NHTSA Complaint #10327653 — 2009 NISSAN FRONTIER

TAIL GATE FALLS OFF WHEN OPENING. THE REMOVABLE TAILGATE IS BOTH LIGHT ENOUGH AND DOES NOT HAVE A CATCH ON THE HINGE TO PREVENT THE GATE FROM FALLING OUT WHEN LIFTING UP ON THE TAILGATE LATCH WITH ONE HAND. THIS CAN ALSO HAPPEN IF THERE IS ANY SNOW ON THE BACK BUMPER. THIS IS BOTH A SAFETY CONCERN, AS I HAD THE GATE FALL OFF WITH A LOAD OF WOOD IN MY HANDS CAUSING ME TO DROP EVERYTHING, AND IT DAMAGES THE VEHICLE AS THE TAILGATE RIGHT REAR CORNER GETS CAUGHT IN THE BODY MOUNTED HINGE. THE RESULT OF THIS IS THE RIGHT REAR CORNER OF THE TAILGATE IS BENT ~90. I HAVE TAKEN THIS BACK TO THE DEALER 2 TIMES FOR THE PROBLEM AND FILED A REPORT WITH NISSAN USA. BOTH NISSAN AND THE DEALER CLAIM THIS IS A DESIGN FEATURE - REMOVABLE TAILGATE. IN OBSERVING OTHER FRONTIERS, IT IS APPARENT THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM JUDGING BY THE NUMBER OF DAMAGED TAILGATES ARE OUT THERE. EVERYONE I WORK WITH THAT OWNS A FRONTIER HAS HAD THE GATE FALL OFF. IN LOOKING ONLINE - IT APPEARS TO AFFECT NISSAN FRONTIER TRUCKS BACK TO 2005. MINE FELL OFF 3 DAYS AFTER TAKING DELIVERY DAMAGING THE TAILGATE, AND DOES EVERY TIME YOU OPEN IT IF YOU DON'T USE 2 HANDS, ONE TO LIFT UP THE LATCH, ONE TO HOLD THE GATE IN THE HINGES. I HAVE OWNED 3 TRUCKS, INCLUDING A 2001 NISSAN FRONTIER FOR A PERIOD OF 7 YEARS. I AM AWARE THAT TAILGATES ARE REMOVABLE AND THAT YOU MUST CLEAN DEBRIS OFF THE BUMPER PRIOR TO OPENING THEM. I WAS NOT AWARE THE TAILGATE SHOULD FALL OUT OF IT'S HINGES WHEN OPENING. *TR