NHTSA Complaint #10558253 — 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA

OUR VEHICLE BEGAN MAKING LOUD SQUEAKING/RATTLING SOUNDS UNDER OUR HOOD ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. WE NOTICED THE SOUNDS WERE GETTING LOUDER, SO MY HUSBAND DECIDED TO TAKE OUR VEHICLE INTO A NISSAN DEALERSHIP FOR OBSERVATION ON DECEMBER 24, 2013. WHILE AT THE DEALERSHIP, HE WAS TOLD VERY QUICKLY THAT THE SOUNDS WE HAD BEEN HEARING WERE THE RESULT OF THE CRACKING OF OUR SUSPENSION/STRUT INSULATOR. HE WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE SAME CRACKING SUSPENSION/STRUT INSULATOR PROBLEM THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING HAD AFFECTED MOSTLY ALL OF THE 2009-2010 MAXIMA MODEL VEHICLES THAT HAD BEEN MANUFACTURED, LAUNCHING A RECALL (NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 09V358000), EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 16, 2009. AFTER FINDING OUT THIS INFORMATION, WE CONTACTED NISSAN MOTOR ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION ON DECEMBER 24, 2013, BUT NMAC WAS CLOSED. ON DECEMBER 27, 2013, I CONTACTED A REPRESENTATIVE AT NMAC AND EXPLAINED THE ISSUES THAT WE ARE HAVING WITH OUR 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA, AND STATED THE ISSUES WE ARE EXPERIENCING ARE THE EXACT ISSUES THAT WERE DOCUMENTED AS A VEHICLE HAZARD UNDER THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 09V358000. I WAS TOLD BY THE REPRESENTATIVE THAT MY VIN # WAS NOT AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL; HOWEVER, I ASKED THE REPRESENTATIVE TO PLEASE EXTEND THE RECALL CAMPAIGN TO INCLUDE MY VIN #, SINCE OBVIOUSLY, MY NISSAN MAXIMA WAS ONE OF THE FIRST 2009 MODELS MANUFACTURED, AND IT IS CLEAR THAT WHATEVER PROBLEMS THE REST OF THE 2009 MODELS ARE EXPERIENCING, UNLESS THE FORMULA REGARDING HOW THE SUSPENSION/STRUT INSULATORS HAD BEEN MANUFACTURED WHEN I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE HAD CHANGED, THEN THERE IS NO WAY MY VEHICLE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN AFFECTED. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS OF COMMUNICATION BACK AND FORTH WITH THE NISSAN REPRESENTATIVE, WE WERE TOLD TODAY THAT NISSAN WILL NOT EXTEND THE RECALL TO INCLUDED MY VIN # BUT WILL ONLY OFFER TO PAY 1/2 THE COST OF THE PARTS ONLY, NO LABOR COSTS. *TR