1993 NISSAN ALTIMA Seat Belts Problems

MY AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS STOPPED WORKING. ACCORDING TO MY OWNER'S MANUAL THERE IS A LIFETIME WARRANTY ON PARTS AND LABOR. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY LOCAL DEAL. THEY REFUSED TO SERVICE THE CAR. I CALLED NISSAN USA AND STARTED A CLAIM. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER, AND AGAIN THEY DIDN'T WANT TO SERVICE THE CAR. THE SERVICE MANAGER EVEN STATED THAT I'M NOT GOING TO DO A DIAGNOSTIC BECAUSE I ALREADY KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, AND WILL RELAY THIS INFORMATION TO NISSAN USA, (I HAVE IT ON RECORDING). WHEN NISSAN USA RECEIVED THE DEALERS "DIAGNOSTIC" REPORT THEY THEN REFUSED TO HONOR THE LIFETIME WARRANTY. THEY STATED THAT ACCORDING TO THE DEALER THE SEAT BELT MODULE IS DEFECTIVE AND THAT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.

Mileage: 145,000

THE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT DOOR LATCH HAS FAILED DRIVER DOOR DOES NOT LOCK OR SHUT PROPERLY, NISSAN NO LONGER MANUFACTURE THIS PART, REASON CAR IS OVER 10 YEARS OF AGE, THIS IS HOWEVER A SAFETY ISSUE AND A LIABILITY ISSUE, THIS PART (DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE) SHOULD BE AVAILABLE AND SHOULD BE MANUFACTURED FOR SAFETY OF THE PASSENGERS. *TR

Mileage: 243,000

1993 ALTIMA, DOOR LATCH FAILURE WHICH CAUSES A PROBLEM FOR THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS (PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LATCH) NISSAN NO LONGER MAKES THIS LATCH,(THE SENSOR THAT OPERATES THE BELTS ARE BUILT TOGETHER INSIDE THE LATCH) ITS A SAFETY PROBLEM OR ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED., PS I HAVE REPLACED THE LATCH WITH A 94 ALTIMA LATCH, BUT IT DOES NOT OPERATE THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT., THE REASON I REPLACED THE PASSENGER DOOR LATCH BECAUSE THE DOOR WOULD OPEN AT WILL. THE LATCH FAILED! *TR

Mileage: 205,000

1993 NISSAN ALTIMA WAS STRUCK WHILE PARKED. BODY SHOP & INSURANCE ESTIMATOR INDICATE VEHICLE THAT HIT THE PARKED ALTIMA WAS TRAVELING FASTER THAN 35 MPH. THE PASSIVE RESTRAINTS (SEATBELTS) FAILED TO LOCK IN PLACE, AND THE DRIVER-SIDE AIRBAG WAS NOT DEPLOYED. THE ALTIMA WAS STRUCK IN THE REAR, DRIVER-SIDE QUARTER PANEL/BUMPER - AREA SURROUNDING FUEL CAP. ODDLY ENOUGH, AFTER THE BODY WORK WAS COMPLETED, THE MERCURY SWITCH THAT IS DESIGNED TO LOCK THE PASSIVE RESTRAINTS IN PLACE DURING A CRASH HAD BEEN TRIPPED AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT BY THE DEALER. WHEN THE PASSIVE RESTRAINT SENSOR WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER UPON PICKING UP THE ALTIMA I NOTICED A RED AIRBAG LIGHT SOLIDLY ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. WHEN I QUESTIONED THE DEALER ABOUT THIS CONDITION THAT DID NOT EXIST PRIOR TO THEIR REPLACEMENT OF THE PASSIVE RESTRAINT SENSOR IN THE TRUNK, THEY INVESTIGATED. THEY WERE ABLE TO MAKE THE LIGHT GO OFF, BUT INDICATED THAT THE "AIRBAG CONTROLLER CARD (ACC)" ESSENTIALLY A CIRCUIT BOARD WAS FAULTY - OR WOULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY UNLESS I REPLACED IT. THE MANAGER OF THE DEALERSHIP EXPLAINED THAT THE REASON IT WORKED INTERMITTENTLY WAS BECAUSE THE "ACC" WAS NOT SEALED AND AS A RESULT WAS PRONE TO TOTAL FAILURE ON A VERY HOT OR COLD DAY. THE MANAGER INDICATED FURTHER THAT WHEN HE HAD BEEN A MECHANIC HE HAD SEEN MANY ALTIMA'S, SENTRA'S AND A FEW OTHER MODELS THAT USED THE SAME VERSION "ACC" AND THAT NISSAN HAD BEEN REPLACING THEM ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER. HOWEVER, THEY CHOSE TO TELL ME THAT "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR" WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE, AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT COVER REPLACEMENT UNDER WARRANTY OR EVEN OUTSIDE WARRANTY DESPITE IT BEING A SAFETY ISSUE. NISSAN INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS PART, AND THEY HAD NO RECORD OF THIS PART HAVING A HISTORY OF FAILURE. I DON'T WANT TO FIND OUT IF MY AIRBAG IS GOING TO WORK OR NOT THE HARD WAY.*AK

Mileage: 99,000

CONSUMER HAD ACCIDENT & AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, FILLING VEHICLE WITH SMOKE. VEHICLE SEEMED LIKE BEING ON FIRE BECAUSE OF THE VAST AMOUNT OF FUMES. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED THEY NEVER HEARD OF AIRBAGS EMITTING SUCH A VAST AMOUNT OF SMOKE. ALSO, MOTORIZED SEAT BELT DIDN'T RETRACT WHEN DOOR WAS OPENED. CONUSMER HAD HARD TIME TRYING TO GET IT OUT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON LOCAL STREET AND APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION, POLICE OFFICER IN FRONT STOPPED, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE ALSO STOPPED, BUT VEHICLE IN REAR DIDN'T STOP AND REARENDED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. PASSENGER'S AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT TIGHTENED, THEN RELEASED, AND GOT STUCK IN THE MIDDLE. DIDN'T CONTACT THE DEALER. *AK *ML

SEAT BELT LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON INTERMITTENTLY. SOMETIMES THE BELT GETS STUCK, AND CONSUMER HAS TO ACTUALLY TAKE THE BELT AND UNLOOSEN IT TO CORRECT PROBLEM. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED, AND IS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

SEAT BELT LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON INTERMITTENTLY. SOMETIMES THE BELT GETS STUCK, AND CONSUMER HAS TO ACTUALLY TAKE THE BELT AND UNLOOSEN IT TO CORRECT PROBLEM. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED, AND IS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

DRIVER'S SIDE REAR SEAT BELT BECAME VERY TIGHT, CAUSING THE OCCUPANT TO GET TRAPPED IN THE SEAT. ALSO THE SHOULDER BELT WAS WRAPPED AROUND THE OCCUPANT'S NECK. BELT HAD TO BE CUT TO REMOVE CHILD OUT OF THE SEAT BELT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

SEAT BELT FAILED.

LEFT AND RIGHT REAR SEAT BELT RETRACTOR ASSEMBLIES ARE IMPROPERLY INSTALLED AND NOT WORKING.

THE DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT LOCKS UP, AND DOES NOT ALLOW THE DRIVER TO MOVE FREELY. THE BELT TIGHTENS UP TO THE POINT WHERE THE VEHICLE HAS TO BE SHUT OFF IN ORDER TO USE SAFETY LATCH TO UNLOCK BELT. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK

SHOULDER BELT OVERTIGHTENS AND CANNOT GET OUT OF VEHICLE. *AK

AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, SHOULDER BELT DID NOT LOCK UP DURING FRONTAL COLLISION; RAN RED LIGHT, BROADSIDED ANOTHER MOVING VEHICLE. TT

UPON IMPACT, DURING REAR END COLLISION, AT APPROX. 15MPH, EXPERIENCED SHOULDER/LAP BELT FAILURE WHEN DIDN'T RETRACT, ALLOWED DRIVER TO HIT WINDSHIELD. TT

WHEN PULLING UP TO A STOP THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS RETRACT TIGHTLY. TT

WHILE DRIVING, DRIVER'S AUTOMATIC SEATBELT OPENS WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, ALSO PASS. FRONT BELT TIGHTENS IN MOTION, STATIONARY OR WHEN DOORS OPEN, PINNING PASS.

IN A REAR END ACCIDENT DRIVERS SEAT BELT JAMMED AND EMERGENCY RELEASE BUTTON WOULD NOT WORK, DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO GET OUT. TT

WHILE DRIVING LOW TO HIGH SPEED, EXPERIENCES INTERMITTENT AUTOMATIC SHOULDER HARNESS LOCKUP, WHEN TURNING, STATIONARY OR DRIVING ALONG TO THE POINT OF CHOKING.

FRONT AUTOMATIC SHOULDER HARNESS PREMATURELY LOCKS UP DURING NORMAL DRIVING, WITHOUT BEING ACTIVATED. TT