NHTSA Complaint #10441670 — 2003 NISSAN MURANO

JUST OVER TWO YEARS AGO THE AUTOMATIC DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR LOCK BECAME UNRELIABLE. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE DOOR MUST BE MANUALLY LOCKED OR UNLOCKED. THE SITUATION SEEMS TO BE EXACERBATED BY HEAT AND DIRECT SUNLIGHT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. MY CONCERN IS THAT NOT KNOWING IF THE DOOR IS LOCKED OR UNLOCKED CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD BOTH WHILE DRIVING AND IN THE EVENT OF A NEED FOR QUICK EXIT FROM THE VEHICLE. SIMPLY LOOKING AT THE MANUAL LOCKING SWITCH CAN BE DECEPTIVE BECAUSE IT WILL MOVE INTO THE LOCKED POSITION WITHOUT FULLY ENGAGING THE LOCK. FOR SAFETY REASONS I PREFER TO DRIVE WITH THE DOORS LOCKED. HAVING A SECURE ENVIRONMENT IS PARAMOUNT IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS. IF ANYONE CAN SIMPLY OPEN THE DOOR TO GAIN ACCESS, THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASED RISK OF CARJACKING, INJURY, THEFT, ETC. HAVING THE DOORS LOCK CORRECTLY IS A BASIC SAFETY PRECAUTION. ADDITIONALLY, IN EMERGENCIES IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO UNLOCK DOORS QUICKLY. IN THIS AUTOMATED AGE WE TEND TO RELY ON THE AUTOMATED SYSTEMS OF OUR VEHICLES AND IT'S UNFAMILIAR TO RESORT TO THE MANUAL LOCKING SYSTEM, WHICH AS I EXPLAINED ABOVE CAN BE DECEPTIVE. I CAN EASILY UNDERSTAND HOW SOME PEOPLE WOULD BE CONFUSED HOW UNLOCK A DOOR USING THE MANUAL LEVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IN EMERGENCIES EVERY SECOND COUNTS. THE LOCKING/UNLOCKING SOLENOID MALFUNCTIONING IS CLEARLY A HIGH RISK IN EMERGENCY SCENARIOS. THE DEALER CHARGES AN AVERAGE OF $1600 TO HAVE ALL THE SOLENOIDS REPLACED WHICH AMOUNTS TO MAKING THE OWNER PAY FOR A KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE. AT THIS PRICE MANY WILL FORGO GETTING THE PROBLEM FIXED, PUTTING THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS AT RISK WITH THE ABOVE MISHAP EXAMPLES. NISSAN SHOULD RECALL THE AFFECTED VEHICLES AND REPAIR THIS SAFETY ISSUE. *KB