NHTSA Complaint #10617395 — 2007 NISSAN VERSA

THE HATCHBACK LOCK MECHANISM QUIT WORKING ON JULY 2 (106885 MILES). CAN ONLY BE OPENED WITH THE KEY FOB (NO KEY LOCK ON THIS MODEL), OR BY UNLOCKING THE BACK SEATS AND CRAWLING INTO THE TRUNK COMPARTMENT TO PULL THE MANUAL RELEASE. WHILE THIS IS A PAIN IN THE NECK, IT DOESN'T SEEM TO POSE A HAZARD. ON JULY 27 (108291 MILES) THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR LOCK QUIT WORKING - TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY. THERE ARE FOUR WAYS TO OPEN THIS DOOR, WITH THE KEY FOB, THE ELECTRIC LOCK/UNLOCK MECHANISM ON BOTH THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND THE PASSENGER'S SIDE, AND FINALLY THE MANUAL LOCK/UNLOCK MECHANISM. ALL OF THESE QUIT WORKING AND THERE IS NO EXTERIOR MANUAL KEY LOCK TO ACCESS EITHER. IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT OR AN EMERGENCY, THE PASSENGER HAS NO QUICK AND EASY WAY TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. THEY MUST EXIT THE SAME WAY THE ENTERED THE VEHICLE, BY CRAWLING OVER THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT AND WHEEL, EMERGENCY BRAKE AND TRANSMISSION SHIFT MECHANISM. MY WIFE DRIVES A TOTAL OF 64 MILES A DAY (TO AND FROM WORK) 10 DAYS A MONTH -- BY HERSELF, SO THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND HATCHBACK HAVE NOT BEEN USED AS OFTEN AS ANOTHER CAR WITH OUR MILEAGE MIGHT BE EXPECTED TO HAVE BEEN USED. THE DEALER QUOTED ME $895 PLUS TAX TO FIX THESE TWO ISSUES ($485 FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR). NOT ONLY DOSE THIS POSE A SERIOUS DANGER TO THE PASSENGER, IT IS A RIP OFF (WHY DIDN'T THEY PROVIDE A "KEYED" ENTRY ON THE PASSENGER SIDE?)! *JS