NHTSA Complaint #10354169 — 2004 NISSAN QUEST

WE BOUGHT OUR QUEST USED FROM A HONDA DEALERSHIP IN DECEMBER 2008. WE WERE TOLD IT WAS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION. THE ELECTRIC DOORS DO NOT ALWAYS OPEN OR CLOSE WHEN WE WANT THEM TO... THEY SEEM TO HAVE A MIND OF THEIR OWN. THE PASSENGER AIRBAGS TURN THEMSELVES ON AND OFF. AFTER ONLY DRIVING IT FOR A FEW MONTHS, THE FRONT END STARTED POPPING WHEN WE WOULD TURN A CORNER. WE CHECKED THE LOWER BALL JOINTS, BEING AS THIS IS A TYPICAL CHARACTERISTIC. THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THEM. WE CONTINUED TO DRIVE IT. ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO, THE VAN STARTED SHAKING REAL BAD WHEN WE WOULD BRAKE, AND THE FRONT TIRES STARTED LIFTING TREAD. WE TOOK THE VAN TO A MECHANIC TO CHECK THE ALIGNMENT AND SOURCE OF SHAKING. HE TOLD US THE ALIGNMENT WAS FINE... NO ADJUSTMENTS WERE NEEDED. HE SAID THE POPPING WAS THE BALL JOINTS. WE BOUGHT TWO NEW BALL JOINTS, AND UPON REMOVING THE CONTROL ARM AND BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY, WE REALIZED THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE REAR BUSHING OF THE FRONT CONTROL ARM, NOT THE BALL JOINT. THE RUBBER IS ROTTED OUT. YOU CAN NOT SEE THIS PROBLEM UNTIL YOU REMOVE THE WHOLE ARM. I WAS TOLD I HAD TO HIT A CURB REALLY HARD TO BREAK THESE, BUT HAVE NOT HIT ANY CURBS HARD EVER IN THIS VAN. I FEEL THE DEALER SHOULD HAVE TO FIX THIS, SINCE I HAVE NOTICED THIS IS AN EXTREMEMLY REOCCURING PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR/MAKE/MODEL. UPON REPLACING THE TIRES, THE NEW ONES TREADS ARE LIFTING. THEY WERE REPLACED 6 WEEKS AGO. *TR