NHTSA Complaint #10410107 — 2003 NISSAN MURANO

THE DRIVER'S SEAT IN MY 2003 NISSAN MURANO SUDDENLY, WITHOUT WARNING BROKE AWAY FROM THE ANCHOR POINT ON THE LEFT SIDE. I HEARD A LOUD SNAP OR CRACK AND THE SEAT SAGGED PERCEPTIVELY DOWN AND TO THE LEFT. FORTUNATELY I WAS TRAVELING IN A STRAIGHT LINE AT A MODERATE SPEED. I BELIEVE THAT IF I HAD BEEN NEGOTIATING A SHARP TURN WITH ANY MORE SPEED I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN SIGNIFICANT JEOPARDY. I BELIEVE THIS DEFECT IN THE SEAT ATTACHMENT REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT HAZARD TO THE PUBLIC AND SHOULD BE CORRECTED BY NISSAN. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER I WAS INFORMED THAT THE COST TO REPAIR THE SEAT WAS $700.00. WHILE THIS MAY NOT SEEM LIKE A LOT OF MONEY TO PAY IN ORDER TO KEEP YOUR CAR SAFE IT SURELY MAY PREVENT SOME PEOPLE FROM HAVING THE REPAIRS DONE AND AS A RESULT KEEP UNSAFE CARS ON THE ROAD. AS I UNDERSTAND IT NISSAN IS UNWILLING TO DO ANYTHING TO ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM OR PARTICIPATE IN THE REPAIR AFTER THE PART FAILS. I PLAN TO HAVE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS MADE AND I WILL KEEP THE DEFECTIVE PARTS FOR INSPECTION. I THINK IT WAS SIGNIFICANT THAT THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT MY CAR WOULD NOT PASS SAFETY INSPECTION IN VIRGINIA WITH A BROKEN SEAT. DOES THAT NOT SUGGEST THAT THE ISSUE BELONGS WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE NHTSA AND THAT PERHAPS THE ORGANIZATION SHOULD TAKE STEPS TO ELIMINATE THIS VERY REAL PROBLEM OR AT LEAST MAKE SURE THAT NISSAN PARTICIPATES IN THE NECESSARY REPAIRS. *TR