I am writing to formally report a dangerous design oversight and safety hazard regarding the trunk lid support mechanism on the Nissan Altima. On [Date of Incident], while the vehicle was parked, a gust of wind caused the trunk lid to slam shut unexpectedly. The metal door latch struck me directly in the frontal region of the skull, resulting in an injury that required medical monitoring for potential brain trauma. The current design relies exclusively on torsion bars or gas struts to maintain an open position. These components are prone to wear and environmental fatigue, and they lack a mechanical "positive lock" or secondary safety catch. Consequently, the trunk lid acts as a sail in windy conditions, easily overcoming the lift support and turning the heavy lid and metal latch assembly into a falling hazard for any consumer loading or unloading the vehicle. While Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) focus heavily on internal trunk releases (Standard No. 401), there is a significant gap regarding the prevention of sudden, gravity-induced or wind-induced lid collapse. I am requesting that the federal safety agency: Investigate the frequency of "unintended closing" injuries related to Nissan Altima trunk lift systems. Evaluate whether the lift-support specifications for this model are sufficient to withstand common wind gusts. Mandate a mechanical locking mechanism or more robust secondary safety catches to prevent these lids from becoming dangerous projectiles. [XXX] Vehicle Information: Make: Nissan Model: Altima Year: [2017] Estimated Mileage: [105000] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2017 Nissan Altima: doors won't lock, open or latch
5 of the 395 complaints about the 2017 Nissan Altima describe doors won't lock, open or latch.
- owner complaints
- 5
- of this car's complaints
- 1%
- recalls
- 2
Doors won't lock, open or latch by model year
What owners say
All 4 door lock actuators Airbag System Malfunctioning CVT Slipping at 83,000 miles Broken Motor Mount
Speakers randomly stop working during a drive. No longer will come. Back on. As well as the door button to unlock the vehicle on the door handle on the driver side doesn't work at all and constant stereo issues. Stereo doesn't always provide connected devices current song playing.
Rear passenger side door lock stopped working intermittently then the right front passenger side door lock stopped working intermittently. I never know if the doors are locked or unlocked. If the fob was used to lock the car and thelock did not fully lock, you can open the door but then it sets off the car alarm. The remote start will not work anymore which I am also guessing is due to the locking issue. Spoke to the dealer but my car is over 3 years old and I did not purchase an extended warranty, so they say it's an extremely costly diagnosis and repair. I feel this is a huge safety issue, especially for a car thats only a little over 3 years old.
Driver side rear door wont lock as well as window does not go down all the way.
Related recalls
Latches/locks/linkages: hood: latch
- What is wrong
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2018 Nissan Altima vehicles. If the primary hood latch is inadvertently released, there is an increased likelihood that the secondary hood latch may corrode over time.
- Risk
- Corrosion to the secondary latch may cause it to bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed. If the primary latch is inadvertently released again and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will install a stronger release spring in the hood release lever, a warning label near the secondary hood latch, and an Owners Manual addendum card with instructions on how to lubricate and maintain the secondary hood latch mechanism, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 30, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1‑800‑867‑7669. Note: Recall 16V‑029 remains open for any unremedied 2013-2015 Altimas and this recall applies to all vehicles covered by 16V‑029 even if those repairs have already been performed.
Recall number 20V315000 · Recall details
Latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch
- What is wrong
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Altima vehicles. The rear door latch/lock cable on the vehicles may have been improperly routed. As a result, lowering a rear window may inadvertently cause that door to unlatch and open.
- Risk
- If the rear passenger doors inadvertently open while the vehicle is in motion, it may increase the risk of injury to the rear passengers.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will correct the rear door latch/lock cable routing, free of charge. The recall began on February 16, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1‑800‑647‑7261.
Recall number 17V040000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2017 Nissan Altima door locks
Is doors won't lock, open or latch a common problem on the 2017 Nissan Altima?
5 of 395 owner complaints about the 2017 Nissan Altima (1%) mention doors won't lock, open or latch. The model year with the most reports is 2013.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2017 Nissan Altima?
There are 2 recalls and 0 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2017 Nissan Altima
Check engine light 51Airbag light 48CVT failure 41Stalling 28Jerking 25Transmission failure 22Loss of power 18Headlights 17Hesitation 16Won't shift 13Slipping 12Shudder 8Fire or smoke 7No deployment 6Won't start 6Grinding brakes 5
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