1995 Nissan Quest

(THIS IS MY THIRD COMPLAINT REGARDING THE SAME ISSUE. SEE EARLIER COMPLAINTS (10208146 AND 10208146) FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS.) THIS IS THE SEVENTH (7TH) TIME THE FRONT-PASSENGER-SIDE LAP BELT RETRACTOR (MOUNTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DOOR POST / BODY FRAME) HAS JAMMED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS OR SO. FOR THE 6TH REPAIR/REPLACEMENT (AND NOW THE 7TH WHICH IS PENDING ARRIVAL OF YET ANOTHER REPLACEMENT PART) I WENT TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP, BUSAM NISSAN, 1501 EAST KEMPER ROAD CINCINNATI, OH 45246 (513) 771-8100. THE 6TH UNIT THEY INSTALLED LASTED ONLY ABOUT 2 WEEKS BEFORE JAMMING EARLY THIS YEAR. THEY THEN CONFIRMED THE FAILURE AND THE DEALERSHIPS SERVICE MANAGER SAID THEY WOULD GET WITH THE FACTORY BEFORE SIMPLY PUTTING IN YET ANOTHER WAREHOUSE-STOCKED "CURRENT-DESIGN" BELT RETRACTOR THAT WOULD LIKELY HAVE THE SAME FAILURE AS ALL THE OTHERS. AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS I CHECKED IN TO ASK WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ORDERED PART. THEY SAID THE FACTORY HAD YET TO RESPOND WITH A BETTER/PERMANENT SOLUTION. I SAID FOR NOW I'D RATHER GO AHEAD AND GET ANOTHER WAREHOUSE-STOCKED "CURRENT-DESIGN" ONE RE-INSTALLED THAN CONTINUE TO OPEN-ENDED WAITING WITH NO WORKING BELT AT ALL. AND I'D KEEP COMING BACK FOR REPAIRS TO GET THE FACTORY'S ATTENTION SINCE IT COSTS THEM EACH TIME A DEALERSHIP GETS REIMBURSED. AT PRESENT I'M AWAITING THAT WAREHOUSE-STOCKED "CURRENT-DESIGN" REPLACEMENT UNIT TO ARRIVE. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT BUSAM NISSAN TENTATIVELY AGREED WITH ME THAT IT MIGHT BE THAT THE LUBRICANTS HAVE DRIED OUT, BUT THAT HE COULD NOT "EXPERIMENT" WITH IT, SUCH AS GENTLY WARMING UP A UNIT IN AN OVEN TO SEE IF IT WOULD POSSIBLY HELP ANY INTERNAL LUBRICANTS RE-DISTRIBUTE AND ALLOW THE MECHANISM TO PROPERLY RELEASE. HE SAID THAT HIS OR MY DOING SO WOULD END ANY FREE FACTORY REPLACEMENT POSSIBILITIES AND FIXES. AGAIN, I DOUBT I'M THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM IF THIS UNIT IS USED IN OTHER NISSAN MODELS AS WELL. *TR

(THIS IS MY SECOND COMPLAINT LODGED ON THIS SITE REGARDING THE SAME ISSUE. SEE MY EARLIER COMPLAINT FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON THE POSSIBLE CAUSES.) THIS IS THE FIFTH/5TH TIME THE FRONT-PASSENGER-SIDE LAP BELT RETRACTOR (MOUNTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DOOR POST / BODY FRAME) HAS JAMMED OVER THE LAST 5-6 YEARS OR SO. THE REPLACED PART IS WORKING FOR SHORTER AND SHORTER PERIODS BEFORE ANOTHER FAILURE. COULD THIS BE DUE TO AGING OF THE STOCK OF REPLACEMENT PARTS? SEE NISSAN DEALERS RECORDS FOR EXACT DATES: FALHABER NISSAN, INC. 8680 COLERAIN AVE. CINCINNATI (GROSBECK), OH 45251 (513) 385-1400 (SALES, SERVICE, BODY SHOP). IT WILL NOT EXTEND MORE THAN ABOUT 8-12 INCHES BEFORE THE RATCHET MECHANISM "CATCHES" AND PREVENTS THE SEAT BELT FROM REACHING OVER TO THE BUCKLE BY THE CENTER CONSOLE. ON THE SURFACE THERE SEEMS TO BE NOTHING UNUSUAL ABOUT THE INSTALLATION -- THE UNIT IS BOLTED IN, AND THE BELT SIMPLY FEEDS THROUGH A SLOT IN THE TRIM PLASTIC. IN FRUSTRATION I DISCOVERED I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO EXTEND A FEW TIMES MORE BY VERY RAPIDLY SNATCHING THE BELT UNTIL IT WOULD CATCH, I SUPPOSE SIMULATING THE DECELERATION OF THE VEHICLE DURING AN ACCIDENT (AND THE ACCELERATION OF THE SPRING WINDING MECHANISM TRYING TO RESTRAIN A "BODY" FROM FLYING THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD). THEN AFTER RETRACTING FULLY THE BELT WOULD THEN EXTEND FULLY FOR A ONE-TIME USE, BUT ONLY TO SEIZE UP AGAIN AFTER RETRACTING. BUT THIS WORKED FOR ONLY A VERY BRIEF PERIOD (COUPLE OF DAYS) THEN EVEN THAT WOULD NOT WORK. FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE I SUSPECT THIS PROBLEM IS MORE PREVALENT THAN THE FEW RECORDS ON THIS WEB SITE WOULD INDICATE. I SUSPECT THE ENGINEERS AT THE FACTORY ARE NOT GETTING THE FEEDBACK THEY NEED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM FROM THE DEALERSHIPS THAT (I PRESUME) ARE REIMBURSED BY NISSAN FOR REPEATEDLY PERFORMING THIS FREE-TO-THE-CONSUMER SERVICE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 NISSAN QUEST. HE WAS THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE AND THERE WERE 5 SAFETY RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. EACH OF THE SAFETY RECALLS WERE RELATED TO THE VEHICLE, AND HE NEVER RECEIVED ANY SAFETY RECALL NOTICE. THERE WAS NEVER A CHANGE OF ADDRESS SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ALL OF THE SAFETY RECALLS REPAIRED, AND AN EXPLANATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER STATING WHY HE NEVER RECEIVED A NOTICE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,792. *AK

THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THE FRONT-PASSENGER-SIDE LAP BELT RETRACTOR (MOUNTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DOOR POST / BODY FRAME) HAS JAMMED OVER THE LAST 3-4 YEARS OR SO. SEE NISSAN DEALERS RECORDS FOR EXACT DATES: FALHABER NISSAN, INC. 8680 COLERAIN AVE. CINCINNATI (GROSBECK), OH 45251 (513) 385-1400 (SALES, SERVICE, BODY SHOP) IT WILL NOT EXTEND MORE THAN ABOUT 8 INCHES BEFORE THE RATCHET MECHANISM "CATCHES" AND PREVENTS THE BELT FROM REACHING OVER TO THE BUCKLE BY THE CENTER CONSOLE. DUE TO THE FREQUENCY OF FAILURES, I WONDER IF I AM SIMPLY GETTING RECIRCULATED USED PARTS? THE MAN IN THE PARTS DEPARTMENT OF MY DEALERSHIP SAYS THESE ARE NOT STOCKED, HAS NOT NOTICED ANY "RUN" ON THIS KIND OF ITEM, OLD ONES ARE DESTROYED, AND THEY ONLY INSTALL NEW ONES. SOMETHING NOT RIGHT. MY DRIVER'S SIDE AND THE MIDDLE AND REAR ROW SEAT RETRACTORS HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM. MY WIFE AND OTHERS DO NOTHING ODD OUT OF HABIT THAT I CAN TELL AS FAR AS USING THAT ONE BELT. *JB