NHTSA Complaint #10068046 — 2003 NISSAN SENTRA

1) I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT--THE FRIST CAR AT THE LIGHT--ON A TWO LANE DIVIVED HIGHTWAY IN BOTH DIRECTIONS. I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GEREN I ACCLELRATED AND THE CAR TOOK OFF LIKE IT WAS IN OVERDRIVE. WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE CAR DID A 360 DEGREE COUNTER-CLOCKWISE ROTATION. THE PASSENGER SIDE HIT THE MEDIAN AND DEFLATED BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR TIRERS. THE CAR NEVER STALLED. I WAS ABLE TO WOBBLE OVER TO THE RIGHT LANE AND EXIT THE HIGHWAY ON TO A DIRT ROAD WHICH WAS THE ENTRANCE TO A COOK COUNTY FOREST PRESERVE. I RAN INTO A STEEL GATE WHICH WAS ACROSS TTHE ROAD AS THE FOREST PRESERVE WAS CLOSED. I SUSPECT BECAUSE TWO OF MY TIRES WERE DEFLATED, MY BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING. 2) ACTUALLY, I WAS TAKING MY CAR TO WOODFIELD NISSAN FOR SERVICE WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. WHEN I TRIED TO TURN ON THE AIR-CONDITIONING, THE KNOB (WHICH GOES FROM BLUE--COOL-- TO RED--HEAT--WAS NOT WORKING. USUALLY THE KNOB SUCH TURNS SMOOTHLY, BUT THIS TIME, THERE WAS A GRATING SENSATION AND THE COOLING SYSTEM DID NOT TURN ON. THE HEAT COULD NOT BE TURNED OFF AND THE COOLING SYSTEM COULD NOT BE TURNED ON. WHETHER THIS PROBLEM CAUSED THE OTHER EVENT IS HARD TO SAY, BUT I FAVOR A "CAUSE AND EVENT" EXPLANATION. 3) THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO MY CAR. MY INSURANCE COMPANY AUTHORIZED ABOUT $7,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE. MY CAR IS STILL AT WOODFIELD NISSAN BODY SHOP AWAITING PARTS WHICH HAVE BEEN ON BACK ORDER SINCE ABOUT MARCH 22. I HAVE ASKED JOHN AT THE BODY SHOP TO MAKE SURE THAT HE HAS THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT LOOK AT MY ORIGINAL AIR-CONDITIONING PROBLEM, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT WILL HAPPEN UNTIL THE BODY SHOP IS FINISHED WITH THE CAR. INCIDENTALLY, I RECEIVED A A NOTICE OF A RECALL FROM FEGUS NISSAN IN EARLY JAN. OF THIS YEAR (RECALL CODE: R3022). I TOOK MY CAR TO WOODFIELD AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS "NO OUTSTANDING CAMPAIGNS." I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE REASON FOR THIS RECALL.