NHTSA Complaint #10426881 — 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA

TILT STEERING WHEEL LOCKED IN THE EXTREME UP POSITION WHEN DRIVERS DOOR WAS OPENED AT APPROX 2 YEARS/52,000 MILES. TILT STEERING WHEEL COULD NOT BE LOWERED UNTIL DISASSEMBLED BY THE DEALER. DRIVER VISIBILITY WAS SERIOUSLY OBSTRUCTED, ESPECIALLY FOR SHORTER DRIVERS. POTENTIAL AIR BAG EFFECTIVENESS WAS ALSO SERIOUSLY DEGRADED. NISSAN IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE STEERING COLUMN ADJUSTMENT MOTORS (TILT OR TELESCOPE) IN SERVICE BULLETIN NTB09094. HOWEVER, NISSAN HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL AND REFUSED TO REIMBURSE THIS FIRST-TIME NISSAN OWNER FOR THIS SAFETY DEFECT. THERE IS NO CERTAINTY OF WHETHER REPLACEMENT NISSAN STEERING COLUMN ADJUSTMENT MOTORS DO NOT HAVE THE SAME UNDERLYING DESIGN DEFECT AND WILL NOT FAIL SHORTLY AFTER INSTALLATION. THE TELESCOPE ADJUSTMENT MOTOR FAILED AT APPROX 1 YEAR/38,000 MILES. TOTAL REPLACEMENT COST FOR PARTS AND LABOR FOR BOTH ADJUSTMENT MOTORS WAS APPROXIMATELY $400+. I REQUEST NISSAN AND NHTSA ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT. *TR