NHTSA Complaint #10202155 — 2007 NISSAN QUEST

ON JUNE 23,2007 MY NEW 2007 NISSAN QUEST SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED IN MY GARAGE, TURNED OFF, KEYS NOT EVEN IN THE IGNITION. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO GET THE FIRE OUT BUT NOT BEFORE MY QUEST AND MY GARAGE SUSTAINED DAMAGE. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE, NEW, AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS "SO WHY ARE YOU CALLING US?". I THEN CALLED THE NISSAN COMPANY WHO AGREED TO DO AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE CAUSE. THEIR CONCLUSION WAS THAT IT STARTED IN THE WIRING TO THE TOW HITCH, WHICH WAS ON THEIR WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND AN ACCESSORY THEY OFFER ON THEIR WEBSITE. THEY THEN CLAIMED THAT THE TOW HITCH WAS NOT PUT ON IN THE FACTORY AND THEREFORE IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM AND WOULD NOT ASSIST ME ANY FURTHER. THEY DID TELL ME THAT THEY HAD ALREADY SPOKEN WITH THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND THAT THEY WERE ALSO CLAIMING THEY DID NOT INSTALL THE HITCH. I EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS ON THERE WHEN I GOT IT SO SOMEONE HAD TO INSTALL IT. THEY AGAIN SAID IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM. I HAVE MADE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP AND NO ONE WILL TAKE MY CALLS NOR RETURN MY MESSAGES. SO I AM STUCK WITH A BURNED UP VAN, RENTAL BILLS, GARAGE REPAIR BILLS AND EVERYONE POINTING THEIR FINGER AT THE OTHER SAYING IT IS NOT MY FAULT. I HAVE INSURANCE ON THE VAN OF COURSE AND COULD JUST SIMPLY HAVE IT FIXED AND PUT IT BACK ON THE ROAD BUT THAT DOESN'T FIX THE PROBLEM OF WHATEVER DID IN FACT START THE FIRE (THEIR CONCLUSION WAS CERTAINLY CONVENIENT FOR THEM IN THAT IT WAS THE ONE THING NOT INSTALLED IN THE FACTORY) AND SO I WOULD JUST BE PUTTING A POTENTIALLY UNSAFE VEHICLE BACK ON THE ROAD. *TR