NHTSA Complaint #10155526 — 2001 NISSAN SENTRA

SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT: THE HORN WIRE INSIDE AN INTERNAL WIRING HARNESS ON MY 2001 SENTRA FAILED SPONTANEOUSLY ON OR ABOUT FEBRUARY 15, 2006, RENDERING THE HORN INOPERABLE AND INCAPABLE OF PASSING THE RHODE ISLAND STATE SAFETY INSPECTION. THREE DIFFERENT EMPLOYEES OF THE DEALER (INSKIP NISSAN, WARWICK RI) MADE STATEMENTS TO ME INDICATING THAT THIS TYPE OF HORN FAILURE HAPPENS REPEATEDLY, IS WELL KNOWN TO THEM, AND IS NOT CAUSED BY ANY EXTERNAL FORCE, SUCH AS COLLISION OR ROAD DAMAGE. I HAVE INSPECTED THE AREA, WHICH IS NEAR THE UNDERSIDE OF THE RADIATOR, AND IT IS CLEAR THAT THE WIRING HARNESS IS WELL PROTECTED BY VARIOUS FRONT-END COMPONENTS AND HARD TO GET AT. THE BROKEN WIRE WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER ON 4/5/06 AT A COST OF $180.00 FOR A LITTLE OVER TWO HOURS WORK. THE DEALERS SERVICE CLERK TOLD ME EXACTLY WHAT THE COST WOULD BE AT THE TIME SHE WROTE UP THE REPAIR ORDER, PRIOR TO INSPECTING THE VEHICLE FOR THE CAUSE OF THE HORN FAILURE. I SUGGESTED AN INEXPENSIVE BYPASS WIRE, AND SHE STATED THAT OTHERS HAD EFFECTED A REPAIR IN THAT MANNER (FURTHER EVIDENCE THAT THE NATURE OF THE FAILURE IS WELL KNOWN THE THEM) BUT ALSO UNDERSTANDABLY STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT PERMITTED TO PERFORM THE REPAIR IN THAT MANNER. I SUBMITTED A COPY OF THE REPAIR BILL TO NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS ON 4/8/06 ASKING FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF THE $180 AS A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT, AND THEY WROTE BACK ON 4/12/06 DENYING THE CLAIM. THE NHTSA SHOULD LOOK INTO THIS BY INSPECTING DEALER SERVICE RECORDS AND INITIATE A RECALL. *JB