NHTSA Complaint #11191968 — 2009 NISSAN 370Z

I PURCHASED MY FIRST NISSAN, A 2009 370Z, IN 2009. AS OF TODAY THE CAR HAS HAD FOUR (4) ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCKS (ESCL) INSTALLED. THE ESCL THAT NISSAN USES IS DEFECTIVE, WHICH RESULTS IN LEAVING THEIR CUSTOMERS STRANDED. THIS, IN MY OPINION IS UNCONSCIONABLE. THE LATEST FAILURE OF THE ESCL LEFT ME STRANDED OUT OF TOWN. I HAVE NO FAITH THAT THE FOURTH ESCL WILL BE ANY BETTER THAN THE PREVIOUS THREE THAT NISSAN HAS INSTALLED. IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED THAT THE ESCL THAT NISSAN USES IS MALFUNCTIONING. THE INTERNET IS FULL OF STORIES OF PEOPLE STRANDED IN UNSAFE AREAS DUE TO THIS DEFECTIVE PART. NISSAN CLAIMS TO HAVE FIXED THIS ISSUE BUT CLEARLY THEY HAVE NOT. MY CAR WOULD HAVE NO PROBLEMS STARTING, HOWEVER THE ESCL THAT NISSAN HAVE INSTALLED WILL NOT ALLOW IT TO START. NISSAN WILL NOT ALLOW MY CAR TO START UNLESS I PAY THEM TO INSTALL A DEFECTIVE PART. SO I HAD TO PAY THEM. CURRENTLY NISSAN IS RECALLING THE 2009 ALTIMA DUE TO A DEFECTIVE ESCL AND REPAIR THEM FOR FREE. HOWEVER, IF YOU HAD BOUGHT A 2009 370Z, THE SAME YEAR AS THE ALTIMA, YOU MUST PAY THEM, AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. THIS MAKES NO SENSE. THE FOURTH (4) ESCL THAT WAS INSTALLED IS PART # 48700-9N00B, WHICH IS THE SIXTH (6) PART NUMBER FOR THE ESCL. I CAN ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT ALL PREVIOUS VERSIONS OF THIS PART ARE COMPLETE FAILURES. NISSAN WILL TELL YOU THAT THEY HAVE NOW GOT THE PART TO WORK. THEY HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY WRONG ON ALL FIVE PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS. IT IS TIME FOR THE NHSTA TO GET INVOLVED AND DECLARE THIS A SAFETY ISSUE. WHENEVER YOU TURN YOUR CAR OFF, YOU NEVER KNOW IF IT WILL RESTART. WHEN YOU FILL YOUR GAS TANK UP, YOU HAVE TO DECIDE IF YOU SHOULD TURN IT OFF AND THEN BLOCK THE FUEL PUMP FOR AN HOUR WHILE WAITING ON A TOW TRUCK, OR LET IT RUN AND RISK A FIRE. I WROTE NISSAN A LETTER ABOUT THIS ISSUE, WAITED THREE (3) MONTHS, AND THEY NEVER REPLIED!!