NHTSA Complaint #10263809 — 2007 NISSAN SENTRA

MY 2007 NISSAN SENTRA WAS PURCHASED NEW IN DECEMBER 2006. AFTER HAVING TO BRING IN MY CAR ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS FOR MINOR GLITCHES (A REAR-VIEW MIRROR FALLING OFF, ONE OF THE SUN-VISORS FELL OFF), I FINALLY HAD A BIG PROBLEM. IN FEBRUARY 2008, WHILE DRIVING ON A STRAIGHT, FLAT ROAD, WHILE APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION I PREPARED TO STOP MY VEHICLE FOR A LIGHT. I WAS ABOUT 4 CAR LENGTHS BEHIND THE CAR AHEAD OF ME, AND WAS ONLY TRAVELING ABOUT 35 MPH. WHEN I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL SOFTLY, NOTHING HAPPENED. THEN I PUSHED THE BRAKE PEDAL DOWN ALL THE WAY, AND STILL NOTHING HAPPENED. I HAD A WIDE SHOULDER TO MY RIGHT, SO I TRIED TURNING THE WHEEL AND IT HAD LOCKED UP. AT THIS POINT, I MADE CONTACT WITH THE CAR AHEAD OF ME. MY CAR WAS IMMEDIATELY TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP AND HAD THE STEERING COLUMN REPLACED, AS WELL AS THE HOOD OF THE CAR AND VARIOUS OTHER PARTS NEEDING TO BE FIXED. THE EMOTIONAL TRAUMA FROM THE ACCIDENT WAS DIFFICULT AND THOUGH THERE WERE NO ESTABLISHED INJURIES, I DID EXPERIENCE SLIGHT NECK AND BACK PAIN AFTERWARD. I WAS FOUND TO BE AT FAULT FOR THE ACCIDENT, DESPITE THE BRAKE AND STEERING WHEEL MALFUNCTION, AND SUBSEQUENTLY HAD A LARGE INCREASE IN MY CAR INSURANCE PREMIUM. A NISSAN REPRESENTATIVE WAS FLOWN OUT AT MY REQUEST TO RUN DIAGNOSTICS ON THE SENTRA BUT SINCE THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED AS WELL AS OTHER REPLACED/FIXED PARTS, NO INFORMATION WAS FOUND. I AM 100% POSITIVE THAT THE ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED DUE TO A MECHANICAL FAILURE AND WOULD WARN AGAINST PURCHASING A NISSAN SENTRA. IT WAS A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE AND I'M STUCK WITH THE CAR SINCE NISSAN WOULD OFFER NO ASSISTANCE FOR THE TROUBLE. *TR