NHTSA Complaint #11179902 — 2009 NISSAN CUBE

VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A DOWNTOWN PARKING GARAGE WHILE MY WIFE WAS AT WORK. SHE CAME OUT OF WORK AFTER DARK, WITH NO ACCESS BACK INTO A BANKING BUILDING, AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. AFTER CALLING ME AND TRYING A COUPLE THINGS, WE CALLED OUR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND I GOT IN MY CAR TO DRIVE 45 MINUTES THERE. MY WIFE HAD TO WAIT IN THE LOCKED CAR, ALONE, UNTIL MYSELF AND THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED. THIS WAS AN UNSAFE SITUATION. WE HAD IT TOWED TO A DEALER AND FOUND OUT THE NEXT DAY THAT THE ESCL (ELECTRONIC STEERING CONTROL LOCK) HAD FAILED, WHICH PREVENTS THE CAR FROM STARTING. AFTER SPENDING $650 TO HAVE IT REPAIRED, I DID SOME INVESTIGATION AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM NOT JUST ON THE NISSAN CUBE, BUT WITH ALTIMAS, MAXIMAS, 370Z AND INFINITI VEHICLES. AFTER OUR REPAIR, NISSAN HAD EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE PART, BUT WE WERE PAST THE MILEAGE AND THEY WOULD NOT REIMBURSE US. THEY STILL HAVE AN OPEN SERVICE CAMPAIGN FOR THE ALTIMAS AND MAXIMAS, BUT NOT THE CUBE OR OTHER AFFECTED VEHICLES. THIS IS A SEVER SAFETY CONCERN. MY WIFE WAS ALONE IN A DARK PARKING RAMP FOR ALMOST AN HOUR IN THE INNER CITY. IMAGINE IF THIS HAPPENED TO OTHERS AFTER NISSAN HAS ACKNOWLEDGED IT AS A PROBLEM, AND SOMEONE GETS MUGGED OR KILLED WHILE IN AN UNSAFE AREA AND CANT GET THEIR CAR STARTED. NISSAN SHOULD ISSUE A 100% RECALL ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES AND PROVIDE REIMBURSEMENT FOR OWNERS WHO HAVE ALREADY PAID FOR THE REPAIR.