Nissan & Mercedes Knew this Major Factory Defect Would Cost Owners Thousands out of Warranty.

Nissan and Mercedes were both sued over a major factory defect that could leave owners stranded and with a massive repair bill. Nissan settled their lawsuit but Mercedes didn't. In this video I show the horrible defect that caused major transmission issues, what to do about it and what happened with the lawsuits.
Coupon Code for Testing Strips: Legit.
Enter this in the customer comments when checking out.
www.acustrip.com
Check out FCP Euro, they rock!
www.fcpeuro.com
Here is the master list of offenders. I just started this so give it some time. You guys rock and I know I will have a bunch of mechanics posting up all the notorious cars with this issue.
docs.google.co...
Email me for the official Technical bulletin from Mercedes. This will show you how to check for faulty radiator. [e-mail]
Nissan lawsuit info.topclassaction...
Mercedes lawsuit info.www.carcomplai...
Thanks and don't forget to like and Subscribe.
Alex

[@officialclownbusiness7788]

My milkshake Gets all the parts in the yard, Damn right, More broken than yours, But I'm like, It's better than yours, They can fix it, But they have to charge

[@bryanleverett2830]

Ummm. That’s fucking great man lol

[@myveryfirstname]

😁😁😁😁😁😁😂😂$😥😭😭

[@TENNSUMITSUMA]

you win!

[@pulsiui4003]

Genius!!!!!!!!!

[@hardonthegasgtboyz1586]

Internet Gangsta lol

[@juancarloslozano3374]

To avoid that transmission failure (I suffered a Volvo's one :( ), we need to bypass the radiator cooling and replacing with an external cooler. Cheap and effective!

[@JayDee-xj9lu]

Totally agree. I do that to every car I buy.

[@WarpedPerception]

$7k Strawberry Milkshake only at the drive through. "Is this thing slipping??" Lol

[@Mabeylater293]

Renault is the cancer that links these two cars together.

[@christophervanzetta]

Yup. Ever since they bought out Nissan quality has gone down the toilet

[@Flying_GC]

@@christophervanzetta ok Scotty Kilmer 🙄 oh post link to where Renault 'own' Nissan. I'll wait.

[@samsadeniz]

@mike a you are correct. French own 40 something % of nissan. Former Renault CEO is in Jail for serious crimes in Japan if I'm not mistaken.

[@anthonymolina7416]

samsa deniz yeah stealing company funds

[@charleshines6155]

Some say that Nissan quality really plummeted when Renault came along to Nissan. My Mother has a 2017 Rogue Sport. It will be interesting to see how long that CVT lasts. That is because CVTs are not known for reliability. It is easy to see why when she had a 2010 Jeep Patriot with a CVT which failed at 36,000 miles. It also had a tendency to at random moments just stall. I was driving it home once and could feel it wanting to stall except that the momentum of the vehicle seemed to be just enough to fight that. I could feel slight jerking while it tried to stall and I knew that was happening. It kinda reminds me of the problems some GM ignition switches except that this was not from an ignition switch. We don't have that Jeep any more but I really do hope that Chrysler recalled them. At the time we had that problem there was no recall. I am not sure if there ever was one on those for that problem but that is rather frightening to have that happen because it is dangerous. It is not only dangerous to the driver of that vehicle but to all others around him/her. I wonder how many people rear ended these Jeeps because of this sudden shut off issue.

[@johnkaimins9998]

BYPASS the radiator with a Transmission cooler! Cheap and Effective.

[@sptrader6316]

I agree, if you buy one of these cars, immediately install a separate trans cooler- problem solved permanently.

[@klwthe3rd]

This was a very informative and intelligent video. First time viewer and I was so highly impressed with Alex's thorough coverage of this topic. Nice to see super quality videos that give very important information.

[@LegitStreetCars]

Kenneth White Thanks so much, glad you liked it. See you next video. Alex

[@97TRAKIN]

I bypassed the radiator's transmission cooler in my Armada to avoid this problem. I installed an external cooler that works in tandem with the truck's factory external cooler to keep temps in check.

[@sargentsakto9236]

I always bypass the factory transmission cooler with an aftermarket one. The transmission runs cooler and I never have to worry about this problem.

[@thelifeofrjjohnson3543]

This happened to my xterra and I had a warranty and my transmission was hesitating and they rigged my transmission to get me over 100k and if completely went out and cost 6500 to fix! So I called my bank and they agreed to sell the car at auction! Till this day it still pisses me off!

[@shayanigiritharan6674]

omg my dad had a Xterra and the same thing happened to him so he decided to sell it and buy a brand new Nissan Murano Platinum.

[@thelifeofrjjohnson3543]

Queen Shay I’m sorry to hear that, yes it’s a pain I want to sue the shit out of Nissan soo bad! I just choose not to support the brand anymore I just can’t trust them. I still had a warranty on my truck when it started acting up and I took it in and they New it was going out and they just flushed it and changed the torque converter just to get it over 100k and I got just over 100k and it crashed! Nissan is really shitty for doing this to innocent people! And that was my first car I ever financed at 19 and I had to give it up because every place I took it to wouldn’t touch it because there is soo much programming to do that the only choice was Nissan which wanted to charge 7 grand to fix!

[@volodymyrbuchak1852]

Dude,external radiator will be $50 plus 1,5 hours to DIY,

[@user-fl2ug7sr3t]

@@volodymyrbuchak1852 it's more than just a radiator,

[@volodymyrbuchak1852]

SturdyTuber ??? It is in this case.

[@robertmontgomery7158]

BMW has no dipstick 😩

[@youngroosevelt38]

David Hill Ha!! So all I have to do is look in the mirror to find it!

[@BmwMe-uh9sy]

Yes but BMW doesn't really have this problem

[@q-bert6454]

My 2015 Camry has a sealed transmission with no dipstick

[@BmwMe-uh9sy]

Q- Bert but Camrys are slow tho

[@stefanfreestylez]

Bmw M3 e46 everything can be slow when comapred to something faster dont hate dude soke people drive them as dailys and others dont have money for soemthing better. End of the day both those guys are fucken morooonnnss for buying that piece of junk car👍

[@DeusVolo]

Very cool how you tested the strips with different coolant contamination levels. My manual transmission has no use for these! We want a bloopers reel!!!

[@TheBrokenLife]

Perhaps not those specific strips, but you can have your oil analyzed for things like bearing wear even on a manual transmission.

[@danasixty4012]

Went to Auto Zone brought a trans cooler installed it myself cut lines to radiator and connected trans cooler ,wasn't going to wait for wimpy trans stripes

[@YourE39]

Another massive factory defects that Mercedes are known for are the balance shaft issues (i think you did a video on this), the PZEV fuel tank leaks (only option is a $3000 replacement fuel tank) but the component its self has a 150k mile pzev warranty that a lot of dealers refuse to honor, and the regular fuel tank leaks that have had a warranty extension on them as well. Additionally Mercedes also have problems with their intake manifolds (tumble flap arms breaking). Volkswagen TSI engines between 2009-2012 suffer from spontaneous timing chain tensioner failure. VW has a TSB for this but will not issue a recall. I think a class action lawsuit may have been started.

[@Albanianguy9]

Wow I had no idea my E 55 could be affected by a problem like this. Great video

[@nawzy202]

THE-ALBANIAN-GUY If your radiator is made by behr then yes

[@atos.nympha3451]

@@nawzy202 so behr radiators are bad or?

[@nawzy202]

@@atos.nympha3451 yes

[@michaelmakaj6275]

Jo mor shok ska problem e 55 super mjet asht e pavdekshme

[@UpwindHJO]

You should do a video on the ford 5.4 triton engines in the f150 model years of 2004 to 2007, just be warned it’s a f***ing rabbit hole, here is just a short list of some things that can/will go wrong with this engine. 1. Spark plugs break when attempting to remove from engine leaving porcelain debris inside of cylinder. 2. Ironically spark plugs have also been known to become loose over time, increasing the risk of a spark plug ejecting from the engine and completely stripping the threading of the aluminum head. 3. Faulty oil pump, the oil pump that comes stock on these engines have been known to to not provide the engine with an adequate amount of oil, which leads us to... 4. The timing chain in the engine becomes locked into an “over retarded state” due to the lack of oil needed to keep the timing chain lubricated, the biggest symptom of this is that the engine will produce more low end torque but loses torque/power in higher RPMs, which leads us to... 5. If the issue of number 4 is left untreated for too long then one of the two cam phasers (usually the left camphaser) begins to rip it self apart, it can be difficult to diagnose this issue but it is most commonly associated with a ticking noise that can easily be mistaken for bad valves or a cracked exhaust manifold but unfortunately if it is your camphaser then you are looking at a repair cost of 2,000-3,000 dollars or more, depending on the extent of the damage, sorry but unfortunately it doesn’t even end there. 6. If you happen to be like myself and the owner prior to myself and decide to spend the money on repairing issue 5, you will be completely wasting your time because your timing chain and camphaser will repeat the exact same issue until you address issue 3 (faulty oil pump) but by that point you would be better off getting rid of truck all together and avoiding anything with a 5.4 triton V8.

[@LegitStreetCars]

Wow great info. Send me an email if you get a chance. I do want to make a video on these engines. Maybe I can ask you a question or two. [e-mail] Alex

[@Philupization]

My dad's 2004 expedition with 5.4 has 475k miles on it. Most original parts.

[@UpwindHJO]

Philupization Wow that’s very impressive! I envy your dad because my experience with mine was complete opposite, I have read reports where owners had very little problems with there trucks. Which makes it that much more unfortunate for those who did not get the same level of quality.

[@jcgamer892]

the whole 4.6/5.4 engine series is a rabbit hole

[@atx-cvpi_99]

Philupization That’s because your dad’s Expedition is not a 3 valve.

[@aaronbritt2025]

I was a Nissan dealer tech for 4 years. First thing I did when bringing any 4.0 truck into the shop was rev the engine in neutral to listen for the phantom supercharger (timing chain whine) and pop the cap off the coolant reservoir to check for a red oil slick on the coolant. Next, I listen to the dash for the clicking air mode door actuator. Once on the lift, check for cracked motor mounts, leaking oil cooler seal and front swaybar bushings mushing out of the brackets. If you buy a used 4.0 Nissan truck with an automatic, check the repair history. If the radiator has never been replaced (ask your local dealer to run a "service-comm" on your VIN), replace it. A (non-OEM) radiator is cheap and the labor should be under 2 hours.

[@RapidRaptor]

Haha I have a 2005 Xterra with the phantom supercharger sound and the clicking air door actuator. 160,000 miles and it still runs great though

[@johnniethepom2905]

@@RapidRaptor The noise is the warning of impending failure . The symptoms are not going to fix themselves , you don't have long before you're up for an entire engine replacement .

[@tessvi3110]

I just bought a 2010 Xterra Off Road with the 6 speed transmission so I know I won't have the strawberry milkshake problem. But the timing chain wine I've never checked for, and the clicking in the dash I think I've heard.

[@hullinger]

Great video as always, Alex. Loved the intro too. It was a lot of fun. I had the pink milkshake on a 3rd Gen 4Runner. It was such a shame too as the trans replacement was more than double the cost of the truck. :( -Chris

[@rdj0981]

Just found your channel and I'm hooked. Great content!

[@rickb8808]

Wife was a traveling nurse and everyone in her facility bought Suzuki's. We had 6 of them over the years. They built them to well and they lasted so it put them out of business in the U.S.. My wife had 135,000 miles on her SX4 and normally got a new car at 100,000 miles. Since The Suzuki Equator truck was supposedly produced by Nissan we figured we'd try Nissan. I got a 2012 Nissan Frontier, my wife a 2013 Nissan Rogue. The first and last Nissan's we'll ever own. The truck keeps losing heat in the winter. Get's air in the cooling system ? They have to "burp" it then it's OK for awhile. Does not over heat. Some Nissan's with the 4.0 has this issue. Not all I guess. $39.00 every burp ! And sitting in the waiting room I've been told by other Frontier and Xtera owners the radiator issue wasn't solved in 2010 like they say. Some 2011 and 12's have experienced the problem. Also hear about the CVT transmission horror stories with the Rogue. I have been told many times get rid of the car at 60,000 miles ? Don't know what to buy, Toyota ? I know people with Fords who have turbo issues with their eco boost engines.

[@hellcat1988]

This is exactly why I tend to try and find out as much as I can about a car before buying. It's also why I invested in an aftermarket transmission cooler and bypassed the radiator's cooler in some of my trucks.

[@edimalan14]

Hey I love your videos they are super crazy informative.

[@practicalguy973]

Great video. I'm getting those testing strips! You need to make a video on the real nasty thing of the last decade, the car CVT. So many people are sold it is a better option giving better performance and fuel economy. But the reality is that car type CVTs are designed to expire and need service by their very nature so instead of any savings you pay big time in most cases. Lots of moving parts (hundreds in a steel belt) along with a oil pressurized pulley system that is designed to fail. Nissan and Subaru are some of the highest repair costs and some of these failures will happen many times in the cars life. Nissan doesn't even offer parts for the CVT, you just got to get a new replacement for many thousands. A CVT in a snowmobile as a comparison only costs $150 to service and has no complicated oil pressure system and can be done by the owner in 5 minutes. You can see how the car version is designed to make them lots of money compared this. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mnSsd6SOir19Z9k

[@jasonhorst5490]

Thanks Bro. My son, in the Air force, not knowing what to do shipped me his neglected c240. It was videos like yours that enabled me to breathe new life back in the car. It’s now a very road worthy daily driver. My daughter is currently using it to shuttle back and forth to college. Point being I was able to perform extensive repairs and service myself saving thousands. A surprisingly easy car to work on

[@AlexandarHullRichter]

I installed a used radiator once when I was 21. I did it because my car was old enough that OE radiators were unavailable, and I happened to find one that still worked (the donor car was running before I took the radiator and a few other parts). Long story mode short: the used radiator exploded before my car warmed it up for the first time. I laughed at how stupid that was, and never bought a used radiator again.

[@MarkGamingTV]

Subaru head gasket / Ringland failure haha

[@alycestapleton]

502_STI shit gearbox’s diffs ,suspension .oil filled bushes rear sway bar mountings rip out from under the rear I body

[@robjohnson8212]

That's a good one. Subaru has such a biased following, most just make an excuse for routine head gasket failure under 100K miles: "It's cuz itsa flat for." WTF? That doesn't excuse anything. I like Subarus, but they get away with this BS just because of their name.

[@viyau]

2008 WRX firewall failure caused clutch to squeak. Massive repair.

[@Vankin77]

@@robjohnson8212 my Sub. Legacy developed this problem. Damn, that was disappointing. It was otherwise in good mechanical shape.

[@claycoates5056]

@@robjohnson8212 the only problem here is the lack of failer to change the coolant that will destroy head gaskets just check the chemistry and one can see the bases of the problem

[@kennethc.bishop7090]

I subscribed to this channel months, maybe a year ago. I hit the notification bell. I never got any. I forgot about the channel (no offense). This video popped up in the Recommended section today. This guy is one of the least annoying car guys out there. Good vid.

[@LegitStreetCars]

So glad it came up in notifications at least. Many KZbinrs complain that notifications don't work. Thanks for watching. Alex

[@WarpedPerception]

Kenneth C. Bishop completely agree !!

[@EdwardM104]

If you bypass the transmission cooler in your radiator, I would suggest adding a thermostat in line with the transmission fluid. The reasoning behind this is that it's also not good for the transmission fluid to be too cool. The transmission cooler in a radiator, especially in a system that also has an external cooler from the factory, acts as a temperature regulator as well.

[@Anna-tc6rz]

This is why I like to buy older cars that have been proven to be reliable. Pretty much everything on my 92 civic has broken but the motor/transmission lol

[@Redridininyohood]

High five man same with my 95 accord. Best gens those years!

[@Anna-tc6rz]

@@Redridininyohood my only problem is forgetting to turn the headlights off -_-

[@axlef1513]

So true. 92-00 Civic and 94-97 Accord. Best cars ever built. 01+ Civic Automatic tranmission junk. 98 Accord+ transmission junk.

[@Redridininyohood]

@@Anna-tc6rz that should have a built in chime. Your may be inoperable or deleted? But I'm guilty of leaving the interior light on. Windows arent even tinted lol but interior gets me EVERY time I kill my battery unless it's on it's way out anyways haha

[@hondatrix]

Subaru heads, ringlands, cambelts, Jeep/Nissan/Mitsubishi CVT, Hyundai/Kia 4speed automatic failures, Ford Focus Powershift failures..

[@potjnkye86]

Another idea for a video I think would be the Nissan's CVT transmissions and the power steering pumps

[@K4R3N]

Yeah i'm suspicious of the Subaru Outback/Legacy CVT. Mine is ok so far 2010/90k miles but they sent out a notice to owners about covering replacement costs

[@oonmake123]

Power steering pumps? What roplem and what model🙈

[@GIGABACHI]

I bought a new 2018 Rogue, Planning on replacing the CVT fluid at 20-30k miles WAY BEFORE the 60K Nissan recomend, THEY MUST BE HIGH AS FUCK when they write this recommended service intervals. It's like they tell you do it at 60K on purpose so it kills itself SLOWLY BUT SURELY with out tripping any alarms or rising any red flags so when your transmission finally takes a dump the car is already out of warranty. Spread them cheeks and break out the KY, ButterCup, it's gonna HURT.

[@GIGABACHI]

Lane Splitter wow, that HURTS. 😦👎

[@Philupization]

My gf's 2010 murano trans went out at 99k.

[@alexhaws2377]

Oh and Ford Ecoboost engines are currently having lots of issues in Europe. I forget the scope and detail of the issues but it was something to do with coolant loss. If memory serves, some guy in Australia paid a "proper" mechanic to go through everything with a fine tooth comb and he found a major design flaw in the coolant system, allowing coolant to reach ridiculous temps.

[@AMGmeister]

Good vid! That's one of the reasons I went for the '04 as the issue was corrected by then.

[@TheMoreCylindersTheBetter]

AMGmeister the issue only affected MY03 E55’s? I have an 04 like you, would be good piece of mind to be sure my trans won’t grenade itself.

[@AMGmeister]

Yes, only '03s

[@LegitStreetCars]

Thanks brother. I only bought my 03 because the previous owner proactively installed the external and there were no symtoms of the issue. And it was a great deal, haha. Alex

[@BmwMe-uh9sy]

AMGmeister or don't buy the Benz in first place

[@xxroyalxtigerxx]

I'd rather have a 03 merc supercharged v8 making 470hp/510lb-ft than an 03 NA V8 doing 400hp/400lbft. you just can't beat that torque and acceleration. And as the current owner of an F07 BMW 550i GT, BMW's are unreliable trash, the only good ones are the old ones but they've got no guts to them. I can't count on 2 hands the number of times the Injectors have failed and needed to be replaced, the hpfp shits the bed in only 2-3 months after each repair. Class A Garbage, for 82k? No thanks, I'd rather stick to brands that can design a drivetrain eg Mercedes and Lexus. Bought a 17' GLS450 as my 3rd car instead of an X5, couldn't be more satisfied, inside and out it trashes on BMW. No shitty door lock rattles, no cut and paste interior, the 1 thing I like more about BMW's is the Infotainment, the mercedes one isn't amazingly intuitive.

[@americanoutdoorsman6348]

Not surprised by the great content as always

[@malcolmbradley-sinotte1943]

This problem is common on the 2001 volvo s80 t6 also as well as numerous volvos in the early 2000s, engine oil an trans fluid mixing with coolant, there is a TSB on ALLDATA about it

[@nilsutt]

Volvos usually only has this problem if the owner fails to use the correct coolant. To little antifreeze/water. To cheap antifreeze without corrosion inhabitants. The tube in the radiator is steel and it rusts out if there is coolant that cant prevent/promotes rust.

[@karimxwoods]

Malcolm Bradley-Sinotte all automatic trans volvo has this issue except S40 1st gen

[@ghostwrench2292]

The Volvo problem is almost exclusive to the P2 chassis (‘03-14 XC90, ‘99-‘06 S80, ‘03-‘09 S60, ‘03-‘06 V70/XC70, ‘00-04 C70). The P1, P3 and SPA chassis cars have a little transmission oil cooler box hanging on the radiator (coolant does flow through it) but that failure is pretty rare.

[@rmahoney1589]

My 2007 Nissan Pathfinder developed this problem at 120k and needed new trans and radiator. I was furious when found out it was a known defect and could have been prevented with a simple external trans cooler. Thanks for making this video !!

[@MrFlazz99]

Having worked for a HVAC manufacturer, the most disgusting thing is how much of a mark-up the car makers add on when you need a new heat exchanger. The manufacturer sells the radiator or condenser to the car maker for about $30 and then by the time the dealer sells it to you the car owner, it's suddenly more like $500. I once had an Audi owner put through to my office - kudos to him for finding out the factory that manufactured the condenser for his model - and ask me how much my company would charge if he wanted to buy direct from the factory because he was sickened by Audi's dealer price (about £700 - that's UK pounds, not dollars of any kind - for the replacement job and this was quite a few years ago). Ever the company man, I betrayed no commercial confidences, but he guessed well. I was even on the same side as this gentleman over the rampant profiteering on car spares - a decent halfway house would have saved him $250 in US money and made my employer the same amount extra - but I had to turn down the opportunity. Little footnote - car manufacturers knock down component/system manufacturers to minimum price, so don't be surprised when something goes wrong in your nice car. Also don't go thinking that your Mercedes Benz / BMW / Audi only uses really good components simply because they're German - those companies are still cheapskate corporate bullyboys. Audi is probably the best of the three, but it's like comparing different grades of what comes out of the back of an animal (and VW group set the benchmark for ultracheapness at the budget end - your nice Golf/A3 hides some of the poorest lowest-spec stuff behind its quality fascia). The safest bet is Japanese and even then you need to be careful - components/systems often come from China nowadays (regardless of the car brand).

[@bbgnate]

Your videos are excellent. Keep it up.

[@joedesalvo3316]

Mario Mercedes.... LMAO

[@braydensdeals]

This exact issue happened to me with a 2002 neon, I caught it the very same day it was a drastic failure and was able to flush both systems thoroughly, and replace the radiator and it did not ruin the transmission. I didn’t know this was a common issue I guess you can add that car to your list.

[@mujjuman]

i love ur super informative videos. nice intro too haha i loved the skit

[@DoctaFoxXx]

This is a great series, keep it going.

[@scottdrozd7627]

Fantastic video & thanks for shoutout! - FCP Euro CEO

[@lordperezident]

Scott Drozd anyway you can setup a coupon code with him? I use fcpeuro more often then other places and can't beat the lifetime warranty!

[@lneedham1116]

FCP Euro has always been my go to for my 99' CLK450 Mercedes Benz and 01' B5 S4 Audi... Hands down the best in the euro parts distributor, OE to the to best factory fitting aftermarket upgrades! No one beats their life time guarantee! Also an A++ for customer service, I've only had one issue with one of my over night shipped items and was promptly resolved and they waved the shipping fee and I got my parts the next day as promised! If you're not using FCP for your European replacement parts you really should do your research and go with #1.. You may save yourself and few bucks somewhere else, but end up buying the same part twice when some knock off OE part fails. FCP Euro! Buy it once and it's insured for the life you own your vehicle!! Thanks from Just one of your many very satisfied FCP customer's!!

[@ghostwrench2292]

Fcpeuro is where I get my parts for my Mini and Volvo!

[@roberttroxell4006]

My teenaged son wrecked the front end of my Volvo. A friend at my work repairs cars on the side and agree to take on my Volvo. He got is running again and replaced some damaged parts. The radiator was tipped back by the collision but otherwise looked OK. About 6 months later, I checked my coolant and was startled to see that it looked purplish with blobs floating in it. I took the car to my Volvo mechanic and he found transmission fluid in my coolant and coolant in my transmission. The radiator that looked OK on the outside was messed up inside. The mechanic replaced the radiator and flushed both the cooling system and transmission, the latter multiple times until the transmission fluid coming out was red. He drove the car and told me it seemed to be shifting OK - said the coolant might hasten the eventual failure of the transmission but that could drive it til then. And I did. Six months later I took the car back for another transmission flush, as I saw more lumps and purplish color. After that, I continued to use the car daily until I finally sold it several years later. The transmission never gave me any problems.

[@An9eL_C]

This was the main issue I didn't end up buying a used Xterra... After watching this video I should of purchased a good working one and swapped out the faulty radiator... I remember seeing some really good used ones at a great price...

[@townfener9255]

Can you also review cars pls. We really need someone reviewing cars that knows what he is talking about.

[@krubee416]

I'm a simple man. I see you post, I hit the thumbs up button. Phenomenal advice from identification to a solution. Love you for the stellar work! You have mentioned FCPEuro a few times, can you get a code from them so that we can help you out some more with some revenue?

[@lordperezident]

KruBee416 I wish he could get a coupon code to them. I use that website more often then others.

[@MeetJoeBlack55]

Good video for people to be aware of. Luckily, a lot of the Nissans already have an "external cooler" from the factory, making it easy to bypass the radiator unit completely, thus eliminating the possibility of damage. (and can be done by owner in under 30 minutes for free … no parts needed). It has allowed me to keep enjoying my carefree Frontier !! :)

[@russellr4229]

This issue also applies to most Nissan Titans as well. I have an 04 that I bypassed the radiator completely to avoid any possibility of failure. No issues so far.

[@bheypuor]

Your videos are amazing. Do Subaru sti Ringland Failure next

[@philippelahaie7247]

Yeah would be nice, I never actually experienced it myself and in my entourage as well, but did heard of it. I have 05 STi and LGT 06, No issue whatsoever since day one. I think the newer models did have more issues, also maybe the younger crowd just rev the living shit out of them with their blow of valve and stickers., Tune the damn car, beat the car only fully warm up and use quality oil, that is it.

[@davewhitegt]

Bet that car never felt like it pulled so hard in that 10 degree air. 👍🏻

[@LegitStreetCars]

David Fischer It's like driving tires made of ice on a road made of ice. Haha

[@raycalandra1887]

Great videos. As you noted all makes have their problems. Good to have someone out there documenting them, because, as you also noted, not all manufacturers own up to their mistakes.

[@RyanV78665]

Great video Alex, keep the e55 videos coming! You've inspired me to try and buy one in a few months. Another topic might be exhaust manifolds on many cars with built-in cats on them, flex and crack. This is a big problem for Nissan titans and armadas from 04-16 that cause the owners 1200$ per SIDE to replace out of warranty. They've known about the issue for years and refuse to admit it's an issue. My friends shop has many victims come in who bought a cheap nissan titan only to find out it fails a compression test after the previous owner got the cracked manifold, and bits of ceramic were sucked into the cylinders causing engine damage(if you are really unlucky), so they dumped it. I'm pretty sure some other cars suffer from this as well, happened on my buddies ford focus (2010 I think) as well. There is a company that sells a kit to fix it, it's also pricey but at least they spend about half the money than the dealer and it won't happen again. (This is their site, no I don't work for them) www.cajunbpipes.com/

[@squidwardshouse67]

IMS bearing video next?

[@LegitStreetCars]

I will definitely do a video on that. I need to find a Porsche owner that is local and will let me use the car in a video. Alex

[@xishootstuffx]

My first thought too. Second thought... early Northstar Cadillac headgaskets.

[@michaelsylvester7227]

What state are you in? Edit - watched the full video and saw you mention you are in Chicago. Unless you want to drive to NJ.

[@dmares700]

LegitStreetCars i would lwt you use my car but it broke down completely but sounds like someone blending metal

[@BadBrad61169]

Being a 911 owner I'm for this lol.

[@ZeroColdx911]

You should do a video on the stupid claims ATF being "sealed for life"

[@borisstupar4208]

great video! i know that dealership you were just at. glad someone in chi is putting out good content!

[@acrinsd]

Had an '07 XTerra with the issue. Went through 3 different controller modules at $2500 before they realized this was the issue. By the time they figured it out, the truck was over the mileage where Nissan would cover the repairs. In the end, they wanted $10k for the fix, on a truck worth about $7k. What a scam.

[@dman6485]

Haha that was funny. Informative content as always!

[@1981jman]

Have you heard about the newest issue in the 2015-2016 Porsche 911 GT3's, that involves the 3.8 liter flat 6's hydraulic valve lifters causing a catastrophic engine failure? This issue sounds familiar to the dreaded IMS bearing issue in the 996 and early 997.1 model 911's and caymans, does it not? Can you please do a story about this? That would rock!

[@LegitStreetCars]

J H I'll definitely look into it

[@ronaldderooij1774]

Disagree. If you buy a car, you already paid. So you can play. Any car should have zero faults.

[@Placebo6]

Then you stop progress: I agree that German cars are not the same. Now days, if you can't afford brand new get a Japanese/Korean. When i was a kid i bought a golf 1990 1.3l stick with 110k (kilometers) on it. drove it to 330k?!?!?! then gave it to my cousin, he drove it to 380k dropped it at my brothers with faulty alternator and he kept it running to 430k blew the head gasket, rebuilt it and SOLD IT!!! Those were the 90's though. Those sweet days are gone. If we stop buying used German cars they will drop prices. But then what will happened to the only soul that we have left? My cousin currently has a Lex GS. it is "ok" on reliabilty, but driving it makes me feel like I wanna kill myself. So before automated cars are out, and you will be charged for armed assault if you drive by yourself, Enjoy while you still can guys. I do 110k a YEAR for the past 17 or so years. My current 2017 golf tsi stickis economic, cheap, quiet, and EFFICIENT: 6L/100kilometers. Looking to replace the weekender 335i I use to have with other issues, you know, so it doesn't get too boring... ;) Don't you love the chase of error codes? Makes me feel like a man. That's why I do it for living. I Just want to add thank you for this channel to the OP (Alex). It's GREAT.

[@SilverCanary1]

@@Placebo6 is it really that different "nowadays"? Or is it that info like this is so much easier to transmit around the globe that more people are hearing about problems large or small? People circle jerk about how bombproof the old air cooled vws are but if you load them up and drive anywhere half warm up a hill they overheat and you're done for a while at least. And anyone driving one for extended periods of time in a salted/salty environment will also have choice things to say about them after a few years and that's often *before* a ham-fisted mechanic has laid their blunt claws on it. BMW N47 diesel is another. Can you name any new model of car that hasn't had a recall, critical or not in the last 30 years (that wasn't sold by a later bankrupted business which couldn't perform recalls if it wanted to)?! The Takata airbag scandal covers a sweeping variety of them tbf. Pretty much any car of any age is a disaster waiting to happen...

[@jasonvogue4487]

They have been doing trans coolers for a while.. i appreciate you showing people that don’t know about cars that don’t know.

[@alexhaws2377]

Here's a good one to tackle: Rover K-series engine head gasket issues. Initially due to plastic dowels being use to locate the head to the block but also to to location of the thermostat causing thermal shock (especially in mid-engine cars with remote radiators) AND improper assembly of the wet liners in the block (they need a very specific amount of standout), causing them to chatter up and down with the piston.

[@chrischiccino88]

Very well done video I wish I found it before my trip to AAMCO.

[@FunkyShaf]

Something similar happened to my 2007 Cadillac CTS. The transmission cooler lines corroded over time and all of the sudden ripped out of the cooler/radiator as I was driving down the road one day. Lost my fluid and lost all of my transmission gears except park and neutral. The dealer had to replace the transmission lines and the radiator. Apparently I got lucky because the transmission was able to be saved. I sold the car a couple months later and bought a manual.

[@gamerman616]

Me and my dad had this happen 500 miles from home. We fixed it with an aftermarket cooler from the parts store and drove home

[@mikelugo848]

Very interesting . In 1972 and 1973 I was part of a program Exxon was conducting where general motors was blaming Exxon trans fluids for their radiator failures . The same thing was happening

[@richardsharma283]

LMFAOOOOOOOOOOOOOO AGAIN WITH THE HILARIOUS NAMES 😂

[@wholeNwon]

Good theme for a channel. Just subscribed though I have no intention of ever replacing my '98 LS400 even after almost 20 years of great service. It's still a joy.

[@BmwMe-uh9sy]

wholeNwon except lexus are boring af

[@squidwardshouse67]

They ultra reliable though

[@wholeNwon]

To each his own. I've done the more exotic thing and didn't really enjoy being stranded or wondering what was going to break next. I find the relaxing environment of the Lexus, the excellent sound system, the confidence that it will get me there and home again, etc. a complement to my life style. If I do need to push the car, it doesn't complain and looks after me with front and rear radar detectors.

[@klwthe3rd]

Watch ratchet and wrenches video on placing the 98-00 LS400's as the best used car to buy under 5,000 dollars. Awesome cars!

[@Awesomeman1987]

Most bulletproof v8 ever made in my opinion.

[@heiko207]

Very informative video, love the content, experiments and tips. With some editing and sound quality upgrades this channel could go a long way

[@virenvs905]

Yep. As a former pathfinder owner I can confirm everything you said

[@HeROsiNhEaVeN]

Alex...you are definitely at the top of the food chain of KZbin informative auto mechanic’s channel...👍

[@gdi1093]

HeROsiNhEaVeN your username gives me cancer.

[@HeROsiNhEaVeN]

GDI 109 I hope it does...😎👍

[@Godofhel1]

Indeed

[@StarkReality]

Ford F150 Ecoboost Engine destroys timing chains. Mine stretched under normal use at 45K miles. Covered under warranty and dealer knew right away when I came in. Apparently a known issue.

[@LegitStreetCars]

Awesome thanks. I'll add it to the list. Alex

[@TheBrokenLife]

What's really annoying about that is that Ford has had timing chain issues ever since the introduction of the modular motors back in the '90s. How the hell many decades does it take to figure out a timing chain already or just put freaking belts on them and make them more easily serviceable and be done with it.

[@ericwsmith7722]

Maxwellhse,,, that's a Ford thing, when they come up with a bad idea they run with it forever. It took 30 years to come up with a sticker for there "guess a gear" transmission shifter then only 10 or 15 years more to replace the design with one that worked properly. 4 bolt leaky valve covers, rode that out for 60 years...

[@benjamingenous4889]

Dude I love you channel, it's very informative I bought my first Mercedes 2 years ago and I've learned so many things about my car because of you and your information.. I just want to say thank you...

[@nismo370z4]

Good video - you might have mentioned that this CAN happen to ANY vehicle with an AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. This is one reason why coolant and transmission fluid service flush intervals need to be followed to keep contaminents from degrading the internal surfaces. Also bypassing the exchanger/cooler in the radiator with a separate cooler will prevent this problem, but remember without adding a thermostat to the new cooler you are potentially making the transmission shift harder and could shorten it's life due to the fluid not getting to operating temperature. Taking it easy during initial start up and driving, especially in colder weather until the transmission has time to reach operating temperature is highly recommended.

[@LegitStreetCars]

Thanks. I did mention this can happen to many cars so I'm starting a google doc to list as many as possible. Alex

[@LS1LE]

Great video, really sucks about Merc, I expect more from them...

[@nigelalderman9178]

Why? The've been in slow decline since the early 90's. There's been a lot of aspirational chat ablout them getting their quality back up. Like the man said sharing crap parts with Renault doesn't help. Once they stopped making the W126 V8s I stopped buying

[@ashishpatel350]

Can you do some Videos of the weird , funny and interesting crap you've seen as a Mercedes tech?

[@doctorno988]

This happened to my 4Runner at around 120,000 miles. I noticed the issue right away and I was able to just have the transmission flushed and radiator replaced, and I drove it for another 3 years and 50,000 miles before trading it in. My current 4Runner has a 5 speed manual, and doesn't have a transmission cooler.

[@jimjim150]

As someone living in the UK it's funny to hear you recommending EuroCarParts. They have this annoying practice of putting their prices up and sending you a barrage of discount codes via email which aggravates a lot of people. But they're prices are good when they're cheap and they have always honoured lifetime warranties for me, batteries too.

[@vadimm1988]

Love the E55 videos! Keep them coming. Hands down best E55 videos on KZbin.

[@GearheadGarden]

3 words, CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT! Glad it happened. As for a 5K repair on a Nissan, there's no domestic (US) Nissan that's worth a 5K repair, none, zero, nada, recycler time!

[@Verge513]

Gtr....lol

[@richboimagic]

Ha ha Alex ... I know that skokie area very well and I had the same exact issue with a 2003 E500 I bought.... your intro was my reality spot on... I was quoted 10,000 for the repair. I ended up giving the car back and then repurchased an 2004 AWD and again more problems.

[@0xsergy]

Were the cars new or used when you bought em?

[@robsten5387]

That is very nice of you to inform other folks about this consumer fraud by Mercedes and Nissan

[@TheYWNK]

2008 honda civic. Problem Happened at 250k.

[@sibai84]

Or Honda transmissions in the early 2000s failing at 50k miles.

[@John-fz3ij]

250k on original radiator is just asking for problems imo

[@Whateva67]

Alaa Sibai every car company has had auto transmission problems, Honda just gets a bad reputation over it because not a lot of other shit goes wrong with em

[@edk487]

Who the fuck would drive a car over 200k miles.

[@JDMHaze]

2:15 soooooo nissan (owned by FRENCH automaker Renault) was sued, and settled(SURRENDERED)... who would've thought?? 🇫🇷🙌🏾😂😂😂😂

[@_Paul_from_Jax]

I just came across your videos and they're probably some of the best and most informative that I've seen, so great job. I'm not even a Mercedes guy, but your videos have a lot of really interesting content. Just as an add-on to your list, the 1st gen Xterra's (2000-2004) also had this exact same design for the radiator and are also prone to this failure. I bypassed my trans cooler fairly shortly after purchase and luckily never experienced this issue.

[@AVNSpider]

GREAT VIDEO, I have a 2005 Nisan pathfinder there was no leaking issue as you recommended i changed the rad about 2 years ago and no issues so far. the pathfinder has this engine from the 2005-2012 models.

[@autobum8834]

Hey Alex love the vids i have a 2008 Lexus gs350 with a shuttering trans and it’s sealed so I don’t know how I can test it I’ve been told it might be the torque converter do you think maybe it just needs the trans fluid changed or strawberry milkshake of doom

[@NatoriousGamePlay]

Auto Bum it should have a place where you can fill transmission fluid. No transmission is sealed. You can still do fluid changes, just a bit more complicated

[@Wtrxprs007able]

Those Toyota trans will have a filler plug on the side that has "WS" on the plug

[@Mabeylater293]

Some idiot must have tried to change the oil. DONT! Toyota/Lexus transmissions are the most reliable on the market and the fluid is lifetime. Many 300,000+ Toyota’s on original fluid and transmission.

[@asztaloszoltan2001]

GM M32 gearbox.... Pice of shit. Overheats the oil and the f in bearings fail. GM knew didn't do anything until 2012.

[@Candisa]

asztaloszoltan2001 Yeah, Fiat uses those boxes as well. Luckily the one in my 2016 Doblo should be improved and the problem mostly shows up in torquey diesels that are driven at low rpm in high gear... But still, it's a shitty move to only solve it in new cars from 2012 on instead of recalling them all or at least extend the warranty. Suspicious coïncidence: Opel/Vauxhall only started offering the rebadged 2010 Fiat Doblo (with the M32 on the popular 1.6 diesel) as the then new Combo in 2012, as if they knew they were going to get a lot of them failing under warranty in vans that are often driven hard with a lot of weight in the back.

[@fajarreza1]

My dad's '97 Volvo 940 got its milkshake time back in 2008, cost us a torque converter. It was some months after the engine overheated due to broken radiator fan cable (forgot to watch the temp indicator, d'oh). Perhaps it's cracked. The workshop managed to get a dedicated oil radiator from older 940. And few months later we got Nissen when the original radiator finally gave up. The milkshake occurred on our way back home, when I was driving. Sounded like our car has racing gearbox with those spur gear noise. That's the only cool part. Checked the fluid, and found the lite, but milkshake still. Luckily it was just under 1 km from home, so we still managed to get home.

[@grayswandir47]

I have a 1999 Toyota 4Runner with a five speed stick shift. Your Google doc just gave me another reason to like stick shifts.

[@fleetfighter]

Do one on the mid 90’s Mercedes that had biodegradable wiring.

[@LegitStreetCars]

Great idea!! Alex

[@malcolmstone4537]

fleetfighter 80s volvo as well

[@rajalebi]

or the more recent E90/E60 series BMWs with the same issue :(

[@TheBrokenLife]

...and interiors. Mercedes had that soft-touch stuff that would break down in UV exposure after about 10 years.

[@EngineerDZ]

W202 C class had such issues of biogradable wire.

[@ronnymb67]

As a former Benz service advisor, similar issues preceeded this one. There was the great "Fluid Migration" that was a common occurrence. 140 Chassis especially but not exclusively. Trans fluid would push it's way up the wiring harness to the trans control module.

[@ronnymb67]

Donald E Soft little fish? 😂😂 That's cute. If you can find a 140 Chassis tcm for $5, please share it with those owners..

[@TheBrokenLife]

Alex actually already has a video addressing this repair. Not sure which car it is though.

[@ronnymb67]

Maxwelhse Just like this repair, yes, if you catch it early enough it's dirt cheap. If you don't catch it early enough then it's more than a $5 seal. The unfortunate problem is most people, and I say most people, barely lift the hood of their cars as it is so things always wind up at the extreme end of the repair spectrum.

[@TheBrokenLife]

Yes, Alex made all of that very clear when he addressed the issue on whatever car it was.

[@ronnymb67]

Donald E You take whatever route with it you choose. I q test, trolling, whatever. Simply stating the fact that the majority of people do not do pre-emptive service on their vehicle. So to you and I, yes it's a $5 preemptive repair. To the majority of people it's going to be a $7,000 transmission as in the case of this video. Nothing more, nothing less. You take from it what you will.

[@meeder78]

Our car has both a air/oil transmission cooler and a coolant/oil transmission cooler. The latter one is only added when you have a towbar fitted to the car. It is mounted on the transmission itself.

[@jab041997]

Same thing happened to me on my 2005 Nissan pathfinder. This cost me $2,500 i sold the pathfinder right after i fixed the transmission. Great video thanks!

[@nawazwaseem2219]

Mercedes stands for money pit 🤣😂

[@mikecastellon4545]

Nawaz Waseem ENDLESS Money pit

[@chriskennedy7534]

@@om606channel sure you don't mean 2003 or LATER ?

[@aeroflopper]

I have a 2009 180k miles c220 cdi never broke down and i have never spent any money on repairs, only service cost, which are pennies.

[@danielshara5187]

You are Stupid! I never had a problem with my S430 2003. 180,000 nothing broke!

[@tommygun6028]

God Bless Chicago 🇨🇦😎

[@stevenm4959]

Damn it, this video is on point. My 2006 Nissan Pathfinder with 145k has just taken a dump within the last week and it has all of those symptoms, i just parked it in my driveway because at the moment it freezing but i plan on pulling the transmission pan, it did however give me a P1757 code . So if i'm fortunate enough for this to be a solenoid or tcm problem , i will replace the radiator and components but if i have a strawberry milkshake waiting for me, I'll have to let my precious Pathfinder go. I had it since new with 36 miles on it and it has served me well except for sway bar bushing problems I had the first year i had it and Nissan gave me $5000 for the lemon law because i keep taking it in for service and their technicians couldn't find the problem and kept playing with my hood. Seen another youtube channel which spoke about some product called atf210 or something like that which lubricated the bushing and corrected the squeak. You guys rock.

[@exsparky8090]

I bought a Ford Falcon back in 1998, the first thing I was told to do by a transmission specialist was to fit an aftermarket transmission cooler and bypass the radiator. Had the transmission serviced once in 700,000 km...never had an issue.When I worked for a National parts distributor with branches around Australia , we had a few options in types of coolers available in certain radiators. Cheap "Brass coolers" or the more expensive type had stainless steel cooler or coolers. As I was handling our Sydney branch warranties we often had blown coolers on the cheaper radiators. "It's the chicken and the egg" Did the cooler fail or was there excess transmission pressure.

[@mohammedbenz9361]

Do u recommend that i buy a used 2005 e55 with 50k miles on it that was used in a hot climate were the summer top degrees is 50C ? For 12000$ it looks very clean but I haven’t inspected it yet

[@LegitStreetCars]

Echo B3nZ Yea go for it. As long as it's a clean title car and is professionally inspected. That's a great price

[@pricklydingus8604]

You know what Nissan stands for? Fix it again, Tony.

[@ScottSellsSoCal]

Eric Brown ummmm thats for FIAT. 😬

[@McTwistedTwisties]

Had 300ZX, can confirm.

[@MrMatt713]

had nissan hardbody and 240sx and sentra and altima...... can deny

[@WBush-uc9pe]

Scott Mount Hats? For Fiat? 🙄

[@MrMatt713]

never knew that. i just always liked 90's nissans, and hate everything new. i guess i know why now.

[@grumpycarlsworld]

Had a similar fault in an Australian Chrysler, with the soft, cheap Borg Warner 35. Picked up the problem soon enough, when it started showing symptoms. Drained and flushed the cheapy transmission a couple of times, replaced the radiator, and the transmission outlasted the rest of the car. Yes, it did show as a very frothy strawberry milkshake by the time it showed any symptoms, the first being running hot, due to low coolant. Try that before handing over thousands to a dealer.

[@TheOneTrueMvP]

I watched this entire video, stressing about my E55's transmission, only to find out at the very end that it isn't a problem in my '05...

[@LegitStreetCars]

Hey look at the bright side, you don't have a bad radiator!! And you got to watch an awesome video. Alex