NHTSA Complaint #10175077 — 2005 NISSAN FRONTIER

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PULLING INTO A DRIVEWAY AT LOW SPEEDS, THE TAIL GATE WHICH WAS LOCKED IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION, FELL TO THE GROUND WITH THE RIGHT SIDE STILL ATTACHED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE LEFT TAILGATE HINGE AND ATTACHMENT FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER THE INITIAL REPLACEMENT, WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS ON THE STREET, THE TAILGATE SEPARATED FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AGAIN. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT BOTH TAILGATE HINGES AND ATTACHMENTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE HAVING A GENERAL MAINTENANCE INSPECTION PERFORMED AT THE DEALER, THE CONTACT NOTED A SUBSTANTIAL GAP BETWEEN THE TRUCK BED AND CAB WITH A DISTANCE OF 12 INCHES. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE STRUCTURAL BODY SEPARATION WAS DUE TO DRIVING ON ROUGH ROAD CONDITIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.