NHTSA Complaint #10735782 — 2005 NISSAN FRONTIER

PURCHASED A BRAND NEW NISSAN FRONTIER KING CAB ON 7/28/2005. RECENTLY DISCOVERED ON 6/15/2015, AFTER THE BIRTH OF OUR FIRST CHILD, THAT THE CHILD CAR SEAT EXTENDER IN THE CAB OF THE TRUCK WAS MANUFACTURED ON THE WRONG SIDE. THE OWNERS MANUAL STATES & SHOWS THE CHILD SEAT EXTENDER SHOULD BE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER, THE CURRENT CONFIGURATION (AS MANUFACTURED BY NISSAN) IS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THE EXTENDER IS REQUIRED TO BE INSTALLED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AS USE OF A REAR-FACING CAR SEAT IN THE KING CAB MODEL REQUIRES THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT TO BE COMPLETELY FORWARD SO THE CAR SEAT MAY PROPERLY FIT IN THE CAB. ACCORDINGLY, USING A CHILD CAR SEAT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE RENDERS THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE AS THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE DRIVEN SAFELY. THE USE OF A CHILD CAR SEAT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IN THE CURRENT VEHICLE CONDITION IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE IN THE ABSENCE OF THE SEAT EXTENDER. IN EITHER SCENARIO, THE CURRENT VEHICLE CONFIGURATION (AS MANUFACTURED BY NISSAN) CANNOT PERFORM TO THE DESIGNED SAFETY STANDARDS TO PERMIT USE OF A CHILD CAR SEAT WITH THE VEHICLE. NISSAN HAS BEEN CONTACTED REGARDING THE ISSUE ON THE DAY IT WAS DISCOVERED (6/15/2015), BUT HAS REFUSED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND HAVE INDICATED THEY ASSUME NO LIABILITY EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE CANNOT OPERATE TO THE STANDARDS STATED IN THE OWNERS MANUAL AS A RESULT OF THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THEY HAVE INDICATED I MAY FIX THE SEAT MYSELF OR HIRE A 3RD PARTY, BUT NISSAN WILL ASSUME NO LIABILITY. I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED REGARDING THE SAFETY AND OPERATION OF THIS VEHICLE WITH A CHILD SEAT EVEN IF I WERE TO FIX THE ISSUE INDEPENDENTLY. THE FACT THAT NISSAN WILL NOT ASSUME ANY LIABILITY SUGGESTS THAT FIXING THE SEAT ALONE MAY NOT ADEQUATE RESOLVE ANY SAFETY ISSUES RESULTING FROM INCORRECT MANUFACTURE OF THE VEHICLE AND COULD BE INDICATIVE OF LARGER SYSTEMIC SAFETY ISSUES.