NHTSA Complaint #10175744 — 1998 NISSAN MAXIMA

ON 30 NOVEMBER 2006 I STARTED THE CAR WHICH THEN QUIT RUNNING AND STARTED SMOKING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I COULD SEE THE ALTERNATOR WAS BURNING SO I PULLED THE BATTERY CABLE TO STOP THE FIRE. DAMAGE AFFECTED THE ALTERNATOR, ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR AND SOME WIRING. I DISCOVERED THERE WAS A RECALL FOR DEFECTIVE ALTERNATORS ON THIS VEHICLE. MY ALTERNATOR FAILURE APPEARS TO BE THE SAME AS THE FAILURES COVERED BY THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 02V171000 DATED JUNE 24, 2002. I CONTACTED NISSAN ON DECEMBER 1, 2006 WHO STATED MY VIN WAS WITHIN THE RANGE OF VEHICLES FOR THIS RECALL AND THEY WOULD CONTACT THE DEALER AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH. I CONTACTED THE DEALER WHO STATED IT APPEARED THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE RECALL BUT COULD NOT PROCEED UNTIL AUTHORIZATION FROM NISSAN. ON 8 DECEMBER, 2006,AFTER 7 DAYS, NISSAN CONTACTED ME AND STATED MY VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND REFUSED TO FIX THE DEFECTIVE ALTERNATOR. NISSAN COULD NOT EXPLAIN HOW MY VIN WAS WITHIN THE RANGE OF VEHICLES AFFECTED BY THE RECALL BUT MY PARTICULAR VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. I HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT MY EXPENSE AND HAD TO TURN-IN THE DEFECTIVE ALTERNATOR AS A CORE SO THE DEFECTIVE ALTERNATOR IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. IT APPEARS THE RANGE OF DEFECTIVE ALTERNATORS IS LARGER THAN NISSAN IS WILLING TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY. THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND NISSAN HELD ACCOUNTABLE. THE DAMAGE COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. *NM