2009 Nissan Cube Engine Problems

THE CUBE WILL FREQUENTLY STOP WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. IT IS POSSIBLE TO PUMP THE ACCELERATOR AT THE MOMENT THIS HAPPENS AND SOMETIMES THE ENGINE WILL CATCH AND CARRY ON. IF THIS DOES NOT WORK, THE CAR MUST BE SHUT DOWN FOR A FEW MINUTES BEFORE ATTEMPTING A RESTART. UNFORTUNATELY ONCE THIS SITUATION HAPPENS, IT WILL VERY LIKELY RECUR SOON AFTER. IT IS MY OBSERVATION THAT THIS HAPPENS MOST OFTEN WHEN THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE IS QUITE HIGH (75 F AND ABOVE). ON COOL DAYS THE SITUATION IS NOT LIKELY TO HAPPEN UNLESS THE CAR IS DRIVEN OVER AN HOUR IN DURATION. AS ANOTHER OBSERVATION IT IS MORE LIKELY TO HAPPEN IF THE GAS GAUGE IS LESS THAN FULL. I TRIED TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM TWICE FOR MAUS NISSAN BUT IT DID NOT OCCUR. THERE WAS A ENGINE SERVICE LIGHT ON DURING BOTH THOSE ATTEMPTS INDICATING A CATALYTIC CONVERTER ERROR. SINCE THAT TIME (EARLY 2018) THE PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES WITHOUT ANY SERVICE ENGINE WARNING BEING ON. THE FIRST TIME THE PROBLEM OCCURRED, I TOOK THE CAR INTO NISSAN IN CHATTANOOGA. THEY SAID THERE WAS A LITTLE TOO MUCH TRANSMISSION FLUID. THEY REMOVED SOME AND I CONTINUED ON THE FLORIDA. WITHIN 10 MINUTES THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN. WHILE IN FLORIDA, WE LIMIT DRIVING TO EARLY MORNINGS AND EVENINGS FOR LESS THAN 30 MINUTES AND WE MAINTAIN THE GAS TANK ON FULL.

EXHAUST SYSTEM FROM THE RESONATOR BACK NEEDS FULL REPLACEMENT AS CORROSION HAS EATEN AWAY MUFFLER MOUNTING TO THE POINT IT IS NOT LONGER CONNECTED. EXHAUST IS NOT MAKING IT OUT OF THE REAR OF THE CAR, INDICATING ITS ENTERING THE CABIN, CAUSING A DANGER TO OCCUPANTS. *TR

EXCESSIVE AND ACCELERATED EXHAUST SYSTEM CORROSION. MUFFLER MOUNTING TO EXHAUST PIPE RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH AND FELL APART. HEAT SHIELD MOUNTING BRACKETS RUSTED THROUGH CAUSING HEAT SHIELD TO SEPARATE FROM VEHICLE. EXHAUST FUMES ENTERING DRIVING COMPARTMENT AND DANGEROUS TO OCCUPANTS. *TR

I PUT MY CAR INTO DRIVE AND THAN PUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS AND NOTHING HAPPENED. I LOOKED DOWN AND I WAS IN "D" AFTER A FEW SECONDS I SHIFTED INTO LOW AND NOTHING HAPPENED. AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE CAR TOOK OFF. *TR I WAS SO SCARED. I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES. I TRIED AGAIN, I PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE AND SAT THERE, THAN IT INCHED ALONG AND THAN TOOK OFF AGAIN LIKE I WAS ON A ROLLER COASTER. LUCKILY I WAS A BLOCK FROM THE DEALER. SO I DROVE IT THERE ON A WING AND A PRAYER. IT TOOK ME AT LEAST 10 MINS. I HAD TO MAKE A TURN AND OTHER DRIVERS WERE GOING AROUND ME. BECAUSE MY CAR WASN'T MOVING. ALL OF A SUDDEN IT TOOK OFF AND I ALMOST BROADSIDED A CAR. YOU CAN IMAGINE THE SUGGESTIONS I GOT. THE DEALER HAD IT FOR 2 DAYS AND SAID THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH. I'M GOING TO BRING IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC AND SEE IF HE CAN FIND WHATS WRONG. *TR

MUFFLER CONNECTING FLANGE AND PIPE RUSTED THROUGH. MUFFLER DRAGGING GROUND. NISSAN OFFERED NO EXPLANATION OR ASSISTANCE. *TR

MONDAY, JULY 8, 2013 I AS DRIVING HOME 95N INTERSTATE FROM NORTH CAROLINA WITH THE A/C AND CRUISE CONTROL ON. THE CAR IMMEDIATELY START SLOWING DOWN AT THE OF SPEED 65 MPH. I IMMEDIATELY MOVED TO THE RIGHT LANE FOR EXIT. THE CAR SHUT DOWN AND WOULD NOT START. I WAS IN FREDERICKSBURG, VA HEADING TO MY HOME IN NEW CARROLLTON, MD. I HAD TO CALL AAA TO TOW ME (HOME) TO MY DEALERSHIP OF SERVICES PASSPORT NISSAN IN MARLOW HEIGHTS. I HAVE DOCUMENTATION FOR THIS CALL. THE NISSAN SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR AFTER KEEPING IT FOR DAY (HAVE RECEIPTS FOR RENTAL CAR). I EXPLAINED IN DETAIL WITH GREAT FRUSTRATION, FEAR AND CONCERN WHAT HAPPEN. I WAS ALONE THIS HAPPEN AT NIGHT (DARK ON THE HIGHWAY). IT HAPPEN AGAIN WITHIN A WEEK OF THAT CALL FOR SERVICE (THREE SEPARATE INCIDENTS) DEPARTMENT I NEEDED TO GET THE CAR THEM IMMEDIATELY WHEN IT HAPPEN. IF THE CAR SHUTDOWN AND MUST BE TOWED THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THERE WHEN IT OCCUR. I CALLED NISSAN REGIONAL OFFICE AND MARLOW HEIGHTS MANAGERS TO GET "NO HELP OR SATISFACTION". AT THE TIME OF THIS SHUTDOWN MY CAR WAS STILL UNDER NISSAN'S WARRANTY. I AM STILL RIDING WITH NO A/C TODAY. IT IS SCARY TO RIDE A CAR THAT COST ME THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WITH NO A/C AND NOT KNOWING WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. PLEASE HELP AND PROVIDE ME SOME GUIDANCE. I WANT MY CAR REPAIRED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE AND ADVICE. RIDING WITH NO A/C STILL ONE YEAR LATER. *TR

PERSONAL RESEARCH WAS DONE ON THE INTERNET TO FIND HOW THIS HAPPENED ON OTHER NISSANS, THE VERSA, THE ALTIMA, AND NOW THE CUBE. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS CAN CAUSE A WRECK BECAUSE THE PARTS CAN FALL ONTO THE ROAD FROM A SPEEDING CAR, AND HIT ANOTHER CAR ON THE HIGHWAY. THE ISSUE IS WITH THE WELD, AND THE BEAD OF THE FACTORY MUFFLER BEING CONNECTED TO THE EXHAUST PIPE BY A FLANGE IT IS WELDED TO. THE FLANGE BECOMES UNWELDED TO THE PIPE BY EITHER RUST PERFORATION THROUGH SALT ON THE ROAD IN SNOW AREAS, BY A CHEAP WELD, OR INSUFFICIENT BRACING OF THE EXHAUST SYSTEM COMPONENTS. IT HAS BEEN READ THAT NISSAN CANADA FIXES THESE FREE BASED ON A GOOD WILL EFFORT TO KEEP CUSTOMERS. HOWEVER, IT IS UNSEEN AND UNKNOWN IF THIS PROBLEM WILL BE ADDRESSED BY ANY RECALL IN THE USA. A SIMPLE FIX COULD BE APPLIED IF IT IS DUE TO RUST PERFORATION, PUT A SEAL OVER THE FLANGE TO KEEP SALT OUT. OR MAKE IT A ONE PIPE SYSTEM. OR BRACE IT MORE SUFFICIENTLY SO THAT IT DOESN'T FALL APART SO EASILY AS THE PRESSURE AND WEIGHT OF THE EXHAUST PIPE SYSTEM IS SUPPORTED. THEREFORE, THIS SEEMS LIKE IT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AND OWNERS SHOULD BE NOTIFIED SO THAT THE DRIVER DOESN'T CAUSE AN UNNECESSARY WRECK IN THE SNOW, OR OTHER NORMAL OPERATION AS THE PIPE COULD FALL OFF. IN SUMMARY, THE WELD OF THE MUFFLER TO THE EXHAUST PIPE FLANGE BREAKS APART TOO EASILY AS PREVIOUSLY KNOWN IN VERSA AND NOW THE CUBE. *TR

THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT INTO 2 DIFFERENT NISSAN DEALERSHIPS FOR REPAIR OF AN A/C LEAK. ON NEITHER OCCASION WAS THE LEAK FIXED. HOWEVER, WE WERE CHARGED > $360 ESSENTIALLY FOR FREON. WHAT RECOURSE DO I HAVE? TXS *TR