NHTSA Complaint #10345661 — 2000 NISSAN PATHFINDER

I HAVE A 2000 NISSAN PATHFINDER . JULY 24,2010 I HIT A POTHOLE ON I95 NORTH,SHORTLY AFTER THAT I STARTED HEARING SQUEAKING NOISES,TRUCK WAS PULLING, STEERING WHEEL WAS SHAKING VERY BAD, I COULD NOT DRIVE OVER 55 MPH. WHEN I GOT HOME MY HUSBAND CHECKED IT OUT AND THAT'S WHEN HE NOTICED THAT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE THE SHOCK TOWER SEPARATED (CRACKED) FROM THE FRAME RAIL. SHOCK TOWER DOES HAVE SOME RUST CORROSION BUT HITTING A POTHOLE SHOULD NOT HAVE CAUSED THIS TO CRACK,THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE. MY TRUCK IS MECHANICALLY EXCELLENT AS WELL AS COSMETIC. I CALLED NISSAN DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED MY TRUCK AND HE WAS VERY SURPRISED TO HEAR THIS ISSUE, AND SAID IT WAS VERY RARE. I RESEARCHED THIS ON THE INTERNET AND IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH PATHFINDERS. MY TRUCK DID NOT START SHOWING SIGNS THAT SOMETHING WAS SERIOUSLY WRONG UNTIL THIS DAY 7-24-201. IT COULD HAVE CAUSED MUCH MORE DAMAGES OR EVEN POSSIBLY A BAD ACCIDENT. THIS PROBLEM IS SOMETHING THAT NISSAN NEEDS TO BE AWARE OF ....ITS LIKE DRIVING A DEATH TRAP AND A VERY EXPENSIVE JOB TO FIX. BUYERS NEED TO BE AWARE OF THIS KNOWN ISSUE AND NISSAN NEEDS TO MAKE A RECALL BULLETIN ON THE SHOCK TOWER RUST CORROSION BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED DUE TO THEIR LACK OF PERFORMANCE. MY TRUCK IS IN MY BODY SHOP AS I AM TYPING THIS..I AM AWAITING AN ESTIMATE..HE DID TELL ME ITS AN EXPENSIVE JOB..12-13 HRS LABOR ALONE,PLUS PARTS. NISSAN NEEDS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS!! BIG QUESTION IS WHY WOULD THE SHOCK TOWER RUST, SHOULDN'T IT BE RUST PROOFED? TRUCK CAN'T POSSIBLE BE THAT SAFE IF SOMETHING LIKE HITTING A POTHOLE WOULD CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN. *TR