NHTSA Complaint #10436427 — 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA

I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH NISSAN NORTH AMERICA REGARDING RUST DAMAGE ON MY 2005 ALTIMA 3.5 SE W/67,000 MI. AFTER BEING REFERRED TO MY DEALERSHIP FOR AN INVESTIGATION A REP WITH NISSAN REGIONAL CONSUMER AFFAIRS SAYS THAT UNFORTUNATELY MY WARRANTY DOESN'T COVER RUST AFTER 5 YEARS. I ASKED IF IT'''S NISSAN'''S POSITION THAT I WAS NEGLIGENT IN MAINTAINING MY VEHICLE. HOW ELSE WOULD YOU EXPLAIN A 6 YR LOW-MILEAGE CAR HAVING EXTENSIVE RUST ISSUES? WOULD THEY AT LEAST ADMIT TO PARTIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND HELP WITH THE COST OF REPAIRS? EVERYTHING ON MY CAR IS STILL LIKE NEW EXCEPT PREMATURE RUSTING THROUGH THE FLOORBOARDS ON BOTH THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE. I EXPLAINED I'VE DILIGENTLY MAINTAINED THIS VEHICLE WITH THE HOPES OF IT LASTING FOR YEARS BASED ON THE REPUTATION OF IMPORTED CARS. IT'S BEEN GARAGED DURING MOST INCLEMENT WEATHER. I EXPLAINED HOW SHOCKED I WAS WHEN I SAW ALL THE COMPLAINTS, FORUMS, AND BLOGS REGARDING THIS ISSUE. THERE SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM EITHER WITH THE MATERIAL (DURASTEEL) OR THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF ALL THE GEN 3 AND 4 ALTIMAS THAT ALLOWS WATER TO INFILTRATE BETWEEN THE METAL ON THE FLOORBOARDS CAUSING PREMATURE RUST THROUGH. THERE ARE PLASTIC PLUGS THAT BECOME DISLODGED OR ARE NOT INSTALLED CORRECTLY. NISSAN WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AND HELP WITH THE REPAIRS. NISSAN HAS BEEN REQUIRED TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY ON THE REAR SUBFRAME SO THEY ARE AWARE OF ISSUE WITH THE METALS THEY'RE USING. REGARDLESS, I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER NISSAN. PLEASE CHECK AND IF YOU'RE FACING THE SAME EXPENSIVE REPAIR, CALL NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS @ 800-647-7261 AND ASK TO FILE A COMPLAINT. THEY WILL BE SURPRISED AND SAY "THIS IS THE FIRST WE'VE HEARD OF THIS."' DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME WAITING FOR A REPLY. IMMEDIATELY FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU AND NHTSA. YOUR NISSAN REP WILL CHEERFULLY GIVE YOU THE NUMBERS. *TR