NHTSA Complaint #10789261 — 2014 NISSAN FRONTIER

THE DESIGN OF THIS NISSAN 2014 FRONTIER CREW CAB'S REAR SEAT LOCKING FEATURE IS VERY POOR. WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY MISHAPS YET, BUT THE POSSIBILITY CERTAINLY EXISTS BECAUSE OF THE WAY YOU MUST UNLOCK THE REAR PASSENGER DOORS. WHEN I TOOK POSSESSION OF MY NEW TRUCK I REPORTED TO THE SALESMAN MY CONCERNS PERTAINING TO THE WAY THE REAR DOORS UNLOCKED. HE TOLD ME TO TAKE IT SOMEWHERE AND HAVE AUTOMATIC LOCKS PUT ON IT AS THEY DID NOT DO THAT TYPE OF WORK. THIS FEATURE SHOULD BE STANDARD ON CREW CABS. TO UNLOCK THE BACK PASSENGER DOORS, YOU MUST REACH BETWEEN THE SUPPORT COLUMN AND THE FRONT SEATS AND THEN "FEEL" YOUR WAY TO FIND THE MOLDED IN LEVER TO PUSH TO UNLOCK. I HAVE HAD A COAT ON BEFORE AND MUST EITHER TAKE IT OFF OR PUSH THE SLEEVE UP TO FIT MY ARM THROUGH THIS VERY LIMITED ACCESS AREA. MY FEAR IS THAT SOMETIME WE WILL NEED TO GET THE BACK DOOR OPENED QUICKLY AND YOU HAVE TO PHYSICALLY GET OUT OF THE TRUCK TO OPEN A LOCKED REAR DOOR. THERE IS NO OUTSIDE KEYED LOCK THAT YOU COULD USE A KEY TO GAIN ACCESS, YOU MUST STAND OUTSIDE THE TRUCK AND REACH THIS LATCH THAT IS MOLDED IN WITH THE DOOR OPENER INTERIOR HANDLE. I HAVE WRITTEN THE DEALERSHIP AND NISSAN AND ALL THEY WILL SAY IS THEY WILL LOG IT IN THEIR FILES. IT IS GOING TO TAKE A CHILD OR SOMEONE NEEDING MEDICAL ATTENTION AND THEN NOT BEING ABLE TO UNLOCK THE DOOR AND SOMETHING TRAGIC HAPPENING FOR NISSAN TO ADDRESS THIS POOR DESIGN? I HAVE ASKED THEM TO PHYSICALLY TRY TO UNLOCK ONE OF THESE DOORS AND EVERYONE HAS IGNORED MY CONCERN.