2005 Nissan Sentra Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO HESITATE AND IT STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP, WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE, BUT REPLACED THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE AS A TEMPORARY REMEDY. APPROXIMATELY SEVEN MONTHS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE LOCAL REPAIR SHOP, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEAD GASKET AND RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 92,000.

AFTER THE CAR HAD BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH OVERHEAD, THE THERMOSTAT, ENGINE BELTS, AND WATER PUMP WERE REPLACED APRIL 30, 2011. APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS LATER, THE CAR WOULD NO LONGER START. THE MECHANIC SAID THIS NO START CONDITION AND THE PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE THERMOSTAT/COOLANT WERE DUE TO A HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. THE HEAD GASKET IS FAULTY AND MANY OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS ONLY 70,000 MILES AND SHOULD NOT BE HAVING THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS BOUGHT NEW, HAD BEEN WELL CARED FOR AND THE ONLY PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE FAULTY HEAD GASKET. *TR

2005 NISSAN SENTRA. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH OIL DIPSTICK BREAKING OFF. *TGW

BLOWN HEAD GASKET ON 2005 NISSIAN SENTRA 1.8. THIS IS A REOCCURING PROBLEM WITH HUNDREDS OF NISSAN SENTRA VEHICLES. LOOK AT ALL THE TESTIMONIES ONLINE. THE NHTSA SHOULD PUT A RECALL ALERT ON THIS PRODUCT. TO MANY CONSUMERES LOSING MONEY BECAUSE IT HAPPENS AFTER THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. *KB

DIPSTICK FOR OIL SEPARATED. THERE IS NO WAY TO CHECK THE OIL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN AND HEAD GASKET WOULD NEED REPLACING. THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD ASSIST WITH FIFTY PERCENT OF THE REPAIR COSTS BUT THE CONTACT DECLINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.

CLIENT CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN SENTRA 1.8L ENGINE WITH 77,650 MILES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN AND THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING. HE ALWAYS NOTICED THE NORMAL PRESSURE IN THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC THREE TIMES WHO STATED THAT HE BOUGHT BAD GAS AND REFILL THE GAS TANK WITH HIGH TEST WHEN IT WAS HALF EMPTY. MECHANIC NOTICE A MISFIRE IN CYLINDER 1 AND/OR RANDOM MISFIRE. ALSO, RUNNING A LITTLE ELEVATED TEMPERATURE. WE CHANGED SPARK PLUGS, OIL, AND CLEANED THE FUEL INJECTORS BUT STILL HAD THE PROBLEM. THREE DAYS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WE WENT TO FIRESTONE AND TOLD THE HEAD CASKET WAS BLOWN. THE COST IS ABOUT 950 DOLLARS TO FIX THE HEAD GASKET. WHO KNOWS WHAT OTHER DAMAGE HAS BEEN CAUSED TO OTHER PARTS AS WELL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN AND THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING. SHE READ DETAILS REGARDING A HAIR LINE FRACTURE IN THE HEAD GASKET. THE NORMAL PRESSURE IN THE ENGINE SHOULD BE 60 AND IT COULD DECREASE WHICH WOULD ALSO BE AN INDICATION THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN; HOWEVER, IT WAS ONLY DUE TO THE BOLTS THAT WERE ON THE HEAD GASKET AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC THREE TIMES WHO STATED THAT THE IGNITION COIL, THE THROTTLE BODY AND THE GASOLINE PEDAL WERE THE REASON THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE THIRD TIME THE FAILURE OCCURRED SHE WAS TOLD THAT THE ACTUAL FAILURE WAS THE HEAD GASKET ALTHOUGH THERE WERE NO PRIOR SIGNS OF THE VEHICLE OVER HEATING. THE THERMOSTAT WAS CHECKED AND THERE WAS NO WATER MIXING WITH THE OIL NOR WAS IT OPENING AND CLOSING AT THAT TIME. SHE WAS THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. SHE WAS CONCERNED THAT THE BOLTS WERE A COMMON FAILURE FOR HER YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE. THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURRED AT 44,900 MILES WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 45,100.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN SENTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HEAT STOPPED BLOWING FROM THE VENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT A HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN OUT. THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,200 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 76,300.

1. SHAKING WHEN CAR WAS TURNED ON. LOSING POWER WHILST DRIVING. LOSING COOLANT. 2. HEAD GASKET WAS DIAGNOSED TO BE LEAKING. OCCURRED CONSTANTLY WHEN CAR TURNED ON, LOST POWER AS DRIVING, IDLED ROUGH, FAILED TO POINT COULD NO LONGER DRIVE AS COULD NOT ACCELERATE WITHOUT SHAKING OR FEELING LIKE IT WOULD STALL. ODD PART IS IT SEEMED TO BE BETTER ON COOLER MORNINGS. 3. READ CODES FOR MISFIRE CYLINDER 4, AND RANDOM MISFIRE. ALSO RUNNING A LITTLE ELEVATED TEMPERATURE. WE CHANGED SPARK PLUGS, COILS, AND STILL HAD THE PROBLEM. SEARCHED ONLINE TO FIND THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR ALL HAD SAME CODES. THE SOLUTION ON MULTIPLE MESSAGE BOARDS THAT 2005 NISSAN SENTRA ALL HAD PROBLEMS WITH HEAD GASKET BLOWING. WHEN ASKED MECHANIC TO CHECK, HE FOUND CYLINDER 4 BE VERY CLEAN WHICH HE BELIEVED WAS DUE TO COOLANT LEAKING IN. HE USED A SEALANT PRODUCT THROUGH THE SYSTEM THAT FILLED IN LEAKS. HE SAID THE HEAD GASKET DESIGN WAS DIFFERENT. THEY WERE BOLTS THAT SEEMED TO STRETCH AS THEY TIGHTEN WHICH WOULD OBVIOUSLY CRACK OR BREAK AFTER GENERAL USE. HE SAID THERE COULD BE A PROBLEM IF ANY FRAGMENTS WERE TO BE LOSE IN THE SYSTEM COULD DAMAGE OTHER PARTS SUCH AS A WATER PUMP. WE ARE WATCHING THE WATER LEVELS. WE HAVE PARKED THE CAR BECAUSE WE DO NOT KNOW IF OR WHEN THE CAR WILL REPEAT THE ISSUE. THE COST IS ABOUT 2,000 DOLLARS TO FIX THE HEAD GASKET. WHO KNOWS WHAT OTHER DAMAGE HAS BEEN CAUSED TO OTHER PARTS AS WELL. *TR

NISSAN SENTRA 05 HEAD GASKET NISSAN SENTRA'S ( ESPECIALLY 05'S ) SEEM TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH HEAD GASKETS BLOWING. DESPERATELY NEEDS TO BE RECALLED WOULD TRULY APPRECIATE IF YOU LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM. EVERYONE IT SEEMS HAS PROBLEMS WITH IT. IF YOU LOOK UP 05 SENTRA COMPLAINTS ONLINE 9 OUT OF 10 TIMES ITS HEAD GASKET. I GAVE FALSE INFORMATION ON HERE CONCERNING THE INCIDENT REPORT IN HOPES THAT IT WOULD INCREASE CHANCES OF MY DESCRIPTION BEING READ. DON'T TRY MY CONTACT INFORMATION EITHER BECAUSE IT SHOULD ALSO BE OBVIOUSLY FALSE. PLEASE HELP. *TR

I HAVE A 2005 NISSAN SENTA. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AND MY CAR SHUT OFF WHILE IN DRIVE. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS INFORMED THAT MY CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACE. I HAVE REPLACED THE PART TWICE AND MY CAR STILL CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE WITH NISSAN AND NISSAN IS TELLING MY THAT MY VIN NUMBER DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR THE RECALL. NISSAN WANTS ME TO PAY FOR A DIAGONISTIC FROM A NISSAN DEALARSHIP AND IF THEY PROVE THAT IT IS DEFEACTED THEN THEY WILL REPLACE IT. *TR

MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FIRST CAME ON AND I NOTICED I WAS HAVING TO PUT COOLANT AND/OR WATER IN THE RADIATOR EVERY FEW DAYS. I WAS ONLINE AND READ A FORUM WITH ABOUT 25-30 OTHER PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME ISSUES I WAS HAVING AND THEY ALL TURNED OUT TO BE THE HEAD GASKETS. PEOPLE HAVE SAID THEY FILED COMPLAINTS WITH NISSAN BUT NOTHING WAS DONE. ALL THE VEHICLES HAD MILEAGE OF 60,000-80,000 AND THAT IS NOT NEARLY ENOUGH MILEAGE FOR US TO BE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. I JUST DON'T THINK ITS A COINCIDENCE THAT WE ARE ALL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SAME PART. I CHANGED OUT THE THERMOSTAT, WATER PUMP, AND HAD EVERYTHING CHECKED AND AM STILL HAVING THIS PROBLEM SO I'VE DETERMINED IT HAS TO BE THE HEAD GASKET, LIKE THE MANY OTHERS. I HAVE NOT FIXED THE HEAD GASKET YET AS I'M STILL SAVING MONEY FOR IT. *TR

I RECENTLY HAD TO HAVE THE CRANK SENSOR REPLACED ON MY 2005 NISSAN SENTRA 1.8L ENGINE. I FOUND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE 2005 SENTRA 2.5 L ENGINE, BUT NOT THE 1.8L ENGINES. I FEEL THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL IN THIS CASE, BECAUSE MY CAR SHUT DOWN MANY TIMES ON THE HIGH WAY WITH NO WARNING. THE CAR COMPLETELY STALLED OUT AND STOPPED WORKING, AND IT'S A REAL DANGER TO THOSE ON THE ROAD. *TR

2005 NISSAN SENTRA ENGINE LIGHT RECALL. ON*CW THE CONSUMER STATED IT TOOK SIX MONTHS FOR THE PART TO ARRIVE. THE DEALER CLAIMED THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. HOWEVER, THE CONSUMER CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATING. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE FAILED EMISSIONS DUE TO THE RECALL PROBLEM NOT BEING RESOLVED. *JB

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). MY CAR (2005 NISSAN SENTRA 1.8L ENGINE) BEGAN OVERHEATING TERRIBLY IN FEBRUARY OF 2010. I BROUGHT IT INTO A MECHANIC, WHO HAD TROUBLE DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM. WHEN I BROUGHT IT INTO A NISSAN DEALERSHIP, THEY ADVISED THAT IT WAS A BROKEN HEADGASKET. I FOUND NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE WEBSITE HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/NISSAN/SENTRA/2005/ENGINE/BLOWN_HEAD_GASKET.SHTML. I DECIDED TO SEND THOSE INTO NISSAN AND ASKED THEM TO LOOK INTO THE ISSUE AND DO A RECALL. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM- ESPECIALLY SINCE IT SEEMS LIKE THE PROBLEM HAPPENED OVERNIGHT. HAD I NOT BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO THE SIGNALS ON MY CAR, I WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN THAT MY CAR WAS OVERHEATING SO BADLY AND IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE. I ENDED UP PAYING $911.00 TO FIX THE CAR. I SENT A LETTER INTO NISSAN AND WAS CONSIDERED FOR REIMBURSEMENT BUT THEY ULTIMATELY DENIED MY CLAIM. I REALLY FEEL THAT A RECALL SHOULD BE DONE IN THIS CASE. I'VE INVESTIGATED THIS SITUATION AND FOUND THAT IT'S QUITE COMMON FOR THE HEADGASKETS ON THIS CAR TO FAIL. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS FOR ME. [XXX] *TR

I HAVE A 2005 NISSAN SENTRA (VIN #[XXX] ) THAT HAS BLOWN A HEAD GASKET AT 65,000 MILES. ON MARCH 15 I NOTICED MY CAR HAD TROUBLE STARTING, ENGINE WOULD TURN OVER BUT NOT CATCH. IT DID START, HOWEVER, SO I DROVE HOME, CALLED A MECH AND SCHEDULED AN APPT FOR THE 17TH. ON THE 16TH MY CAR WOULD NOT START AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE MECH. THIS MECH RAN DIAGNOSTICS AND DISCOVERED A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. ASKED ME WHAT OTHER SYMPTOMS I HAD BEEN HAVING..THERE WERE NONE. I THEN HAD THE CAR TOWED TO ANOTHER MECHANIC -- FOR A SECOND OPINION -- SINCE MY 1ST MECHANIC WAS SURPRISED AND A BIT SHOCKED THAT THE HEAD GASKET WOULD GO BAD THIS EARLY IN THE LIFE OF MY CAR. THE 2ND MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE SAMETHING AND WAS ALSO SHOCKED IT WAS THE HEAD GASKET SINCE HEAD GASKETS NORMALLY LAST WELL OVER 100,000 MILES. I CALLED THE LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD A) THAT THE HEAD GASKET IS ONLY COVERED UNDER WARRANTY UP TO 60,000 MILES AND B) THAT HAD I TAKEN BETTER CARE OF MY CAR, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. I DO TAKE EXCELLENT CARE OF MY CAR.. I'M ACTUALLY A BIT ANAL ABOUT GETTING THE RECOMMENDED OIL CHANGES AND HAVE THE RECORDS TO PROVE IT. TOLD HIM THIS AND ESSENTIALLY HE BLEW ME OFF. INTERESTINGLY, HE WAS THE ONLY ONE NOT SURPRISED THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN. IN MY RESEARCH SINCE THEN, I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THE #1 COMPLAINT FOR THE 2005 NISSAN SENTRA IS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET BETWEEN 65,000 AND 75,000 MILES. IT WOULD APPEAR TO ME THAT NISSAN KNEW THEY USED A DEFECTIVE PART BUT 'COVERED THEMSELVES' BY ONLY COVERING IT UP TO 60,000 MILES. THEY ADMITTED THAT THEIR OTHER 'MODELS' DO NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM (THOUGH I DID NOT GET THIS IN WRITING) AND ACTUALLY TRIED TO SELL ME ANOTHER NISSAN. WHILE THIS WAS NOT DANGEROUS TO ME, AS IT HAPPENED IN THE SAFETY OF MY GARAGE, HAD IT HAPPENED ON THE ROAD IT COULD HAVE HAD A MUCH DIFFERENT OUTCOME. I'M OUT LOTS OF MONEY (APPROX $1,200) AND AFTER A WEEK STILL DO NOT HAVE A RUNNING CAR. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2005 NISSAN SENTRA WHEN IT STARTED RUNNING ROUGHLY THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE NEXT DAY IT RAN FINE THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS OFF. SOMEONE TOLD ME TO HAVE THE SPARK PLUGS REPLACED SO I DID THAT. THE CAR WAS FINE FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS. THEN THE SAME THING STARTED HAPPENING AGAIN AND THIS TIME IT WAS WORSE IT WAS RUNNING ROUGHER AND SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF THE TAILPIPE AND IT WAS LOUD. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY HAD IT FOR 2 HOURS AND TOLD ME THAT MY HEAD GASKET HAD FAILED AND THEY COULD NOT GIVE ME AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THAT HAD HAPPENED. IT WAS COVERED UNDER THE REMAINING POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. AFTER THAT I HAD DONE SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TO A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE. THE REASON THAT I AM MAKING THIS COMPLAINT IS THAT MY VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AUGUST 2010 AND THE TOTAL COST TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET IN MY VEHICLE IS ALMOST 2000.00 DOLLARS. I THINK NISSAN SHOULD ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM AND REPLACE WHAT EVER PARTS REQUIRED TO MAKE SURE THIS PROBLEM NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN. *TR

2005 NISSAN SENTRA 1.8 HEAD GASKET FAILURE - CAR OVERHEATED ON HIGHWAY, ANTIFREEZE LEAKING IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. HAD CAR TOWED TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND CONFIRMED HEAD GASKET FAILURE. BOUGHT VEHICLE NEW, LESS THAN 36 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP, BUT 76K MILES. ATTEMPTED TO WORK THROUGH CUSTOMER RELATIONS AT NISSAN TO RECOVER A PORTION OF THE REPAIR EXPENSE AS GOOD WILL, BUT WAS DENIED. *TR

I HAVE A 2005 NISSAN SENTRA IN APRIL 2006. SINCE FEBRUARY 2008, I HAVE HAD THE SAME CONTINUOUS PROBLEM. I GET IN MY CAR AND IT SIMPLY WILL NOT START. I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM TOYOTA AND TOOK IT TO THEM TO FIX IT. THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIX IT AND THEY SENT IT TO NISSAN. WHEN TOYOTA TRIED TO FIX IT THEY TOLD ME IT WAS BAD GAS, THAT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM, THEY THEN SAID IT WAS A STARTER, THEY PUT A STARTER ON IT, THAT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. WHEN NISSAN GOT IT, THEY FIXED SOMETHING, I REALLY DON'T REMEMBER AT THIS POINT. A FEW MONTHS LATER, THE CART WOULDN'T START AGAIN, TOOK IT BACK TO NISSAN, THEY SAID IT WAS A HEAD GASKET, THEY FIXED IT. SATURDAY WHEN TO GET IN MY CAR, IT WOULDN'T START. IT EVENTUALLY STARTED LATER ON THAT DAY. BEEN DRIVING THE CAR. THIS MORNING (4 DAYS LATER) CAR WILL NOT START. I AM AT MY WITS END. I BOUGHT A NEW CAR BECAUSE MY OLD CAR WAS UNRELIABLE. NOW MY NEW CAR IS JUST AS UNRELIABLE. BOUGHT A NISSAN BECAUSE SUPPOSEDLY IT IS A REALLY GOOD CAR. SO FAR, NOT CONVINCED. I NOW HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THE CAR FIXED BECAUSE IT NOT UNDER WARRANTY ANY LONGER. I AM REALLY GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A HEART TO HEART TALK WITH NISSAN REGARDING THIS CONTINUOUS PROBLEM. *TR

THERMOSTAT FROZE SHUT CAUSING CAR TO OVERHEAT AND BLOW THE HEAD GASKET. LUCKILY I CAUGHT IT BEFORE IT WAS TO LATE. IM ALSO A MECHANIC. I HAD A LOSE OF HEAT IN THE CAR SO I KNEW WHAT IT WAS. THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING TO A CAR WITH 67K MILES. I HAD TO PAY 900.00 FOR NISSAN TO FIX IT AS I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A MOVE AND DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO MY TOOLS. ALL OF THESE LISTINGS WITH SEVER ENGINE TROUBLE IS CAUSED BY THIS OVERHEAT ISSUE. THE THERMOSTAT IS DEFECTIVE IN MANY SENTRAS, THEN OTHER DAMAGE OCCURS. THIS WILL BE THE LAST NISSAN I BUY. IN THE BEGINNING NISSAN TOLD ME THEY WOULD COVER THIS, THEN AFTER THE FACT THEY WOULD NOT. ALSO THE FUEL PUMP HAS ALWAYS BEEN WEAK AND NOW NEEDS REPLACEMENT (SAME MILEAGE) AND THE CD PLAYER QUITE WORKING. THEY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING WITH LIMITING THE WARRANTY TO 60K. *TR

VEHICLE 62,861 MILES. ALL REGULAR MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN PERFORMED. JANUARY 26, 2008 I DROVE VEHICLE 25 MILES FROM MY HOME. THE CAR SAT FOR 4 HOURS. ON RESTART GOT NO HEAT. TEMPERATURE GAUGE IN THE NORMAL RANGE. DROVE 10 MILES WHEN THE HEAT GAUGE SPIKED HIGH, STOPPED. ENGINE TEMP BACK TO NORMAL, AND I SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. OPENED HOOD NO STEAM VISIBLE. EASED RADIATOR CAP OFF, COULD SEE COOLANT IN RADIATOR STARTED ENGINE BACK UP TO SEE WHERE THE WATER LEVEL WOULD DROP TOO. ADDED 4 OZ. NO STEAM COMING FROM ENGINE OR RADIATOR. SERVICE SOON LIGHT NOW LIT. ENGINE RAN SMOOTHLY. TRIED TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS WRONG. SUSPECTED NO WATER FLOW THROUGH HEATER. DETERMINED WATER FLOW OUT OF THE RADIATOR, NO STEAM, HAD A SERVICE SOON LIGHT, AND ENGINE HAD A SLIGHT MISS AT STARTUP THAT CLEARED AFTER A FEW SECONDS OF RUNNING. I TOOK THE NISSAN TO BREEDEN'S AUTO REPAIR. BREEDEN'S DETERMINED ENGINE HAD A BLOWN HEAD GASKET, AND A MISS IN NO. 2 CYLINDER. THE NISSAN'S ENGINE WAS REPAIRED. BREEDEN'S MECHANICS TOLD ME THE FOLLOWING: NISSAN HAD 4 OR 5 (SERVICE) NOTICES ON FAILED HEAD GASKET WITH CYLINDER NUMBER 2 MISS FOR THE 2005 1.8 SENTRA, HOWEVER NO RECALL EXISTS; ENGINE COOLANT AND RADIATOR WERE CLEAN; NEW TYPE HEAD BOLTS WERE REQUIRED WITH THE GASKET REPLACEMENT AND REQUIRED 60 FOOT-POUNDS OF TORQUE; THAT WHEN REMOVING THE HEAD THEY FOUND THE REAR BOLTS TO BE MUCH LOOSER THAN THE FRONT BOLTS (NOT THE REQUIRED TORQUE); AND THEY FOUND NO OTHER REASON TO EXPLAIN HEAD GASKET FAILURE. THE 1.8 NISSAN ENGINE HEAD GASKET SHOULD NOT FAIL ON A WELL MAINTAINED, NON-ABUSED ENGINE WITH 62K MILES. I BELIEVE NISSAN HAD INDICATIONS THAT SOME OF THEIR 1.8 ENGINES HAD A PROBLEM BLOWING HEAD GASKETS BECAUSE OF THE NOTICES. I SUSPECT NISSAN ATTRIBUTED THESE RECORDED FAILURES TO HEAD BOLT TORQUE, AND I WONDER WHY NO RECALL NOTICE WAS FORTHCOMING. NISSAN GAVE A NEGATIVE RESPONSE ON FEBRUARY 28, 2008. *TR

WE BOUGHT OUR NISSAN SENTRA 1.8S WITH 126 HORSE POWER MOTOR AND WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BRAND NEW IN JANUARY 2005. AFTER THE FIRST 14000 MILES THE CAR BEGAN EXHIBITING WEAK RESTARTING PROBLEMS AFTER THE CAR HAD BEEN AMPLY WARMED UP AND SAT FOR ONE HOUR OR LONGER WITH THE MOTOR REMAINING IN THE WARM TEMPERATURE RANGES TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE COLD. *AK

THIS CAR HAS BEEN HORRIBLE FROM THE START. THE LATEST PROBLEM INVOLVED THE TIMING CHAIN SLIPPING AND REQUIRING A NEW ENGINE, THIS WAS THE 3RD ENGINE THAT HAS BEEN IN THE CAR. THE 1ST ENGINE HAD A HEAD GASKET FAILURE THAT CAUSED THE ENGINE TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, THERE WA S A SECOND TRANSMISSION, THE FIRST ONE MADE NOISES WHEN SHIFTING AT CERTAIN RPMS. BE WARNED, NISSAN QUALITY HAS GONE DOWN, WAY DOWN. *AK

THE 2005 NISSAN SENTRA THAT I PURCHASED HAS CONTINUED TO STALL WHILE DRIVING OVER 6 TIMES DURING THE PAST 18 MONTHS. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 6 TIMES WITH THE COMPLAINT OF SLUGGISH AND/OR STALLING. THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO FIX IT AND CLAIMS IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, HOWEVER, THERE IS A POTENTIAL RISK TO BE REAR-ENDED WHEN IT APPEARS I AM MOVING FORWARD AND SUDDENLY STOP! THE STALL HAS HAPPENED AS I LEAVE A SITTING POSITION EITHER GOING FORWARD OR REVERSING. THE FIRST STALL HAPPENED AFTER THE CAR WAS ONLY ONE WEEK OLD. WHEN WE CALLED TO COMPLAIN TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THEY MENTIONED THAT HAPPENS SOMETIMES WITH NEW CARS WORKING OUT THE KINKS. THE DEALERS MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO FIX IT HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL AND THE CAR IS CURRENTLY WITH THE DEALER-ONCE AGAIN. *JB