Buyer Files Lawsuit Against Nissan for Concealed Issues with Rogue Door Locks | Carscoops

      Lawsuit alleges Nissan intentionally concealed defective door lock actuators across various model years

      13 hours ago

      by Brad Anderson

      The plaintiff states that she would not have bought her Rogue had she been made aware of the potential defect.

      Nissan recalled faulty door lock actuators in July 2015, affecting a limited range of model years.

      Numerous customers have reported being locked out due to malfunctioning door lock actuators.

      It’s not common for an automaker to face a lawsuit for allegedly selling vehicles that could potentially have their doors swing open while driving, but that is precisely the situation Nissan is currently dealing with. The company is now facing a class action lawsuit in California, accused of concealing a known defect in its door lock actuators, which can pose significant hazards for both drivers and passengers when they fail.

      The lawsuit targets a number of popular models, including the 2013–2025 Altima, 2014–2025 Rogue, and 2013–2025 Sentra. The complaint states that the defect may cause doors to unexpectedly open while the vehicle is in motion or, in some circumstances, prevent them from opening altogether.

      Read: Nissan Rogue Owners Sue Over Unpleasant Gas Odors Entering Cabin

      The lawsuit centers on Deena Khalifa, who bought a 2020 Nissan Rogue on March 13, 2020, from a dealership in California. While she claims not to have experienced any issues with a faulty door lock actuator, she criticizes Nissan for not disclosing the problem prior to her purchase of the new SUV. She asserts that had she been aware of the potential defect, she would not have chosen to purchase the SUV.

      Numerous customer complaints have been submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) alleging defective door lock actuators in Altima, Rogue, and Sentra models. In one instance, a 2018 Rogue owner reported being unable to access her SUV while trying to escape from a "suspicious acting man" in a parking lot due to a failure of the door lock actuator.

      In another case, a 2019 Rogue owner indicated that all four door locks malfunctioned while her 5-month-old child was inside, leading her to break a side window to get in.

      Nissan has been aware of issues with door lock actuators, having issued a recall for 2015 Sentra, Versa Note, and Rogue models in July 2015 due to issues with the driver-side door locks. This recall was limited to 6,595 vehicles.

      The class action emphasizes that, beyond the risk of doors unexpectedly opening while the vehicle is in motion, they may also lock or unlock spontaneously, and some owners have reported being trapped inside their cars. In certain cases, the automatic doors have malfunctioned concurrently with the locking mechanism.

      Khalifa alleges that Nissan has violated California’s Consumers Legal Remedies Act, Unfair Competition Law, and has engaged in unjust enrichment. She is seeking a jury trial.