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Nissan Altima Steering

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Nissan Altima • Stalling • Engine problems • Gas tank • Steering • Paint --- • Other Nissan Models

Clay of St. Stephens, AL, writes:
We purchased a '99 Nissan Altima from Pat Peck Nissan in Mobile a little over a year ago. Appproximately four months ago as we (my three-year-old daughter and I) were going to visit relatives, we experienced a horrid problem with our vehicle. I was going at a speed of approx. 45-50 mph when I had to swerve to miss an object in the road. This wasn't a "hard swerve" but one to simply avoid an obsticle in the road. At the time I went to dodge this object, my steering locked and I lost control of my car. I ended up in the ditch and had to be pulled out by a wrecker who had happened by shortly after my accident. Luckily we weren't injured, although quite shaken.

Later that day the steering locked again upon which we called the Nissan dealership from whom we purchased this vehicle. The had it towed to their shop and they kept it for a little over a week and then returned it to us saying that there was nothing they could do. THey had driven it and it just didn't lock up on them. THey weren't "authorized" to do anything to it and released it back to us. Naturally we were furious that nothing had been done and this car is still under warranty!

We got the number of the national office and began calling them to see if we could get some action out of them. They NEVER returned our calls and so we then began corresponding with the dealership again. THeir reply to us was that "THis is a Nissan problem, NOT a Pat Peck problem!" We kept calling however and nothing was done.

Yesterday as we were driving in this car again, the steering locked up when I applied the brakes. I had no control of the car and when I stopped I was almost rear-ended by an eighteen-wheeler. I was in the middle lane of a four lane highway. My daughter and I were terrified! I had to turn the ignition off and then on again in order to "unlock" the steering. (this has been the case in the past as well...the car never stops running when it locks).

I finally pulled to the side of this busy highway and we contacted Pat Peck Nissan and told them that they needed to come get this dangerous vehicle ... we would not drive it anywhere! They came and got the car but nothing has been done so far. We feel that this is an extremely dangerous vehicle and should be taken off the road! If we were to trade it we would have to pay in excess of $5K in negative equity and it simply isn't ethical to have anyone get into this vehicle! Nissan will not acknowledge the fact that this car should be off the road and only gives us the runaround. We don't even have a vehicle to drive while they "examine" our car ... no arrangements were made concerning a rental,etc.

We want to let everyone know that the '99 Altimas have the potential to be very unpredictable vehicles. The mechanic we have spoken with said "The Altimas are flawless cars ... this makes no sense".

Follow-Up
After we suggested Clay consult a Lemon Law attorney, we received this response:

Since we first contacted you, Nissan Corp. has refused to take responsibility for the "phantom" problems our car is experiencing. They told us that in the event that we were killed in that vehicle they would have our problems on file in their computer system! UGH! What good will that do us if we are dead? Needless to say we have contacted our attorney and the wheels are in motion, so to speak. Thanks again for your advice and we will let you know the outcome of our case!

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