NHTSA Complaint #10122118 — 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA

PURCHASED 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA 3.5 SE IN JULY, 2003. IT HAS ALUMINUM WHEELS ("RIMS") AND LOW PROFILE TIRES. IN MARCH, 2005, I HIT A POTHOLE, WHICH FLATTENED THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE AND DENTED THE RIM. I HAD TO CHANGE THE TIRE, AND THEN REPLACED THAT RIM (TIRE WAS OK). IN MAY, 2005, MY FRONT DRIVER TIRE WAS LOW. I DROVE A HALF MILE AT 20 MPH TO THE CLOSEST GAS STATION AND FILLED THE TIRE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TO INVESTIGATE WHY IT WAS LOW. THEY NOTED THAT THE RIM WAS CRACKED, SAID IT WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THAT WAY, AND PUT THE "DONUT" SPARE ON IN PLACE OF THE CRACKED RIM. BESIDES THE CRACKED RIM BEING A SAFETY ISSUE (THE DEALER SAYS THAT I "MUST HAVE HIT SOMETHING", AND CLAIMS TO HAVE NO WARRANTY LIABILITY), I BELIEVE THE WHEEL/TIRE DESIGN OF THE 2004 MAXIMA IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 32 YEARS AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH A RIM ON A CAR. NOW IN THE SPACE OF A MONTH OR TWO, I HAD A DENTED RIM THAT STRANDED ME IN A REMOTE AREA UNTIL I COULD CHANGE THE TIRE, AND NOW A CRACKED RIM THAT I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY REMOVE FROM THE CAR. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT IS BECAUSE THE RIM IS ALUMINUM AND PERHAPS BRITTLE AND NOT STURDY, OR BECAUSE LOW PROFILE TIRES LEAVE RELATIVELY LITTLE TIRE BETWEEN THE ROAD AND THE RIM, MAKING "EVERYDAY POTHOLES" THAT ARE COMMON IN THE NORTHEAST IN THE SPRINGTIME A HAZARD TO THE WHEELS ("RIMS"). BUT AFTER HAVING TWO RIMS THAT FAILED JUST A MONTH OR TWO APART SUCH THAT THEY EACH HAD TO BE TOTALLY REPLACED, I BELIEVE THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THIS CAR THAT LENDS ITSELF TO THESE SAFETY PROBLEMS THAT I EXPERIENCED WITH MY CAR. I OPENED A COMPLAINT ON THIS ISSUE WITH NISSAN, FILE #4947551. I WAS GIVEN NO ASSURANCE THAT ANY ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN, EXCEPT THAT THEY WOULD "LOOK AT THIS", AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD NOT EVEN SEND ME ANY RESPONSE TO MY COMPLAINT TO LET ME KNOW THEIR DECISION AS TO WHAT THEY DO OR DON'T PLAN TO DO REGARDING MY ISSUE.