NHTSA Complaint #10181842 — 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA

MY 2005 MAXIMA HAS A TRAY ON THE DASH DESIGNED TO HOLD CHANGE SUNGLASSES CELL PHONE ETC.--I ALWAYS PUT CHANGE IN THE TRAY BUT APPARENTLY THERE IS A SPACE/SLIT WHERE THIS CHANGE CAN SLIP DOWN. THE CHANGE DID SLIP DOWN INTO ONE OF THE CIRCUIT PANELS AND BURNED UP MY CIRCUIT PANEL CAUSING MY MAJOR ELECTRICAL DAMAGE TO MY CAR. THIS OCCURRED WHILE TRAVELING AND COULD HAVE EASILY BURNED MY CAR UP WITH ME AND MY CHILD IN THE CAR. NISSAN SAID SINCE IT WAS DUE CHANGE IT WAS MY FAULT AND WOULD NOT COVER THE EXPENSES. MY QUESTION TO THEM WAS IF THIS TRAY WAS DESIGNED FOR CHANGE ETC. AND THERE WAS NO WARNING STATING TO NOT PUT CHANGE THERE THEN I FEEL LIKE THEY SHOULD COVER IT AS THIS IS FAULTY DESIGN AND A FIRE HAZARD. THEY SAID UNTIL THEY GET OTHER COMPLAINTS THEY WOULD NOT EVEN LOOK AT THE POSSIBILITY OF PAYING FOR THIS. IRONIC THAT WHEN IT CAME BACK FROM A NISSAN REPAIR SHOP THIS AREA THAT WAS OPEN IS NOW SEALED.*JB