NHTSA Complaint #10435053 — 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA

I PURCHASED MY 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S USED IN NOVEMBER OF 2006. IT HAD APPROXIMATELY 33,000 MILES ON IT. FIVE YEARS LATER, THE CAR HAS 101,000 MILES ON IT AND THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOORBOARD HAS MAJOR RUST DAMAGE; SO MUCH THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY TOUCH THE INTERIOR RUBBER FLOORBOARD OF THE CAR FROM THE OUTSIDE. I HAVE YET TO TAKE IT TO A NISSAN DEALERSHIP, SINCE I KNOW MY WARRANTY IS EXPIRED, BUT I HAVE HAD MANY PROFESSIONALS TAKE A LOOK AND THEY ARE RENDERED SPEECHLESS OVER THE DAMAGE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD NUMEROUS TIMES THAT THE DAMAGE IS OBVIOUSLY A FACTORY DEFECT, A CAR THAT'S ONLY A FEW YEARS OLD SHOULD NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF DAMAGE AND THAT IT WOULD COST WELL OVER $1000.00 TO REPAIR. I HAVE MAINTAINED MY VEHICLE WELL AND HAVEN'T HAD ANY OTHER MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH IT; JUST THE USUAL REPLACEMENTS. I'VE PUT A NEW BATTERY IN IT RECENTLY, I'VE HAD THE BRAKES REPLACED TWICE, ROTORS ONCE; IT CURRENTLY NEEDS A NEW SERPENTINE BELT, LOWER BALL JOINT AND THE MUFFLER IS SHOWING RUST, SO THAT WILL BE A REPLACEMENT IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I'VE READ ABOUT PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN COLD, SNOWY AREAS HAVING THESE PROBLEMS AS WELL, DUE TO SALT AND CHEMICAL EXPOSURE. I WASH AND DRY MY CAR AFTER EVERY SNOW, INCLUDING THE UNDERCARRIAGE, TO REMOVE THESE CHEMICALS. I DO NOT PARK IN WET AREAS, GRASS OR DIRT. MY CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN ON CONCRETE. NOTHING IN MY CAR LEAKS, I'VE NEVER HAD STANDING WATER IN IT, I'VE NEVER HAD WET FLOORS. THIS IS A DEFECT THAT NISSAN NEEDS TO TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR. I AM BEYOND OVERWHELMED WITH THE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS I'VE READ IN REGARDS TO THIS PROBLEM; THIS AFFECTS SO MANY NISSAN OWNERS, SO IT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT A PROBLEM CAUSED BY OWNER NEGLECT. THE DRIVER SIDE OF MY CAR LOOKS FANTASTIC; NO RUST DAMAGE WHATSOEVER, SO ONCE AGAIN, THAT PROVES THAT I AM NOT NEGLIGENT OR RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RUST DAMAGE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE; NISSAN IS. *TR