Warranty?

fishinaggie78 · 01-26-2007, 03:10 PM

How long is the warranty coverage on the catalytic converter? I do not have an extended warranty and I have 90,000 miles on my 2004 Titan. No prior engine issues and an excellent service record, but now my engine is ruined due to the catalytic converter coming apart and being "sucked " back into the engine. I hit a shredded truck tire, at night and in the rain, and immediately after that the CHECK ENGINE light came on and it started running rough. By the time I reached a lighted service station, the CHECK ENGINE light was blinking and then the CHECK OIL LEVEL light came on. When I got out, I immediately smelled burning oil. It was 4 qts low so I went in and bought 4 and put that in. My home was still 10 miles away. The next morning, I checked the oil level again and it was two quarts low. I drove it to the dealership, they checked it out, said my engine was ruined and quoted $12,500.00 to repair - a new engine!
Anyway my insurance company is denying coverage, saying that there is not sufficient evidence that anything struck my exhaust system. Like I said, I haven't had any engine issues and have maintained it religiously, according to the maintenance schedule. Any information would be appreciated.
After this, I doubt that I'll be buying any more Nissans. $12,500.00! for a motor, WT....?
I have found a used one with 21,000 miles for $2500 plus $3900 install. This same mechanic said that some catalytic converters are warranted for 100,000 miles, but I wonder about that.

Help,
Vince

BKW · 01-26-2007, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishinaggie78

How long is the warranty coverage on the catalytic converter? I do not have an extended warranty and I have 90,000 miles on my 2004 Titan. No prior engine issues and an excellent service record, but now my engine is ruined due to the catalytic converter coming apart and being "sucked " back into the engine. I hit a shredded truck tire, at night and in the rain, and immediately after that the CHECK ENGINE light came on and it started running rough. By the time I reached a lighted service station, the CHECK ENGINE light was blinking and then the CHECK OIL LEVEL light came on. When I got out, I immediately smelled burning oil. It was 4 qts low so I went in and bought 4 and put that in. My home was still 10 miles away. The next morning, I checked the oil level again and it was two quarts low. I drove it to the dealership, they checked it out, said my engine was ruined and quoted $12,500.00 to repair - a new engine!
Anyway my insurance company is denying coverage, saying that there is not sufficient evidence that anything struck my exhaust system. Like I said, I haven't had any engine issues and have maintained it religiously, according to the maintenance schedule. Any information would be appreciated.
After this, I doubt that I'll be buying any more Nissans. $12,500.00! for a motor, WT....?
I have found a used one with 21,000 miles for $2500 plus $3900 install. This same mechanic said that some catalytic converters are warranted for 100,000 miles, but I wonder about that.

Help,
Vince

You're well out of the warranty period, nothing you can do there. But your issue is tied to your insurance company, not Nissan.

Get your truck on a rack and have the insurance adjuster come out and actually look at it. There will be some evidence someplace..shredded rubber, rubber streaks where the tire carcass passed under your truck. You can also file a grievance issue against your insurance company. There are gov't sanctioning boards that watchdog insurance companies.

Not to rag on you, but once you ran over something and the engine light came on, the standard operating procedure is STOP..and find out what's wrong. Driving it may/will hurt your chances if the issues come up for review.

BKW · 01-26-2007, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishinaggie78

How long is the warranty coverage on the catalytic converter? my 2004 Titan. No prior engine issues and an excellent service and quoted $12,500.00 to repair - a new engine!

This same mechanic said that some catalytic converters are warranted for 100,000 miles, but I wonder about that. Help!Vince

Please understand that even if the catalytic converter was covered for 100,000 miles (which I doubt), it's not covered in this case. This is damage caused by an accident, which lead to the converter failure.

With over 45 years of automotive experience, this is the first time I ever heard of the activated charcoal in a Cat being sucked into an engine...something doesn't seem right to me. When a CAT goes bad, the charcoal plugs the muffler. Exhaust flows out, not in. When an exhaust system gets plugged, ONLY two things will happen, it's an either/or situation. The muffler blows out or the engine dies from lack of air.

There has to be another reason than a so called "reverse sucking catalyic converter"...I'd get a second opinion.

bestatchess · 01-26-2007, 03:53 PM

Redesigned Exaust

well my truck did not injest a large animal this time, but my rings are blown. 12k mi

bestatchess · 01-26-2007, 04:04 PM

$3,900 to install an engine? What does that entail, one day to install and take the rest of the month off on a paid vacation?

BKW · 01-26-2007, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bestatchess

Redesigned Exaust

well my truck did not injest a large animal this time, but my rings are blown. 12k mi

Interesting links...the first has not one shread of evidence to support the claims of the OP. If he had posted pics, or the customers copy of the RO (repair order) that showed exactly what was done, I might believe his story.

The second link is believable, because it has "bonafides."

Regardless, this so called CAT failure was caused by an accident, which led to converter failure.

And driving any vehicle with the check engine light on is negligence, plain and simple...especially after hitting something on the road!

37L1 · 01-26-2007, 04:38 PM

Your engine was 4 quarts low? Meaning you only had 2.5 quarts left? And you want to blame Nissan?

Holy Cow!

bestatchess · 01-26-2007, 04:58 PM

I think the theory is that the sucked cat debris wiped out the rings and the engine immediately burned 4 quarts of oil. Not sure I quite follow, but I think that is the theory.

37L1 · 01-26-2007, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bestatchess

I think the theory is that the sucked cat debris wiped out the rings and the engine immediately burned 4 quarts of oil. Not sure I quite follow, but I think that is the theory.

Well what's the little story behind the "I hit something on the road and then the CEL went on?" Coincidence?

Perhaps his engine temp got too high while he was losing oil which in turn caused the cats to fail?

He doesn't say how long or how far he drove before he found "a gas station with lights on" after hitting the debris and having the CEL go on. The only thing we have is he had to put 4 quarts of oil in at the station, drove 10 miles home where he had to put in 2 quarts more. He effectively gave his engine a complete oil transfusion after his CEL went on and was driving his truck for some distance with approximately 2.5 quarts of oil left in his engine.

I find it hard to believe, rain or no rain, that he didn't pull over and check things out after hitting something that caused his CEL to go off.

I guess I just can't get beyond that. Sorry if my post was a bit harsh but. . .

bestatchess · 01-26-2007, 05:14 PM

Yeah, I'm not going to cut my cats off just yet.

BKW · 01-26-2007, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 37L1

Well what's the little story behind the "I hit something on the road and then the CEL went on?" Coincidence?

Perhaps his engine temp got too high while he was losing oil which in turn caused the cats to fail?

He doesn't say how long or how far he drove before he found "a gas station with lights on" after hitting the debris and having the CEL go on. The only thing we have is he had to put 4 quarts of oil in at the station, drove 10 miles home where he had to put in 2 quarts more. He effectively gave his engine a complete oil transfusion after his CEL went on and was driving his truck for some distance with approximately 2.5 quarts of oil left in his engine.

I find it hard to believe, rain or no rain, that he didn't pull over and check things out after hitting something that caused his CEL to go off.

I guess I just can't get beyond that. Sorry if my post was a bit harsh but. . .

You were harsh? Hell...I was harsh...I admit to being an overbearing SOB. I got that way after spending a good portion of my 62 years in the car business.

But, I'm still amazed on how clueless some people can be.

What I can't figure out is why the OP never asked question 1, after getting the initial responses.

He just signed off without a word.

37L1 · 01-26-2007, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BKW

You were harsh? Hell...I was harsh...I admit to being an overbearing SOB. I got that way after spending a good portion of my 62 years in the car business.

But, I'm still amazed on how clueless some people can be.

What I can't figure out is why the OP never asked question 1, after getting the initial responses.

He just signed off without a word.

Well, in his defense, he only has 9 posts in about 3 years, it's not like he visits all the time and posts.

**bbomar** · 01-26-2007, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishinaggie78

How long is the warranty coverage on the catalytic converter? I do not have an extended warranty and I have 90,000 miles on my 2004 Titan. No prior engine issues and an excellent service record, but now my engine is ruined due to the catalytic converter coming apart and being "sucked " back into the engine. I hit a shredded truck tire, at night and in the rain, and immediately after that the CHECK ENGINE light came on and it started running rough. By the time I reached a lighted service station, the CHECK ENGINE light was blinking and then the CHECK OIL LEVEL light came on. When I got out, I immediately smelled burning oil. It was 4 qts low so I went in and bought 4 and put that in. My home was still 10 miles away. The next morning, I checked the oil level again and it was two quarts low. I drove it to the dealership, they checked it out, said my engine was ruined and quoted $12,500.00 to repair - a new engine!
Anyway my insurance company is denying coverage, saying that there is not sufficient evidence that anything struck my exhaust system. Like I said, I haven't had any engine issues and have maintained it religiously, according to the maintenance schedule. Any information would be appreciated.
After this, I doubt that I'll be buying any more Nissans. $12,500.00! for a motor, WT....?
I have found a used one with 21,000 miles for $2500 plus $3900 install. This same mechanic said that some catalytic converters are warranted for 100,000 miles, but I wonder about that.

Help,
Vince

Ok, The highlighted sentence makes me really wonder what the truth is. My Titan doesn't have a dipstick that tells me how low I am on Oil, so i can go buy that amount of oil. I think there is alot more to this than what is being posted on here!!

**P's Titan** · 01-26-2007, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbomar

Ok, The highlighted sentence makes me really wonder what the truth is. My Titan doesn't have a dipstick that tells me how low I am on Oil, so i can go buy that amount of oil. I think there is alot more to this than what is being posted on here!!

thats what I was wondering. How would you know by looking at a dipstick exactly how low the oil is ?

I'm not a mechanic or kno all to much about engines but that comment really makes me wonder.