Campbell Nelson, Edmonds, WA - Bad Service

[Gregor111]

I bought my first Frontier in May of 2005 from Advantage Nissan in Bremerton, Wa. Their sales department was courteous, professional and did not try to pressure me into buying a bunch of extras I didn't want.

I thought waiting until May would guarantee me a truck free from early production issues. Wrong. All service I ended up needing was performed by Campbell Nelson Nissan in Edmonds, Wa. One of the issues my 2005 faced was a timing chain issue. Nissan has since released a TSB regarding this matter but at the time what I heard was a high pitched whining sound coming from the engine area.

I brought the truck to Campell Nelson's service department to see what they thought. I told a guy behind the counter my problem and his first response was the truck has probably made that sound from day one and I was just now noticing it. I made him listen to it first hand and he diagnosed it as a belt sound of some sort that was totally normal. Yeah right. I decided to come back the next day.

This time I made them run my truck side by side with a brand new 2006. It became painfully clear that my truck had an issue. I was working with a different person this time. I can't remember the name of the guy but he immediately agreed something was wrong and agreed to take my truck in. Eventually the truck was diagnosed with a timing chain problem. That was the tip of the iceberg with my 2005 so suffice it to say I sued Nissan under the lemon law in the summer of 2006 and won my case. I decided to give Nissan another chance so I bought a 2006 model in October of that year from Campbell Nelson.

Fast forward to January 18, 2008. My 2006 Frontier started making THE SAME HIGH PITCHED WHINE! Fortunately, Nissan released a TSB in the summer of 2007 for guess what? A whining sound that is cured by changing the timing chain and timing chain tensioners with a parts list that nearly mirrors what my 2005 went through. It is as if my 2005 is what created the TSB.

At any rate, I feel good that Campbell Nelson Nissan might be more willing to help me out this time so I make an appointment for January 22, 2008. I was wrong. I went so far as to have them start two trucks up to prove the way mine sounded was normal. Naturally they sounded nothing like mine. The idiots behind the counter, one was the same as last time, finally acknowledged that my truck had a sound but that it was totally normal. This was the same diagnosis given to my 2005. I am filled with rage at this point and leave the dealer.

Two days later I go to Performance Nissan in Everett, Washington. The one guy at Campbell Nelson from 2006 who was willing to help me happened to have moved to Performance and wandered into the service bay while I was discussing the problem. He recognized me and remembered all the trouble I went through with the last truck. He said to come back the next morning, January 24, and talk to Jerry, their head Nissan guy.

The next morning Jerry takes all of about 30 seconds with my Frontier to decide that, yes, indeed I have the timing chain issue and he would order the parts for me.

It is now Sunday, January 27 and I hope to have this problem behind me in the coming week. The question I now face is whether to keep this truck, sell it and give Nissan one more chance, or get something different. Had I not been jerked around by Campbell Nelson, twice, I would be much more comfortable buying another Nissan.

Greg

[RaginRabbi]

Good to know not to go to campbell. I too bought at advantage in Bremerton and have only had 1 service so far at the dealership in Renton. So Far no issues, but I know I need another service soon. Next paycheck maybe.