NHTSA Complaint #10461063 — 1999 NISSAN PATHFINDER

I TOOK MY CAR TO THE MANSFIELD OHIO NISSAN MMG DEALERSHIP TO BE INSPECTED FOR A CORROSION RECALL. THE DEALERSHIP PROVIDED ME WITH A LOANER WHILE THE INSPECTIONS WERE CARRIED OUT. NISSAN DECIDED THAT THE CAR WAS NOT REPAIRABLE AND OFFERED TO BUY THE VEHICLE FOR $5,600. I HAD A FEW DAYS TO CONSIDER THE OFFER BUT WAS UNDER IMMENSE PRESSURE AND THREATS THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR STORAGE CHARGES FOR MY CAR ON THEIR LOT AND ALSO THE LOANER CAR IF I DID NOT ACCEPT THEIR OFFER. THE DEALERSHIP EVEN THREATENED RESORTING TO "OTHER MEASURES" WHICH I INTERPRETED AS "CALL THE POLICE" IF I DID NOT EITHER ACCEPT THE OFFER OR RETURN THE LOANER CAR. WE ARE A SINGLE INCOME FAMILY, PARTIALLY DISABLE SPOUSE WHO CAN'T WORK WITH 2 KIDS IN COLLEGE SO I CAN'T AFFORD A CAR PAYMENT OR TO TAKE A LOSS ON THE VEHICLE. I TOLD NISSAN THAT I COULD NOT AFFORD THEIR OFFER BECAUSE I HAD DECIDED ABOUT A YEAR AGO THAT I NEED TO GET ANOTHER 100K MILES OUT OF THIS CAR AND THEN PROCEEDED TO INVEST ABOUT $4,000 INTO MAJOR MAINTENANCE THAT WOULD EXTEND THE LIFE OF THE CAR. I WAS WILLING TO PROVE ALL OF IT WITH RECEIPTS. I WAS TOLD BY NISSANN THAT THEY WOULD NEVER PAY ME FOR THIS MAINTENANCE, NO MATTER WHAT. I ASKED FOR A COPY OF THE INSPECTION REPORT SO I COULD ASSESS THE RISK AND THAT WAS DENIED. I COULD NOT FINANCIALLY AFFORD THE OFFER AND COULD NOT LONGER TOLERATE THE STRESS OF WORRYING ABOUT NOT HAVING A CAR OR THE POLICE AFTER ME SO I RETURNED THE LOANER AND PICKED UP MY CAR AND HAVE PUT IT BACK INTO FULL SERVICE. WHEN LEAVING THE LOT I HEAR A NOISE IN THE FRONT AND FELT SOMETHING IN THE STEERING THAT I HAVE NEVER NOTICED BEFORE. I HAVE SINCE HEARD IT A FEW MORE TIMES. I ASKED NISSAN IF THIS COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE INSPECTION BUT THEY ARE NOT ANSWERING ME. WHY WOULD CORROSION MAKE A NOISE ? I'M SCARED TO DRIVE THE CAR, CAN'T AFFORD THE OFFER, CAN'T HANDLE ANY MORE THREATS. HELP ? *JS