2009 Nissan Altima

I HAVE A 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA THAT I PURCHASED AS A PRE OWNED IN 2012. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR OIL CHANGES AND REPAIRS ON MANY OCCASIONS. AT NO TIMES WHILE THE CAR WAS GETTING SERVICED WAS I INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A POTENTIAL PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK SENSOR AND THE CAR WOULD OT START AND BECAUSE OF THAT NISSAN HAD EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO COVER THE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OF THE PART, EARLIER THIS WEEK MY CAR WOULD NOT START AND I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED 35 MILES TO MY MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A STEERING LOCK SENSOR FAILURE. THE COST TO REPAIR THE CAR WAS 725.00. I CONDUCTED SOME RESEARCH THE PROBLEM AND FOUND SEVERAL ARTICLES ON LINE CONCERNING THE PROBLEM AND THAT NISSAN HAD EXTENDED THE WARRANTY. AGAIN, I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED IN PERSON WHILE THE CAR WAS BEING SERVICED OR BY MAIL BY THE DEALER OR NISSAN. BASED ON MY RESEARCH I BELIEVE THAT THE DEALER OR NISSAN HAD THE OBLIGATION TO NOTIFY ME OF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM. AT THE TIME THAT THE SENSOR FAILED I WAS APPROXIMATELY 35 MILES FROM HOME AND HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED. AT TIMES I HAVE MY GRANDCHILDREN WITH ME AND THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A MORE SERIOUS SITUATION IF THEY WERE WITH ME.

WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR NO REASON THE ENGINE SLOWS DOWN AND WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE BY PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL THE ENGINE DOES NOT RESPOND. AFTER A MINUTE OR TWO THE ENGINE RESPONDS AND SPEEDS UP. THERE IS ALSO A WHIRRING SOUND WHEN THIS HAPPENS. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION MAINLY ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS HAS THE ABILITY TO CAUSE A TRAFFIC PROBLEM OR AN ACCIDENT. I THINK THE PROBLEM MAY BE IN THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL.

I PARKED MY CAR IN THE SCHOOL PARKING LOT, RAN IN TO TAKE CARE OF SOME ERRANDS. WHEN RETURNING TO MY CAR TO LEAVE IT WOULD NOT START. IT KEPT SAYING TO PRESS THE BRAKE WHEN I WAS PRESSING THE BRAKE AND TRYING TO START. IT NEVER STARTED. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED HOME. IT WILL NOT EVEN COME ON AUXILIARY TO GET MILEAGE OR ANYTHING ELSE. I THEN TALKED WITH SOMEONE AT AUTOZONE TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS - HE ADVISED ME THAT IT WAS THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK THAT HAS GONE BAD AND THAT NISSAN WOULD NOT FIX IT DUE TO THE WARRANTY RUNNING OUT. I FOUND THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND NISSAN KNEW ABOUT IT AND DID NOT FILE A RECALL. I NOW HAVE TO PAY $1200 TO HAVE THIS FIXED ON MY CAR AND I DON'T THINK THAT THIS IS FAIR.

MY CAR WOULD NOT START. THE CAR BATTERY IS FINE AND THE INTELLIGENT KEY FOB IS ALSO WORKING FINE AND WAS EVEN TRIED WITH A NEW BATTERY. PUSHING THE START BUTTON DOES NOTHING AND THE TWO KEY LIGHTS ON THE DASH BOTH LIGHT UP WHEN IN THE CAR. AFTER CHECKING THE MANUAL, CALLING THE DEALER, AND CHECKING THE INTERNET, IT IS CLEAR THAT MY STEERING LOCK MECHANISM HAS MALFUNCTIONED. THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AS NISSAN EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON IT INDEFINITELY AND THEN WENT BACK AND SHORTENED IT TO RUN OUT IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR! THEY EVEN TELL YOU TO CALL THE DEALER IN THE MANUAL IF YOU ENCOUNTER IT AND IT IS THEN A $1000 REPAIR. I'M JUST GLAD THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN OVER THE WEEKEND WHILE I WAS CAMPING AND POTENTIALLY STRANDED!

STEERING LOCK FAILURE CAUSED CAR TO BE UNABLE TO BE STARTED. OWNER STRANDED AT WORK WITH VEHICLE IN PARKING GARAGE. NEEDED A TOW AND NOT EASY TO FIND TOW COMPANY THAT WAS WILLING TO PICK UP ON 5TH LEVEL OF PARKING GARAGE. DANGEROUS SITUATION. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT WITH 2009 NISSAN ALTIMAS...OWNER WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF EARLIER RECALL. THIS RECALL SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ENDED...MANY MORE PEOPLE CONTINUE TO BE PUT AT RISK!

THIS PROBLEM IS OCCURING IN 2009-2011 NISSAN ALTIMA AND MAXIMA VEHICLES. WHEN TURNING OFF VEHICLE, THE STEERING LOCKS AND WHEN YOU GO TO TURN IT BACK ON, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT UNLOCK AFTER TURNING KEY ON. VEHICLE WILL NOT START DUE TO STEERING WHEEL BEING LOCKED. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS ON THE INTERNET AND THE DEALERS WANT 1200.00 TO FIX PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD REALLY BE A RECALL ITEM.