2018 Nissan Murano Electrical System Problems

My car several times while driving randomly had the traction control loss light pop up randomly (dry conditions) several times through a 45 minute drive. Around the 35 minute mark it popped up again, and my car completely stalled out. My VIN is allegedly not apart of one of their recalls but it appears as if it’s the exact same issue many others had and that it should have been included with said recall.

Car was parked for two hours in a private parking space. Onlooker reported seeing it on fire and called 911. Car was completely destroyed by fire. Insurance company reported it was related to this recall.

Submitted by: [XXX] Vehicle: 2018 Nissan Murano VIN: [XXX] Mileage at time of issue: Approx. 93,500 miles Location: Albuquerque, NM Date of incident onset: [XXX] ⸻ Complaint Summary: My vehicle was in the custody of a local Nissan dealership for approximately 7 to 8 weeks total across multiple visits. When it was returned to me, I noticed signs of unauthorized access and tampering. Specifically: •Dashboard components were visibly loosened or unsealed •Door panels had been opened without any repair documentation •The center console had signs of disassembly •Vehicle returned with mechanical and electrical problems not present before service No official invoice or explanation was provided for these changes, and the dealership denied any responsibility. ⸻ Safety Relevance: The unauthorized access raises serious safety concerns. Unknown modifications or hidden damage to critical systems like the dashboard, airbag wiring, and center console can create fire risk, sensor malfunctions, or structural compromise. Additionally, the lack of disclosure or documentation means there is no clear service record explaining what was accessed or modified. ⸻ Supporting Evidence: I have photographic documentation of the vehicle before and after the dealership’s custody, as well as text messages showing the extended service timeline. These documents confirm that the condition of the vehicle changed significantly while in their possession. ⸻ Requested Action: I am requesting that NHTSA review this complaint for patterns of dealership negligence, particularly involving extended service holds followed by undocumented vehicle return with altered components. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA Vehicle Safety Complaint – 2018 Nissan Murano Submitted by: [XXX] Vehicle: 2018 Nissan Murano VIN: [XXX] Mileage at time of issue: Approx. 93,500 miles Location: Albuquerque, NM Date of issue onset: [XXX] Summary of the Problem: Shortly after my vehicle was serviced at a Nissan dealership, it began exhibiting serious mechanical and electrical issues. These include: - Transmission jerking and slipping between gears - Uncommanded RPM surging while accelerating - Occasional loss of power, particularly at highway speeds - Dashboard flickering, resetting, and other electrical irregularities - Brake caliper drag and significantly reduced gas mileage Third-Party Diagnosis: A certified independent repair shop reported the following: - Transmission malfunction (needs full replacement) - Dragging brake caliper - Engine overfilled with oil - Erratic RPM behavior Despite these findings, the dealership dismissed all concerns and returned the vehicle unrepaired, with no adequate documentation of the work performed. Additional Concerns: I believe the vehicle was accessed and tampered with while at the dealership. After their service: - My dashboard and door panels were visibly unsealed or repositioned - The vehicle was held for extended periods (multiple weeks) - No paperwork was provided showing any actual mechanical repairs I have before-and-after photographs and text messages confirming this timeline and change in condition. Safety Impact: The transmission failure, RPM spikes, and braking inconsistencies make the vehicle unsafe to drive. These problems pose a significant crash risk, especially in highway traffic or while merging. I’m submitting this report to NHTSA to contribute to any ongoing investigations related to this vehicle make/model and to help prevent further consumer risk. Additional Observation – Abnormal Heat After Driving After driving the vehicle, extreme heat can be felt rising from underneath the dr INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The seal around the panoramic sunroof is faulty. It allows for water intrusion down the inner lining of the "A" frame. Water is filling up along the floorboard. The wiring harness is exposed to water. I've spoken with numerous dealership and they state this is a known problem; caused by backup of the drainage system; however I've own the vehicle for several years and the problem never existed until recently. I've taken it to the dealer twice within the past month for cleaning and the problem continues to exist. The vehicle has no known reported accidents. There is no physical evidence of frame damage and I am the second owner of the vehicle. There was no warnings and this just started occurring this year.

SMOKE WAS NOTICED INSIDE THE CAR WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A RURAL FREEWAY IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON. THE SOURCE OF THE SMOKE APPEARED TO BE THE REAR PASSENGER SET, RIGHT SIDE. I PULLED OVER. WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR, A LARGE PLUM OF SMOKE ERUPTED FROM THE REAR SEAT. I THEN NOTICED A BLACK, BURNED HOLE IN THE SEAT MEASURING ABOUT 10IN X 10IN. AS QUICKLY AS IT BEGAN, THE COMBUSTION STOPPED. AFTER A 20-MINUTE WAIT THE SEAT COOLED OFF AND I WAS ABLE TO PROCEED. NOTE THAT THE REAR SEATS WERE IN THE DOWN POSITION, AND PILLOWS WERE PLACED ON THE FLOOR BOARDS WHERE PASSENGER FEET WOULD NORMALLY BE.PHOTO SHOWS DAMAGE TO THE PILLOWS. I SUSPECT THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE WAS AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE RELATED TO HEATED SEATS.

ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO, THE DISPLAY WINDOW SHOWING AUDIO SELECTIONS, REARVIEW CAMERA, NAVIGATION, ETC. BEGAN RAPIDLY JUMPING BACK AND FORTH FROM SCREEN TO SCREEN. NOTHING I DID, AFFECTED IT, THUS I WASN'T ABLE TO CHANGE CHANNELS OR GET FULL VIEW WHEN BACKING UP. WHEN IN REVERSE, 2 LINES OF TEXT WERE DISPLAYED, BLOCKING THE CAMERA VIEW. ONE SAID, "DISPLAY SETTINGS", BUT WHEN I PRESSED IT, NOTHING HAPPENED. UPON STARTING THE CAR, THE TIME VARIES AS TO WHEN THE IRREGULARITIES BEGIN. SOMETIMES IT STARTS IMMEDIATELY, BUT OTHER TIMES IT MAY APPEAR NORMAL FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THEN START. BUT ONCE IT STARTS, IT DOESN'T STOP UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. IT SEEMS TO BE AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE SINCE NOTHING I'VE TRIED REMEDIES IT. IN THE "WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN" SECTION BELOW, I WILL PUT THE APPROXIMATE DATE THE ISSUE STARTED, BUT AS I SAID, IT IS A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM.

THIS MORNING AT ABOUT 0630 AM WHILE PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY,MY CAR WENT TOTALLY DARK. ALL LIGHTS WENT OFF,IGNITION SWITCH WAS INOPERATIVE, DOORS LOCKED AND COULD NOT BE OPEN. AS I WAS CALLING MY WIFE TO BRING SPARE KEY TO UNLOCK DOORS BECAUSE I WAS TRAPPED IN VEHICLE, ALL LIGHTS RETURN AND WAS ABLE TO EXIT VEHICLE. THE TIME FOR LIGHTS TO RETURN WAS ABOUT 3 TO 4 MINUTES.*DT CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT COULD NOT FIND ANY ISSUES. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND IS RECURRING CONTINUOUSLY.*JB

WHILE DRIVING, A SAFETY LIGHT KEEPS COMING 'UNAVAILABLE FRONT RADAR OBSTRUCTION'. THIS HAPPENS EVEN WITHOUT ANYTHING BLOCKING THE RADAR. THIS ALSO CONTROLS THE CRUISE CONTROL AND IF NOT WORKING CC GETS DISABLED. IT ALSO CONTROLS EMERGENCY BRAKING.

THE AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING SENSOR COMES ON WITHOUT REASON AND THEN WILL NOT DISENGAGE. IT ALSO WILL NOT TURN OFF IF YOU CHOOSE TO DISABLE IT. IT ALSO KICKS YOU OUT OF CRUISE CONTROL IF YOU HAVE IT ON. THIS HAPPENED DAILY AT ALL SPEEDS AND MAKING ALL SORTS OF MANEUVERS INCLUDING TURNING RIGHT OR LEFT AFTER BEING STOPPED AT A LIGHT AND DRIVING DOWN A HIGHWAY WITHOUT ANY VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME.

WHILE DRIVING THE AUTOMATIC STOP SYSTEM FAILS, A WARNING FLASHES ON THE DASHBOARD TO INDICATE THE PROBLEM: 'FRONT RADAR UNAVAILABLE DUE TO OBSTRUCTION.'

FRONT/SIDE IMPACT WARNING UNAVAILABLE LIGHT. ALTHOUGH IT DID NOT HAPPEN IN MY VEHICLE IT CAN CAUSE THE CAR TO SLOW EVEN AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED.

ANDROID AUTO SYSTEM RANDOMLY CRASHES OR FREEZES WHEN NAVIGATING WITH GOOGLE MAPS. AS A RESULT WE ARE LEFT SCRAMBLING WHILE DRIVING TO DISCONNECT AND RECONNECT OUR PHONE TO RESET THE SYSTEM, OR TO CHANGE USB PHONE SETTINGS TO PROPERLY RECONNECT THE OUR PHONE TO ANDROID AUTO, CAUSING A DANGEROUS DISTRACTION FROM THE ROAD. SOMETIMES RECONNECTING THE PHONE DOES NOT WORK CAUSING A REPEAT OF THE EFFORT AND CAUSING FURTHER DRIVING DISTRACTION. I HAVE REPEATEDLY ATTEMPTED TO GET THE NISSAN DEALER TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM BUT THEY DENY THERE IS AN ISSUE.

The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Murano. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH around a curve, the four doors of the vehicle unlocked independently. The message "Door Open" was displayed and an alarm sounded while the contact continued driving. The contact stated that the failure mainly occurred while making right turns; however, the failure had been recurring increasingly, while making turns, and while driving straightforward. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times, and the dealer diagnosed the vehicle, but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered the contact a monetary compensation in exchange of not trading the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 4,500.