NHTSA Complaint #10463993 — 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA

PURSUANT TO A NON-RELATED INCIDENT, MY NISSAN CERTIFIED INSURANCE ADJUSTER WARNED ME OF THE UNUSUAL RUST FORMED HOLES ON THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS SIDE FLOOR BOARDS. ACCORDING TO HIM, THIS IS A VERY UNUSUAL RUST ISSUE THAT HE HAS ONLY NOTICED ON OLDER (2002-2003) NISSAN ALTIMA'S. I HAVE INITIATED MY OWN RESEARCH AND HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A WIDE-SPREAD PROBLEM WITH ALTIMA'S, IRRESPECTIVE OF MILEAGE, WHERE SOME HAVE REPORTED THE PROBLEM AT 50,000 AND OTHERS AT 160,000 MILES. DESPITE THE MANY COMPLAINTS, NISSAN HAS REFUSED TO ISSUE A SAFETY RECALL AND HAS DONE NOTHING TO HELP THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE RUST PROBLEM. MANY, WHO HAD THE PROBLEM, CONTINUED TO DRIVE WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE THEREOF, UNTIL A MECHANIC OR AUTO DEALER INFORMED THEM OF THE ISSUE, AS WAS THE CASE WITH MY ALTIMA. AS SUCH, I CAN IMAGINE THAT EVEN MORE ALTIMA DRIVERS ARE AFFECTED, YET NISSAN REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. THERE MUST BE A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO REACH A RESOLUTION. *JS