Our K12 boot opening problems

[PC63]

Hi,found this very informative forum while researching my Nissan Micra
problem,and am hoping for some advice please

Our family car Nissan Micra 1.0 was bought by us in 2003,from new (it was an
ex-demo) from Main Dealer
Before Christmas last year my wife noticed that the intelligent warning buzzer
would set off for no apparent reason whilst driving,some-times also stopping of its own accord too,as well as this happening the boot would occasionally be found to be open at the end of a journey which she first of all put down to her not shutting it properly.The noise of the warning buzzer coming on & off at random times became more frequent and it was booked in with our local Nissan Main dealer,after running the diagnostic tests they established that the combi meter was faulty but they would need to order in the part, so to stop us having to listen to the buzzer it was disabled.
In the interval and while waiting for the part the boot would still randomly open on it own.

A couple of weeks later and car booked & new part fitted,the installation of the new combi meter went ok and at a cost of £133

Over next 4 days the boot twice more opened on its own,on the 5th day the
intelligent warning buzzer set off again whilst driving,on getting home found boot to be open (again)tried opening and shutting boot a few times and this
(eventually) stopped the buzzing

Took the car back to the Nissan main dealer next day,buzzer going again,to be told after running the diagnostic tests that this time the problem was "Found water ingress into the boot switch causing a short circuit" and they wanted £99 for repairs

We protested that this was the same fault that the previous repair was
supposed to have fixed,but they were adamant that this was a completely
different problem and if we wanted it fixed (again) it would be £99
after coughing up and having the repair done we have had no problems

We wrote a stiff letter to the service manager outlining our grievance that we
felt we had paid twice and how we felt the first repair wasn't needed and that
we didn't mind paying for the second repair (the one that fixed the problem) but we ought to be refunded the money for the first repair
The return letter stated that he (the service manager) had done an investigation and that indeed they were two different problems that had needed two different parts fitted,and that to a layman the buzzer going off would indicate the same problem but that it wasn't,but could mean one of many faults ( he didn't mention that the identical problem with the boot still opening as well has the buzzer)

This brings me completely up-to-date but searching through this forum i have
since found other members with the same problem and that there has been a recall,I tried googling "nissan micra recalls" with very limited success but from what other members have stated on this forum there is indeed a problem,since owning the Car from new we have never had a recall notice from nissan

Questions

1, if indeed our water ingress into the boot switch fault is the same as the recall should we have had to pay

2, where can i find more info on bootswitch recall? ref number etc

3, does our first and second fault sound like the same fault or not

4, sorry if daft question but would you only get recall if still in warranty or for life of the car

5, if i go back to main dealer with evidence of recall for the fault i paid for what chance of a refund on both or second problem?

6, any other advice of where i can go,what best move to make from here

Thank you for reading and sorry if it was long winded

PC63

 

[Arnold]

Write to watchdog and complain about what they've done. I believe there was a recall on faulty boot switches causing them to randomly open,

- here >> http://www.micra.org.uk/showthread.php?t=7180&highlight=k12+boot

You could bet thats exactly what your problem is! Nex also posted about the noise your probably hearing too.

Also, with recall i thought they were a free fix, as the manufacturer has declared responsibility for the design / product fault. You should not be charged for the above, so you have a very good case for getting your money back.

 

[PC63]

Thanx for reply Arnold,this is one of the roads am thinking of going down,but with due respect to this forum I think the thing i need the most is solid evidence of the recall so i can go to watchdog/small claims court/trading standards,etc.
The world wide web is a wonderful place full of knowledge but trying to find solid evidence of the nissan micra faulty boot switch recall is beating me

 

[Arnold]

Thanx for reply Arnold,this is one of the roads am thinking of going down,but with due respect to this forum I think the thing i need the most is solid evidence of the recall so i can go to watchdog/small claims court/trading standards,etc.
The world wide web is a wonderful place full of knowledge but trying to find solid evidence of the nissan micra faulty boot switch recall is beating me

Well as you can tell from a couple of the replies in that thread, a couple of people actually fix the problem direct. They may be able to get you something more official, like a press release or at least something released by nissan for employees.

Print off that page, and go back, pointing them to this site. Alot of people said the same thing, they cant just ignore it

 

[Fordy]

Questions

1, if indeed our water ingress into the boot switch fault is the same as the recall should we have had to pay

2, where can i find more info on bootswitch recall? ref number etc

3, does our first and second fault sound like the same fault or not

4, sorry if daft question but would you only get recall if still in warranty or for life of the car

5, if i go back to main dealer with evidence of recall for the fault i paid for what chance of a refund on both or second problem?

6, any other advice of where i can go,what best move to make from here

Thank you for reading and sorry if it was long winded

PC63

Answers from a nissan mechanic

1: if the vehicle does not have a recall outstanding on the boot switch and the car is out of manufacturers warranty 3years/60,000 miles, then you will have to pay

2: i will get a vin range and build dates of the affected k12s on monday and post them up

3: if the fault was still there after the combi meter was replaced and then when the boot switch was replaced the fault went away then i'd say the boot switch was at fault and not the combi meter

4: all recalls are for the life of the vehicle

5: you need to make sure your vehicle is in the affected vin range of vehicles, if it is then you shouldnt of been charged for the boot switch

6: watchdog is a very very last resort, shouting and getting angry wont help at all, i'd go to your nissan dealer and say you want to talk to the service manager if hes not there ask for the dealer principle or the next in line above him, and say that your not happy that you have paid for the combi meter and yet the fault still occured after the new one was fitted thus the old combi meter wasnt at fault, and then explain that now the boot switch was replaced at your cost that the fault has been fixed, and that you want a refund and that you want your old combi meter replaced with the one currently in the vehicle, if they say they cant as they have binned the old one then say you still want a refund as the new combi meter didnt fix the fault and that the fault was being caused by the boot switch

god knows why the dealer didnt check the boot switch first as when ever someone complains of the boot opening on its own its down to the boot switch 100% of the time as its a very very common fault and they should of known it, and boot switch's have been known to fail and cause very strange faults like for example, i have had one causing a battery to drain and endless other faults which have all been boot switch's

if you dont get anywhere with the dealer then ask for nissans customer service number and complain to them as they will EDITED the dealer if the dealer is at fault

anymore questions just ask

 

[PC63]

Wow....thank you for comprehensive reply.Very helpful.....was always going to go back to the dealer first once i had concrete evidence of the car qualifying for the recall, giving them another chance to cough up

On the replacement of the combi meter, am never going to be able to completely prove one way or another that it was ever faulty,so my best starting argument is going to be if the car qualifies for replacement boot switch and should have been recalled,once i have that argument won (if i do) i would move on to why did the car keep showing same problems only days after the combi meter replaced

Ideally I want them to admit that the boot switch should have been replaced free,and so get my £99 back and then if they agree that chances are that the combi meter was installed in error that is a bonus and would get the money back for that too.

My steps in order of doing are

try once more (with evidence) to talk to the service manager,if no joy

try (as Fordy advised) nissans customer service number and complain to them, if no joy

Will try small claims court to recover £99 with evidence cant see them even putting up a fight

open to other suggestions


I know its a bit cheeky Fordy but if i Pm'd you my VIN number could you check for me,I see from previous threads where you have helped members out you have done this,would also like to LYK other details,location,etc. I would rather not post here

Thank you once again for help/info so far

PC63

 

[K11SS]

will any of this be related to my boot lid problem of it sounding open ... the rattle some k12's get ?

you know if there is anything from nissan about this and something bout a hi tech call ... were all other nissan dealers are asked if they have fixed this problem before?

thanks

ps for fordy i got my subframe fixed and now more bangs ... thanks for ur help

 

[Fordy]

you cant pm as your not a paid member, add me to msn messenger if you have it [email protected]

k11ss they still not fixed your boot rattle? have they replaced the boot latch assembly? the plastic wears away inside them causing the striker to rattle with the latch inside

 

[Ed]

It would be nice to have this thread updates with the results of whats going on btw... Nice one fordy for offering your help as well, thats a great asset to the club as a whole.

 

[Fordy]

ok here we go,

vin range of affected k12s

SJN***K12U1232379 TO SJN***k12U1326151

this campaign targets a specific VIN range of k12 vehicles with a high failure rate


paul you car isnt in the vin range and so it isnt covered by the recall,

i will say tho, if yours or anyone elses k12 on this forum has a boot switch go faulty when its less than 2 weeks out of warranty then your best bet is to give nissan customer services a ring and pled your case,

you might (please note this is not guaranteed and is down to how well you can pled your case) get a certain percentage off the overall cost or even get it all done for free eg: nissan pay 50% parts and labour and the customer has to pay 50% parts and labour

50% was used as a example

 

[PC63]

Thank you for looking anyway Fordy,our K12 is unfortunately months out of warranty so not much chance of reduction, especially as we have already paid (twice)
We could be paying you a visit soon in Peterborough Fordy coz now we are getting a flashing airbag warning light on the dash and I think the wife would rather just push the Micra over a cliff rather than give any more money to our local main dealer..it was a bad day we traded in our trusty K11 for this lemon

thanx again Fordy