NHTSA Complaint #11062807 — 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA

MY 2010 NISSSAN MAXIMA HAS 54,900 MILES. IN DECEMBER 2017 I NOTICED A RATTLE IN THE CAR FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEN EVER GOING OVER BUMPS OR ROUGH ROAD. SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS DUE FOR A TIRE ROTATION I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY TIRE SHOP WHERE THEY DISCOVERED THAT BOTH SUSPENSION SPRINGS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WERE BROKEN. BOTH BREAKS OCCURRED AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE SPRING. THE BROKEN PARTS LOOK ALMOST IDENTICAL. FORTUNATELY THEY CAUSED NO FURTHER DAMAGE ALTHOUGH DAMAGE TO THE TIRES OR SUSPENSION COULD HAVE OCCURRED WITH RESULTING LOSS OF CONTROL. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHERE THEY ADVISED THAT THIS TYPE OF FAILURE IS TYPICAL AND THERE IS NO RECALL OR REIMBURSEMENT FOR THIS COMPONENT FAILURE. HAVING OWNED DIFFERENT VEHICLES OF ALL TYPES OVER THE LAST 40 YEARS I HAVE NEVER HAD SUSPENSION SPRING FAILURE WITH ANY VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH THEY WOULD HAVE HAD HIGHER MILEAGE THAN THIS 2010 NISSAN. IT IS SURPRISING THAT NISSAN DOES NOT ADMIT TO A SPRING PROBLEM WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT THEY HAVE RECALLED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES FOR SUSPENSION SPRING EARLIER FAILURES. I BELIEVE THIS TYPE OF FAILURE SHOULD BE FURTHER INVESTIGATED WITH THE MANUFACTURER BEFORE SOMEONE SUFFERS AN INJURY DUE TO EARLY FAILURE OF A KEY SUSPENSION COMPONENT.