NHTSA Complaint #10562918 — 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA

MY 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA COUPE WITH 63,200 MILES WOULD NOT START LAST SATURDAY, 2/1. THE STEERING COLUMN WAS LOCKED, THE BRAKES WERE LOCKED, AND THE PUSH TO START BUTTON WOULD NOT LIGHT UP OR START THE CAR. THE RED LIGHT FOR THE KEY WAS FLASHING AND THE CAR COULD NEVER BE STARTED. MY VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO LEITH NISSAN IN CARY, NC WHERE SERVICE MEMBERS THERE SAID THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND CURRENTLY HAVE TWO OTHER VEHICLES IN LINE FOR THE SAME PART. THE ELECTRICAL PART FOR THE START BUTTON IS ON SERIOUS BACKORDER AND THE COMPANY HAS SUCH A HIGH DEMAND FOR IT THAT EVEN NISSAN CORPORATE IS SAYING IT WILL BE A FEW WEEKS TO GET THE PART IN. THE SERVICE STAFF AT LEITH NISSAN IN CARY, NC SAID THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN COMMON AND THAT NISSAN WAS NOT RECALLING THIS PART THOUGH THEY HAVE KNOWLEDGE THIS A SERIOUS ISSUE AFFECTING MANY NISSAN CAR OWNERS FOR A SOME TIME NOW. LEITH NISSAN TOLD ME TO CALL CORPORATE AND ANYONE ELSE I COULD TO RAISE THIS CONCERN AND THAT MAYBE SOMETHING WOULD BE DONE. HUNDREDS OF OTHER NISSAN OWNERS HAVE POSTED THIS EXACT PROBLEM ONLINE AND FILED CLAIMS AS WELL. NISSAN NEEDS TO RECALL THE PART AND REIMBURSE THOSE AFFECTED FOR RENTAL CARS AND OTHER EXPENSES. I CALLED THE NISSAN CORPORATE OFFICE DEMANDING REIMBURSEMENT FOR RENTAL CAR FEES. THE NHTSA NEEDS TO PUT A STOP TO THIS AND ENFORCE NISSAN TO RECALL THIS PART ON ALL ALTIMA'S. APPARENTLY THIS EXACT PART HAS ALREADY BEEN RECALLED ON OTHER NISSAN VEHICLES.