NHTSA Complaint #10151303 — 2006 NISSAN ALTIMA

I PURCHASED A 2006 NISSAN ALTIMA ON DECEMBER 28, 2005. AT 60 - 65 MPH I HEARD A LOUD AND STEADY HUMMING SOUND UNDER THE HOOD AND A WHISTLING SOUND THROUGH THE WHEELS. ON DECEMBER 30, 2005 AT APPROXIMATELY 11:54 AM WHILE EXITING HIGHWAY 59 SOUTH ON THE RAMP TO BELTWAY 8 NORTH IN HOUSTON, TEXAS THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO PERFORM IN THE NORMAL WAY. I HAD STEPPED ON THE BRAKE AS I ENTERED THE RAMP AND THE CAR STARTED TO MAKE WIDE SWERVING ARCS FROM SIDE TO SIDE. WHEN I TRIED TO CENTER THE STEERING WHEEL IT WOULD JUST SWERVE. THINKING I NEEDED TO SLOW DOWN MORE TO GET BETTER CONTROL OF THE CAR, I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE AGAIN, THAT TIME THE CAR STARTED TO SPIN AROUND. IT WAS COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL. AN ONCOMING VEHICLE HIT ME FROM BEHIND AND THAT VEHICLE WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. MIRACULOUSLY, THERE WERE NO INJURIES. HOWEVER, I WAS HEADED INTO A VERY BUSY STRETCH OF BELTWAY 8 AND HAD THE FAILURE OCCURRED THERE, SEVERE INJURIES AND DEATH WOULD HAVE BEEN THE OUTCOME. THE WEATHER ON THAT DAY WAS SUNNY AND IN THE HIGH 70'S. THERE WAS NOTHING ON THE ROAD TO PREVENT TRACTION. I REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO THEN TOLD ME IT HAD TO BE HANDLED BY NISSAN. FIVE WEEKS LATER NISSAN SENT A REPRESENTATIVE TO CHECK THE CAR OUT AND THEY REPORTED NO MANUFACTURING DEFECTS. THE CAR IS AWAITING PARTS TO REPAIR THE BODY WORK, BUT I HAVE SERIOUS RESERVATIONS ABOUT A RE-OCCURRENCE OF THIS PROBLEM. I KNOW THAT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT MALFUNCTIONED ON THE CAR AND I FEEL AT THE MERCY OF THE MANUFACTURER. THEY ARE ENDANGERING MY LIFE AND THE LIFE OF OTHERS. *JB