NHTSA Complaint #11102220 — 2009 NISSAN MURANO

APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS AGO THE DRIVER'S SIDE BACK SEAT EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE STOPPED FUNCTIONING. IT IS STILL ATTACHED TO THE DOOR, BUT BASICALLY FLAPS LOOSELY, AND DOES NOT OPERATE WHATEVER DOOR OPENING MECHANISM SHOULD BE ENGAGED WHEN THE DOOR HANDLE IS USED TO OPEN THE DOOR. TWO MONTHS AGO, THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO THE DRIVERS DOOR. A FLAPPY LOOSE, INOPERABLE DOOR HANDLE. BOTH DOOR HANDLES STILL OPERATE FROM THE INTERIOR. THE CAR HAS VERY LOW MILES(86,000 MILES), AND IS MAINTAINED IN REASONABLE OPERATING CONDITION. ONE DEALSER HAS QUOTED APPROXIMATELY $600 TO FIX THE ISSUE FOR EACH DOOR, AND ONE DEALER I CONTACTED WANTED AN ADDITIONAL $130 TO PROVIDE A REPAIR ESTIMATE FOR EACH DOOR. (SERIOUSLY, $260 TO TELL ME THAT SOME CHEAP PLASTIC PART THAT ENGAGES THE DOOR MECHANISM IS BROKEN)' MY IMMEDIATE CONCERN IS THAT BOTH MY WIFE AND I HAVE SIGNIFICANT DISABILITIES, AND IN THE EVENT THAT WE REQUIRE EMERGENCY OR PARAMEDIC SERVICES WHILE LOCKED IN THE CAR, IF WE ARE NOT ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR FOR THE EMT'S, DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION OF THE CAR, WE MAY BE DENIED LIFE SAVING EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES FOR A PERIOD OF TIME WHILE JAWS OF LIFE ARE USED TO EXTRICATE US FROM THE VEHICLE, DELAYING MEDICAL SERVICES AS WELL AS DESTROYING WHAT MAY BE AN OTHERWISE 'GOOD CAR'. AFTER REBATES AND FACTORY INCENTIVES I PAID $36,000 CASH FOR THIS NEW CARE, 9 YEARS AGO. IT IS OUT OF REGULAR WARRANTY, PLUS EXTENDED WARRANTY. NISSAN USA HAS DENIED COVERAGE. I AM SHOCKED AT THE LACK OF CONCERN FOR SAFETY. I AM SHOCKED THAT A LOW MILEAGE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE SUCH A DUMB PART FAILURE. I AM DUMB FOUNDED OVER THE COST TO REPAIR WHAT IS BECOMING A KNOWN ISSUE IN OPENING A 'DAMN' DOOR. DEALERS HAVE HIGH PRICES FOR LABOR, AND AFTER MARKET PARTS RECEIVE A 4-5 TIMES MARKUP OVER COST TO MAKE A PART, BUT I AM SCARED ABOUT POTENTIAL FOR HARM, AND THE LACK OF FACTORY ASSISTANCE.