NHTSA complaint: 2004 NISSAN TITAN — VISIBILITY
I LIVE IN THE COLD NORTHEAST AND HAVE TO WARM MY VEHICLE BEFORE I DRIVE TO WORK. MY TRUCK IS A 2004 NISSAN TITAN SE WITH 79K MILES ON IT. I BRUSHED THE VEHICLE OFF AND STARTED IT TURNING THE DEFROSTER TO HIGH AND TURNING ON THE SIDE MIRROR DEFROSTERS AS WELL. I WENT BACK INSIDE TO GRAB THE REST OF MY STUFF FOR WORK AND WAS INSIDE FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES. WHEN I CAME BACK OUTSIDE I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THE DRIVERS SIDE OF MY TRUCK ON FIRE. FIRE ENGULFED THE DRIVERS SIDE MIRROR AND THE DRIPPING PLASTIC WAS BURNING UP THE SIDE OF THE TRUCK. I RETURNED INSIDE AND GRABBED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE FIRE OUT. LUCKILY MY VEHICLE WAS FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM THE GARAGE AS TO NOT BE A CONCERN AS TO BURNING DOWN MY HOUSE. I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THAT THE MIRROR DEFROST SWITCH WAS STILL ACTIVE AND HAD NOT TRIPPED ANY FUSES. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE SWITCH TO THE OFF POSITION AND THE LIGHT WENT OUT. THIS JUST HAPPENED THIS MORNING AND I HAVE NOT REPAIRED THE TROUBLE AS YET. THE MIRROR OF COURSE IS TOTALLY DESTROYED AND THE PAINT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE IS DAMAGED. I AM WRITING THIS OUT OF CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY OF THE PUBLIC AS THIS COULD HAVE EASILY EVOLVED INTO A FULL BLOWN HOUSE FIRE. *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation