NHTSA Complaint #10074738 — 2004 NISSAN QUEST

A NEWLY PURCHASED 2004 NISSAN QUEST WITH CURRENT MILEAGE OF AROUND 4,800 MILES WHEN INCIDENT HAPPENED. WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE SUDDENLY BENT AND SMOKE CAME OUT. VAN WAS THEN TOWED BACK TO DEALERSHIP AND FOUND THAT THE CROSS MEMBER WAS BROKEN OFF. DEALERSHIP DENIED WARRANTY COVERAGE BECAUSE SERVICE MANAGER THOUGHT THAT SUCH DAMAGE MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A COLLISION, BECAUSE HE SAW A FEW LIGHT SCRATCHES AND A SMALLER THAN 2CM MARK ON THE RIM. I AM SURE THAT THE VAN WAS NOT HIT BY ANYTHING WHEN THE TIRE WAS BENT. THE SCRATCHES AND LITTLE MARK COULD BE CAUSED BY PULLING OVER TO SHOULDER WITH A BENT TIRE. I POINTED TO THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THE JOINT OF THE BROKEN CROSS MEMBER WAS FULL OF RUST, A SIGN OF INCOMPLETE SEALED OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, OBVIOUSLY NOT A NEW DAMAGE CAUSED BY AN ACCIDENT. EVEN TRIED CONTACTING MANUFACTURER MANY TIMES, BUT NO SOLUTION WAS MADE BECAUSE MANUFACTURER MAKES DECISION BASED ON DEALERSHIP STATEMENT. ALSO, SQUEAKING NOISE HAS BEEN COMING OUT FROM REAR SLIDING DOORS, DEALERSHIPS STATED THAT THEY REMOVED DOORS BUT NO FINDING AND PROBLEMS STILL EXIST. *JB