NHTSA Complaint #10078302 — 2001 NISSAN MAXIMA

I BELIEVE THE RIGHT FRONT STRUT I PURCHASED FOR MY 2001 NISSAN MAXIMA IS BEING INCORRECTLY MANUFACTURED BY KYB AMERICA, LLC (SUBSIDIARY OF KAYABA INDUSTRY COMPANIES). PROPER INSTALLATION OF THE ABS LINE AND THE MAIN BRAKE LINE CAN NOT BE ACHIEVED DUE TO REASONS DOCUMENTED IN THE EXCERPT OF CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN MYSELF TO KYB AMERICA BELOW. THIS MONTH I HAVE BEGUN TO NOTICE SOME DANGEROUS WEARING ON MY BRAKE LINE CAUSED BY IMPROPER MANUFACTURING/INSTALLATION. KYB HAS ONLY RESPONDED TO MY INITIAL FORM FILLED OUT ONLINE WITH A GENERIC AUTO RESPONDER EMAIL LISTING THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION. THE PICTURE I REFERENCEBELOW IS AVAILABLE AT THE WEB ADDRESS: HTTP://WWW.ASTUTEINNOVATIONS.COM/STRUT.HTM THE FOLLOWING IS FROM AN EMAIL I SENT ON APRIL 15, 2004: "THE REASONS I THINK IT MAY BE MANUFACTURED WRONG ARE SHOWN ON THE PICTURE, HERE IS THE MAIN POINTS. "I CAN'T GET THE RETAINER CLIP FOR THE BRAKE LINE ONTO THE KYB STRUT BECAUSE OF A BENT LIP. THE BENT LIP IN THE PICTURE IS REFERRING TO THE OVERALL SHAPE OF THE METAL NOT THE ROUNDED TOP EDGE. "THE REAR ABS SENSOR MOUNT IS THE SAME AS THE NISSAN STRUT BUT THE FRONT SENSOR MOUNT HAS A MOUNT THAT OPENS FACING DOWN. THIS FORCES THE ABS SENSOR TO TAKE A SHARP TURN DOWN IN ORDER TO GET TO THE OPENING OF THE KYB MOUNT. I THINK I MENTIONED THAT MY ABS LIGHT CAME ON BUT IT IS NOW OFF. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME EVEN THOUGH I'M FAIRLY SURE THE ABS SYSTEM IS FINE. I ALSO HAD TO ZIP TIE THE BRAKE LINE TO THE KYB MOUNT BECAUSE OF THE RETAINER CLIP ISSUE & THIS ALSO SCARES ME BECAUSE IF THE ZIP TIES FAIL THEN MY BREAK LINE WOULD END UP DANGLING LOOSELY AND MIGHT GET DAMAGED AS A RESULT (I CHECK THE ZIP TIES EVERY TIME BEFORE I DRIVE THE VEHICLE)." THANK YOU CHUCK CHRISTIANSEN. *AK