NHTSA Complaint #10703777 — 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA

MY DAD RECENTLY INFORMED ME THAT HE SAW A STORY ON THE NEWS ABOUT NISSAN ALTIMA'S AND RUSTED OUT FLOORBOARDS. SURE ENOUGH, MY FLOORBOARDS ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES ARE IN BAD SHAPE. ESPECIALLY THE DRIVER SIDE. THE CAR LOOKS LIKE NEW OTHERWISE. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO STATE LINE NISSAN FOR ALL MAINTENANCE. NOBODY THERE EVER TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING UNDER MY CAR. I LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUND QUITE A FEW NISSAN ALTIMA OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. SOME OF THE COMPLAINTS GO BACK 5 YEARS. IT IS CLEAR THAT NISSAN KNOWS ABOUT THIS DESIGN FLAW AND WANTS TO AVOID A COSTLY RECALL. I WENT TO HENDRICK COLLISION CENTER IN MERRIAM KANSAS WHO ARE IN THE NISSAN NETWORK FOR REPAIRS. IT WILL TAKE 10 DAYS AND COST $3,232.38. I THEN TOOK THE CAR TO SANTA FE BODY INC. WHICH IS AN INDEPENDENT BODY SHOP. THEY HAVE ALREADY DONE SOME OTHER ALTIMA'S AND CHARGE $500 PER SIDE FOR $1000. THEY CUT OUT THE RUSTED AREA AND REPLACE IT WITH SHEET METAL. THIS WILL TAKE 1-2 DAYS. THE NHTSA NEEDS TO FORCE NISSAN INTO A RECALL AS IT IS A DESIGN FLAW AND SAFETY ISSUE. PEOPLE ARE DRIVING AROUND IN CARS NOT KNOWING THAT THE FLOOR BELOW THEM IS RUSTING ALL THE WAY THROUGH. I FEEL NISSAN SHOULD PAY FOR THIS REPAIR SINCE IT IS A DESIGN FLAW. MY MOM LIVES 5 MINUTES AWAY AND HAS A 1995 NISSAN ALTIMA WITHOUT THIS FLOORBOARD PROBLEM. *TR