NHTSA Complaint #10408422 — 2004 INFINITI FX35

THE REAR LATCH DOOR LOCK ON MY 2004 INFINITI FX35 HAS SUDDENLY BECOME INOPERABLE. I DISCOVERED THIS AFTER I PLACED SHOPPING ITEMS IN THE REAR COMPARTMENT AND DROVE. I NOTICED THE REAR DOOR WAS NOT CLOSED AFTER DRIVING ABOUT A MILE AND HAD TO PULL OVER TO ATTEMPT TO CLOSE IT. WHEN I TRIED IT WOULD NOT CLOSE AND THE REAR DOOR LOCK COMPARTMENT APPEARED TO BE STUCK AND KEEPING THE DOOR FROM CLOSING. ONCE I MANUALLY MANIPULATED THE LOCK ON THE BOTTOM OF THE LATCH DOOR TO OPEN IT, I CLOSED THE DOOR AND THE DOOR NOW WILL NOT UNLOCK. AFTER RESEARCH I DISCOVERED THIS WAS A NISSAN PART CALLED THE REAR DOOR ACTUATOR THAT STOPPED WORKING. ACCORDING TO MY INTERNET RESEARCH THIS IS A VERY COMMON AND COSTLY PROBLEM FOR NISSAN OWNERS AND SOMETIMES OCCURS WITH MULTIPLE PASSENGER DOORS FOR SOME OWNERS. I AM GRATEFUL I DID NOT HAVE MY DOG IN THE REAR PART OF MY VEHICLE AS HE LIKELY WOULD HAVE JUMPED OUT OF THE OPEN DOOR WHILE IN TRAFFIC. ALSO, NISSAN DOES NOT PLACE KEY ENTRY LOCKS ON THESE DOORS SO NOW THE ONLY WAY TO OPEN IT IS TO CRAWL INTO THE BACK OF THE TRUCK AND UNLOCK THE EMERGENCY TRUNK LOCK. I HAVE NO OTHER OPTIONS THAN TO GET THIS REPAIRED FOR WHAT THE DEALER QUOTED AT $560. IT IS CONCERNING THAT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE WITH SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM. PLEASE DO SOMETHING AS I BELIEVE THIS TO BE AN EXPENSIVE AND SUBSTANTIAL SAFETY ISSUE. *TR