Safety Concerns due to **** parts being used for repairs on Nissan Magnite Visia BR10

Am a Nissan customer who purchased a Nissan Magnite 1.0 Visia (BR10) with vin number MDHFBADD0Z*** in April 2024. My purchase was based on Nissan’s long-standing reputation for quality, reliability, affordability, and a commitment to customer satisfaction. I believed Nissan to be a trusted brand with robust dealers and service network support in South Africa.

The Nissan Magnite Visia was repaired by Bruce Panel Beaters after an accident in September 2024. Bruce Panel Beaters in Pietermaritzburg, Kwa-Zulu-Natal, 391 Boom Street Pietermaritzburg 3201 were approved by my insurer, King Price, after my claim was approved. However, the vehicle remained under repairs from September 2024 - January 2025 seriously inconveniencing me as a customer after which it was released to my position.

On 13 June 2025, I took my vehicle in for car service at Nissa Gezina Service Centre for the 15,000 km service under the Nissan Service Plan. On 30 September 2025, after only three months from service I returned my vehicle to the Nissan Service Centre in Gezina, Gauteng, South Africa, for a health check after experiencing the following concerns: 1. A liquid substance (oily and yellowish) was leaking on the driver’s side of the bonnet; 2. The car was releasing smoke from the bonnet with a burning smell; 3. There were rattling sounds in the bonnet and the vehicle sounded like a heavy machine– akin to a diesel engine.

On 30 September 2025, I received feedback from Nissan Gezina Service Centre indicating that **** parts were found in my car. I am deeply disappointed by this turn of events, especially with the quality of customer support and the handling of this matter. The current condition of the vehicle presents multiple faults as per the feedback received from Nissan Gezina. The Panel Beater, Bruce’s Panel Beaters, disputes that these damages emanated from the repairs they have done since 2024 and directed that these faults may be because of the car service done by Nissa Gezina Service Centre during the 15,000 km service in August 2025. The back and forth has introduced liability ambiguity and increases my inconvenience.

Nissan Gezina Service Centre has provided me with a repair quote of R22,982.07 required to restore the engine to a safe operating condition, ensure engine protection, and prevent secondary damage. There is an indication that additional repairs may be required, potentially incurring further costs. This situation has placed me in an unfair position where I am expected to pay out of pocket for genuine OEM parts, when I have no idea of how the counterfeit components were installed in my vehicle. This is unacceptable as my finances cannot be disrupted by an event that was wholly not of my own doing and that has placed my family at risk of further accidents that may have led to serious injuries or even worse, death.

The burning smell and fumes from the bonnet on 29 September 2025 caused significant distress and safety concerns to my family. The ongoing issues have disrupted my ability to work and my children’s ability to attend school, severely impacting our daily lives and well-being. This experience has eroded my trust in Nissan. The brand’s promise of quality, reliability, and customer care has not been upheld in this instance. A satisfactory resolution is required to restore my faith in Nissan as a brand that values its customers: 1. Nissan must take responsibility and liability for the counterfeit parts installed in my vehicle and the associated repairs; 2. Under the vehicle warranty, Nissan must provide an alternative means of mobility by either providing a replacement vehicle or a temporary loan vehicle while the issues are resolved. This should be arranged promptly to ensure I can continue to care for my family and maintain my work routine and my children’s school commitments.

As part of next steps are to institute formal investigation into use of **** parts in my Nissan Magnite with transparency; make immediate provision of a legitimate OEM parts replacement plan, verification of the parts, and their installation; provision a time-bound plan for repairs and restoration of the vehicle to safe operating condition; make provision of an equivalent or superior temporary vehicle to ensure the uninterrupted mobility for my family during the repair period; provide direct communication from a senior Nissan executive or appointed liaison to ensure accountability and timely updates.

I request a prompt acknowledgment and a detailed plan outlining how Nissan will address these concerns, including a timeline and points of contact. If a satisfactory resolution cannot be achieved promptly, I will consider escalating the matter to relevant consumer protection authorities and seek independent technical assessments. This is important because critical safety and customer-satisfaction issue are at stake as currently I do not have the confidence that my vehicle will be fit and safe for my family after the repairs are done. I hope Nissan will provide a timely response and come up with a constructive path forward that demonstrates Nissan’s commitment to its customers and brand integrity.