NHTSA Complaint #10608289 — 2009 NISSAN VERSA

IMMEDIATELY UPON STARTUP, A LOUD RUMBLING NOISE SIMILAR TO AFTER MARKET EXHAUST WAS AUDIBLE AS WELL AS A STRONG VIBRATION DOWN THE CENTER LONG-AXIS OF THE CAR. I STEPPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND INSPECTED THE UNDERCARRIAGE TO FIND THAT THE FLANGE HAD ERODED AND THE MUFFLER WAS DANGEROUSLY LOOSE. NO RUST IS VISIBLE, AND THE UNDERCARRIAGE IS CLEAN, SO THIS IS NOT DUE TO INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE OR ROAD SALT. I HAVE FOUND HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONLINE WHERE SERVICE STATIONS AND REPAIR SHOPS HAVE COMMENTED THAT THERE IS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW IN THE VERSA MUFFLER, WHICH TYPICALLY FAILS BETWEEN 50-80K MILES. ALLOWING SUCH A FAILURE TO CONTINUE ON THE ROAD WITHOUT A RECALL MAY RESULT IN UNSAFE ROAD CONDITIONS FOR ALL DRIVERS; IF THE MUFFLER FALLS OFF, IT WILL BECOME AN OBSTACLE ON THE ROAD WHICH MAY IMPACT OTHER VEHICLES OR CAUSE DRIVERS TO SWERVE TO AVOID HITTING THE MATERIAL. *TR