Nissan

The Center for Auto Safety is the nation’s premier independent, member driven, non-profit consumer advocacy organization dedicated to improving vehicle safety, quality, and fuel economy on behalf of all drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Learning of Other Complaints: For $20-40, you can get a computer printout of complaints &/or service bulletins from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Include make, model & year as the more specific the request, the less expensive the printout. Write Technical Reference Division, NHTSA, 400 7th St SW, Washington DC 20590 & allow 3 weeks for delivery. To access complaint summaries for particular makes, models & years, visit NHTSA’s Internet website at www.nhtsa.dot.gov.

Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs): Nissan publishes TSBs to help dealers diagnose & repair problems on vehicles. Some dealers will let you view TSBs. You can access TSB summaries via NHTSA’s Website at www.nhtsa.dot.gov. NHTSA’s Technical Information Services, which can be contacted through NHTSA’s Auto Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236, can also send a particular TSB once you identify it from NHTSA’s Website or its computer printout. ALLDATA provides free access to TSB summaries & sells copies of TSBs listed on its Website. For your use, we have listed some of the more comprehensive TSBs on your vehicle. Check the above sources for other TSBs.

Recalls & Investigations: Call NHTSA’s toll-free Auto Safety Hotline at 800-424-9393 or 888-DASH-2-DOT (in Washington DC 202-366-0123) or visit NHTSA’s website at www.nhtsa.dot.gov.

Small Claims Court: Go to small claims for advice on using small claims court to recover repair & other expenses. The Lemon Book (Moyer-Bell 1990) by Ralph Nader has an entire chapter on small claims court strategy, a state-by-state index & a chapter on your legal rights to help you better argue your case in court. You can order the book for $17.50 from CAS Publications.

Lemon Lawsuits: If you have to sue Nissan over a lemon, go to CAS-Lawyers for a list of attorneys specializing in lemon law.

Complain to Nissan: Call Nissan Consumer Assistance at 800-647-7261 and write Norio Mitsumura, President, Nissan Motor Corp., USA, PO Box 191, Gardena CA 90248-0191.

Using Better Business Bureau (BBB) Arbitration: Nissan contracts with BBB to arbitrate requests for reimbursement of repairs, a Nissan “buy-back” of your vehicle, or both. The vehicle must be within 5-year/50,000-mile limits. BBB can order a buy-back through 2 years or 24,000 miles. You may reject the arbitrator’s decision if it’s a bad one and file a lemon lawsuit. If you do accept it, Nissan must abide by it. BBB states that the arbitration hearing should occur within 60 days of the request date. Call your local BBB or 800.955.5100 for arbitration hearing request forms. For detailed advice, the Lemon Book has a whole chapter on arbitration.

Secret Warranty Disclosure Laws: Four states (CA, CT, VA & WI) have laws requiring automakers to disclose any secret warranties on their cars. Contact your state attorney general for information or to support such laws. Little Secrets of the Auto Industry (Moyer-Bell 1994) by CAS is devoted to secret warranties, how to find them; use them. Little Secrets is available for $17.50 from CAS Publications.

Supporting Nissan Recall Efforts: Help us force the government to protect consumers by writing your Senators and Representative in Congress, urging them to contact NHTSA & the Federal Trade Commission on your defects in your Nissan vehicle. Your local library has names of your representatives; write them c/o US Senate (or House), Washington DC 20510 (or 20515). Find and/or e-mail them at www.house.gov/writerep/ and www.senate.gov.

Support CAS’ Efforts: File a complaint with CAS which will be used to pressure Nissan to take responsibility for defects in its vehicles. Become a CAS member by making a tax-deductible contribution to help us in our fight on your behalf against Nissan and the other auto giants.