NHTSA Complaint #10362280 — 2005 NISSAN 350Z

I HAVE A 2005 NISSAN 350Z, THE STRUTS HOLDING THE HEAVY REAR HATCH HAVE FAILED TO KEEP THE HATCH OPEN GRADUALLY DETERIORATING AND HAD HIT BOTH MY WIFE AND I IN THE HEAD VERY BADLY CAUSING BLOODY GASHES IN OUR HEADS. I CONTACTED NISSAN AND THEY FIRST SAID THEY WOULD REPAIR IT FREE, THEN CHANGED THEIR MIND. IT STARTED AS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM THAT LEAD UP TO A TOTAL FAILURE. WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR TO NISSAN, I SHOWED THE SERVICE ADVISOR MY BLOODY GASH AND THE REASON PLUS THE LOOSE MECHANISM FOR MANUAL RELEASE. HE SENT THE CAR TO THE SHOP, A TECH THERE SAID THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE STRUTS HOLDING THE HATCHBACK AND THE LOOSE ASSEMBLY WOULD BE A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS TO TIGHTEN. THIS IS IN SPITE OF THE HATCH NOT OPENING BECAUSE THE STRUTS DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO PULL UP THE TRUNK (HATCH) AND THE ENTIRE MANUAL MECHANISM IS LOOSE WHICH IS ABOVE THE REAR PLATE MOUNT AND LIGHT. I HAVE SPOKE TO OTHER 350Z OWNERS AS WELL AS THE PARTS STORES AND NISSAN PARTS DEPARTMENT. I ASKED ABOUT THE FAILURE RATE, THE RESPONSE WAS "INEVITABLE, INCLUDING THE WINDOW MOTORS." THE PROBLEM BEGAN AT 34,500 MILES WHILE UNDER WARRANTY AND PROGRESSED. THIS GRADUAL DEGRADATION FOOLED ME INTO BELIEVING THE NISSAN DEALER. I NOW KNOW THAT IF NISSAN FIXED MY STRUTS FREE AND ADMITTED THE PROBLEM, THEY WOULD HAVE TO RECALL ALL OF THEM, COSTING NISSAN MILLIONS. I FINALLY BROUGHT THE CAR BACK IN JAN. OF 2010 WHEN THE CAR WAS AGAIN BROUGHT TO NISSAN AND I WAS USING A VISE-GRIP TO HOLD THE HATCH OPEN. *TR