NHTSA Complaint #10273147 — 1999 NISSAN QUEST

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 1999 NISSAN QUEST ON THE INTERSTATE THE FIRST TIME THE DRIVER FRONT BRAKE LOCKED UP. SHE DROVE THE VEHICLE TO STONES RIVER NISSAN OF MURFREESBORO, TN WHERE THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE CALIPERS, HOSES, ROTORS, AND PADS. THE BRAKE PADS WORE OUT AFTER ONLY 8K MILES. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DIFFERENT SHOP TO HAVE A TIRE REPAIRED AND THE PADS REPLACED AND THE DRIVER'S FRONT LOCKED UP AGAIN ON THE TECHNICIAN WHILE ROAD TESTING HIS REPAIR. THIS SHOP INSISTED ON REPLACING THE DRIVER FRONT BRAKE HOSE DESPITE KNOWING IT WAS RELATIVELY NEW. THIS DID NOT WORK & THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE CALIPER (AGAIN) AND GAVE UP AFTER IT LOCKED UP YET AGAIN. THEY TOWED IT TO SR NISSAN, WHO DIAGNOSED A BAD MASTER CYLINDER & REPLACED IT. DRIVER FRONT BRAKE STILL LOCKED UP AT THE SHOP, NOW DIAGNOSING BAD ABS ACTUATOR THEY SAY WAS CAUSED BY THE SEALS INSIDE THE MC DETERIORATING. MY OPINION IS THAT THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT, IF PARTICULATES FROM A MC CAN FLOAT AND CLOG AN ABS ACTUATOR TO THE POINT THAT LOCKUP OF AN INDIVIDUAL BRAKE OCCURS. ABS IS SUPPOSED TO PREVENT LOCKUP, NOT CAUSE IT. THE BRAKES ARE ACTUALLY FORD DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION. I KNOW SOMEONE WHO ALSO HAD A FORD EXPLORER AND THE PASSENGER FRONT BRAKE LOCKED UP ON HER INTERMITTENTLY LIKE MY WIFE'S HAS. THE ABS ACTUATOR IS NOT AVAILABLE NEW ANYMORE, MY ONLY RECOURSE IS TO INSTALL A JUNK PART WHICH IS MOST LIKELY DEFECTIVE. I THINK BOTH COMPANIES NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED AND I THINK NISSAN SHOULD HAVE TO FIND A NEW PART AND PAY FOR INSTALLATION COSTS. *TR