NHTSA Complaint #10286644 — 2004 NISSAN MURANO

THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR IS FAILING ON MY 2004 NISSAN. I ALREADY HAD THE FUEL LOCK ACTUATOR FAIL WHICH CAUSED ME AND MY BABY TO BE STUCK AT THE PUMP WITH NO GAS AND THE INABILITY TO OPEN THE FUEL DOOR. I HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP (MAY 2009). THEY REPLACED THE ACTUATOR ON THE FUEL DOOR. THEN THE DOOR LOCKS STARTED DOING THE SAME THING AND THEY QUOTED ME $469 PER DOOR. I CANNOT AFFORD IT. I RESOLVED TO IGNORING IT AND JUST PUSHING THE BUTTON UNTIL THEY OPEN, BUT THEN THE MOST DANGEROUS THING HAPPENED (10/3/09). I GOT OUT OF THE CAR WITH MY CHILD IN THE BACK IN HER CAR SEAT. I ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE LOCK BUTTON AND WHEN I WENT TO GET HER OUT OF THE CAR, THE DOORS WOULDN'T OPEN. I COMPLETELY PANICKED. THIS SCARED HER AND SHE GOT WORKED UP AS WELL. PEOPLE CAME RUNNING TO HELP ME. WE STARTED TO BREAK A WINDOW TO GET HER OUT OF THE CAR, BUT DECIDED THAT SHOULD BE THE LAST RESORT. LUCKILY THERE WERE COOLER HEADS WORKING WITH ME. I MIGHT HAVE DONE IT IF I WAS FULLY ALONE. AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF PEOPLE TRYING TO HELP ME GET HER OUT, WE DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS ONE DOOR THAT I COULD PUT THE KEY IN (THE DRIVERS SIDE). SO I WENT BACK AROUND AND WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR, CLIMB THROUGH THE CAR AND GET HER OUT OF HER SEAT. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR THE SAFETY OF CHILDREN. IT IS ALSO UNSAFE BECAUSE WHEN IN THE CAR, WE HAVE A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY THAT THE DOORS ARE LOCKED AND THEY CAN POTENTIALLY NOT BE. I FEAR CARJACKING IN PARKING LOTS OFTEN, NOW I KNOW THAT MY LOCKS CAN FAIL AT ANY MOMENT. I AM SAVING MY MONEY TO GET THEM REPAIRED BECAUSE I FOUND AT LEAST 6 DIFFERENT WEBSITES WHERE PEOPLE COMPLAINED OF THE SAME THINGS: THE FUEL DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR AND THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS. NISSAN NEEDS TO BE MORE RESPONSIBLE IN PROTECTING THEIR LOYAL SUPPORTERS. I AM SAVING THE MONEY TO PAY FOR THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS TO BE FIXED, BUT I DON'T THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO. THIS IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. *TR