NHTSA Complaint #10553102 — 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA

WHILE MY MECHANIC WAS REATTACHING THE BUMPER GUARD THAT HAD COME LOOSE, HE NOTICED THE RUST ON THE FLOOR PANS UNDER BOTH FRONT SEATS. MY MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO FLAKE OFF LARGE PIECES OF RUST. HE PULLED BACK THE CARPET AND IT WAS RUSTED ALL THE WAY THROUGH. HE SAID HE HADN'T SEEN THIS KIND OF RUST ON VEHICLES THAT ARE DOUBLE THE AGE OF MINE. THE REMAINDER OF THE UNDERCARRIAGE WAS RUST FREE. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE NISSAN DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT IT, AND THE MANAGER SAID IT WAS CAUSED BY THE SALT/CHEMICALS USED ON THE ROADS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY (APPARENTLY HE WAS NOT INCLUDING NEBRASKA). THE MANAGER STATED THAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN IN AN AREA OF THE COUNTRY THAT USES CORROSIVE MATERIALS ON THE ROADS. THE FUNNY THING IS THAT WHEN I PURCHASED THIS CAR, THE SAME MAN SAID HE KNEW THE PREVIOUS OWNERS AND THEY TOOK EXCELLENT CARE OF THE VEHICLE, ALWAYS SPOTLESS AND IN FOR EVERY MAINTENANCE CHECK!! WHICH TIME WAS HE LYING!!! COME TO FIND OUT, THE CAR WAS PURCHASED AT A NISSAN DEALER HERE IN OMAHA, AND STAYED IN OMAHA THE ENTIRE TIME. THE NISSAN DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT FIX IT, AND THEY GAVE ME A BUSINESS CARD FOR A BODY SHOP!!! IT WOULD COST ABOUT $300, HE TOLD ME, BUT I HAVE FOUND IT WOULD BE CLOSER TO $2000. AT THAT TIME, I HADN'T EVEN HAD THE CAR A YEAR. THE DEALERSHIP HAD TO KNOW ABOUT THE RUST WHEN THEY SOLD IT TO ME, WHICH MAKES ME VERY ANGRY!! THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE! I AM AFRAID THAT ONE DAY I WILL BE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, I'LL FALL THROUGH THE FLOOR, AND OF COURSE, I WILL BE KILLED, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT!! ALSO, EXHAUST FUMES COULD BE GETTING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL BEFORE MY CAR BECOMES A "FLINTSTONE" CAR AND/OR I AM KILLED. NISSAN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS SAFETY ISSUE, AND THEY SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!! *TR