NHTSA Complaint #11203372 — 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA

THIS DANGER OF WHICH I COMPLAIN IS NOT ABSOLUTE TO MY VEHICLE BUT TO ALL OTHERS THAT ARE MADE WITH SUCH SHORTCUT. IN PREVIOUS DECADES CARS WERE MADE WITH A TRUNK KEY AND OR MECHANICAL CABLE FOR OPENING. MY 2005 MAXIMA AND MOST RECENT VEHICLES ARE MADE WITH ONLY AN ELECTRONIC BUTTON TO OPEN THE TRUNK. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. RECENTLY MY CAR LOST POWER AT A PRECARIOUS LOCATION AND I HAD NO WAY OF ACCESSING THE TRUNK. MY FLARES, MY BOOSTER CABLES,ALL EMERGENCY TOOLS, SUPPLIES, FIRST AID KIT, FIRE EXTINGUISHER, WATER ALL LOCKED AWAY IN THE TRUNK AND I HAD NO ACCESS TO IT. THIS IS NOT MERELY INCONVENIENT, BUT VERY DANGEROUS. CAR MANUFACTURERS MAY SAY THAT THERE IS ACCESS THROUGH THE BACK SEAT. THIS, HOWEVER, IS TOTALLY INADEQUATE. IT IS VERY CUMBERSOME AND CALL FOR PHYSICAL MANEUVER WHICH IS VERY DIFFICULT, TIME CONSUMING AND SUBJECT TO FAILURE. FIRST IT IS A TASK IN ITSELF TO FIGURE OUT AND TO GET THAT BACK SEAT DOWN. EVEN WHEN DOWN, THERE IS NOT ENOUGH SPACE TO EVEN CRAWL INSIDE AND ACCESS THINGS YOU NEED. FEELING AROUND IN THE DARK WITH YOUR HAND IS NOT EFFICIENT. FURTHERMORE THE APPARATUS TO GET THE TRUNK DOOR OPEN FROM THAT POSITION IS NOT ONLY OBSCURED BUT PHYSICALLY ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO ENGAGE FROM THAT POSITION. I PROPOSE THAT IT BE MANDATED THAT VEHICLES COME WITH A MORE ACCESSIBLE BACKUP, SUCH AS A MECHANICAL CABLE FROM THE INSIDE OF THE CAR OR KEY LOCK FROM THE OUTSIDE TO OPEN THE TRUNK IN CASE OF POWER FAILURE. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE! ONE SHOULD DEFINITELY BE ABLE TO ACCESS NECESSARY AND EMERGENCY ITEMS FROM THE TRUNK IN CASE OF POWER FAILURE EMERGENCY! THIS MAY SEEM LIKE A TRIVIAL MATTER TO YOU ONLY BECAUSE I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO EXPRESS THE URGENCY OF THE SITUATION AND THE POSSIBLE DEVASTATING EFFECT OF THIS IF IT CONTINUES UNCORRECTED. PLEASE CONSIDER THIS A VIABLE COMPLAINT AND I URGE YOU TO APPROACH THIS MATTER WITH EXPEDITION AND EARNEST. THANK YOU!