2001 Nissan Frontier Fuel System Problems

I am the original owner of the vehicle which has just 66,000 original miles. I have smelled fuel and had a service engine soon light on for years. I have taken the vehicle into various shops and dealerships who failed to find a fuel tank leak that now turns out to have been from corrosion of the tank flange as early as 5 years after manufacturing. A check of various online owners forums suggests this is a known defect on Nissan Frontier and XTerra trucks. Once gas began physically leaking out of my tank, I contacted the dealer who said my VIN was not part of any fuel tank recall and I would have to pay for any repairs myself. This is a dangerous and irresponsible situation for Nissan Frontier and XTerra drivers which Nissan needs to fix. Other examples of rusted fuel tank flanges. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

FUEL TANK TOP RUSTED AND WATER ENTERED THE FUEL , TRUCK STOPPED RUNNING AND WOULD NOT START TRUCK SERVICE DID TUNE UP DID NOT HELP AFTER A $1,200 DOLLARS THEY FOUND THE WATER IN TANK DID NOT FIND THE RUSTED TANK UNTILL THE THIRD TIME BACK,PUT A SEALER ON WHAT THEY COULD REACH AND NOW I DO NOT TAKE MY TRUCK OUT IN BAD WEATHER HELP!!!!

HAD PROBLEM KEEPING TRUCK RUNNING SERVICE DEPARTMENT DID A TUNEUP ON 10/02/15 AND SAID IT WAS FIXED 7 DAYS LATER TRUCK STOPPED RUNNING AGAIN WENT BACK TO TRUCK SERVICE ON 10/09/15 RECHECKED AND SAID I HAD WATER IN GAS DRAINED GAS PUT IN NEW GAS RAN GOOD UNTIL IT RAINED TRUCK STOPPED RUNNING AGAIN WENT BACK TO TRUCK SERVICE ON 11/30/15 DID A SMOKE TEST ON GAS TANK FOUND TOP OF GAS TANK RUSTED OUT AROUND TOP SAID I NEED NEW GAS TANK MY TRUCK WAS KEPT IN GARAGE MOST OF THE TIME THAT I OWNED IT, LOOKED ON COMPUTER AND FOUND NISSAN TRUCKS BETWEEN 2000 AND 2005 OR 2006 HAVE BAD GAS TANKS WHY DO THEY NOT RECALL OR REPLACE GAS TANKS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN FRONTIER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REFUELED, FUEL LEAKED FROM THE FILLER NECK. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER IN PRODUCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN FRONTIER CREW CAB. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER REFUELING, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC CONFIRMED A FRACTURE IN THE FUEL TANK, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE REPLACEMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 105,000. ....UPDATED 06/18/12 *BF UPDATED 06/22/12 UPDATED 7/19/12 *CN UPDATED 07/23/12.

ENGINE STOPPED WHILE ON HIGHWAY. UNABLE TO RESTART. ON CHECKING VEHICLE, DISCOVERED WATER IN FUEL TANK. AFTER REMOVING FUEL TANK FROM VEHICLE, NOTICED, ACCESS TO FUEL TANK FROM TOP SEVERELY CORRODED. THE FUEL TANK IS LOCATED DIRECTLY BELOW SPACE BETWEEN CAB OF TRUCK AND BED. THIS ALLOWS WATER TO ENTER THROUGH THE SPACE. THE ACCESS TO THE TANK HAS A RAISED RING AND A GROOVE THAT RUNS AROUND THE RING, WHICH ALLOWS WATER TO COLLECT. THE WHOLE RING IS CORRODED AND THEIR IS HOLES IN THE TOP OF THE TANK. I FEEL THIS IS A POORLY DESIGNED TANK AND POOR LOCATION OF TANK. MY SON AND MY FRIEND HAS THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL AND THE BOTH EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. MY SON JUNKED HIS TRUCK AND MY FRIEND USED J-WELD TO MAKE MAKESHIFT REPAIRS. I LIVE IN A COMMUNITY WITH A POPULATION OF 2000 RESIDENCE, WHICH MAKES ME BELIEVE THAT THIS CANNOT BE A ISOLATED INCIDENT. THANK YOU *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V230000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: DELIVERY: FUEL PUMP). THE VEHICLE HAD SINCE STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW FUEL PUMP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STALLING FAILURE WAS NOT PRESENT PRIOR TO THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,900 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 122,000.

I PURCHASED MY NISSAN FRONTIER FROM A NISSAN DEALER "AS IS" WHICH WAS FINE TIL THE FIRST TIME I FILLED IT UP. THE SMELL OF GAS MADE ME PULL OVER RIGHT AWAY. COULDN'T FIND OR SEE A LEAK BUT SURE COULD SMELL IT. SHORTLY AFTER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON. HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT IT TO FIND FUEL IS LEAKING FROM THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. I SEE I'M NOT THE ONLY PERSON TO COMPLAIN ABOUT IT. HOPEFULLY SOMEONE WILL INVESTIGATE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. I'M ON S.S.D. I CAN NOT AFFORD THIS PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED. TRIED TO LOCATE A NEW TANK FOR THE TRUCK. CAN'T FIND ONE. I CAN'T SEE PUTTING A RECYCLED DEFECT IN. ANYONE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM NEEDS TO CALL THE NHTSA SO WE CAN GET THE RECALL STARTED. NOW NISSAN CHANGED THE TANK AND ADDED ACCESS PANEL BEHIND THE BACK SEAT ON NEWER MODELS. SO I DON'T FILL MY TRUCK AND IT STILL SMELLS OF GAS BUT NOT AS BAD. HOPEFULLY HELP IS AROUND THE CORNER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2001 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE THE FUEL SENDING UNIT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V230000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEARE WAS 116,000.

1. MY 2001 NISSAN FRONTIER SE'S ENGINE SUDDENLY DIED WITH NO WARNING. IT WOULD NOT START AND I VERIFIED THAT THERE WAS IN FACT GAS IN THE TANK. I EXPECTED IT TO BE THE FUEL PUMP THAT FAILED. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED AT MY EXPENSE TO A GARAGE OF MY CHOICE. 2. I DECIDED TO CHECK ONLINE TO SEE WHAT RECALLS MIGHT BE DUE ON THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE A FEW RECALLS, BUT RECALL ID # 5971 WHICH IS A RECALL OF THE FUEL SENDING UNIT WAS THE ONE THAT SEEMED TO BE AN EXACT DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM THAT I HAD(ENGINE CAN STOP RUNNING WITHOUT WARNING RESULTING IN A CRASH). I CALLED THE NISSAN'S HEAD OFFICE TO SEE IF THE RECALL HAD BEEN COMPLETED AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE NO OPEN RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE AND THAT ALL RECALLS ON MY VIN # HAD BEEN TAKEN CARE OF. SO KNOWING THIS I BELIEVED THAT THE SENDING UNIT WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. 3. MY MECHANIC REMOVED AND REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND THE VEHICLE STILL WOULD NOT RUN. I MENTIONED THE RECALL TO HIM AND HE THEN CAREFULLY CHECKED THE SENDING UNIT FOR CORROSION AND DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT ON THE ONE CONNECTORS ON TOP OF THE UNIT THAT HE FOUND DUE TO THE PLASTIC ON UNDER THE CONNECTOR BEING CRACKED. THIS WAS DEFINITELY THE PROBLEM, AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE SENDING UNIT LOOKED TO BE THE ORIGINAL. THE MECHANIC THEN PURCHASED AN OEM FUEL SENDING UNIT FROM NISSAN AND MY TRUCK WAS FIXED. THE ISSUE WITH THIS IS THAT THE PART NUMBER ON THE NEW PUMP THAT WAS PUT INTO MY VEHICLE IS THE SAME EXACT NUMBER AS THE ONE THAT WAS ORIGINALLY INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE BECAUSE THE COMPANY PUT A NEW SENDING UNIT INTO THE VEHICLE TO COMPLY WITH A RECALL KNOWING THAT THE SAME EXISTING PROBLEM WOULD RETURN. I FEEL LIKE I AM DRIVING A TICKING TIME BOMB! IT WAS NOT FUN HAVING MY VEHICLE DIE ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT WARNING AND IT IS VERY UNSAFE. I ENDED UP SPENDING $486.97 OUT OF MY OWN POCKET TO FIX THE SAME PART THAT WAS RECALLED ONLY TO HAVE ANOTHER PART WITH THE SAME PART NUMBER AND FUTURE PROBLEM. *TR

I WAS NEVER TOLD ABOUT A RECALL ON MY 2001 NISSAN FRONTIER PICKUP TRUCK RELATING TO THE FUEL PUMP. IT CAUSED MY FUEL PUMP TO FAIL AND MY ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I WANT TO KNOW WHY I CAN'T TAKE ANY ACTION? *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS CORROSION IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE FUEL TANK DEVELOPED A CRACK IN IT WHICH CORRODED THE TERMINAL STRIP. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE FUEL SYSTEM TO STOP WORKING AND THE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF WITHOUT ANY WARNINGS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED AND THAT THE CONTACT HAS TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED THAT THE PARTS USED TO REPAIR THE RECALL WERE DEFECTIVE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000. UPDATED 01/12/10 *BF THE FUEL SENDER UNIT WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 01/15/10.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT STATED FUEL SPILLS FROM THE FILLER INLET AS THE TANK IS BEING FILLED. AS A CONSEQUENCE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, FUEL LEAKAGE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE. HE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER IN REFERENCE TO RECALL# 02V300000(FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP). UPON CONTACT A REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT BECAUSE HIS VIN NUMBER WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE VIN RANGE, HE WAS INELIGIBLE FOR A FREE REMEDY. AS OF CURRENT DATE THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,200. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

MY 2001 NISSAN FRONTIER HAS HAD FIVE RECALLS. THE RECALL THAT I AM UNSATISFIED WITH IS RELATED TO THE FUEL SYSTEM: THE NOV. 2002 RECALL OF THE FUEL STORAGE TANK AND THE MAY 2004 RECALL OF THE FUEL PUMP. THESE REPAIRS ARE PENDING AND HAVE BEEN SINCE JUNE 30, 2008. THE FUEL TANK IS UNAVAILABLE AND HAS BEEN FOR 108 DAYS, AS OF TODAY OCT. 15. IT HAS BEEN INOPERABLE AND HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER SINCE JUNE 30. ORIGINAL ISSUE BEGAN ON JUNE 13, 2008. THE VEHICLE STRUGGLED TO TURN OVER, EMITTED HEAVY DARK EXHAUST, THE SMELL OF GASOLINE WAS PRESENT, THE SERVICE-ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON AND I EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER WHILE GETTING IT TO THE FITZGERALD AUTO MALL DEALER IN CHAMBERSBURG PA. THE REQUIRED WORK WAS COMPLETED ON JUNE 18. THE REPAIR WORK INCLUDED REPLACING THE KNOCK SENSOR (CODE P0325) AND RELATED GASKETS, REPLACING THE VENT CONTROL VALVE AND CHARCOAL CANISTER (CODE P1441). THERE WAS NO MENTION OF ANY RECALL WORK REGARDING THE FUEL SYSTEM. I DROVE THE TRUCK FOR SIX DAYS. ON JUNE 29 THE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS APPEARED. I GOT THE TRUCK HOME (BARELY) AND CALLED THE SERVICE MANAGER. ON JUNE 30, THE DIAGNOSIS CAME BACK. SAME PROBLEM, DIFFERENT DIAGNOSIS. THE CODES WERE PULLED AND P1441 CAME UP AGAIN, BUT THIS TIME THE REQUIRED PART TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE IS A NEW FUEL STORAGE TANK-- A PART THAT WAS RECALLED. MY REPAIRS IN JUNE WERE IN EXCESS OF $1200. I ALSO NEEDED A LOANER VEHICLE AT $35 A DAY . I AM OUT $$1,636.42 AND HAVE MADE 7 BI-WEEKLY CAR PAYMENTS AT $144 FOR A TRUCK I CAN'T DRIVE. THE REGIONAL SPECIALIST FOR NISSAN HAS PROMISED TO TAKE CARE OF THE PAYMENT AND REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIRS, BUT HAS NOT DELIVERED YET. NISSAN WON'T REIMBURSE UNTIL THE PART IS IN THE VEHICLE. MY CASE NUMBER WITH NISSAN IS 6262993. THE PART IS "DUE" AT THE DEALER THE LAST WEEK OF OCTOBER, HOWEVER A RECALL REPAIR SHOULD NOT TAKE 4 MONTHS. MY COMPLAINT IS NOT WITH THE CHAMBERSBURG DEALER BUT WITH NISSAN NORTH AMERICA. *TR

THERE HAS BEEN AN ISSUE WITH MY 2001 NISSAN FRONTIER SINCE IT HAD 15,000 MILES ON IT. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE NEW. THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT HAS BEEN ON MORE THAN IT HAS BEEN OFF, AND I HAVE SMELLED RAW GAS SMELL WHICH HAS CONTINUED TO GET WORSE. DEALERSHIPS HAVE CONTINUALLY TOLD MY WIFE AND MYSELF THAT THE GAS CAP WAS LOOSE, OR WE NEEDED A NEW GAS CAP AND RESET THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT. IT DIDN'T TAKE VERY LONG BEFORE THE LIGHT WENT BACK ON AGAIN. IT TURNS OUT THERE IS A HOLE IN THE GAS TANK, NOT DUE TO SOMETHING HITTING THE TANK BUT THEY ARE SAYING THIS IS DUE TO CORROSION. I THINK IT HAS BEEN THERE THE ENTIRE TIME I HAVE OWNED THE TRUCK. THE TRUCK ONLY HAS 85,000 MILES AND LOOKS LIKE BRAND NEW, IT HAS BEEN STORED INSIDE SINCE I HAVE OWNED IT. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET OTHER STORIES OF SIMILAR ISSUES WITH 2000, 2001, AND 2002 NISSAN FRONTIER MODELS. I BELIEVE THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE GAS TANKS ON THOSE YEARS OF NISSAN FRONTIERS. I AM GOING TO HAVE THE GAS TANK FIXED, BUT I AM GOING TO REQUEST THE OLD ONE TO BE SAVED. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND NONE OF THE DEALERS WE TOOK THE TRUCK TO COULD FIND THE PROBLEM. MY GARAGE SMELLED LIKE A GAS STATION WHEN GETTING RE-FILLED BY A GAS TANKER. I AM SO SURPRISED THAT THE GARAGE/HOUSE DIDN'T EXPLODE. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO THE CONSUMER DIVISION OF NISSAN AND THEY DO NOT SEEM TOO CONCERNED WITH THIS ISSUE. THEY WILL NOT EVEN CALL ALL OF THE DEALERSHIPS WHERE I HAVE REPORTED THIS AND ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THIS ISSUE WITH THE GAS TANK FIXED. I ALSO HAVE ALL THE DOCUMENTATION ON THE SERVICE RECORDS FOR THIS ISSUE. *TR

LEAK IN GAS TANK. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 55 MPH, THE FLANGE WAS SEVERELY RUSTED, AND CAUSED GASOLINE TO LEAK. PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE GASOLINE TANK HAD TO BE CHANGED. THE GAS TANK HAD RUSTED. UPDATED 11/30/06. *JB

ON ABOVE APPROXIMATE DATE I STARTED TO SMELL FUEL COMING OUT FROM MY TRUCK EVERY TIME THE TANK WAS AT FULL CAPACITY. SINCE THEN ENGINE LIGHT WILL NEVER COME OFF. I TOOK FOR REPAIR SEVERAL TIMES. CHANGE OXYGEN SENSOR, GAS CAP, THERMOSTAT, CARBON CANISTER AND SOLENOID. I CONTACTED NISSAN BUT I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR MY VEHICLE. *TR

MY 2001 NISSAN FRONTIER HAS SPILLED FUEL EVERY TIME I FILL UP THE TANK SINCE I PURCHASED THE TRUCK. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE TRUCK. I WONDERED WHY THIS HAD NOT BEEN CORRECTED BY A RECALL SO I SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND THIS WEB SITE. I FOUND NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V300000 AND TO MY SURPRISE FOUND THAT THIS PROBLEM HAD BEEN NOTED AND A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED. I CONTACTED THE DEALER BUT HE TOLD ME THAT BASED ON THE VEHICLE ID NUMBER MY TRUCK DID NOT QUALIFY FOR THIS RECALL. I THEN CALLED NISSAN DIRECTLY TO BE TOLD THE SAME THING. THE PROBLEM DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL IS IDENTICAL TO WHAT I AM EXPERIENCING AND IT WOULD APPEAR THAT NEITHER THE DEALER NOR NISSAN IS WILLING TO DO ANYTHING TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THANKS, SEAN

FUEL SENDING UNIT REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION BUILD UP AROUND FUEL SENDING AREA. REPLACED BY DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, OEM PART PROVED DEFECTIVE EACH TIME. FINALLY RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE FROM NISSAN THAT CORROSION BUILD UP WAS CAUSING THE FUEL SENDING UNIT TO FAIL IN AREAS THAT USE SALT ON THE ROAD. TODAY, 9/10/04 DEALER HAD TO REPLACE FUEL SENDING UNIT AGAIN(WITH RECALL APPROVED FUEL SENDING UNIT) AND NOW TELLS ME THAT THE CORROSION IS SO BAD THE FUEL TANK NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE IS 3 YEARS OLD AND HAS ONLY 56,000 MILES. THEY TOLD US THAT THE TANK MAY EVENTUALLY LEAK FUEL FROM THE SENDING UNIT AREA THAT HAS CORROSION. *AK