NHTSA Complaint #10644233 — 2013 NISSAN ALTIMA

DRIVING THE 2013 NISSAN ALTIMA AT APPROXIMATELY 6:30AM, GOING APPROX 10-15 MILES PER HOUR THE HOOD UNEXPECTEDLY FLEW OPEN. THE CAR WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE HOOD CLOSED. THE IMPACT OF THE HOOD FLYING OPEN BENT BACK METAL NEAR THE WINDSHIELD ON BOTH FENDERS AND THE BUMPER WAS SCRAPED HITTING A CURB OR SOMETHING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. DUE TO THE EARLY HOUR THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY AS NO OTHER CARS WERE ON THE ROAD. IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED 15 MINUTES LATER, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY GOING 60 MPH. PHONE CALLS WERE MADE TO NISSAN AND AS WELL, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO COCHRAN NISSAN (DORMONT, PA). IN BOTH INSTANCES WE WERE TOLD THAT THERE WERE NO ISSUES WITH THE HOOD LATCH AND NISSAN WOULD NOT PAY FOR ANY REPAIRS. ODDLY THOUGH, THE DEALERSHIP WAS WILLING TO PROVIDE US A NEW HOOD LATCH AT NO COST (WOULD HAVE TO PAY LABOR TO INSTALL). I REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY. THEIR ADJUSTER CLEARLY FOUND FAULT WITH THE HOOD LATCH AND IN AN UNSCIENTIFIC TEST THAT HE PERFORMED, THE HOOD FAILED 9 OUT OF 9 TIMES. CALLS WERE AGAIN MADE TO NISSAN WITH THIS INFORMATION AND WE WERE TOLD 'SORRY'. THEY WERE NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DAMAGES TO THE HOOD, BOTH FENDERS AND FRONT BUMPER. EVEN THOUGH WE WERE INFORMING THEM OF ALL THE REPORTS WE HAD FOUND ON THE INTERNET OF THE SAME THING HAPPENING ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH 2013 NISSAN ALTIMAS. WE WERE TOLD THAT MOST LIKELY WHAT HAPPENED WAS THE HOOD RELEASE WAS USED INSTEAD OF THE GAS TANK DOOR RELEASE, AS THESE 2 RELEASES ARE RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER. (DOES SOMEONE SEE ANY FAULT IN THAT?). THE CLAIM FOR APPROX $2700 WENT AGAINST MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND I WAS ISSUED A CHECK FOR $2200 TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. GIVEN THE NEWS ON THE RECALL I WILL BE WORKING WITH MY INSURANCE COMPANY TO RECOVER THE $2700. *TR