NHTSA Complaint #10550877 — 2013 NISSAN ALTIMA

I WENT TO GAS STATION TO FILL MY LAWN MOWER GAS CAN. I THOUGHT I OPENED THE TRUNK WHERE THE CAN WAS STORED. IT DIDN'T OPEN SO I RE-CLICKED THE LATCH. TRUNK OPENED. GOT BACK ON THE ROAD, SMALL TOWN, NO TRAFFIC AND MY HOOD FLEW OPEN AND BACK AGAINST THE WINDSHIELD. I MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY HIT THE HOOD LATCH THE 1ST TIME-NOT SURE BUT REGARDLESS, THE SECONDARY CATCH SHOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS AT 25 - 30 MPH. WHAT IF I HAD BEEN ON EXPRESSWAY? NO DAMAGE TO ME BUT $2100 DAMAGE TO CAR. I AM INSURED. THEY ARE REPLACING THE FENDERS WHERE THEY WERE TORQUED BACKWARD, THE HINGES WHERE SPRUNG, AND THE LATCH MECHANISM BECAUSE UNSURE WHY SECONDARY LATCH DID NOT HOLD. WAS AT NISSAN DEALER WITHIN PAST MONTH IN CINCINNATI AND HOOD HAS NOT BEEN OPENED - NO INKLING ANYTHING WRONG. I DON'T FEEL THIS HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH DEALER AS I HAVE DRIVEN NUMEROUS MILES SINCE AT 65-70 MPH. NO WARNING LIGHT IN DISPLAY SO EVIDENTLY THIS FAILURE IS NOT CONNECTED TO A WARNING SOUND OR LIGHT. AT THIS LOW SPEED, THE WINDSHIELD AND HOOD LOOKS OK INITIALLY - BUT MORE DAMAGE MAY APPEAR AS THEY WORK ON THE CAR. I HAVE A RENTAL DUE TO THE SAFETY CONCERN OF CARSTAR ESTIMATOR. I FEEL THERE COULD BE SOME IMPROVEMENT MADE HERE TO PREVENT THIS. *TR