2004 Nissan Murano Latches/Locks

WITHIN A FEW DAYS ALL FOUR DOOR LOCK STOPPED LOCKING OR UNLOCKING AUTOMATICALLY USING THE REMOTE OR THE DOOR SWITCH. THE ONLY WAY TO LOCK OR UNLOCK THE DOORS WAS MANUALLY. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THEY SAID THAT ALL FOUR ACTUATORS WENT OUT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1600. THEY SAID THEY REPLACE FUEL LOCK ACTUATORS ALMOST WEEKLY AND DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS VERY FREQUENTLY BUT USUALLY NOT ALL FOUR A THE SAME TIME. I FOUND IT REALLY HARD TO BELIEVE THAT FOUR INDEPENDENT COMPONENTS WOULD GO OUT ALL WITHIN THE SAME WEEK. I PLACED A POSTING ON A FORUM AND WAS AMAZED AT THE RESPONSE OF THE SAME PROBLEM. IT IS A DEFINIATE SAFETY AND SECURITY ISSUE WHEN YOU IN THE CAR BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO IDEA IF ALL DOORS ARE LOCKED UNTIL YOU LOOK AT EVERYONE OF THEM AND THEN YOU AREN'T REALLY SURE. IT ALSO IS A SAFETY/SECURITY ISSUE WHEN YOU ARE OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE MURANO ONLY HAS ONE EXTERNAL KEY LOCK. IT IS ALSO VERY INCONVENIENT. NISSAN KNOWING THERE IS A SECURITY PROBLEM WITH THEIR LOCKING MECHANISM AND NOT RECALLING THEM FOR SAFETY CONCERN IS NEGLIGENT. *TR

DOOR LOCKS, REAR HATCH LOCK AND GAS CAP LOCK WILL NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK ON A REGULAR BASIS. I HAVE SPOKE TO MANY OTHERS HAVING THE SAME FAILURE WITH THE SOLENOIDS IN THE LOCK MECHANISM NOT FUNCTIONING RELIABLY. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY FACTOR, NOT HAVING THE SECURITY OF A LOCKED DOOR, ALLOWING ANYONE ACCESS AT WILL. I CAN'T BELIEVE NISSAN CONTINUES TO DENY THERE IS A SAFETY PROBLEM WITH THESE LOCKS WITH SO MANY HAVING IDENTICAL PROBLEMS. IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE WILL LOSE THEIR LIFE OR BE INJURED FROM THIS LACK OF SECURITY FROM THE DOOR LOCKS MALFUNCTIONING. I FILE THIS COMPLIANT TO LET THE NHTSA KNOW OF THE PROBLEM AND SHARE THIS WITH NISSAN TO HOPEFULLY CONVINCE THEM TO TAKE THIS MORE SERIOUSLY AND RECALL THE CARS TO MAKE THE SAFE AND SECURE. *TR

1. HAVING A SECURE ENVIRONMENT IS PARAMOUNT IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS. WHEN LOCKING THE DOORS IT'S IMPERATIVE NOBODY CAN GAIN ACCESS AT WILL BY WALKING UP TO THE CAR. IF ANYONE CAN SIMPLY OPEN THE DOOR TO GAIN ACCESS, CARJACKING, INJURY, OR EVEN MURDER IS EASIER. IF THE DOORS LOCKED PROPERLY THIS PROVIDES A MORE SECURE ENVIRONMENT FOR THIS TYPE OF SCENARIO. 2. NISSAN KNOWING THERE IS A SECURITY PROBLEM WITH THEIR LOCKING MECHANISM AND NOT RECALLING THEM FOR SAFETY CONCERN IS NEGLIGENT. IT'S AN OPEN DOOR TO A LAWSUIT IF SOMEONE WERE TO BE MURDERED DUE TO A DOOR THAT DIDN'T LOCK, ALTHOUGH THE DRIVER PUSHED THE LOCK BUTTON AND HEARD THE LOCKING NOISE. REMEMBER, IN THIS CASE THERE'S NO OBVIOUS INDICATION THE DOOR ISN'T LOCKED UNLESS SOMEONE WALKS UP AND OPENS IT FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE DRIVE "THINKS" THE DOOR IS LOCKED, WHEN IN REALITY IT'S AN "OPEN DOOR" FOR CARJACKING OR ROBBERY. THIS FAILURE IS AN INTERMITTENT OF OPERATION. SOMETIMES THE DOORS LOCK OK, OTHER TIMES THEY DON'T. IN ADDITION, SOMETIMES THE DOORS UNLOCK OK, OTHER TIMES THEY DON'T. 3. IN EMERGENCIES IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO UNLOCK DOORS QUICKLY. SINCE 99% OF THE TIME WE ALL USE THE BUTTON TO LOCK AND UNLOCK DOORS, USING THE MANUAL LOCKING LEVER IS UNFAMILIAR. AND THE MURANO'S DESIGN IS SUCH THAT IT'S NOT EASY TO COMPREHEND IF IT'S NOT YOUR CAR, FOR INSTANCE A RENTAL CAR. I CAN EASILY UNDERSTAND HOW SOME PEOPLE WOULD BE CONFUSED HOW UNLOCK A DOOR USING THE MANUAL LEVEL IN AN EMERGENCY WHEN THEY VIRTUALLY HAVE NO EXPERIENCE WITH IT. IN EMERGENCIES EVERY SECOND COUNTS. THE LOCKING/UNLOCKING SOLENOID MALFUNCTIONING IS CLEARLY A HIGH RISK IN EMERGENCY SCENARIOS. SOME PEOPLE WHO CANNOT AFFORD THE $1600 TO HAVE ALL THE SOLENOIDS REPLACED (AS QUOTED BY DEALERS) WILL FORGO GETTING THEM FIXED, PUTTING THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS AT RISK WITH THE ABOVE MISHAP EXAMPLES. THIS SHOULDN'T BE, NISSAN SHOULD RECALL THEM. *TR

THE DRIVER'S DOOR WILL LOCK INTERMITTENTLY ON ITS OWN. NO OTHER DOORS SO THIS. IT CAUSES A LOT OF INCONVENIENCE AND HAS BEEN A SAFETY ISSUE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. SEVERAL TIMES THE CAR WAS NOT LOCKED WHEN I THOUGHT IT WAS BECAUSE I TESTED THE SELF-LOCKED DRIVER'S DOOR. MY NIECE HAS THE EXACT SAME VEHICLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. BOTH HER DEALER AND MINE HAVE EACH DENIED THERE IS ANY PROBLEM OR SERVICE BULLETIN WITH THIS ISSUE. I ALSO NOTE THAT ANOTHER PARTY HAS REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

THE REAR HATCH OF MY 2004 NISSAN MURANO SE HAS A HYDRAULIC LIFT THAT CAUSES THE REAR HATCH TO MOVE TO A FULLY OPENED POSITION WITHOUT ANY HUMAN ASSISTANCE (BEYOND PULLING ON THE EXTERNAL REAR HATCH LEVER TO INITIATE THE PROCESS).*AK ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2004, THE REAR HATCH HYDRAULICS FAILED ON 5 SEPARATE OCCASIONS TO LIFT THE HATCH OPEN BY MORE THAN A FEW INCHES. WHEN I MANUALLY LIFTED THE HATCH TO AN OPEN POSITION, THE TOP CENTER EDGE OF THE HATCH CAUGHT ON THE REAR CENTER EDGE OF THE ROOF, CAUSING BODY DAMAGE. MORE IMPORTANTLY, NOW THE HATCH WILL DOES NOT OPEN FULLY WITH ANY CONSISTENCY, EITHER AUTOMATICALLY OR MANUALLY DUE TO THE BODY DAMAGE. WHEN THE DAMAGED REAR HATCH TOP EDGE CATCHES ON THE REAR CENTER EDGE OF THE ROOF, ANYBODY TRYING TO EXIT THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE REAR WILL HAVE DIFFICULTY SQUEEZING THROUGH THE OPENING. I'M TRYING TO GET A NISSAN DEALERSHIP TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE (SURPRISE, SURPRISE, THEY ARE TRYING TO EXCLUDE COVERAGE FOR REPAIRING THE DAMAGE FROM THE VEHICLE WARRANTY), BUT THOUGHT NHTSA SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE REAR HATCH FAILURE AND THE POTENTIAL FOR TRAPPING PEOPLE IN THE REAR.

IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASING 2 SEPARATE 2004 MURANOS AROUND THE MIDDLE OF JULY 2004, WE HAD THE DRIVER-SIDE DOORS ON BOTH VEHICLES INTERMITTENTLY LOCK ABOUT 20% OF THE TIME. THE ENGINE CAN BE RUNNING OR NOT, THE KEY CAN BE IN THE IGNITION WITH THE ENGINE OFF, OR THE KEY CAN BE OUT OF THE IGNITION ENTIRELY. THREE SEPARATE FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES EACH ON BOTH CARS. FORTUNATELY, THERE HAVE BEEN NO DIRE CONSEQUENCES YET. I HAVE WALKED HOME FROM THE MAIL BOX TO GET THE SECOND KEY. MY WIFE AND HER FATHER HAVE BEEN AT A GAS STATION AND COULD ENTER THE CAR THROUGH ONE OF THE BACK DOORS. POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUES: BEING COMPLETELY LOCKED OUT OF THE VEHICLE ON A ROAD IN THE DESERT WITH NO WATER AND UNABLE TO GET INTO THE CAR; MY WIFE BEING OUT ALONE AT NIGHT AND UNABLE TO GET INTO THE CAR FOR HER CELL PHONE TO CALL FOR HELP; A CHILD OR ANIMAL BEING LOCKED IN THE CAR IN THE HIGH HEAT IN THE ARIZONA DESERT (AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A REAL TRAGEDY). WE HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES AND TAKEN THE CARS INTO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. OUR SERVICE MANAGER SAID HE BELIEVED IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW. APPARENTLY THERE HAD BEEN A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH THE 2003 MURANOS, BUT NISSAN SAYS THIS HAS BEEN FIXED ON THE 2004 MODELS. IT HASN'T BEEN FIXED ON OURS. NISSAN'S CUSTOMER SERVICE CLAIMS THERE HAVE BEEN NO OTHER COMPLAINTS AND THAT WE (THE CONSUMER) WERE THE PROBLEM. IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THREE SEPARATE PERSONS ON TWO DIFFERENT CARS ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE IF THERE IS NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. AND THIS IS WITH ALL OF US BEING MINDFUL OF THE PROBLEM AND BEING CAREFUL HOW WE CLOSE THE DOOR. AS A LAST RESORT, I HAVE WRITTEN A LETTER TO MR. CARLOS GHOSN, CEO OF NISSAN, N.A. APPRISING HIM OF OUR DIFFICULTY AND OF OUR INABILITY TO GET ANY HELP WHATSOEVER FROM NISSAN. IN SHORT, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. NO REPAIR HAS BEEN MADE. NISSAN HAS ESSENTIALLY INFORMED US THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM, WE DO. CAN YOU HELP? *AK