NHTSA Complaint #10280439 — 2004 INFINITI FX35

MALFUNCTIONING DOOR LOCK ON INFINITI FX35 1. HAVING A SECURE ENVIRONMENT IS PARAMOUNT IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS. WHEN LOCKING THE DOORS IT'S IMPERATIVE NOBODY CAN GAIN ACCESS AT WILL BY WALKING UP TO THE CAR. IF ANYONE CAN SIMPLY OPEN THE DOOR TO GAIN ACCESS, CARJACKING, INJURY, OR EVEN MURDER IS EASIER. IF THE DOORS LOCKED PROPERLY THIS PROVIDES A MORE SECURE ENVIRONMENT FOR THIS TYPE OF SCENARIO. 2. INFINITI IN KNOWING THERE IS A SECURITY PROBLEM WITH THEIR LOCKING MECHANISM AND NOT RECALLING THEM FOR SAFETY CONCERN IS NEGLIGENT. IT'S AN OPEN DOOR TO A LAWSUIT IF SOMEONE WERE TO BE MURDERED DUE TO A DOOR THAT DIDN'T LOCK, ALTHOUGH THE DRIVER PUSHED THE LOCK BUTTON AND HEARD THE LOCKING NOISE. REMEMBER, IN THIS CASE THERE'S NO OBVIOUS INDICATION THE DOOR ISN'T LOCKED UNLESS SOMEONE WALKS UP AND OPENS IT FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE DRIVE "THINKS" THE DOOR IS LOCKED, WHEN IN REALITY IT'S AN "OPEN DOOR" FOR CARJACKING OR ROBBERY. THIS FAILURE IS AN INTERMITTENT OF OPERATION. SOMETIMES THE DOORS LOCK OK, OTHER TIMES THEY DON'T. IN ADDITION, SOMETIMES THE DOORS UNLOCK OK, OTHER TIMES THEY DON'T. 3. IN EMERGENCIES IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO UNLOCK DOORS QUICKLY. SINCE 99% OF THE TIME WE ALL USE THE BUTTON TO LOCK AND UNLOCK DOORS, USING THE MANUAL LOCKING LEVER IS UNFAMILIAR. AND THE DESIGN IS SUCH THAT IT'S NOT EASY TO COMPREHEND IF IT'S NOT YOUR CAR, FOR INSTANCE A RENTAL CAR. I CAN EASILY UNDERSTAND HOW SOME PEOPLE WOULD BE CONFUSED HOW UNLOCK A DOOR USING THE MANUAL LEVEL IN AN EMERGENCY WHEN THEY VIRTUALLY HAVE NO EXPERIENCE WITH IT. IN EMERGENCIES EVERY SECOND COUNTS. THE LOCKING/UNLOCKING SOLENOID MALFUNCTIONING IS CLEARLY A HIGH RISK IN EMERGENCY SCENARIOS. SOME PEOPLE WHO CANNOT AFFORD THE $1600 TO HAVE ALL THE SOLENOIDS REPLACED (AS QUOTED BY DEALERS) WILL FORGO GETTING THEM FIXED, PUTTING THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS AT RISK WITH THE ABOVE MISHAP EXAMPLES. THIS SHOULDN'T BE, INFINITI SHOULD RECALL THEM. *TR