NHTSA Complaint #10005034 — 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA

EXACT DATE OF INITIAL INCIDENT NOT KNOWN. MY CENTER CONSOLE WAS IN USE WHILE HIGHWAY DRIVING BEHIND A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE IN THE FAR RIGHT HAND LANE. DEBRIS FELL ONTO THE ROAD AND IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID IT, I SWERVED TO THE LEFT. THIS ACTION PLACED MORE OF MY WEIGHT ON THE CONSULE AND IT COLLAPSED. WHEN IT DID SO, I FELL TO THE RIGHT AWAY FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND PLACED ADDITIONAL PRESSURE ON THE GAS PEDEL NEARLY SENDING MYSELF INTO THE MEDIAN AND POSSIBLY FLIPPING OVER. I DID MANAGE TO COMPENSATE AND AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT BUT WAS VERY SHACKENED AND HAD TO PULLOVER TO COMPOSE MYSELF. SINCE THEN THE CONSULE HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES. THE PARTS DEPARTMENT HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS SHOULD BE LOOKED AT BY NISSAN AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ADVISED ME I USE THE CENTER CONSOLE INCORRECTLY AND NO PRESURE OR WEIGHT WAS MENT TO BE PLACED ON THIS COMPONENT. IN MY 30 YEARS DRIVING I HAVE DRIVEN MANY CARS WITH CONSOLS AND HAVE NEVER ENCOUNTERED THIS PROBLEM. I AM OF AVERAGE HEIGHT AND WEIGHT AND DO NOT BELIEVE THAT I HAVE CAUSED THIS PROBLEM AND THAT A CONSOLE SHOULD STAND UP TO AVERAGE USE.