NHTSA Complaint #10083179 — 2003 NISSAN MAXIMA

THE HEADLIGHTS TO A 2003 NISSAN MAXIMA HAVE BEEN STOLEN ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. ON BOTH OCCSSIONS THE THIEFS BENT THE INTERNAL METAL FRAME THAT MOUNTS THE BUMPER TO THE CAR TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE HEADLIGHT FROM BELOW. THIS FRAME IS A SHEET METAL STAMPING THAT CAN EASILY BE BENT BY APPLYING A SMALL AMOUNT OF A PERSONS BODY WEIGHT TO THE STRUCTURE. THE SHEET METAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE FENDER AND HOOD ALSO ALLOW A THIEF TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE HEADLIGHT BY FORCIBLY BENDING BACK THESE STRUCTURES. THE PLASTIC BRACKET THAT HOUSES THE HEADLIGHT AND MOUNTS IT TO THE FRAME OF THE CAR IS SHATTERED BY PRYING IT FROM THE FRAME WITH A TOOL. THIS PLASTIC STRUCTURE IS NOT SUFFICIENTLY STRONG ENOUGH TO DETER A THIEF FROM STEALING THE HEADLIGHT. THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL SHEET METAL STRUCTURE THAT MOUNTS THE PLASTIC HEADLIGHT HOUSING TO THE FRAME OF THE CAR. THIS STRUCTURE HAS AN ELECTRICAL BOX ATTACHED TO IT. IN BOTH CASES OF THEFT THIS STRUCTURE WAS FORCIBLY BENT BACK TO ACCESS THE REAR OF THE HEADLIGHT FOR REMOVAL. THIS STRUCTURE TOO IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO PREVENT A THIEF FROM FORCIBLY GAINING ACCESS TO THE HEADLIGHT. IT IS WORTH MENTIONING THAT THE ABOVE MENTIONED STRUCTURES WERE COMPROMISED SO EASILY, THIS VEHICLE'S ARMED, PROPERLY FUNCTIONING, FACTORY EQUIPPED ALARM SYSTEM WAS NOT SET OFF DURING THE THEFT. AFTER THE FIRST OCCURRENCE, I BROUGHT THE CAR TO POUGHKEEPSIE NISSAN FOR THEM TO INSTALL THE 'ANTI-THEFT DEVICE'. I DON'T KNOW IF OR WHAT WAS DONE BUT OBVIOUSLY IT DID NOT DETER THE THIEF(S). I HAVE BEEN FINANCIALLY BURDENED BY THIS. NOT ONLY DO I HAVE TO PAY A DEDUCTIBLE BUT HAVE TO RENT A CAR.*AK