NHTSA Complaint #10509421 — 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA

AFTER ARRIVING HOME, I PARKED MY CAR AND WENT INTO THE HOUSE. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO RE-ENTER MY CAR APPROXIMATELY 1 HOUR LATER, I PRESSED THE BRAKE AND PUSHED THE START BUTTON AS I HAVE DONE SINCE PURCHASING MY CAR APPROX. 4 MONTHS AGO. THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THE PUSH BRAKE SIGN WAS STILL ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT MOVE. THE BRAKE WAS VERY HARD. I LEFT THE CAR ALONE AND SAID I WOULD TRY AGAIN IN THE MORNING. I WENT TO MY VEHICLE AT ABOUT 8:30AM IN THE MORNING AND PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN; HOWEVER, THE ENGINE FINALLY STARTED ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER. I DROVE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE TO BE A FAULTY BREAK SWITCH. SINCE THE CAR WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY (36 MONTHS/ 36000 MILES) I HAD TO PAY $173.00 TO FIX THIS ISSUE WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE IF I HAD NOT COMPLAINED THAT THE DEALERSHIP WAS CHARGING 2 HOURS LABOR AND DIAGNOSIS FOR A 1 HOUR JOB. AFTER RESEARCHING THE ISSUE ONLINE I HAVE FOUND SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THEIR 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA. NISSAN NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AS I COULD HAVE BEEN STRANDED IN A REMOTE LOCATION OR OVERNIGHT. *TR