NHTSA Complaint #10690753 — 2013 NISSAN JUKE

ON WED, JANUARY 21, 2015, I ARRIVED HOME AROUND 7PM AND WENT INSIDE. I WAS NOT IN THE HOUSE 5 MINUTES WHEN I HEARD A MASSIVE EXPLOSION IN MY DRIVEWAY. I THEN SAW A BRIGHT ORANGE GLOW OUTSIDE MY WINDOW, WHICH WAS MY CAR ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPT SUPPRESSED THE FIRE AND THAT NIGHT I CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY TO REPORT THE INCIDENT. THE CAR (A LEASE), WAS INCINERATED AND DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS BY THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER. MY INSURANCE PAID OFF THE CAR TO THE LEASING COMPANY. WHEN I RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE, I SAW A LETTER THE NHTSA SENT TO NISSAN NORTH AMERICA REGARDING A LOOSE FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR IN MY 2013 JUKE AND PROMPTED THEM TO ISSUE RECALLS. THAT LETTER WAS DATED DEC 8, 2014. MY CAR WAS, IN FACT, ON THE RECALL LIST AND I FINALLY GOT MY LETTER ONE WEEK AFTER THE INCIDENT. NISSAN WAS VERY SLOW TO INFORM THEIR CUSTOMERS OF A VERY SERIOUS AND POTENTIALLY FATAL ISSUE. NISSAN CORPORATE DID AN INVESTIGATION ON MY CAR AND FOCUSED ON THE FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR. AFTER 1 MONTH OF WAITING FOR THEM TO CONTACT ME, THEY CALLED ME WED, FEBRUARY 25TH, 2015 TELLING ME THAT THE FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR WAS NOT THE ISSUE, HOWEVER THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO PINPOINT WHAT EXACTLY DID HAPPEN. THEY ADMIT THAT NO EXTERNAL FACTORS COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS FIRE AND THAT IT WAS, INDEED, AN ISSUE WITH THE CAR. THE ONLY THING THEY SAID THEY COULD DO FOR ME WAS OFFER A DISCOUNT ON A NEW NISSAN, HOWEVER I TOLD THEM I WOULD NEVER DRIVE ANOTHER NISSAN, ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY AREN'T SURE WHAT MADE THE CAR BLOW UP. I KNOW IN MY HEART THE FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR WAS TO BLAME. WHY ELSE WOULD MY CAR BE ENGULFED IN AN OBVIOUS FUEL FIRE IN MY DRIVEWAY. I FIND IT HORRIBLE THAT THEY ARE NOT ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR FAULTY ENGINEERING. YOU MAY WANT TO LOOK MORE INTO THIS SINCE THEY "DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED IT". ALSO, THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT RELEASE THE REPORT TO ME AS IT'S NISSAN'S PROPERTY. *JS