NHTSA Complaint #10641367 — 2001 NISSAN XTERRA

WHILE DRIVING ON THE MASS TURNPIKE, THE FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF THE CAR. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME. FIRST TIME, IN 2013, IN SCHOOL PARKING LOT, DIFFERENT SIDE BUT ALSO A FRONT WHEEL. WE BOUGHT THE CAR USED FROM A NISSAN DEALERSHIP IN AUGUST 2012 FOR MY 19 YEAR OLD SON. THE CAR IS HARDLY DRIVEN AS HE IS AWAY IN COLLEGE. THIS CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED SEVERAL TIMES FOR VARIOUS OTHER THINGS AND TWO DIFFERENT FRONT WHEELS JUST COMING OFF CAN NOT BE A MATTER OF LOOSE LUG NUTS AND INCOMPETENCE ON THE PART OF THE REPAIR SHOP. I FEEL THAT SOMETHING MUST BE FUNDAMENTALLY WRONG OR FAULTY. I SEE THAT THERE WERE RECALLS YEARS AGO HAVING TO DO WITH BALL JOINTS IN THIS MODEL, I CAN NOT TELL FROM CARFAX REPORTS WHETHER THIS VIN WAS EVER SERVICED FOR THAT, AND THAT NISSAN NEVER SHOULD HAVE RESOLD THIS CAR WITHOUT CHECKING TO SEE - DESPITE THE FACT THAT THIS IS AN OLDER CAR. A WHEEL COMING OFF IS DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. MY SON COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED (LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT). I AM TRYING TO FIND OUT WHETHER THIS CAR WAS EVER CHECKED FOR THE RECALL ON BALL JOINTS IN 2003 OR EVER. DOESN'T THE DEALERSHIP HAVE ANY OBLIGATION TO CHECK SAFETY RECALLS BEFORE RESELLING CARS THAT COULD BE DANGEROUS TO DRIVE? I FEEL THAT WE WERE SOLD A USED CAR THAT WAS FUNDAMENTALLY NOT SAFE. TWO DIFFERENT WHEELS FALL OFF WITHIN 2 YEARS OF PURCHASE - SOMETHING DOESN'T SEEM LEGITIMATE HERE. *TR