2017 Nissan Murano Safety Report

The 2017 Nissan Murano presents a mixed safety picture, with significant concerns stemming from its recall history and a notable pattern of powertrain and brake-related complaints, despite a lack of specific NHTSA crash test ratings. While no overall safety rating is available from NHTSA, the vehicle has been subject to three recalls, all related to the 'SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP' system. These recalls highlight a critical defect where a brake fluid leak on the ABS actuator's circuit board could lead to an electrical short, significantly increasing the risk of a fire. This issue is particularly concerning given that 2 of the 107 total complaints explicitly mention fires, and 11 injuries have been reported. Complaint data reveals a concerning trend with the powertrain, specifically the CVT transmission. Multiple complaints describe the vehicle stalling, jerking, failing to accelerate, and making whining/humming sounds, with some explicitly mentioning CVT failure and even a recall for the CVT. One complaint details the brake fluid leaking and affecting the CVT, causing the car to only drive backward. This aligns with 'POWER TRAIN' being the second most reported component with 11 complaints. Furthermore, 'SERVICE BRAKES' accounts for 4 complaints, directly correlating with the recall issues. Other notable complaint areas include 'UNKNOWN OR OTHER' (18 complaints), 'VISIBILITY/WIPER' (6 complaints), and 'VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL' (6 complaints), with specific mentions of forward collision avoidance system malfunctions and issues with adaptive cruise control. Despite the absence of detailed NHTSA crash test performance data, several complaints describe severe outcomes in collisions. There are 8 reported crashes, with multiple instances where airbags failed to deploy in significant impacts, and seatbelts did not engage, leading to occupants being thrown forward and impacting the steering wheel. One complaint details a rear-end collision at 65 mph where the vehicle was totaled, but no airbags deployed. This suggests potential deficiencies in passive safety systems, which is a serious concern for occupant protection. The combination of fire risk from brake issues, widespread powertrain problems, and reported airbag deployment failures paints a picture of a vehicle with several critical safety vulnerabilities.

Our recommendation: Given the critical brake-related fire recalls, widespread CVT transmission issues, and reports of airbag non-deployment in crashes, exercise extreme caution; a thorough pre-purchase inspection focusing on these areas and ensuring all recalls are addressed is essential.