# 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
> NHTSA complaint `1305195` · 2016-08-04 · Nissan North America, Inc.
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** NISSAN
- **Model:** ALTIMA
- **Year:** 2009
- **Manufacturer:** Nissan North America, Inc.
- **Component:** ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- **Miles at failure:** 120,000
## Narrative
THE BRAKE SWITCH ON THE ALTIMA HAS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED THREE TIMES SINCE NEW. THE FIRST PART WAS REPLACED IN JUNE OF 2015 DUE TO THE CAR NOT STARTING, AND THE VEHICLE NOT RECOGNIZING THE BRAKE WAS DEPRESSED (REQUIREMENT FOR KEY LESS START). UPON DEALER INSPECTION, I WAS CHARGED A VERY HEFTY FEE FOR A SMALL PART AND LABOR. PART: 25320-AX00C SHOWED TO BE AT FAULT. AT SECOND TIME, AUGUST 2016, THE SAME PROBLEMS PERSISTED. THIS TIME, THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL. I FOUND THE PART THAT WAS REPLACED, OPENED IT UP, AND FOUND THE INSIDE CONNECTORS FROZEN TO THE CONTACTS AND WHAT LOOK LIKED A SMALL FLASH OR BURN HAD OCCURRED. THE CONTACTS WERE SEPARATED AND THE CAR STARTED AGAIN. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE BURNING SMELL REAPPEARED AND THE PART WAS NOTED TO HAVE POSSIBLY STARTED ON FIRE VERY BRIEFLY, OR BEEN SUBJECT TO A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF HEAT. PART HAS BEEN RETAINED. PART WAS REPLACED WITH AFTERMARKET PART, AND CAR NOW STARTS WITHOUT ANY SMELLS. DEALERSHIP DENY'S PROBLEM WITH BRAKE SWITCH, DESPITE WIDESPREAD INTERNET CHATTER ABOUT SAME ISSUE HAPPENING TO OTHER OWNERS OF KEY LESS START NISSAN VEHICLES.
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*