NHTSA Complaint #10140634 — 2003 NISSAN MAXIMA

I WAS STOPPED BEHIND A PICKUP TRUCK WHEN I WAS HIT FROM BEHIND. UPON IMPACT, MY 2003 NISSAN MAXIMA WAS SLAMMED INTO THE PICKUP TRUCK. THE IMPACT TO BOTH THE BACK AND FRONT OF MY CAR CAUSED THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY, BUT NOT THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG. I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT I WALKED AWAY FROM THE ACCIDENT. HOWEVER....FOR AN AIR BAG TO FAIL TO DEPLOY WHEN A CAR IS HIT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FRONT BUMPER . . . WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO TOTAL THE VEHICLE . . . . IS VERY CONCERNING. TWO DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT, I CALLED NISSAN AND PATIENTLY RECOUNTED THE EVENTS OF THE ACCIDENT INCLUDING SPECIFIC VEHICLE INFORMATION, DRIVER INFORMATION, STREET LOCATIONS AND POLICE CASE NUMBER. AFTER 33 MINUTES OF ANSWERING QUESTIONS, I WAS TOLD THAT MY NISSAN CASE #507-46-73 WOULD BE FORWARDED TO AN 'AIR BAG SPECIALIST.' I WAS NOT PERMITTED TO SPEAK TO ANYONE AT THAT TIME ACCEPT THE INFORMATION GATHERING PHONE AGENT. ON A WEEKDAY, DURING BUSINESS HOURS, THERE WAS NOBODY IN A POSITION OF RESPONSIBILITY WHO I COULD BE TRANSFERRED TO, NOT EVEN A SUPERVISOR. SO AS I SIT HERE FIVE WEEKS LATER,I HAVE DECIDED TO FORWARD THE DETAILS TO THE NHTSA IN HOPES THAT YOU CAN IMPROVE UPON THE GENERAL APATHY AT NISSAN AND HAVE SOMEONE STAND AND TAKE NOTICE OF THE ONLY SALIENT POINT OF MY WHOLE CALL TO NISSAN: YOUR EQUIPMENT MALFUNCTIONED...CALL ME. AT THIS POINT, I HAVE PURCHASED A NEW VEHICLE (NOT A NISSAN) AND HAVE MOVED ON, BUT MY HOPE IS THAT IF SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED DUE TO AN AIRBAG DEFECT, THAT THEY CAN REFERENCE MY EXPERIENCE SO THEY CAN TAKE NISSAN TO THE CLEANERS. MAYBE THEN NISSAN WILL FINALLY BOTHER TO TAKE AN INTEREST IN THEIR PRODUCT. *NM