NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — An auto safety watchdog group is calling on federal regulators and Nissan to address problems with the dashboards in some of Nissan's older vehicles.
The Center for Auto Safety says there have been more than a thousand complaints about dashboards in both Altimas and Maximas degrading over time, especially in southern states that have warmer temperatures.
Customers say the dashboard issue can cause a large glare across the windshield that makes it difficult to drive safely. There are also concerns that the problem can interfere with the car's airbags and might expose people in the car to chemicals from the deteriorating materials.
Nissan settled a class action lawsuit several years ago, agreeing to replace defective dashboards in 2008 and 2009 Altimas only in Florida.
But on Wednesday, the Center for Auto Safety sent letters to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as well as the President of Nissan North America, explaining that drivers in nearly a dozen states, including Tennessee, have experienced melting dashboards in both Nissan Altima and Maxima vehicles from the 2008 through 2012 model years.
In response, Nissan released the following statement:
“Nissan denies the claims made in the letter written by the Center for Auto Safety. The issues described in that letter have not been found to pose a safety concern, and have been asserted only by a limited number of vehicle owners. Nissan will continue to assess any consumer concerns and take appropriate steps in dealing with each case. Nissan customers can contact Nissan Consumer Affairs at 800-647-7261 for questions and additional information.”
