NHTSA Complaint #10825016 — 2006 NISSAN MURANO

SEAT SUDDENLY DROPPED TO THE DRIVERS SIDE IN THE VEHICLE AGAINST THE DOOR. THIS SUDDEN CHANGE IN POSITION CAUSED ME TO SWERVE THE VEHICLE NEARLY MISSING THE CAR NEXT TO ME IN THE OTHER LANE. IF THIS SEAT WAS TO FAIL COMPLETELY I COULD HAVE BEEN THROWN BACKWARDS IN THE VEHICLE LOSING THE ABILITY TO PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND THIS WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH OF THE VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE IS USED BY A 160 POUND WOMAN AND EVEN THOUGH HAS SOME AGE HAS ONLY 43,000 ORIGINAL MILES ON THE ODOMETER. IT IS USED STRICTLY FOR PLEASURE DRIVING ON THE WEEKENDS. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE TRAVELLING ON A HIGHWAY AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND ROUNDING A CORNER. UPON REVIEWING THE MANY MANY THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN WRITTEN UP ON THE INTERNET ABOUT HOW PERVASIVE THIS PROBLEM IS THERE IS NO REASON THAT A POOR DESIGN ON THE SEAT LIFTING FRAME HAS RESULTED IN A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THIS PART AND NISSAN HAS NOW REDESIGNED THE PART TO REINFORCE THE SEAT FRAME PART OT MAKE IT MORE STURDY. THIS REDESIGN MEANS TO ME THAT THEY RECOGNIZE THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ORIGINAL DESIGN AND THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FO RTHE REPAIR NOT TELL CONSUMERS THEY NEED TO PAY TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AT A COST OF BETWEEN $1,000 AND $2,500. THAT IS RIDICULOUS.