The problem
On certain passenger vehicles equipped with the qg18de engine or qr25de engines, the foam material used for the interior lining of the electronic control module (ecm) box emits sulfur as it cures.
The risk
If one of the resistors inside the ecm has a crack on the surface coating, the gas may cause corrosion of the resistor. This could cause the malfunction indicator light to come on, poor drivability (idle instability, poor accelerator), or the engine to stop running during vehicle operation, which could result in a crash.
The fix
Dealers will remove the inside lining material from the ecm box. Owner notification began on december 22, 2003. Owners should contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Contacts
Nissan recall no. P3163. Customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).
What to do
- Check your VIN. Enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls - it shows whether this recall applies to your vehicle and whether the repair has been done.
- Call a dealer. Any authorized Nissan dealer will do the repair free, whether or not you bought the vehicle there. Quote campaign 03V477000.
- Ask about parts and a loaner. If parts aren't available yet, ask what to do in the meantime.
- Keep your paperwork. If you paid for this repair before the recall, you may be able to get reimbursed - here's how.