Radiator problems of the 2005 Nissan Sentra

Engine light has been on for at least 2yrs or longer. The vehicle is running hot. I've replaced the thermostat, water pump, radiator, throttle body, etc. I've spent hundreds of dollars. Nissan needs to stand behind their products, and correct this madness. Then want to say because you don't have a warranty nothing could be done. Too many people has reported this similar issue to now take action and classify this as a recall to their expense. The consumer has spent enough money to try and correct this headache, and still not have the matter corrected. My vehicle still runs hot, and it's terrifying to watch that needle move constantly in the hot area of the gauge as I drive the highway, and streets everyday.

I started having problems with my car starting to overheat, as soon as I would see the car overheat I would pull over and wait for it to cool as I started to experience these problems. I started to research the car on the internet and this web site for car complaints had at least 500 car owners with the same make and model having their cars overheat. I have taking it to four different auto shops and first they say maybe the water pump, maybe the radiator, and then they all decide it a blown headgasket. How is that even be possible I have owned many cars and never have had this big of issue. And after reading all of these other car owners having the same issue how can these many people have the same problem and why is there not a recall. We all spend alot of money to buy a car and to maintain a car and this is one issue that maybe 1 or 2 people may have but not hundreds?????? here is where I found the most complaints. . Read more...

The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that the check engine warning light remained illuminated and caused the vehicle to become resistant to start-up attempts. The vehicle was also losing anti-freeze abnormally but the contact was unable to locate a hole or leak in the radiator. The vehicle was not inspected for the failure. The contact spoke with a local mechanic who advised that the head gasket could possibly need replacing. The vehicle was not repaired. The current mileage was 33,899 and the failure mileage was unknown. Updated11/29/11 the consumer stated anti-freeze was leaking from the vehicle and the engine light illuminated. Updated 12/13/11.

The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving 30 mph, the vehicle started to hesitate and it stalled. The vehicle was towed to a local repair shop, where they were unable to diagnose the failure, but replaced the temperature gauge as a temporary remedy. Approximately seven months later, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the local repair shop, who diagnosed that the head gasket and radiator needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but offered no assistance. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 80,000 and the current mileage was 92,000.

My check engine light first came on and I noticed I was having to put coolant and/or water in the radiator every few days. I was online and read a forum with about 25-30 other people complaining about the same issues I was having and they all turned out to be the head gaskets. People have said they filed complaints with Nissan but nothing was done. All the vehicles had mileage of 60,000-80,000 and that is not nearly enough mileage for us to be having this problem. I just don't think its a coincidence that we are all having the same problem with the same part. I changed out the thermostat, water pump, and had everything checked and am still having this problem so I've determined it has to be the head gasket, like the many others. I have not fixed the head gasket yet as I'm still saving money for it.

Vehicle 62,861 miles. All regular maintenance has been performed. January 26, 2008 I drove vehicle 25 miles from my home. The car sat for 4 hours. On restart got no heat. Temperature gauge in the normal range. Drove 10 miles when the heat gauge spiked high, stopped. Engine temp back to normal, and I shut the engine off. Opened hood no steam visible. Eased radiator cap off, could see coolant in radiator started engine back up to see where the water level would drop too. Added 4 oz. No steam coming from engine or radiator. Service soon light now lit. Engine ran smoothly. Tried to determine what was wrong. Suspected no water flow through heater. Determined water flow out of the radiator, no steam, had a service soon light, and engine had a slight miss at startup that cleared after a few seconds of running. I took the Nissan to breedens auto repair. Breedens determined engine had a blown head gasket, and a miss in no. 2 cylinder. The Nissans engine was repaired. Breedens mechanics told me the following: Nissan had 4 or 5 (service) notices on failed head gasket with cylinder number 2 miss for the 2005 1. 8 Sentra, however no recall exists; engine coolant and radiator were clean; new type head bolts were required with the gasket replacement and required 60 foot-pounds of torque; that when removing the head they found the rear bolts to be much looser than the front bolts (not the required torque); and they found no other reason to explain head gasket failure. The 1. 8 Nissan engine head gasket should not fail on a well maintained, non-abused engine with 62k miles. I believe Nissan had indications that some of their 1. 8 engines had a problem blowing head gaskets because of the notices. I suspect Nissan attributed these recorded failures to head bolt torque, and I wonder why no recall notice was forthcoming. Nissan gave a negative response on February 28, 2008.

Concern: engine lost almost all of its power. The head was cracked, and the #4 cylinder was missing one of the 2 compression rings. Car was in shop for over 40 days. Correction: waited 30 days for parts, entire engine, exhaust system, and intake were replaced. Car still runs horrible, and now the transmission does not like to shift when it is cold. The car over heated and possibly causing a fire.