Nissan Consumer Affairs Oil Cooler Response

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I'm with you on this one. While the oil temp issue seems to be relatively widespread I've yet to see any temperatures over 220* in almost 1500 miles of driving. That includes sitting in Houston rush hour traffic on 90+ days, accelerating up to 70+ and then back to stationary with no time for cooling air flow in between. I don't doubt that if I tracked the car I could get it to overheat but for those people that are "overheating" (car isn't even going into limp mode) in daily driving conditions, there might be something else in play.

And I'm also not at all surprised that Nissan is making this claim of denying warranties if they find an aftermarket cooler installed. Any aftermarket modification not authorized by Nissan is grounds for voiding warranties, it's written right into the paper work, and I don't see why oil coolers should be any different.

ChrisSlicks

I bought this car as an enthusiast, besides the regular daily driving stuff (which it does fine at) it was suggested by the magazine reviews that this would be a great HPDE car - and that is what sold it to me.

Currently the car can not be driven at HPDE - at all. This is due to the design defect that no other car in this class has. I'm not trying to turn it into a race car, just asking to be able to run for 20 minutes on track at reasonable speeds, speeds the car was built for, without having the car shutdown.

My gripe is that the car does not live up to the expectations that were projected by the car magazine reviews, because the review cars were not the same! If we attempt to correct this short coming and install the oil coolers that were present in the review models then we've voided the warranty. This is total BS. It is false advertising.

At minimum I was to be able to install an approved oil cooler, at my expense, without voiding my 5 year engine warranty. The ideal situation is that Nissan corrects their defect, and hence meets the advertised performance, and provides one for free for those that want it.

bluzman

JMO and no flame of anyone intended but this thread needs to deal with reality and not expectations, wishes, perceived problems, etc. Design defect?? - bold claim but NO proof so far. Short coming?? - maybe. As for not living up to expectations based on car magazine reviews, the content of the reviews are the responsibility of magazine, not Nissan. Modshack has it right:

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VCuomo

Sorry, but this just doesn't fly. When Ford (or GM, or Chrysler) takes one of their trucks, modifies it for off-road use, and supplies it to a truck mag to try out for a few days and then (hopefully) publish a favorable review of what the truck is capable of (which they've done countless times), Ford is not saying that they will provide full warranty coverage to you if you make those same mods to your Ford truck and then use it off-road. That's the way it's always been - and Nissan is just protecting themselves like all of the other manufacturers do.

It's not BS and it's not false advertising. The car does live up to expectations - if you want to track your 370Z, put the oil cooler on it (just like the cars in the magazine reviews) and the temp problem is solved. But you might (most likely will) have to deal with warranty coverage issues. That's a trade-off and decision that you have to make, just like all of the off-road guys do. Or just like anyone else does who modifies their under-warranty vehicle...

Look, there's no doubt that, from a public relations point of view, Nissan should have handled this better. I'm not a lawyer, but I don't think that any of you guys who are tracking the car, and are seeing the oil temp problem while tracking the car, have a prayer legally. Just MHO...

Now, you guys who are having temp problems under normal street-driving conditions... well, that's a whole different ball game.

ChrisSlicks - I'm not trying to single you out by quoting you above; it's just that what you wrote nicely summarizes what a number of the "track" guys have been saying...

dszombiex

I don't think the point is that anyone wants to take legal action against Nissan because they went to the track and the car went into limp mode.
And I personally don't want a free oil cooler from them.

I think the point is that if any of us have an oil cooler installed and then some time down the road have a random failure/breakdown (as is inevitable with cars), Nissan doesn't then go say "Whoops, the *insert random failure* happened because you have an oil cooler installed! Give us lots of money to fix it!".

Does this really seem unreasonable? This is just Nissan being opportunistic and trying to mitigate warranty costs by pushing them on to the customer...

FricFrac

Unless I'm missing something that is a completely different story. None of the article I read mention anything about the oil cooler or that the mod had been performed. On the other hand the modified off-road truck is completely changed from stock and has had some serious modifications. The point being that the oil cooler mod was hidden whereas the monster truck modified lists all the mods done in the article. Two totaly different situations and not comparable.

This also isn't a performance mod that stresses the engine. Even if the car isn't tracked the oil cooler is benificial not only in keeping the temperature reasonable in heavy traffic, etc but also by increasing the oil capacity which dilutes contamination in the system.

I suspect Nissan is concerned about extensive agressive use of the engine. Agressive use will result in safety mode and prevent extensive agressive use however with the oil cooler agressive use can continue indefinately and the results are unknown. This is a new motor again from the 3.5l and the VVEL is really unproven still so I can understand their concerns. Regardless if this inference is true the fact remains that they were dishonest buy not disclaiming the use of the oil cooler in media vehicles. It was only discovered by accident and IIRC it was hidden in the wheel wells... but dont quote me on that ;P

butters167

I had a 02 WRX one of the first here in OK. I it putting out 326whp and never broke anything in the transmission. I drive it hard for 20k and drag raced several times. If they are breaking stuff that bad then they probably are abusing the car and deserve to be denied. The point is if you break something or put something on that breaks something yeah it is your fault. But if it goes bad because of a nissan defect they have to fix it unless they can prove otherwise.
Also remember your rights and the procedure very from state to state.
If the need arises I am lucky enough to have an attorney in the famliy and I will fight.

Also the warranty issue is not just a nissan thing, pretty much any car maker will try to deny a claim if they see a chance.

grahfz

The 6 in my 370 whined whenever first gear was engaged, clutch in or out. Got worse over the first few weeks of owning it. Nissan replaced it no questions asked.

antennahead

You know, I'm not looking for a freebie, I just want them to say "buy this oil cooler (Nismo or Nissan Motor Sports), have the dealer install it, and we won't void your warranty". Pretty fair and simple.

John

Wally

Agreed thats all I am asking, one of the magazines has listed as an available option so where did that part go.

butters167

The paper work also says that the aftermarket modification must be the cause of the problem for them to deny a claim.

Like I said I agree nothing could be or should be done legally until something actually happens.

IDZRVIT

Nissan says/implies you can run all day with an oil temp of 279.9999999….. Above that, the car goes into limp mode. Because it’s Nissan’s warranty, they’d rather save money by protecting the engine from damage by going into limp mode than replace a damaged engine under their warranty. Lubricant technology has advanced and will always advance with improved properties of oils. Bearing materials improve also. Engine technology improves. Point is, this is not 1969 but 2009. Engines of today are not like the engines of yesteryear. Closer tolerances, improved reliability, advances in materials technology, coatings, better lubricants, etc.
So, for those still concerned about the oil temps I suggest this. Pony up a few hundred dollars each and hire a consultant such as South West Research or other firm that is internationally recognized in testing automotive lubricants. Pay for their expert opinions on your temp issue, offer up one of your cars for testing or whatever they recommend in order to present a qualified technical report on your issue. This will resolve your issue either in favour or not if the 260-280 temp is indeed a concern and that it will, beyond a doubt, cause catastrophic engine failure or premature failure of other components related to lubrication. Without concrete facts you have nothing to offer up to Nissan or the courts – law or public opinion.
Should the consultant agree with your temp issue, then present the facts to Nissan and demand that owners have their cars retrofitted with a suitable oil cooler. If Nissan doesn’t respond favourably, send the report to all the car mags, Society of Automotive Engineers and anyone else who has influence in the automotive industry. If Nissan still resists, class action suit to retrofit oil coolers.
In conclusion, get your FACTS first and then formulate the way ahead.

nicknick

Sounds about right.

butters167

Eventhough I haven't had any problems and don't track my car. I do agree that a little bit of false advertising was involved and that our cars should be able to handle a little track time and that nissan should let us have an approved cooler installed if needed to fix their problem.
That being said, I don't know any car maker who would knowingly honor a warranty when a car has been tracked at all even at reasonable speeds for only 20 minutes, even if this was what the car was made for. I used to race my WRX but at the time I did care about the warranty issue and was willing to deal with the consequences.

IDZRVIT

Yes, I too would like the dealer to replace all those parts that wear out too soon from off road use e.g. brakes, rotors, tires, oil, filters, etc. Where do you draw the line? Nissan and all other car manufacturer's have drawn the line at the point where beyond normal use is defined as off road use and will not be covered under warranty (if you're found out or the computer recorded data that would indicate off road use at the time of failure).

As for false advertising, the coolers were installed for the test cars because the test cars were to be used/abused on the track by the automotive journalsits. Just the same as some of the guys in here who track/race their cars and have installed coolers. It's a no brainer. Hyundai advertises their Genisis Coupe by drifting it around a closed course track. Using the same logic for advertising, should the GC owners expect their tires to last the same milage as they would under normal use? Or how about a newly licensed driver who goes to the track to do some drifting with his new, as advertised, GC and kills himself in turn one? Do his loved ones have a right to sue because the car should drift as advertised?

I too hope to get a free oil cooler from Nissan if it is proven whatever it is the group is trying to prove - potential for engine failure or false advertising or ??? Good luck - you'll need it.