NHTSA Complaint #10700695 — 2012 NISSAN MAXIMA

WHEN VEHICLE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 YEARS OLD THE POSITIVE BATTERY CONNECTOR CONNECTING THE POWER CABLE FROM THE AUTOMOBILE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO THE BATTERY CORRODED AND CAME APART. THE NISSAN PART DESCRIPTION AND PART NUMBER IS "BATTERY TERMINAL 243 - PART # 24340-7F003). THIS WAS REPLACED WITH A FACTORY PART. APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 YEARS LATER IT CORRODED AND CAME APART AGAIN. THIS FAILURE CAUSES THE ENGINE TO LOOSE ANY ELECTRICITY FROM THE BATTERY, WHICH WOULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STOP, CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES AND AIR BAG PROTECTION OR PREVENTS THE ENGINE FROM STARTING DUE TO NO ELECTRICITY FEEDING THE STARTER AND VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. FORTUNATELY, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT MOVING WHEN THIS FAILURE OCCURRED ON EITHER OCCASION OR SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH COULD HAVE OCCURRED. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE DESIGN OF THIS CONNECTOR OR THE TYPE OF MATERIAL FROM WHICH IT S MADE IS ADEQUATE. I HAVE REPLACED THE CONNECTOR WITH A LEAD BATTERY CONNECTOR USED FOR CONNECTING RV BATTERIES AND DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE VEHICLE WILL EVER SUFFER THIS PROBLEM AGAIN WITH THE AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENT CONNECTOR. FORTUNATELY FOR ME THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED WHEN THESE FAILURES OCCURRED. OTHER THAN THE OBVIOUS DANGER, I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM WOULD CAUSE MOST PEOPLE TO INCUR SIGNIFICANT EXPENSE IN TOWING AND REPAIR CHARGES, JUST TO REPLACE THE CONNECTOR. ALTHOUGH I WAS ABLE TO REPAIR THE PROBLEMS MYSELF, I DOUBT THAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD BE ABLE TO DO SO ON THEIR OWN. THE PARTS SALES PERSON AT THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD BOUGHT A SECOND CONNECTOR (ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT USED) SEEMED TO INDICATE THAT THEY SOLD AN AWFUL LOT OF THESE CONNECTORS, WHICH SUGGESTS THAT A BETTER DESIGN OR MATERIAL WOULD BE ADVISABLE AND MAKE IT MUCH LESS LIKELY THAT A FAILURE OF THIS NATURE WOULD OCCUR. *TR