NHTSA Complaint #10819361 — 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA

THE ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK MODULE IN MY 2009 ALTIMA LOCKED LEAVING ME STRANDED AND UNABLE TO START MY VEHICLE. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE. NISSAN RECEIVED SO MANY COMPLAINTS THEY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR A LIMITED TIME (TO 2014). I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE PRIOR TO THIS DATE FROM A NISSAN DEALER WHERE I'VE TAKEN IT FOR EVERY SERVICE AND WAS NEVER MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE UNTIL I COULDN'T START MY VEHICLE AND HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. I FILED A CLAIM WITH NISSAN AND THEY ARE REFUSING TO REIMBURSE ME THE $1076 I PAID OUT OF POCKET STATING THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER OF MY VEHICLE WAS INFORMED BY MAIL OF THE ISSUE (MY CAR HAD JUST ONE PREVIOUS OWNER WHO PERFORMED ALL MAINTENANCE AT THE SAME DEALERSHIP). THIS INFORMATION WAS NEVER PASSED ONTO ME. NISSAN IS SAYING THAT SINCE THEY INFORMED THE LAST OWNER, THEY ARE NO LONGER RESPONSIBLE AND ARE REFUSING REIMBURSEMENT. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS DEFECT THAT NISSAN NEEDS TO ADDRESS. THIS PART SHOULD BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY OR THEY SHOULD EXTEND THE WARRANTY ON THIS PART INDEFINITELY. NISSAN SHOULD ALSO BE CONTACTING THEIR CONSUMERS TO NOTIFY THE CURRENT VEHICLE OWNERS OF THESE SERIOUS TYPES OF ISSUES. CONTACTING A PREVIOUS OWNER IS NOT ENOUGH. THIS IS OUR THIRD NISSAN BUT I ABSOLUTELY REFUSE TO PURCHASE ANOTHER WITH BLATANT DISREGARD FOR THEIR CONSUMERS IN CASES SUCH AS THESE. HAVE SOME RESPECT FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS SAFETY AND RECALL PARTS THAT YOU KNOW ARE DEFECTIVE AND COULD LEAVE PEOPLE IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS!!