NHTSA Complaint #10611352 — 2006 NISSAN TITAN

I HEARD A VERY ABNORMAL CLUNK FROM REAR OF VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING WHICH WAS INITIALLY FOLLOWED BY VERY UNSTABLE VEHICLE DYNAMICS (VEHICLE SWAYED HEAVILY FROM SIDE TO SIDE). I INITIALLY THOUGHT I'D INADVERTENTLY HIT AN OBSTACLE OR POTHOLE IN THE ROAD BUT AT THE NEXT STOP I NOTICED THE VEHICLE WAS LEANING HEAVILY ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE (>2" LOWER THAN THE RIGHT). I INSPECTED THE UNDERCARRIAGE BUT COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING WRONG SO CHECKED TIRE PRESSURES (ALL FINE AT ~34-36PSI). NOT BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE ISSUE, I ASSUMED IT WAS JUST THE WAY WE'D LOADED THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUED DRIVING (WE WERE MORE THAN 6 HRS FROM HOME). AFTER UNLOADING THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, I REALISED SOMETHING ELSE WAS SERIOUSLY WRONG BECAUSE THE SEVERE LEAN WAS STILL PRESENT. A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH FOR "NISSAN TITAN LEANING" LED ME TO CHECK FOR A BROKEN REAR SHACKLE. INSPECTING THE FLOOR OF THE BED WAS ENOUGH CONFIRMATION THAT THE LEFT HAND REAR SHACKLE HAD INDEED BROKEN (HUGE BULGE IN THE FLOOR OF THE BED WHERE THE LEAF SPRING SLAMMED UP INTO THE BODY). NO LESS THAN 26 SEPARATE REPORTS HAVE BEEN MADE ON THE WWW.TITANTALK.COM FORUM ABOUT THE ISSUE (PHOTOS AND DOCUMENTATION AVAILABLE). I WAS LUCKIER THAN SOME WHERE LEAF SPRINGS BROKE THROUGH THE BED FLOOR COMPLETELY (HAVE PHOTOS TO SUPPORT THIS). THE LOCAL NISSAN DEALER REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE A DEFECT AND INSTEAD QUOTED $480 FOR THE REPAIR. I HAVE SINCE CONFIRMED THAT NISSAN REINFORCED THE SHACKLES IN 2008 AND SUPERCEDED THE OLDER DESIGN (DAMNING EVIDENCE IN ITSELF). FOR THE RECORD, THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED WITH MY PREGNANT WIFE, 3 YR OLD SON AND FATHER-IN-LAW AS PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE. IT IS DAUNTING TO CONSIDER HOW MANY DRIVERS AND FAMILIES ARE AT RISK AS A RESULT OF NISSAN'S FAILURE TO REPORT THIS TO THE NHTSA. GUESS IT TAKES A FEW DEATHS BEFORE THE LIABILITY EXCEEDS THE RECALL COST. *TR