It’s really very responsible when a car company like Nissan lets its customers know there is a safety problem with their vehicles, and issues a recall. But what happens when they won’t take the recalled car back, for no reason anyone can figure out, including Nissan?

Such was the case for Consumerist reader David. He found out that his Nissan Pathfinder had been recalled for a fault fuel filler, and his vehicle was showing the symptoms of this — leaking gasoline if the tank is topped off.

He found the recall document, which stated that 2001 Nissan Pathfinders with VINS JN8*R0***1W500001 – 617275 were being recalled.

He writes (and we’ve starred out part of his VIN to protect his info):

I have a 2001 Nissan Pathfinder with the VIN JN8DR0****W5****6. This number falls in between the recalled vehicles.

However, when I attempt to call Nissan about this, they claim that my vehicle is not eligible for this recall — despite the fact that there was a national recall and my VIN is eligible. The best part is no one from Nissan can seem to tell me WHY my vehicle is not eligible for the recall, and they just keep restating the fact that my vehicle has no open recalls.

Frustrated, any suggestions? I don’t want my car to explode.

Has anyone else run into a similar problem, with Nissan or any other car company?

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