Steering Failed problems of the 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid

The steering lock unit (part number 48700-9n00b) needed replacement. The steering lock unit did not properly engage when the vehicle was turned off. Because the unit did not engage, the vehicle would not start. I was left stranded in a parking garage at night and had to have the vehicle towed. The nearest dealership was in alexandria, va. They charged $900 to diagnose and repair this problem. Since the vehicle had over 36,000 miles, it was not covered under warranty. This is a widely known issue with Nissan vehicles and is present on several online forums. Most of the steering lock unit failures occur after the warranty period, but before 60k miles. There is an existing safety recall for the 2009 Nissan gt-r model for the steering lock unit (campaign id p0309). This is Nissan's top tier vehicle. At this time Nissan has chosen not to issue a recall for other models to include the altima. Anyone driving a Nissan with this known issue can be stranded at any time.