NHTSA Complaint #10615841 — 2008 NISSAN ARMADA

MY WIFE (ALONG WITH OUR 2 CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 5) WAS ATTEMPTING TO APPLY THE BRAKES AS SHE APPROACHED AN INTERSECTION TO MAKE A TURN. THE SUV RESPONDED BY BEGINNING TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY, MAKE VERY LOUD NOISES, & ULTIMATELY THE BRAKES FAILED. SHE OBSERVED THE PARKING BRAKE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH BOARD. SHE WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE ON THE CURRENT ROAD & DOWNSHIFT TO REDUCE SPEED BEFORE PULLING OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SHE THEN TURNED THE SUV OFF & BACK ON. AFTER RE-IGNITION, THE BRAKE LIGHT WAS NO LONGER ILLUMINATED, AND THE BRAKES FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. WHEN SHE GOT HOME I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND NOTICED THOUSANDS OF OTHER NISSAN OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE, TO THE POINT OF A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT CURRENTLY UNDERWAY IN CALIFORNIA. THIS IS AT LEAST THE 8TH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IN THIS VEHICLE OVER THE COURSE OF 3 YEARS OF OWNING. THANKFULLY, IT HAS NOT RESULTED IN A CRASH, INJURY OR FATALITY TO DATE. THE SAME BRAKE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS UP TO 70MPH. EVERY INCIDENT OCCURS SIMILARLY, WITH SHAKING, NOISE, AND PARKING BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATION. TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTING SEEMS TO TEMPORARILY SOLVE THE PROBLEM, BUT IT HAS CONTINUED TO OCCUR RANDOMLY. THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE ISSUE AND THAT NEEDS IMMEDIATE ATTENTION!! *TR