NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE05019

ODI HAS RECEIVED FIVE REPORTS ALLEGING THAT THE CONSUMER WAS INJURED USING THE VEHICLE'S SECOND-ROW SEAT RELEASE LEVER TO FOLD THE SECOND ROW SEAT.NISSAN STATES, ...THE CUSTOMER OPERATION OF THE LEVER IN SOME CASES AND SUBSEQUENT ORIENTATION OF THEIR FINGERS IS DIFFERENT THAN EXPECTED.NISSAN ALSO REPORTED ADDITIONAL COMPLAINTS FOR A TOTAL OF 11 INJURIES.NISSAN MODIFIED THE LEVER FOR PRODUCTION TWICE.THE LATEST (SECOND MODIFICATION) DESIGN PROVIDES A LARGER SIZED HANDLE THAT CONTAINS A CUP INTO WHICH THE SEAT OCCUPANT CAN PLACE THEIR FINGERS TO OPERATE THE ADJUSTMENT LEVER.NISSAN REPORTS NO INJURIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE CUP DESIGN LEVER.BEGINNING JUNE 2004, NISSAN INITIATED A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION INITIATIVE THAT INCLUDED REPLACING THE ORIGINAL DESIGN HANDLE WITH THE FIRST MODIFICATION HANDLE (THIS IS NOT THE CUP DESIGN HANDLE MENTIONED ABOVE).THE INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA05-012) TO ALLOW FURTHER ANALYSIS OF THE ISSUE.