While I was driving slowly along the road, the inside wiring in my driver's door, the one that connects to the window controls, started to smolder and almost immediately burst into flame. I had four kids in the car, and if I'd warn a flammable blouse, I'd gone up in flames myself.
Nissan says too bad, it's out of warranty (it's a 1997 with 80K mileage).
Does anybody know of similar occurences? I'd appreciate an email, either with info or any advice you can give in order to make Nissan cough up the repair cost. I have a 1K deductible on my insurance (if they cover it, which is still in doubt).
Not a thing, buster. That's another reason why I think Nissan is responsible -- the stuff that burned was _inside_ the door.
Nissan, too, seems to operate under the assumption that after 35,000 miles I should expect my door to burst into flames. Do they pay you?
No, I don't. WHy should I? The insurance inspector does think I bear the slightest responsibility, either. It seems to me that someone who manufactures a car that bursts into flames is indeed responsible for damage of this sort which does not fall under the usual wear and tear.
I hate to break it to you -- you're either stupid or unbelievably corrups. Take your pick.
Yeah, and it's going to "suddenly accelerate" all by itself next!
Must be haunted!
Of COURSE! The wiring was designed to "burst into flames", but just on YOUR car! The tens of thousands of others just like it are all fine. OkeyDokey!
No. And you should have expected your door to "burst into flames" before 35k miles.
You're really NOT Paranoid if everyone really IS out to get you!
If your insurance inspector thinks you are responsible (hard to tell from your statement, is English your second language?), pay your deductible and move on. If he (or she) thinks the manufacturer is responsible, get him (or her) to appear in a lawsuit for you and say so, and SUE! I'm sure you can get a Jury to agree with you (snort). Besides, your poor children were put in such danger! This could be your big windfall!
If I get a choice, I'll take "corrups"! Sounds interesting!
Then if you have the perseverance -- since it may be a long process -- take Nissan USA to court...that's the best way to go since it seems other options won't work.
Sue them...it's the American way. ;-)
Before that, however, you might call the BBB and see if they can mediate the issue for you with Nissan USA. There are also lawyers who use similar techniques short of going to court (forget the term). If you're having trouble with the dealer -- who won't even try to get Nissan to help -- your city's local TV news station might have an "investigative reporter" segment where they help people who have been wronged...they look into the matter and report about it on TV...I doubt that a dealer would like any negative advertising.
Finally, write Nissan Japan and tell them of the problem...Nissan USA is a known "couldn't care less" problem (to some of us Datsun/Nissan owners that is), but Nissan JAPAN may not know it...or condone it!
Most likely, Nissan USA will settle before it goes to court because they'll probably not want to go through the effort, spend their lawyer's time, pay court costs (if they lose) and so on.
It depends on how far you want to go and how much effort you want to put into it.
You might ask them to reconsider--many manufacturers give dealers extra money to take care of problems that may be embarrassing, like yours, even though the car is out of warranty. I had a '85 Toyota van, which was out of warranty, that I got the dealer to replace a defective ECU for free. (Had extenuating circumstances though.)
I had a used '81 Dodge Ares that the wiring harness went up in smoke. Spent a month fixing it. Upon inspection, found that the wiring harness was in poor shape with many cracks, some exposing bare wire. Also, it must have happened before, because someone replaced the fusible link (wire type) with a piece of wire (not a very good idea). The Dodge dealer (not where I bought it) was nice enough to give me a piece of fusible link wire for free.
IMHO, a fuse or fusible link should have blown before the wire went.
Annika, don't worry about what this loser says. He'll pick a fight with anyone. That's what his whole entire life revolves around - insulting, stalking, threatening, harrassing and suing people on Usenet. Just take a look at this website:
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I think that about sums up what our hero is like. Just think how sad it would be if you were a fat, ugly, diabetic used car salesman turned used t.v. salesman who works at Discount Satellite and TV over in Riverside, CA. Not only that, he keeps his cremated first wife in a tin can in his Vegas home and bought his current estranged wife (who lives separately from him in Chino, CA) a wife for $35 bucks.
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