NHTSA Complaint #10095652 — 2004 NISSAN ARMADA

I PURCHASED MY NISSAN ARMADA IN DEC. 2003. ON 10/8/04, MY WIFE TOLD ME THE VDC OFF LIGHT, THE SLIP LIGHT AND THE BRAKE LIGHT WERE ILLUMINATED. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE DEALER AND HE HAD ME BRING IT RIGHT IN. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME ON THE SPOT HE THOUGHT IT WAS THE BRAKES. HE WAS CORRECT. HE MUST HAVE HAD EXPERIENCE WITH ARMADA BRAKE PROBLEMS TO KNOW RIGHT AWAY. THE VEHICLE HAD 17000 MILES ON IT AND IT NEEDED A WHOLE FRONT AXLE BRAKE JOB. THE PRICE TAG WAS $206.00 AND THE VEHICLE WAS LAID UP FOR OVER A DAY. I WAS VERY UPSET SO I CONTACTED NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP ACTUALLY TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND THAT I SHOULD UNDERSTAND IT IS A HEAVY VEHICLE. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE FOR MY WIFE AS A PLEASURE VEHICLE, BUT I ALSO WANTED A VEHICLE THAT COULD TOW A BOAT IN THE FUTURE. THE ARMADA IS RATED AT 9100 POUNDS TOWING CAPACITY. I HAVE NEVER TOWED ANYTHING WITH THIS VEHICLE. IMAGINE HOW SOON THE BRAKES WOULD HAVE FAILED IF I USED IT TO TOW ON A REGULAR BASIS. ALSO, REFERRING BACK TO THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP, THE VEHICLE MAY BE HEAVY BUT IT ALSO NEEDS TO STOP THE WEIGHT OF THE CARGO IT IS TOWING. I WOULD HOPE THE ENGINEERS THAT DESIGNED THIS VEHICLE TOOK THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AND INSTALLED HEAVY DUTY BRAKES. THIS VEHICLE OBVIOUSLY HAS BRAKES INSTALLED THAT ARE NOT HEAVY DUTY ENOUGH. I BOUGHT A NISSAN ALTIMA IN 1995 AND I STILL OWN IT. THERE WAS NO QUESTION WHEN NISSAN CAME OUT WITH THE ARMADA, THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER IT FIRST FOR A LUXURY SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE. WELL, MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH NISSAN HAS COME TO AN ABRUPT HALT AND NOW I WISH I HAD TAKEN MY $40,000 TO TOYOTA. *NM