NHTSA Complaint #10598995 — 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA

WHEN PERFORMING MAINTENANCE ON MY NISSAN ALTIMA, NOTICED TWO LARGE RUST AREAS ORIGINATING FROM DRAIN HOLES LOCATED UNDERNEATH FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FLOORBOARDS. THE RUSTING IS SEVERE, WITH LARGE FLAKES BREAKING AWAY WHEN TOUCHED. THE VEHICLE HAS NO RUST ANYWHERE UNUSUAL ON THE BODY OR THE CHASSIS, AND WHERE THERE IS RUST (ALONG WELD POINTS OF CHASSIS) IT IS NOT COMPARABLE TO THE DEGREE OF CORROSION. CONTACTED NISSAN USA, THEY INSTRUCTED ME TO SEEK DEALER REVIEW. DEALERSHIP SERVICE MANAGER REVIEWED AND PHOTOGRAPHED, THEN DENIED ASSISTANCE BY CITING THE AGE OF THE CAR. I FORWARD THE DECISION TO NISSAN USA, AND THEY CONTACT ME BY PHONE TO POLITELY INFORM ME THAT THEY ARE REJECTING DUE TO THE CAR BEING OUT OF WARRANTY. I INFORMED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE AND THAT THE VEHICLE IS OTHERWISE STRUCTURALLY SOUND, BUT SHE REPEATED THAT REGARDLESS IF THE RUST ORIGINATED FROM A DEFECT FROM NISSAN, THE FACT THAT IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY LEAVES HER UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE VEHICLE IS OWNED AND DRIVEN IN THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION WHERE THERE IS SURFACE SNOW IN THE WINTER, BUT THE UNDERCARRIAGE IS SPRAYED DOWN REGULARLY TO REMOVE CORROSIVE SALT SPRAY. THIS RUSTING WAS NOT VISUALLY PRESENT AS OF 6 MONTHS AGO, BUT IS NOW RAPIDLY EATING AWAY AT THE METAL AT THE SURFACE. *TR