NHTSA Complaint #10332444 — 2006 NISSAN 350Z

ON MAY 11,2010 I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO THE LOCAL NISSAN DEALER ON MAUI. THE WHEELS ON OUR CAR STARTED TO DISINTEGRATE AND BREAK UP CAUSING US TO SWERVE AND STOP ON THE ROAD. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY I WOULD HAVE TO PURCHASE NEW WHEELS FOR $5550. THE FACTORY REP JOHN HOOKANO, MY WIFE AND I MET AFTER TWO WEEKS OF THE CAR SITTING AT JIM FAULK NISSAN WITH NO FOLLOW UP CALL. HE SHOWED US THAT THE ORIGINAL WHEELS WERE ALUMINUM ALLOY, AND NOT CHROMED AND STATED THEY MUST BE AFTERMARKET OR CHROMED WITHOUT FACTORY AUTHORIZATION, HE THEN SHOWED US A BULLETIN ISSUED FROM NISSAN 2008, STATING THEIR POSITION NOT TO CHROME THE WHEELS. WE PURCHASED A 2006 350Z GRAND TOURING SPECIAL EDITION WHICH INCLUDED NAVIGATION SYSTEM, BREMBO BRAKES, BASICALLY EVERY OPTION INCLUDING CONVERTIBLE. WHEN I EXPLAINED I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW FROM THE DEALER IN ARIZONA AND THEY DID A DEALER TRADE FOR IT. WHEN IT ARRIVED FROM PEORIA ARIZONA'S NISSAN DEALER THE CHROMED WHEELS WERE ON IT. WE TOOK DELIVERY AT LAMB NISSAN IN PRESCOTT ARIZONA, AS IS, WE CHANGED NOTHING. WHEN I SHOWED THE FACTORY REP A SERVICE REPAIR ORDER FROM WHEN THE WARRANTY WAS IN EFFECT, WHICH MADE REFERENCE TO THE CLICKING WHEELS AND THAT WE HAVE CONTINUED TO HAVE ISSUES WITH THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR SYSTEM HE IGNORED MY COMMENT. THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 36,000 MILES AND YES THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. I DID PURCHASE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY IN WHICH I WAS TOLD DOES NOT COVER WHEELS. HOWEVER I BELIEVE IF THE NHTSA INSPECTOR LOOKED INTO THIS FAULT WOULD BE FOUND WITH EITHER THE MANUFACTURER OR THE DEALER. I CONTACTED LAMB NISSAN AND THE GENERAL MANAGER ED WALSH FOUND THE RECORDS THAT INDICATE I PURCHASED THE CAR WITH THE WHEELS ON IT FROM THE ORIGINAL DEALER WHO TOOK DELIVERY OF THE CAR, AND THAT IT DID IN FACT ARRIVE WITH CHROME NISSAN WHEELS. HE SAID I WILL CREDIT $1000 TO A NEW SET. WE EMAILED NISSAN EARLY ON AND GOT A RESPONSE WE WILL BE CONTACTED VANESSA FIORELLO CONSUMER AFFAIRS NEVER RETURNS MY EMAIL. *TR