NHTSA Complaint #10638299 — 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA

NO ACTIVATION OF THE IGNITION SYSTEM. AFTER FOLLOWING ALL TROUBLE SHOOTING ADVICE IN THE CAR'S MANUAL, I TOWED THE CAR TO DEALER WHERE THEY FLAGGED AN ISSUE WITH THE STEERING LOCK CONTROL UNIT (PART# 487009N00B) AND IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS ALL PART OF THE VEHICLE ANTI-THEFT IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM. THE COST TO REPLACE THIS UNIT WAS $1041.17. I FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY FLAW IN THE 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA. THIS WAS A FULLY FUNCTIONING CAR (EXCEPT FOR ANTI-THEFT CIRCUIT GLITCH) THAT LEFT ME STRANDED IN A SITUATION WHERE MY CAR COULD HAVE BEEN TOWED BY THE CITY. NISSAN PROMOTES HOW SAFE, RELIABLE AND ECONOMICAL THEIR CARS ARE, BUT THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM CAN DISABLE THE VEHICLE LEAVING DRIVER STRANDED WITH ONLY ONE OPTION, WHICH IS, TO BE TOWED TO A DEALER BECAUSE OF ANT-THEFT SYSTEM GLITCHES. THIS IS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY TO FEMALE DRIVERS.I FEEL THAT NISSAN SHOULD COME UP WITH AN OVERRIDE CODE OR DEVICE THAT WILL ALLOW A DRIVER TO ESCAPE FROM POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS THAT WERE CREATED BY NISSAN'S VEHICLE IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM. ESPECIALLY WHEN THE CAR IS FULLY FUNCTIONAL EXCEPT FOR AN ANTI-THEFT IMMOBILIZING CIRCUIT FALSELY TELLING THAT THE VEHICLE IS NOT READY TO START WHEN IT IS. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY FLAW IN THEIR VEHICLE SECURITY SYSTEM. *TR