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Usually when there is a transmission failure, it is something internal that, after many years of dutiful service, is expected to start breaking down. However, Nissan has announced that some of their best selling trucks and SUVs (2005-2010 Nissan Frontier, Xterra, and Pathfinders) are experiencing radiator leaks that are finding their way into the components of their automatic transmissions. This leak is causing premature wearing of the automatic transmission that warrants replacement often at less than 100,000 miles. The New York Times reports that even after Nissan extended warranties on the effected models by 5 years/50,000 miles (for a total warranty coverage for 80K miles/8 years) owners still reported that "the radiator issues have affected the vehicles transmissions, causing premature failure...Lance Wiggins, Technical Director of the Automatic Transmission Rebuilders Association points out ’what’s happening is the radiator cooler tanks are rupturing, forcing coolant into the five-speed automatic through the transmission cooler lines." Motor Trend also points out that for many of the owners of these vehicles (particularly the older models) are beyond the extended warranty. If the transmission fails, they will have to put forth a substantial investment for a new one. Nissan says they "would cover transmissions damaged by coolant, as long as they met the extended warranty guidelines." No warranty, no fix.
Although Nissan says "only a small proportion of models are affected," we are perplexed by their actions. They seem to be doing enough to belay a lawsuit, yet don’t seem to be real concerned about maintaining a loyal customer base, which is a real pity because we love the ruggedness and the utility of the Nissan trucks and SUVs.
A few months ago, Ford struck a deal with Original Wraps to create custom vinyl wraps for the Ford Fiesta. Now, it looks like another manufacturer is looking to dig in to the custom vinyl wrap pie.
Nissan’s jumping on-board and unlike Ford, they’re receiving custom wraps for a number of their models. The first Nissan vehicle to receive a customized vinyl wrap is the Nissan Cube, which will be followed by the Nissan Juke, and then the Nissan Frontier.
More products are expected to be added in the future, possibly for a number of newer Nissan models.
According to Original Wraps, each of the wraps have a life span of up to three years and will be installed by a professional and can also be taken down easily without the fear of leaving any marks on the car.
Contrary to what others may think - that vinyl wraps are a little tacky - these wraps for Nissan actually look pretty cool. You can even customize your own design according to your personal whim. But if you’re a dude, we highly suggest you stay away from that “Flower Power” design.
The Nissan pickup has never sold all that well here in the United States, but with tough competition from Ford and Chevrolet, it’s easy to see why that is. Nissan has an all-new Titan ready for 2014, but they might have a few changes in store for next year.
The 2011 Titan and Frontier get all-new trim level names, including S, SV, and SL. There will also be 4x4 badging on the truck if the buyer gets the four-wheel drive version. In the comfort department, captain’s chairs will be fitted as standard on the top-level SL trim. The 5.6-liter 317-horsepower V8 will remain.
The trim-level name swap will be on the Frontier as well, but the PRO-4X model will carry over on both trucks. The smaller pickup loses its six-speed manual on the long wheelbase SL King Cab and SV Crew Cab.
Luckily, there is still a six-speed manual available on the lower S trim level and the PRO-4X short wheelbases. The SV adds the Luxury Package and you can even get LATCH child safety seats.
The new Titan for 2011 goes on sale in August and the new six-cylinder Frontier will follow it in September, while four-cylinder Frontiers will go on sale in October.
Nissan officially revealed the details of the 2009 Frontier mid-size pickup, a model that receive numerous refinements for the new model year. The new Frontier is scheduled to arrive at Nissan dealerships nationwide in mid-July 2008.
The 2009 Nissan Frontier, a no-compromise pickup forged with premium hardware, extraordinary power and off-road athleticism, continues to be a leader in the mid-size truck segment. Improving its already impressive packaging, the 2009 Frontier gets updated with a new front fascia, grille and headlight design and new 16-inch and 18-inch wheels.
Additionally, a new PRO-4X off-road model is added, along with new Frontier Crew Cab LE/PRO-4X Value Truck Packages (VTP) that offer an array of popular optional equipment at a greater value than if purchased separately. Other enhancements include a new center radio and HVAC stack (V6 models), new seat cloth for LE models and two new exterior colors – Red Brick and Navy Blue.
The 2009 Frontier will be offered in King Cab and Crew Cab body styles and in 4x2 and 4x4 driveline configurations. Under the hood there will be a 4.0-liter DOHC V6 engine that delivers 261 hp and a peak torque of 281 lb-ft. The Frontier King Cab 4x2 model will use a 2.5-liter DOHC inline 4-cylinder engine, with 152 hp and 171 lb-ft.
Full details after the jump.
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Nissan announced today pricing for the 2010 Frontier, Pathfinder and Xterra. All three models are now on sale.
Prices for the 2010 Nissan Frontier start at $17,540 for the Frontier XE King Cab I4 4x2 with manual transmission and $22,290 for the Frontier SE Crew Cab V6 4x2 with manual transmission. There are a total of 13 available Frontier King Cab and 14 available Frontier Crew Cab models.
Prices for the Pathfinder range from $27,440 for the Pathfinder 4x2 S FE+ with 4.0-liter V6 engine and automatic transmission to $42,160 for the Pathfinder 4x4 LE-V8 with automatic transmission.
The Nissan Xterra has a starting price of $22,450 for the Xterra 4x2 X with 4.0-liter V6 and manual transmission, while the Xterra 4x4 X with V6 and manual transmission is $24,500.
Press release after the jump.
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