NHTSA Complaint #10643122 — 2014 NISSAN VERSA

THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM THE CAR DEALER IN THE SPRING. WHEN TURNING ON THE AC PARTICLES CAME OUT OF THE AIR VENTS AND INTO MY EYES. I WEAR CONTACT LENSES AND IT TEMPORARILY BLINDED ME. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER WITHOUT INCIDENT AND GET THE PARTICLES OUT OF MY EYES. THE PARTICLES LOOKED LIKE GRASS SEEDS. SINCE THEN, I ALWAYS TURN ON MY BLOWER BEFORE MOVING TO CLEAR THE VENTS. I WENT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR DOES NOT COME EQUIPPED WITH A CABIN AIR FILTER, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A PLACE FOR ONE TO BE INSTALLED. I CHECKED WITH NISSAN OF AMERICA AND THEY CONFIRMED WHAT THE DEALER SAID. I TOLD THEY CHEAPED OUT THE CAR AND THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE DEALER INSTALLED A CABIN AIR FILTER AT THE COST OF ~ $60.00. MY CONCERN IS THAT IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE ENDED VERY BADLY AND POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FATALITY. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THAT NISSAN SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO EQUIP THEIR CARS WITH CABIN AIR FILTERS. CARS BUILD PRIOR TO CABIN AIR FILTERS DIDN'T SEEN TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM DUE TO THE WAY THEY TOOK AIR INTO THE CAR. *TR