NHTSA Complaint #10533119 — 2007 NISSAN ALTIMA

WHILE APPROACHING THE GATE TO MY OFFICE PARKING LOT THIS MORNING, I ATTEMPTED TO COME TO A STOP WHILE THE GATE OPENED. AS I APPROACHED THE GATE, I COULD HAVE BEEN TRAVELLING NO FASTER THAN 4-5 MILES PER HOUR. THE BRAKES FAILED TO REACT. I FLOORED THE BRAKES, BUT TO NO AVAIL, AND CRASHED INTO THE GATE. FEARFUL OF THE SAFETY OF THE CAR, I HAD IT TOWED TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP, AND I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN PAST ISSUES WITH THE 2007 NISSAN ALTIMA MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER. AFTER CHECKING THE CAR, I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THAT PART. IT HAD LEAKED INTERNALLY AND AT THE TIME I ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE THERE WAS SIMPLY NO MORE FLUID TO PROVIDE PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES. I ASKED IF THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED AT ANY SPEED, AND WAS TOLD THAT IT COULD HAVE DONE SO. APPARENTLY THE NHTSA HAS DEALT WITH COMPLAINTS ON THIS BEFORE, BUT AS A SECOND OWNER OF THE CAR, I HAD NO IDEA THIS ISSUE WAS OUT THERE. HAD I HAD TO BRAKE AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS CASUALTIES OR EVEN FATALITIES. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND CONSIDER A RECALL OF THIS CAR. *TR