2009 Nissan Altima

WHEN MY HUSBAND GETS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT THE SUPPLEMENTAL AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT FLASHES. I HAD MY HUSBAND GET OUT THE CAR, AND THEN I DID HE RESET OF THE AIRBAG, AND THE LIGHT STAYED OFF FOR 8 MINUTES UNTIL I HAD MY HUSBAND GET BACK IN THE CAR, AS SOON AS HE GOT IN THE CAR, BOTH AIRBAG LIGHTS CAME ON. WHEN RESEARCHING IT, I FOUND THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ANOTHER NISSAN WHICH WAS RECALLED BUT NOT FOR MY YEAR OF 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA. *TR

THREE MONTHS AFTER INSTALLATION OF A NEW (DEALER PROVIDED) BATTERY, THE POSITIVE TERMINAL AND CABLE HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO HEAVY CORROSION. THE ORIGINAL CAR BATTERY FAILED BECAUSE OF HEAVY CORROSION AROUND THE POSITIVE TERMINAL AS WELL. THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THE HARNESS AND CABLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT THE TIME OF BATTERY REPLACEMENT AND DO NOT KNOW WHY THIS WASN'T RECOMMENDED. THEY STATED THAT THESE BATTERIES ROUTINELY VENT EXCESS GAS THAT SHOULD CONDENSE INTO THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT. THEY DID NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE THAT HEAVY CORROSION RE-ACCUMULATED IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME (SHORTER THAN RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE INTERVALS FOR THE CAR). FURTHER, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HEARD OF AN ALTIMA BATTERY ISSUE AS MY SISTER HAD TO REPLACE HER BATTERY TWICE AS WELL. I WOULD LIKE THE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE IF THIS IS A REPETITIVE ISSUE WITH THESE BATTERIES AS THIS COULD LEAD TO A SAFETY PROBLEM IF THE CAR WERE TO SPONTANEOUSLY SHUT DOWN DURING DRIVING DUE TO BATTERY MALFUNCTION. *TR

REAR LEFT AND RIGHT DOORS, AND RIGHT FRONT DOOR HAS FAILED DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS. THE DOORS WILL NOT OPEN AND CLOSE AUTOMATICALLY. ELECTRICITY GOES THROUGH THE DOORS, BUT THE ACTUATORS ARE DYSFUNCTIONAL. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 41,000 MILES ON DATE OF PURCHASE, BUT I AM NOT SURE IF PREVIOUS OWNER LEFT DOORS OPEN OR WINDOWS WIND DOWN, AND IT CAUSED WATER DAMAGE. THE INSPECTION GIVEN BY THE DEALERSHIP IS ACTUALLY DECEPTIVE AS WELL, BECAUSE THIS CAR SHOULD HAVE FAILED INSPECTION. I CAN NOT DRIVE WITH THE DOORS LOCKED BECAUSE BASED ON THE FINDINGS AT THE NISSAN DEALER, THE DOORS MAY BECOME PERMANENTLY LOCKED DUE TO THE DAMAGES OF THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR AND LOCK ME INSIDE THE CAR. THE INSPECTOR SHOULD HAVE FAILED THE INSPECTION BASED ON THE DAMAGES OF THE VEHICLE. THE COST OF REPAIRS IS 965.00. *TR

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON, MEANING THAT THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS DISARMED, WHILE MY WIFE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT. THIS MEANS IF THE CAR WAS IN AN ACCIDENT, THE AIRBAG WON'T DEPLOY AND COULD CAUSE MORE INJURY OR DEATH. THERE IS A RECENT NISSAN RECALL FOR ALTIMA 2013-2014 FOR THIS SAME DEFECT. THE SAME ISSUE IS PLAGUING MY 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA. *TR

I NOTICE A SHINE STARTED TO BUILD UP ON MY DASHBOARD. I THOUGHT THAT THE CAR WASH PLACE MIGHT HAVE USED TOO MUCH PRODUCT SO I STOPPED GOING TO THE CARWASH. I DECIDED I WAS GOING TO CLEAN IT OFF MYSELF AND WHEN I WENT TO CLEAN IT OFF I REALIZED THERE WAS A THICK FILM OF STICKY RESIDUE. THE RESIDUE IS WAS SO STICKY THAT NOTHING COULD TAKE IT OFF AND EVERYTHING WOULD GET STUCK TO IT. AFTER A FEW MONTHS THE FILM KEPT GROWING TO THE POINT WHERE THE SHINE BECAME ALMOST GLASSY AND TOO REFLECTIVE. I REALIZED THE SUBSTANCE HAD BECOME A HAZARD TO MY SAFETY AND THOSE OF OTHERS, SO I PROCEEDED TO TRY A NUMBER OF PRODUCTS TO TRY AND REMOVE THE FILM. I WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AND PROCEEDED TO DO SOME RESEARCH ONLINE, WHERE I DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS NOT A MAINTENANCE PROBLEM, BUT RATHER A FACTORY DEFECT THAT IS WELL DOCUMENTED NOW WITH BOTH THIS AGENCY AND NISSAN ITSELF. AS FAR AS I CAN TELL THERE ARE AT LEAST 100 OTHER CASES. I WOULD LIKE NISSAN TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND REPAIR THE PROBLEM BEFORE LIVES ARE LOST. *TR

WHEN RETURNING TO MY CAR AFTER WORK ON FEBRUARY 14TH, 2014 THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START USING THE AUTOMATIC START INTELLIGENT KEY SYSTEM IN MY 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA. UPON DOING RESEARCH, I FOUND THIS IS A HIGHLY COMMON ISSUE WITH THE 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA MODEL. THERE ARE ALSO VARIOUS INDEPENDENT PETITIONS AND CLASS ACTION SUITS BEING FILED BY INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE SAME PART MALFUNCTION. IN FACT, THE COMPLICATIONS INVOLVING THE ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK (ESCL) MECHANISM WAS SO COMMON THAT NISSAN DID NOT IMPLEMENT THIS PART INTO THE 2010 OR IN ANY FUTURE ALTIMA VEHICLES. IN ADDITION (AND IN EFFORT TO AVOID A RECALL SITUATION) NISSAN NORTH AMERICAN, INC ISSUED A WARRANTY EXTENSION - "AS IT APPLIES TO THE ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK UNIT TO 6 YEARS/UNLIMITED MILES." FURTHERMORE, NISSAN ALSO SENT A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TO ALL SERVICE SHOPS ON HOW TO HANDLE THIS PROBLEM CONCERNING 2009 ALTIMA'S. ULTIMATELY NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. DENIED MY REQUEST TO UTILIZE A BUY BACK PROGRAM TOWARD THEIR 2009 ALTIMA AND ALSO DENIED ME ANY FURTHER DETAILS AS TO HOW THEY REACHED THEIR DECISION. THE REGIONAL SPECIALIST SAID SHE COULD ONLY SAY 'ARBITRATION DECISION(S) ARE ALWAYS BASED ON THE SERVICE HISTORY OF VEHICLE. TOO CLOSE, IT IS IN MY OPINION NISSAN HAS MONOPOLISTIC CONTROLS ON CONSUMERS IN THIS SITUATION. ONLY A NISSAN DEALERSHIP/SERVICE SHOP CAN DIAGNOSE THE ESCL MALFUNCTION, AS IT REQUIRES A NISSAN PRODUCT SPECIFIC SCAN TOOL, AND IT IS THEIR COMPANY'S ARBITRATION DEPARTMENT WHO FACILITATES ALL LEGAL DECISIONS AT WHICH ARE TYPICALLY NOT IN FAVOR OF THE CONSUMER. I DO NOT BELIEVE A SERVICE HISTORY OF VEHICLE IS MATERIAL INFORMATION IN THIS SCENARIO. NISSAN SHOULD BE OBLIGATED TO BUY BACK ANY-AND-ALL 2009 NISSAN ALTIMAS WHEN ASKED TO DO SO BY THEIR CONSUMERS WHO PURCHASED THIS PRODUCT IN GOOD FAITH. UPDATED 04/07/14