NHTSA Complaint #10488789 — 2006 NISSAN MURANO

UPON STARTING VEHICLE IN A.M., I HEARD A LOUD WHINE EMANATE FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE SOUND WAS EXACTLY LIKE BRITTLE LEAVES FROM A TREE WERE RUBBING ON THE MOVING BELTS. I TURNED STEERING WHEEL LEFT AND RIGHT AND STEERING SENSATION SEEMED SPORADIC AND IRREGULAR. I OPENED THE HOOD AND CHECKED SERPENTINE BELT AND POWER STEERING BELT. I THOUGHT THE BELTS MAY BE GLAZED OR HAVE LOOSENED OR HAD A FOREIGN OBJECT TOUCHING THEM. ALL LOOKED OKAY BUT THE NOISE REMAINED. THAT AFTERNOON I CALLED MY MECHANIC AND MADE APPT. MY MECHANIC CHECKED VEHICLE , ADDED POWER STEERING FLUID AS HE FOUND THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE AND SAID HE WOULD ORDER A NEW UNIT AND INSTALL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. HE SAID THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON PART TO FAIL ON THESE MURANOS. WITHIN A FEW DAYS THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETE, HOWEVER IT SET ME BACK FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS. I CALLED NISSAN AT 1-800- NISSAN1. THE AGENT ON BEHALF OF NISSAN REFUSED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY, HOWEVER DID MAKE A CASE NUMBER. I STATED SOMEONE WILL BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED ONE DAY, BUT WAS MET WITH THE OBLIGATORY "WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE". I CALLED THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE MURANO AND WAS TOLD NISSAN IS WELL AWARE OF THE NUMEROUS FAILURES OF THIS POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE, AND IT IS EXTREMELY COMMON. SINCE THERE IS NO RECALL, THERE IS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE TO ASSIST ME. *TR