NHTSA Complaint #11164012 — 2010 NISSAN VERSA

PRIOR TO BEING APART OF THE TAKATA INFLATOR RECALL, I DID NOT REALIZE THAT CITIZENS COULD REPORT ERRONEOUS AND DANGEROUS PART FAILURES IN THEIR AUTOMOBILES PRIOR TO A DANGEROUS INCIDENT. HAVING GONE THROUGH THE TAKATA RECALL, I AM NOW A MORE AWARE CONSUMER AND WANT TO REPORT AN INCIDENT INVOLVING FAILING DOOR ASSEMBLIES ON NISSAN VERSA HATCHBACK'S. THE RIGHT FRONT DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR FAILED ON MY 2010 NISSAN VERSA HATCHBACK SEVERAL YEARS AFTER OWNERSHIP. IT IS UNCLEAR IF THIS HAPPENED DURING OR AFTER DRIVING, BUT IT WAS DISCOVERED WHEN THE CAR WAS STATIONARY. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY NISSAN THAT THE DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER FOR THE HATCH BACK DOOR IN THE REAR TO OPEN. THE UNLOCK SIGNAL EVEN WHEN THE DOORS ARE UNLOCKED IS NOT BEING SENT TO THE TAILGATE. A FAILURE TO DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE HIGH-QUALITY DOOR LATCH IS NOT A CONSUMER OR CUSTOMER ERROR. ADDITIONALLY, OTHER AUTO COMPANY'S LIKE FORD HAVE RECALLED THEIR DOOR ASSEMBLIES, BECAUSE ANY WEAKNESS IN A DOOR ASSEMBLY CAN CAUSE THE DOOR TO OPEN WHILE DRIVING AND POSES A RISK TO THE PASSENGERS OR DRIVERS. FORD STATED THAT "SHOULD A CUSTOMER BE ABLE TO OPEN AND CLOSE THE DOOR WITH THESE CONDITIONS, THE DOOR MAY APPEAR CLOSED, BUT THE LATCH MAY NOT FULLY ENGAGE THE DOOR STRIKER WITH THE POTENTIAL THAT THE DOOR COULD OPEN WHILE DRIVING, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY." THE NHTSA NEEDS TO LOOK INTO THE NISSAN ACTUATOR ISSUE. IT IS A RISK FOR PEOPLE RIDING AND DRIVING NISSANS AND ALSO A LIABILITY TO THE COMPANY.