NHTSA Complaint #10780008 — 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA

WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AFTER BEING DRIVEN AN HOUR PRIOR TO THE MALFUNCTION. THE KEY FOB INDICATOR LIGHT COMES ON BUT THE CAR WILL NOT START OR RESPOND TO THE START BUTTON. THE KEY FOB UNLOCKS/LOCKS THE CAR. UPON RESEARCHING THE ISSUE ONLINE, I DISCOVERED THAT THE ISSUE IS WITH THE ELECTRONIC STEERING CONTROL LOCK THAT KEEPS THE CAR FROM BEING STOLEN OR STARTED WITHOUT THE KEY FOB. THIS IS, FROM WHAT I DISCOVERED, A KNOWN ISSUE WITH NISSANS AND IN MY VIEW A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. NISSAN HAS MADE THIS A WARRANTY EXTENSION INSTEAD OF A SAFETY RECALL FOR REASONS UNKNOWN. WITH NO WAY TO TELL WHEN AND IF A STEERING LOCK WILL FAIL IT IS A GAME OF CHANCE THAT MANY NISSAN OWNERS ARE LOSING. IF YOU ARE LIKE ME, AND PURCHASED YOUR CAR USED, IT IS SAFE TO SAY THAT YOU WILL NOT KNOW ABOUT THE ISSUE UNTIL ITS ALREADY TOO LATE. ON TOP OF THAT, SINCE IT IS A WARRANTY IT HAS AN EXPIRATION DATE. WHICH MEANS THAT IF YOU ARE UNFORTUNATE ENOUGH TO NO KNOW ABOUT THIS AND IT FAILS THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THAT NISSAN WILL NOT FIX IT FOR FREE.