NHTSA Complaint #10272682 — 2006 NISSAN PATHFINDER

APPROXIMATELY SEPT OF 2008, THE STEERING WHEEL OF OUR 2006 NISSAN PATHFINDER STARTED BECOMING EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN LEFT OR RIGHT, ALMOST TO THE POINT THAT I COULD NOT TURN. I WOULD DREAD HAVING TO MAKE A TURN. THEN A GRINDING SOUND STARTED AND A CLICKING, AND HAS SINCE GONE AWAY. NOW, OUR STEERING WHEEL CAN MOVE UP AND DOWN WHILE WE ARE DRIVING. IT IS VERY LOOSE AND IS BECOMING A HAZARD. THE CRUISE ALSO SHUTS ITSELF OFF WHILE WE ARE DRIVING. AFTER TAKING THE CAR TO 2 NISSAN DEALERSHIPS AND A INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN HAS TO BE REPLACED - BUT NISSAN WILL NOT REPLACE THIS OR HELP WITH THE COST - AROUND $800 FOR PARTS AND LABOR. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TOLD US THERE IS A SAFETY BULLETIN ON THIS ISSUE, BUT NOT A RECALL, YET. IF THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING COLUMN, SHOULDN'T THIS BE REPLACED BY RECALL BEFORE AN ACCIDENT HAS HAPPENED? WE HAVE REQUESTED IN WRITING FROM NISSAN THAT THEY (NISSAN) IS REFUSING TO REPLACE THIS PART. I AM FILING A COMPLAINT BECAUSE THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE THAT NISSAN IS AWARE OF BUT IS UNWILLING TO RESOLVE IT. *TR