NHTSA Complaint #10344584 — 2005 NISSAN MURANO

I OWN A 2005 NISSAN MURANO THAT I BOUGHT USED FROM CARMAX IN 2007. I HAVE HAD REGULAR SERVICE PERFORMED BY AN ASCE CERTIFIED MECHANIC SINCE THEN. ON 5/18/10 AT LESS THAN 45K MI, THE BASE OF MY DRIVER SEAT SUDDENLY BROKE ONE MORNING WHEN I GOT INTO THE CAR (PARKED IN MY GARAGE). I WEIGH <120 LBS AND WAS STUNNED. IT WAS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURY, SO I HAD IT REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY (5/20) THROUGH MY REGULAR MECHANIC. TOTAL COST WAS $942.66 ($742.08 FOR THE PART & $127.50 FOR LABOR). I WAS EXTREMELY UPSET ABOUT BEING FORCED TO PAY SO MUCH FOR SOMETHING BEYOND MY CONTROL. EVERYONE AGREED THAT IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED, EVEN MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP CONFIRMED IT WAS CLASSIFIED AS A MECHANICAL DEFECT, CHECKED RECALLS (NONE), AND SUGGESTED I CALL NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS SPECIFICALLY TO REQUEST GOODWILL ASSISTANCE (COMPENSATION FOR REPAIRS). THEY SAID SINCE I HAD THE REPAIR DONE AT AN ASCE CERTIFIED MECHANIC, THE REQUEST SHOULD BE FINE. NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS TOOK MY INFO & AND ESTABLISHED A CASE #6838133 ON 6/9/10. I WAS ASSURED I WOULD BE CONTACTED BY A REGIONAL SPECIALIST W/N 24 HOURS. WHEN I DID NOT RECEIVE A RETURN CALL, I PLACED 5 MORE CALLS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS. ALL ASSURED ME THEY WERE URGENTLY REQUESTING THE REGIONAL SPECIALIST/SUPERVISOR TO CONTACT ME. I RE-CONTACTED MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIP AT THAT POINT, WHO THEN ATTEMPTED TO CALL ON MY BEHALF AND SEEK ASSISTANCE THROUGH THEIR AREA REPRESENTATIVE. AFTER THE 7TH CALL, MS. JIMENEZ (RUDE) CALLED BACK TO EXPLAIN THAT NISSAN'S POLICY DOESN'T ALLOW COMPENSATION FOR REPAIRS NOT HANDLED BY NISSAN, EVEN THOUGH NISSAN EMPLOYEES TOLD ME DIFFERENTLY AND WERE CALLING ON MY BEHALF. I WANT COMPENSATION FOR THE $942.66 I PAID FOR A MANUFACTURER'S MECHANICAL BREAKDOWN-SEAT BASE SHOULD NOT HAVE BROKEN- WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO ME/MY PASSENGERS. CA DCA FOUND SIMILAR 2008 COMPLAINT THRU NHTSA DISMISSED B/C NO ONE HURT BADLY ENOUGH?!!? *TR