NHTSA complaint: 2004 NISSAN QUEST — LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
I OWN A 2004 NISSAN QUEST SE. THERE SEEMS TO BE A SERIOUS DEFECT WITH THE SAFETY FEATURES ON THE POWER SLIDING DOORS. WHILE OUT ONE AFTERNOON, MY SON DECIDED THAT HE WOULD PRESS THE BUTTON TO CLOSE THE POWER SLIDING DOOR ON HIS SIDE. I HAD BENT DOWN TO TIE HIS SHOE AND FAILED TO NOTICE THAT HE DIDN'T MOVE HIS HAND OUT OF THE WAY AFTER HE HAD PRESSED THE BUTTON TO CLOSE THE DOOR. UNFORTUNATELY, THE POWER SLIDING DOOR COMPLETELY CLOSED ON MY 3-YEAR-OLD SON'S HAND. THANKFULLY, HE WAS NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED (BROKEN BONES, ETC). HOWEVER, I FEEL AS IF THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT NISSAN NEEDS TO ADDRESS SOON. ALSO, THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN A FEW TIMES WHERE THE DOORS HAVE BEEN CLOSING, AND, FOR WHATEVER REASON, MY HUSBAND OR I HAVE TRIED TO STOP THEM. WE LITERALLY HAVE TO PUT ALL OF OUR STRENGTH INTO STOPPING THE MOVING DOORS, AND EVEN THEN, SOMETIMES THEY CONTINUE TO CLOSE WITHOUT HESITATION. THE POWERED BACK HATCH/DOOR ON THE VAN IS VERY SENSITIVE TO ANYTHING BEING IN THE WAY; I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE POWER SLIDING DOORS AREN'T JUST AS SENSITIVE. I DESPERATELY HOPE NISSAN WILL CORRECT THIS MAJOR PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE BECOMES SERIOUSLY INJURED. *JB
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation