NHTSA Complaint #11162776 — 2014 NISSAN PATHFINDER

AFTER OWNING MY 2014 NISSAN PATHFINDER PLATINUM FOR A LITTLE OVER 2 YEARS AND 37000 MILES (CONVENIENTLY JUST OUT OF THE FACTORY WARRANTY PERIOD), THE SUN VISOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BECAME INOPERABLE AND, WHAT I CONSIDERED TO BE, A SAFETY HAZZARD. THE INSIDE PORTION OF THE VISOR ITSELF WAS OBVIOUSLY POORLY ENGINEERED AND LOOSENED/CRACKED INSIDE THE VISOR WHICH HOLDS IT SECURE TO THE VISOR ARM. THE VISOR WOULD NOT REMAIN IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION, OUT OF THE FIELD OF VISION WHILE DRIVING. IT WAS CAUGHT IN A STATE OF LIMBO IN BETWEEN BEING ALL THE WAY DOWN, AND BEING ALL THE WAY UP. AS A TEMPORARY FIX, I HAD IT SECURED WITH VELCRO, BUT THIS WOULD COME LOOSE SOMETIMES WHILE DRIVING AND OBSTRUCT MY VISION. WITHIN A MONTH OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR BREAKING, THE PASSENGER SIDE VISOR BROKE AS WELL, IN THE SAME EXACT SPOT. I SECURED BOTH VISORS IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION WITH BUNGEE CORDS AS THE VELCRO WASN'T SECURE. MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT EVEN THOUGH THIS WAS A KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE, I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS MYSELF, ALMOST $400 TOTAL. I CONTACTED NISSAN'S CORPORATE OFFICE TO SEE IF THEY COULD RESOLVE THIS FOR ME SINCE IT HAS BEEN A COMMON COMPLAINT AMONG PATHFINDER OWNERS, BUT I WAS GIVEN THE SAME ANSWER. MY CONCERN, THAT NISSAN DOESN'T SHARE, IS HAVING A VEHICLE WITH NO OPERABLE SUN VISORS. WHAT IF I GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT WITH MY FAMILY IN THE CAR BECAUSE I WAS BLINDED BY THE SUN? NISSAN, HOWEVER, DOES NOT THINK THIS IS A LEGITIMATE SAFETY ISSUE FOR ALL OF THEIR CUSTOMERS REGARDING THIS KNOWN QUALITY DEFECT. I GUESS THEY HAVE CALCULATED THAT A WRONGFUL DEATH SETTLEMENT OR TWO IS LESS EXPENSIVE THAN DOING THE RIGHT THING AND REPLACING A COUPLE THOUSAND (OR POSSIBLY A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND) VISORS.