NHTSA Complaint #10382249 — 2000 NISSAN PATHFINDER

ALSO AFTER HAVING THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED PROBLEM FIXED, 1 WEEK LATER I NOTICED THE FOLLOWING: MY 2000 NISSAN PATHFINDER SEEMED EXCESSIVELY BUMPY AND THE STEERING SEEMED VERY STIFF AT TIMES AFTER HITTING A POTHOLE. I TOOK IT INTO MY MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE FRAME HAS RUSTED THROUGH WHERE THE WHEEL WELL IS ATTACHED TO A STRUT MOUNT. THE STRUT IS LOOSE (CAUSING THE BUMPY RIDE) AND THE STRUT IS PRESSING AGAINST THE STEERING SYSTEM CAUSING THE STEERING TO BE STIFF. I WAS TOLD THAT IF I CONTINUED TO DRIVE IT AND WENT OVER A BUMP, THE STRUT COULD PLUNGE THROUGH THE HOOD. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS OR FATAL ACCIDENT IF I WERE TO HIT A POTHOLE AT ON A HIGHWAY AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. AFTER INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT FURTHER, I HAVE COME TO FIND OUT THAT THIS IS A STRUCTURAL DEFECT ISSUE WITH PATHFINDERS AND THE AND THE CAUSE WAS THAT THE FRAME RUSTED THROUGH.