NHTSA Complaint #10490365 — 2012 NISSAN MURANO

HELLO, I AM WRITING TO YOU ABOUT A NEW VEHICLE THAT I RECENTLY PURCHASED THROUGH NISSAN. IT'S A 2012 NISSAN MURANO AND I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ON FRIDAY DEC 21, 2012. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE HOME (WHICH IS ABOUT 50 MILES FROM THE DEALERSHIP) AND THE NEXT DAY I TOOK MY FAMILY TO VISIT MY MOTHER IN THE HOSPITAL AND THEN WE WERE GOING TO GO CHRISTMAS SHOPPING AT THE MALL. WHILE ENROUTE TO THE MALL I STARTED HEARING A SQUEALING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. AS I WAS DRIVING AND MAKING TURNS THE NOISE GOT PROGRESSIVELY LOUDER AND THEN THE VEHICLE BECAME VERY HARD TO STEER. I KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING OBVIOUSLY WRONG SO LUCKILY WE WERE CLOSE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WE CALLED THEM AND THEY SAID TO BRING IT RIGHT IN. I MUST ADMIT, I SHOULD HAVE HAD IT TOWED BUT IT WAS POURING DOWN RAIN AND I JUST WANTED TO GET MY FAMILY TO SAFETY SO I DECIDED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. IT WAS VERY SCARY, I TRIED TO TAKE A ROUTE THAT I HAD TO MAKE THE FEWEST TURNS AND THE VEHICLE BECAME HARDER AND HARDER TO STEER TO THE POINT THAT I ACTUALLY FEARED FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY PROVIDED US A LOANER VEHICLE. THEY STATED THAT ONE OF THE POWER STEERING HOSES CAME OFF UNDERNEATH AND THAT IT HAD RUBBED ONTO ANOTHER BELT AND WAS NO LONGER USABLE SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO ORDER A PART WHICH WOULD TAKE 3-4 DAYS. SINCE THIS WAS A BRAND NEW VEHICLE AND ROUND TRIP FOR ME IS 100 MILES I WAS VERY UPSET WITH THIS. ON MONDAY (CHRISTMAS EVE) THEY CALLED AND SAID THE VEHICLE WAS READY. EVIDENTLY THEY TOOK A HOSE OFF ANOTHER VEHICLE AND PUT IT ON MINE.(WHICH RATHER BOTHERED ME BUT IT DID GET ME BACK ON THE ROAD AGAIN) MY ISSUE WITH THIS IS THAT IF WE WOULD HAVE TAKEN THIS VEHICLE UP INTO THE SNOW WE WOULD HAVE BEEN STRANDED AND WHO KNOWS WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT IS BEING BLOWN OFF BY NISSAN AND I WANTED TO REPORT IT! *TR