECALL FOR INSUFFICIENT BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATION ON THE SENTRA MODEL. NISSAN'S FIX FOR THIS WAS A BRIGHTER BULB. SINCE MY CAR WAS BOUGHT USED, AND THE PRIOR OWNER DID NOT UPGRADE TO THE NEW BULBS, AND THERE IS NO LISTING FOR THE REPLACEMENT BULBS, OWNER'S MAY NOT KNOW HOW TO UPGRADE THEIR BRAKE LIGHTS. NISSAN DEALERS DO NOT SEEM TO KNOW WHAT BULB TO REPLACE IT WITH FOR BETTER ILLUMINATION. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, AS THERE ARE MANY 1996 NISSAN SENTRAS ON THE ROAD TODAY. *TR

CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE BEGAN SPEWING WHITE SMOKE OUT OF THE EXHAUST AND THEN OVERHEATED, COSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE HEAD CONTAINED A CRACK, THEN IN JANUARY 2002 WHEN CONSUMER WENT TO START THE VEHICLE IT WOULD NOT START, THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO THE MECHANIC, UPON INSPECTING VEHICLE IT WAS FOUND THAT COOLANT WAS IN THE HEAD GASKET, AN OCCURENCE WHICH WOULD ONLY HAPPEN IF THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE HEAD GASKET, THE HEAD, OR THE BLOCK, THE MECHANIC THEN PUT NEW CYLINDER BOLTS ON.*JB

CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE BEGAN SPEWING WHITE SMOKE OUT OF THE EXHAUST AND THEN OVERHEATED, COSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE HEAD CONTAINED A CRACK, THEN IN JANUARY 2002 WHEN CONSUMER WENT TO START THE VEHICLE IT WOULD NOT START, THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO THE MECHANIC, UPON INSPECTING VEHICLE IT WAS FOUND THAT COOLANT WAS IN THE HEAD GASKET, AN OCCURENCE WHICH WOULD ONLY HAPPEN IF THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE HEAD GASKET, THE HEAD, OR THE BLOCK, THE MECHANIC THEN PUT NEW CYLINDER BOLTS ON.*JB

ENGINE HAS 46,381 ORIGNAL MILES, ENGINE HAD BEEN MAINTAINED PROPERLY. ENGINE SHOULD HAVE NOT GONE OUT AT 46K MILES. ARE THERE ANY OTHER REPORTED CASES OF THIS TYPE CAR/ENGINE?DO I HAVE A CLAIM AGAINST THE DEALER FOR A FAULTY ENGINE?WHAT ARE MY LEGAL RIGHTS CONCERNING THIS, AS I STILL OWE $8,000.00 ON THE LOAN, THROUGH RELIABLE CREDIT. *AK

NO SUMMARY

VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING. ALSO, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON THE DASHBOARD PANEL. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND PUT ON IT THE MACHINE. VEHICLE WAS OKAY. *AK

EXHAUST SYSTEM CLOGGED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL IN TRAFFIC.

VALVE SPROCKET FAILED.

VEHICLE GIVES OFF ROTTEN EGG ODOR.