| Issue ID | 1347282 |
| Internal NHTSA # | 10943731 |
| Manufacurer | Nissan North America, Inc. |
| Brand | NISSAN |
| Model | ALTIMA |
| Model Year | 2009 |
| File date | 07/01/17 |
| Component | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM |
| Product type code | VEHICLE |
| Description of the problem | The intelligent key system failed rendering the car completely inoperable. I drove the car which operated perfectly with no warning lights, turned it off and next time i got into the car to start it and drive away. The intelligent key (pushbutton start) did not recognize that the key was in the car so the car would not start. The steering wheel was locked so could not be steered, could not be pushed due to the car being locked in park. No accessories functioned inside the car. The remote functions on the key fob all worked, door locks, trunk release, panic button, but the ignition system was a complete fail. There is no bypass for the average consumer. While it is certainly inconvenient, it could also be dangerous if the car was to have been shut off in a remote area, in sever cold or beside a busy highway. The vehicle was stationary point of failure, parked on a side street. I was fortunate that i was at a relatives home as the temperature was -3 with a wind chill of -15. Nissan realized that the steering lock mechanism was faulty and originally offered a free replacement for this part which is estimated to cost between $500-$900, but from what i have read they have rescinded that offer as of january of 2016. |
| Vehicle Mileage at Failure | 49150 |
| Number of Occurences | |
| Source of the issue | NHTSA WEB SITE |
| City and State | LAKEVILLE, MN |
| VIN pattern | 1N4AL21E19NXXXXXX |
| Was vehicle invloved in a crash? | N |
| Was vehicle involved in a fire? | N |
| Was incedent reported to police? | N |
| Was medical attention required? | N |
| Was part original equipment? | |
| No. of injured persons | |
| No. of fatalities | |
| Date of purchase | 07/08/26 |
| Was original owner? | N |
| Anti-lock brakes | N |
| Cruise control | N |
| Number of cylinders | |
| Drive train type | |
| Transmission type | |
| Vehicle speed | 0 |
| DoT tire identifier | |
| Tire size | |
| Location of tire code | |
| Type of tire failure code | |
| Was defective tire repaired? | |
| Date of manufacture | |
| Type of child seat code | |
| Type of restraint | |
| Dealer's name | |
| Dealer's telephone number | |
| Dealer's city | |
| Dealer's state code | |
| Dealer's ZIP code |