NHTSA Complaint #10311168 — 2009 NISSAN VERSA

1ST INCIDENT) I WAS DRIVING ON ICE. I WAS GOING AROUND 40 MPH AND I STARTED TO SLOW DOWN AS I APPROACHED THE STOP SIGN ABOUT 100 YDS FROM THE INTERSECTION IN RURAL INDIANA NEAR WARSAW, I APPLIED A NORMAL AMOUNT OF PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL(ABS KICKED IN) AND THE VERSA WASN'T SLOWING DOWN LIKE IT SHOULD; I APPLIED MORE PRESSURE AND STILL NO SIGNIFICANT DROP IN SPEED. I TOOK ME THE FULL 100 YDS TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND I WENT PAST THE STOP SIGN BY 15 OR 20 FEET BEFORE FULLY STOPPING. 2ND INCIDENT-SAME DAY) I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH ON A CITY STREET IN DOWNTOWN FORT WAYNE, IN. THE ROAD WAS COVERED WITH ICE. THE CAR 30 FEET FRONT OF ME PUT ON THEIR BRAKES WHEN THE TRAFFIC LIGHT AT THE APPROACHING INTERSECTION TURNED FROM GREEN TO YELLOW. I APPLIED MY BRAKES(ABS KICKED IN) AND IT WAS LIKE NOTHING WAS HAPPENING I KEPT GOING FORWARD AT THE SAME SPEED AND I WAS ABOUT TO HAVE A REAR-END COLLISION SO I USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND THE CAR DRIFTED LEFT INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND THEN WENT INTO A 180 DEGREE SPIN. AN ONCOMING SUV DODGED ME AND I STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT HITTING ANYTHING. I OBSERVED NO OTHER VEHICLES WITH DIFFICULTY BRAKING ON THE ICE. I'VE DRIVEN OVER 35 YEARS AND HAVE DRIVEN MANY DIFFERENT CARS, PICKUP TRUCKS, AND SUV'S. AND NONE OF THEM HAD SUCH A POOR BRAKING SYSTEM AS THIS 2009 NISSAN VERSA HATCHBACK. MY WIFE TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP IN FORT WAYNE FOR A 3,500 MILE CHECKUP. I CALLED THE SERVICE MANAGER AND DESCRIBED THE INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED IN DOWNTOWN FORT WAYNE. HE PRETTY MUCH SAID THAT ICE IS DANGEROUS AND THERE'S NO VEHICLE THAT WON'T SLIDE ON ICE. I SAID, I DIDN'T SLIDE UNTIL I APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I SAID IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE THERE IS ENOUGH BRAKE FLUID GOING TO THE BRAKES TO STOP THE CAR. HE SAID "WE DON'T HAVE ANY EQUIPMENT TO TEST FOR THAT." MY WIFE TOLD ME THAT A MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THE VERSA BRAKES ARE TERRIBLE ON ICE. DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. *TR