NHTSA Complaint #11180953 — 2016 NISSAN PATHFINDER

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN MY CAR STARTED VIBRATING (MUCH LIKE THE FEELING OF WHEN A CAR NEEDS TO GET THE WHEELS ALIGNED). I GOT OFF OF THE HIGHWAY TO TAKE IT TO A NEARBY NISSAN DEALERSHIP SERVICE PARTS SHOP TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. ABOUT A BLOCK AWAY FROM THE DEALERSHIP, WHEN I WAS DRIVING, MY FRONT RIGHT WHEEL FLEW OFF OF MY VEHICLE. MY CAR WAS THEN LYING ON THE END OF THE AXLE AND WAS NOT DRIVABLE AND STUCK IN THE ROAD. I WAS AT THE VERY LEFT SIDE OF THE STREET AND LUCKILY THE WHEEL DID NOT HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE OR PERSON AND CAUSE ANY INJURIES. THIS PATHFINDER IS A 2016 AND I HAVE HAD IT FOR 2 YEARS. IT HAS 17,000 MILES ON IT AND I HAVE NOT HAD ANY ISSUES WITH THE CAR SINCE I HAVE HAD IT UNTIL NOW. I HAVE NOT NEEDED TO HAVE THE TIRES ROTATED YET BECAUSE THE TREAD ON THE TIRES LOOK GOOD AND NOT WORN DOWN. I HAVE NOT NEEDED TO HAVE THE WHEELS ALIGNED EITHER. SO, THE TIRES HAVE NEVER BEEN TAKEN OFF OF THIS VEHICLE. NISSAN CLAIMS THAT THEY THINK THIS ISSUE IS RELATED TO LOOSE LUG NUTS. I CLAIM THAT THIS ISSUE DID NOT START UNTIL I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY HALFWAY HOME. I CLAIM THAT THIS ISSUE WAS FROM DEFECTIVE LUG NUTS. JUST 2 YEARS BEFORE, IN 2014, THERE WAS A RECALL NISSAN HAD RELATED TO LUG NUTS FOR PATHFINDERS AND THAT WAS RESOLVED, HOWEVER, IT IS REASONABLE TO THINK THAT THIS COULD BE ANOTHER POTENTIAL RECALL ISSUE. MY ADVICE FOR ANY ONE HAVING A 2016 PATHFINDER IS TO CHECK AND MAKE SURE THEIR LUG NUTS ARE NOT DEFECTIVE. I HAVE MUCH MORE DETAILS REGARDING THIS ISSUE THAT I CAN PROVIDE THAT SUPPORTS MY CASE. I FEAR THAT IF THIS HAPPENS TO SOMEONE ELSE, THERE IS A STRONG CHANCE THIS COULD END UP CAUSING A CRASH AND/OR GETTING OTHER PEOPLE KILLED. THE PAST RECALL IN 05/02/2014 THAT I MENTIONED IS RECALL NUMBER 14V229000, COMPONENT: WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS. ALSO, I CONTACTED NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND THEY WERE NOT HELPFUL.