NHTSA Complaint #10256079 — 2006 NISSAN ALTIMA

I HAVE A 2006 NISSAN ALTIMA SE-R WITH A 6 CYLINDER ENGINE AND A 6-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. PERIODICALLY THROUGHOUT THE LAST 30 MONTHS THE CLUTCH WOULD FALL TO THE FLOOR WHILE DRIVING, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SHIFT. THE SOLUTION WAS TO CATCH THE CLUTCH WITH THE DRIVER'S TOE AND RAISE IT MANUALLY BACK INTO POSITION EACH TIME PRIOR TO A SHIFT. THIS IS DIFFICULT, DISTRACTING, AND DANGEROUS AND COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I REPORTED IT TO MY DEALERSHIP BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE IT AND THEREFORE DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS MONTH, AT 38,000 MILES, THE CLUTCH HAS FALLEN TO THE FLOOR AND HAS REMAINED STUCK THERE, RENDERING THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY UNDRIVEABLE. THE DEALER NOW RECOMMENDS REPLACING THE MASTER AND SLAVE CLUTCH CYLINDERS, HOWEVER THEY INTEND TO CHARGE $709.97 FOR IT. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECTIVE PART SINCE IT HAS HAD PROBLEMS FROM 6,000 MILES ON AND IS REPORTED BY MANY OTHER NISSAN OWNERS AS WELL ON INTERNET FORUMS. EXAMPLE: HTTP://WWW.NISSANCLUB.COM/FORUMS/2005-2006-NISSAN-ALTIMA-SE-R-DISCUSSION/273277-SLAVE-CLUTCH-CYLINDER-RECALL.HTML I REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO NISSAN, HOWEVER THEY HAVE "DECIDED" NOT TO ASSIST ME WITH THIS REPAIR. THE NISSAN FILE NUMBER IS 6393944. IT IS MY HOPE THAT SOMEONE WILL TAKE AN INTEREST IN THIS ISSUE BEFORE THIS INCIDENT CAUSES A FATAL WRECK. *TR