NHTSA Complaint #10190170 — 1999 INFINITI Q45

WHILE CHECKING THE OIL IN THE 1999 Q45 INFINITI THE HOOD SUDDENLY FELL AND SLAMMED CLOSED. THIS HAPPENED IN JANUARY 2007 ,AND AGAIN MARCH 2007. ALL THREE TIMES I HAD TURNED AWAY MOMENTARILY AND WAS NOT INJURED. SINCE THE EXPERIENCE IN APRIL I NOW CARRY A PROP STICK AS A PRECAUTION. THE PROBLEM APPEARED INTERMITTENT AND DEPEND ON THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE. THE COOLER IT WAS THE MORE LIKELY IT WOULD HAPPEN. SINCE THIS FIRST OCCURRENCE I HAVE SEARCHED FOR AFTER MARKET PARTS TO REPLACE THE LIFT SUPPORTS, BUT WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANY RESOURCE. THE AFTERMARKET PARTS WERE ONLY AVAILABLE FOR Q45 HOODS UP TO AND INCLUDING 1996 MODELS. I DID NOT KNOW IF DEALER PARTS WERE AVAILABLE BECAUSE MY SEARCHES HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND A DEALER SOURCE FOR THAT PARTICULAR PART. I BELIEVE THIS WAS A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM THAT COULD LEAD TO SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH IF A HOOD SLAMMED DOWN ON SOMEONE WHILE WORKING UNDER THE HOOD. A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) WOULD ALERT ALL OWNERS OF THIS AUTOMOBILE TO THE POTENTIAL DANGER, AND RECOMMEND TO THE MANUFACTURER TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM AS WARRANTED.*AK