NHTSA Complaint #10329098 — 2009 NISSAN MURANO

I AM EXPERIENCING A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WITH MY 2009 NISSAN MURANO. I AM NOTIFYING THE NHTSA OF THIS ISSUE BECAUSE IT NEEDS FURTHER INVESTIGATION. I AM STUNNED THAT NISSAN HAS BEEN SO CARELESS WITH MY SAFETY, ESPECIALLY IN THE WAKE OF THE TOYOTA DEBACLE. THERE IS AN OPEN RECALL ON MY VEHICLE'S MAKE AND MODEL FOR ITS FAULTY TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS). THE NISSAN RECALL NUMBER IS 09V393000, WHICH STATES THAT THE TPMS IS FLAWED AND PRONE TO CORROSION AND FAILURE DUE TO A FAULTY NUT USED IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. THE RECALL AFFECTS VEHICLES IN NORTHERN STATES WHERE THE SALTY ROADS EXCESSIVELY CORRODES THE NUT USED TO MANUFACTURE THE 2009 TPMS, AT WHICH POINT "THE TIRE WILL QUICKLY LOSE AIR PRESSURE AT A CONSISTENT RATE RESULTING IN A FLAT TIRE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH," ACCORDING TO THE NISSAN RECALL. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE RECALL UNTIL MY CAR FAILED INSPECTION RECENTLY. NISSAN'S CONSUMER AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT HAS DENIED SERVICE TO MY VEHICLE. THEY CLAIM THAT MY VIN NUMBER DOESN'T APPLY TO THE RECALL. AFTER INSPECTING MY CAR, IRA NISSAN IN TEWKSBURY, MA STATED IN ITS REPORT THAT MY VEHICLE IS CLEARLY AFFECTED BY THE TPMS DEFECT. NISSAN HEADQUARTERS STATES MY VEHICLE WAS NOT MANUFACTURED WITH THE NUT IN QUESTION - THE NUT THAT THE COMPANY HAS PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGED IS SERIOUSLY FLAWED. MY RESPONSE? THEN THE EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THIS ISSUE IS MUCH LARGER IN SCOPE THAN THIS ONE NUT FROM THIS ONE VENDOR. NISSAN IS UNWILLING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEY HAVE A LARGER ISSUE ON THEIR HANDS. PERHAPS THERE WERE MULTIPLE VENDORS THAT PROVIDED OTHER FLAWED NUTS IN THE TPMS. OR PERHAPS THE NUT IS NOT THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM AT ALL. WHATEVER THE CASE, THIS SAFETY ISSUE NEEDS FURTHER INVESTIGATION. THIS FLAW AFFECTS THE TIRES - A CRITICAL PIECE TO THE SAFETY OF ANY VEHICLE. THE SAFETY OF THOUSANDS OF CONSUMERS IS AT STAKE. THE PARALLELS TO THE TOYOTA DEBACLE IS STRIKING. A VERY SMALL PIECE OF EQUIPMENT IS PUTTING DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS AT RISK... UNBEKNOWNST TO THEM. *TR