NHTSA Complaint #10563401 — 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA

I RETURNED TO MY PARKED CAR AFTER COMMUTING ON THE TRAIN HOME FROM WORK AND TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE. IT WAS A BITTER COLD EVENING AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3 DEGREES. WHEN I TRIED TO START THE CAR, THE KEY ICON SHOWED UP ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE STEERING WAS LOCKED AND PUSH BUTTON IGNITION DID NOT START THE CAR. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS VERY STIFF AND DID NOT "GIVE" WHEN DEPRESSED. ALSO, I COULDN'T GET THE CAR TO SHIFT TO NEUTRAL TO MOVE IT WHEN MY HUSBAND ARRIVED TO SEE IF HE COULD DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THEY SAID IT IS A NISSAN PROBLEM AND THE PART IS ON AN EXTENDED WARRANTY BECAUSE OF THE WELL-KNOWN AND ONGOING ISSUES. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE CAR TOWED TO MY NISSAN DEALER TO HAVE THEM INSPECT IT AND REPAIR IT. THEY ARE INSTRUCTED TO SEARCH FOR ANY RECALLS OR WARRANTY WHEN ENTERING THE VIN NUMBER. I'VE SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND IT SEEMS LIKE A VERY COMMON ISSUE. EVEN THE TOWING COMPANY DRIVER SAID HE TOWS ABOUT 3-5 NISSANS A WEEK WITH THE SAME ISSUE AND IT'S VERY COMMON, AS IT HAPPENS ALL OF THE TIME. I'M HOPING THEY HAVE THIS PART ON RECALL OR HAVE IT LISTED ON AN EXTENDED WARRANTY REPAIR. MY 2009 MAXIMA HAS 37,000 MILES ON IT. *TR