NHTSA Complaint #10561102 — 2007 NISSAN ALTIMA

I NOTICED SOMETHING HANGING DOWN FROM BENEATH MY CAR WHILE APPROACHING THE VEHICLE YESTERDAY. BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TODAY AND WAS TOLD THAT THE REAR AXLE SUSPENSION BAR IS CRACKED. ONE NISSAN EMPLOYEE IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID HE HAD "NEVER HEARD OF" THIS HAPPENING WITHOUT A ROOT CAUSE (ACCIDENT, ETC.). THIS CAR HAS NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, HAS NOT HIT ANY POT HOLES, ETC. MOST LIKELY THE ISSUE IS DUE TO SOME TYPE OF MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT WOULD ALLOW THE BAR TO EITHER CORRODE OR BREAK SPONTANEOUSLY. I DID SOME RESEARCH TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ISSUE AND FOUND HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN LODGED ABOUT THIS EXACT ISSUE WITH THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. I AM WONDERING WHY THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL YET. THE BACK SUSPENSION OF THE CAR IS COMPROMISED AND THE ISSUE COULD HAVE LED TO SOMETHING MUCH MORE SERIOUS IN TERMS OF SAFETY. I WILL NOT HAVE AN ESTIMATE FOR THE REPAIR UNTIL MORNING, BUT I AM QUITE SURE I NEED TO PURSUE THIS ISSUE WITH THE MANUFACTURER. IF THERE ARE THAT MANY OF US HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND REPORTING IT, THERE MUST BE QUITE A FEW MORE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO HAVE NOT GONE TO THE TROUBLE OF REPORTING BUT HAVE EATEN THIS EXPENSE/REPAIR AS WELL. *TR