Nissan Warranty Advice Needed

dmcassidy2

I have a 2013 Nissan 370Z. The car is a lease and I have never had any issues with the car. Of course, on cue, 3 days after the cars warranty ran out the check engine light went on. I went to the closest Nissan dealer and asked them if there was anyway they could service the car under my warranty given the timing of the issue. They said no and wouldn't even waive the close to $200 diagnostic fee to tell me what the issue was.

So I go around the corner and get the free diagnostic check up from AAMCO (great service Nissan) and was told that a sensor in the motor was going off because the car has a small oil leak, most likely due to a blockage somewhere in the pipes. The guy was nice and suggested to call the dealership I got it from and ask them if they could help me out.

Called the dealership and long story short they said sure they would take care of it but only if I would sit down with a salesman about trading in the car and getting a new one. I didn't think that would hurt and made an appointment. I called them back prior to the appointment to make sure that they were not going to charge me but was eventually told that they would charge me for the diagnostic test and any repairs. When asked about how they were going to value the car on the trade in they admitted they would inspect it but said they couldn't tell me the issue unless I paid the diagnostic test fee.

Worse service ever. I had a Hyundai that had issues right after the warranty ran out and the dealership covered it under warranty.

Anyone have any advice on either how to get Nissan to cover this under the warranty or at least a discount? Any idea on the issue and how much it might cost to fix?

texases

If the warranty ran out, they are under no obligation.

dmcassidy2

Yes, if the warranty runs out they are under no obligation. However, from a customer service standpoint as a courtesy they could inspect the car or offer a discount due to the timing. Like I said, other car companies have done it before. I wouldn't expect them to replace an engine or do any major repairs if that is what is needed.

texases

I've not heard of exceptional service from Nissan dealers. 

dmcassidy2

Just an FYI for anyone that comes across this thread and has the same issues: I got Nissan to fix the car under the warranty. The issue was a blockage in the engine pipes which caused oil to leak. The blockage built up over time and therefore was present during the warranty period. I called the national number for the Nissan warranty and explained that the issue was present during the warranty period and that the issue would have been fixed except for the fact that the sensor didn't detect the problem until after the warranty was up. They opened up a case number for me and I took the car to the local Nissan dealership. I spoke with the manager, explained exactly what happened and gave them my case number. I was responsible for bringing the car to a Nissan dealership and paying for a diagnostic exam to determine what was wrong with the car. The Nissan dealer then called up the national office with my case number and told them what was wrong. Both the local dealership and the national company agreed that the issue built up over time and therefore was present during the warranty. They fixed the car free of charge.

If this happens then there are a few things you should do: 1. don't delay bringing the car to a dealership to document that the issue was present right after the warranty ran out; 2. make sure they document the mileage on the car; 3. Do Not drive the car with the check engine light on, I left my car parked for a week while figuring out how to get Nissan to work with me on the warranty; 4. You should call the national warranty center and get them to open up a case number on your issue prior to bringing the car back to a dealer, this makes it much easier for the dealer to work with Nissan and help you out.

Hope this helps others in the future. To the people that state that they do not have to cover your car after the warranty runs out, that is true if the issue arises after the warranty runs out. However, if something breaks during the warranty period and you have no reason to know that it the car needed to be fixed, such as a check engine light doesn't go on, then it should be covered under the warranty.