NHTSA Complaint #10949590 — 2009 NISSAN MAXIMA

2009 MAXIMA WITH 87,000 MILES WAS OPERATIONAL THROUGHOUT THE DAY; WE PARKED AT A BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENT FOR LUNCH FEBRUARY 4, 2017 (WINTER; CLOUDY NO RAIN OR SNOW) OUTDOOR TEMPERATURE 45 F. WHEN RETURNING TO VEHICLE, CAR WOULD NOT START: STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND INTELLIKEY SYSTEM WOULD NOT FUNCTION; BLINKING DASH LIGHT INDICATED CAR WAS IN LOCK-DOWN MODE. HAD TO CALL TOW TRUCK - AFTER 75 MINUTES WAIT CAR WAS TOWED TO NISSAN DEALER FOR REPAIR (STILL WAITING). THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE STEERING LOCK MECHANISM & IGNITION SWITCH ASSEMBLY LOCKED UP IN THIS VERY SAME CAR (THAT TIME WAS OCTOBER 2012 WITH 46,000 MILES ON THE CAR). THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM SINCE THIS APPEARS TO HAPPEN AT RANDOM; LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT AND IT DIDN'T HAPPEN IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION OR VICIOUS WEATHER. PREVIOUS REPAIR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, BUT I SUSPECT THIS REPAIR WILL BE QUITE COSTLY. THE CAR SHOULD NOT LOCK UP LIKE THIS FOR NO REASON. THE STEERING LOCK MECHANISMS APPEARS TO BE EITHER A FAULTY DESIGN OR HAVE PROBLEMS FUNCTIONING. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND HAVE THIS PART RECALLED OR REPAIRED.