NHTSA Complaint #10733781 — 2010 NISSAN VERSA

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE 2010 NISSAN VERSA HATCHBACK ON A SECONDARY ROAD DOING LESS THEN 30 MPH WHEN SHE SUDDENLY HEARD A 'BANG' SOUND. SHE THEN CLAIMED SHE HEARD A SIMILAR SOUND WHEN MAKING LEFT HAND TURNS. WHEN SHE ASKED ME TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT COIL SPRING HAD BROKEN IN TWO. THAT WAS THE LAST THING I EXPECTED TO SEE. THE 'SIMILAR' SOUND SHE HEARD WAS THE SOUND OF BROKEN SECTION OF COIL SPRING RATTLING AROUND THE REMAINING SPRING/STRUT ASSEMBLY. FORTUNATELY BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE BREAK IT WAS CAPTIVE AND THERE WAS NO WAY FOR IT TO BECOME SUDDENLY SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. THIS COMPONENT ON A CAR SHOULD NEVER FAIL. HAD SHE BEEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED SHE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. WE PAID $350 TO HAVE ONE SPRING REPLACED!!! I STILL HAVE THE BROKEN SPRING. THE MECHANIC SAVED IT FOR ME. I ALSO HAVE CLOSE UP PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE BROKEN SPRING THAT I AM MORE THEN WILLING TO PROVIDE TO ANY AGENCY INVESTIGATING THIS MATTER. NISSAN SHOULD OWN UP AND REPLACE THESE DEFECTIVE SPRINGS BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED.