10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 2
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 83,000 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
This is the second time I am writing to report a vehicle engine fire while at a complete stop involving my wife's 2010 Nissan Altima hybrid at the intersection of rte 231 & I-495 service rd (E/B) in suffolk county, NY. Nissan was contacted, as well as my insurance carrier, met life, and oth sent independent arson investigators to examine the vehicle and identify a cause/origin of the spontaneous ignition while at a complete stop. Met life's investigator found nothing pointing to the maintenance or operation of the vehicle which would have caused or contributed to this spontaneous ignition. Nissan sent their investigator, whom in conjunction with the insurance investigator, identified the component failure as a wiirng harness near or associated with the power steering system. Nissan has contacted me stating they "....conducted a detailed inspection of the vehicle and found no evidence of product problem, failure or malfunction that may have caused or contributed to the incident". if the insurance carrier...which paid me....absolved the maintenance and operation as causation of ignition (and they have a reason to find my maintenance or operation at fault to absolve them financially) and identified a wrining component/system as the cause/origin of the ignition, how can Nissan so blatantly absolve themselves from any liability?? there is no maintenenace recommended with this system or component, and as such is an implied warranty by Nissan. I am now in debt having to purchase a new vehicle which is considerably less than what the insurance book value of the destroyed Altima (burned up at a complete stop!). my wife almost was trapped in the inferno. Nissan is accepting no liability, product warranty or responsibility for their product. Please investigate asap as every Nissan owner is potentially at risk! thank you.
- Deer Park, NY, USA
While at a full stop at a red light at the intersection of I-495 (exit 51 E) and rt 231 in suffolk, New York, my wife's 2010 Nissan Altima hybrid, while in electric hybrid mode, experienced spontaneous combustion in the engine compartment which occurred March 8, 2014 and ignited with visible sparks reported by eyewitnesses underneath the front of the vehicle prior to combustion. Again, the vehicle was at a full and complete stop at a red traffic light. Fortunately my wife narrowly escaped serious injury or worse......with no vehicle warning lights or indication/anomalies which would warn her of the impending dangerous vehicle ignition. Nissan and metlife, my insurance carrier, are investigating but unfortunately it is in both parties interests to blame the other....with me as the innocent victim caught in the middle. My fear is a manufacturer's defect is at the root cause and other unsuspecting potential victims are operating these vehicles. Please intervene and inquire as to this product's obvious falwed design and performance befor fatalities or serious injuries are inflicted on unknowning consumers. Thank you.
- Deer Park, NY, USA
The vehicle set the check engine light at a stop light. I subsequently took the vehicle into the dealer to be told that due to the engine in the hybrid vehicle starting and stopping a lot it builds up carbon in the cylinder. (a hybrid vehicle starts and stops by design when switching from electric to gas and vice versa) I just got it in under the warranty of 60,000 miles. My engine did not seize in this instance however this is clearly a design failure and not a usage failure. If the hybrid vehicle is marketed as a fuel saver and cost savings over it's useful life a $5,000 to $10,000 bill for engine repair/replacement negates all possible savings. I wonder if the design flaw creates more carbon emissions that negates the specification.
- Lees Summit, MO, USA
- Greenbelt, MD, USA