NHTSA Complaint #10172676 — 2003 NISSAN FRONTIER

A GROWING PROBLEM WITH OUR 2003 NISSAN FRONTIER 4X2 PURCHASED NEW FROM DELAND NISSAN IN FLORIDA. OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS THE FACTORY ORIGINAL PAINT HAS BEGUN TO FAIL IN NUMEROUS LOCATIONS. IT BEGINS WITH A BUBBLING OF THE PAINT IN A SPOT FOLLOWED BY FLAKING OFF OF THE OUTER COLOR PAINT FROM THE GRAY PRIMER. THE AREA OF PAINT FAILURE CONTINUES TO EXPAND WITH NO END IN SIGHT. ATTEMPTS TO WORK WITH OUR DELAND DEALERSHIP HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS WITHIN THE 3 YEAR WARRANTY BUT OVER THE MILEAGE ALLOTMENT. NISSAN NORTH AMERICA DISTRICT PARTS AND SERVICE MANAGERS HAVE BOTH REVIEWED THIS SITUATION AND EARLIER PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE PAINT FAILURE AND HAVE DECLINED TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE THAT IS OCCURRING FROM THIS FACTORY DEFECT IN THE PAINTING OF OUR VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OF THE PAINT IN THE AREA AFFECTED IS GROWING RAPIDLY. THIS FAILURE IS NOW OCCURRING IN THREE MAJOR AREAS WITH OTHER AREAS SHOWING THE EARLY SIGNS OF PAINT FAILURE. WE HAVE TAKEN THIS VEHICLE TO TWO LOCAL PAINT AND BODY SHOPS TO GET AN OPINION AS TO WHAT MAY BE CAUSING THE FAILURE. IN BOTH CASES THESE PAINT EXPERTS BELIEVE THAT IT IS A FAILURE OF THE EXTERIOR PAINT TO EFFECTIVELY BOND TO THE PRIMER PAINT. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT OCCURRED DURING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS AND NOT A RESULT OF OUTSIDE ELEMENTS THAT MAY HAVE COME IN CONTACT WITH THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE PAINT STARTS TO FLAKE AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE IT DOES SO IN A BUBBLING FASHION FROM UNDERNEATH THE SEAL OF THE PAINT. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FIND THERE ARE OTHER OWNERS OF NISSAN VEHICLES AND THE 2003 NISSAN FRONTIER WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE FACTORY ORIGINAL PAINT. THIS APPEARS TO BE FURTHER EVIDENCE OF A SYSTEMATIC PROBLEM IN EITHER THE PAINTING PROCESSES OR THE CHEMICAL COMBINATIONS USED TO FORMULATE YOUR PRIMERS AND PAINTS. WE HAVE TRIED TO APPEAL THIS LOCAL/REGIONAL DECISION ON THE FAILURE OF THE PAINT ON OUR FRONTIER THROUGH CUSTOMER SERVICE OPERATIONS, BUT HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. *JB