NHTSA Complaint #10606724 — 2006 NISSAN ALTIMA

AFTER A SERIES OF HARD RAINS AND WET DRIVING CONDITIONS, I NOTICED A WET, MUSTY SMELL IN THE CABIN INTERIOR. AFTER INSPECTING ALL DOOR AND WINDOW SEALS WITHOUT FINDING ANY LEAKS, I INSPECTED UNDERNEATH THE CAR AND NOTICED THAT THE FLOORPAN AREA BENEATH BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS WERE RUSTING THROUGH WITH OPEN HOLES IN BOTH AREAS. THIS IMMEDIATELY STRUCK ME AS A DEFECT AS THE VEHICLE IS OTHERWISE RUST-FREE. UPON RESEARCHING, I DISCOVERED THAT THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE WITH 01-06 NISSAN ALTIMAS. I CONTACTED THE DEALER WHO ACKNOWLEDGED THE ISSUE. HOWEVER, THEY NOTED THAT NISSAN HAS NOT TAKEN ACTION TO ADDRESS THIS DEFECT. THEY PROVIDED A ROUGH ESTIMATE FOR REPAIRS AS THEY HAVE REFERRED OTHER CUSTOMERS TO BODY SHOPS FOR REPAIR (~$500-600 PER SIDE). NOT ONLY IS THIS LIKELY TO DAMAGE THE INTERIOR, BUT IT WOULD SEEM TO BE A LIKELY SAFETY HAZARD WITH THE WEAKENED FLOORPAN. I HAVE HAD MY CAR AT A NISSAN DEALERSHIP FOR ROUTINE INSPECTIONS, AND THIS ISSUE WAS NEVER NOTED ON THE INSPECTION. *TR