NHTSA Complaint #10628623 — 2013 INFINITI QX56

BACKING UP IN PARKING LOT SLOWLY (3MPH), UTILIZING ALL MIRRORS, GLANCING OVER BOTH SHOULDERS WHEN I BACKED INTO A VEHICLE'S BUMPER CAUSING DAMAGE TO MY BUMPER WHILE NONE TO THE OTHER CAR. THE INFINITI QX56 IS EQUIPPED WITH CAMERA AIDING CORNER SONAR AND MOD (MOVING OBJECT DETECTION). THE SONAR SYSTEM UTILIZES CAMERAS ON THE VEHICLE WHICH ARE DISPLAYED ON THE DASHBOARD DISPLAY SCREEN AS WELL AS AUDIBLE TONES WHICH INCREASE IN INTERMITTENT FREQUENCY UP TO CONTINUOUSLY, THE CLOSER THE OBJECT BECOMES. THE CORNER SONAR IS ADJUSTABLE TO HIGHER OR LOWER SENSITIVITY AND IS SET TO THE HIGHEST SETTING WHICH SOUNDS A TONE TO INFORM THE DRIVER OF OBSTACLES NEAR THE BUMPER - PER THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE MOD SYSTEM INFORMS THE DRIVER OF MOVING OBJECTS SURROUNDING THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING OUT OF GARAGES, MANEUVERING INTO PARKING LOTS AND IN OTHER SUCH INSTANCES AND IS AUTOMATICALLY TURNED ON WHEN THE SELECTOR LEVER IS IN THE R (REVERSE) POSITION. HOWEVER, THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATES THAT WHILE THE SONAR IS BEEPING, THE MOD SYSTEM DOES NOT CHIME.THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS VEHICLE'S SAFETY FEATURES HAVE NOT PERFORMED IN REVERSE WITH NO SONAR TONES NOR MOD CHIMES SOUNDING AN ALERT. I REPORTED THIS ISSUE DIRECTLY TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, AFTER THE FIRST FAILURE TO ALERT WHICH RESULTED IN MINOR DAMAGE TO THIS VEHICLE'S BUMPER BY CONTACT WITH A STATIONARY SIGN POLE IN A PARKING LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED WITH NO MALFUNCTIONS FOUND AND I WAS ADVISED (PER INFINITI'S DISCLAIMER'S) TO NOT JUST USE THESE TOOLS TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS, BUT TO USE THEM IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR, SIDE-VIEW MIRRORS, AND LOOKING AND CHECKING TO MAKE SURE IT IS SAFE TO MOVE. THESE ADDITIONAL SAFETY FEATURES WERE VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR PURCHASE OF THIS VEHICLE AS I WANT TO FEEL SAFE IN A VEHICLE AND KNOW THAT THE VEHICLE'S FEATURES/OPTIONS OPERATE AS INTENDED AND IS RELIABLE. *TR