NHTSA Complaint #10704771 — 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA

WE ARE THE SECOND OWNER OF THE CAR, A FAMILY MEMBER WAS THE FIRST AND BOUGHT IT NEW FROM A NISSAN DEALERSHIP. ONE DAY IN OCTOBER 2014 MY HUSBAND GOT IN THE PASSENGER SIDE AND SAID IT FELT SQUISHY. HE STUCK HIS HAND UNDER AND COULD FEEL ROT. WE DROVE THE 2.1 MILES HOME AND THEN HE LOOKED. THAT IS WHEN HE DISCOVERED A HOLE AT LEAST 9 INCHES IN THE FLOOR. I ASKED THE PREVIOUS OWNER IF ANYTHING EVER HAPPENED THAT WOULD CAUSE THAT AND HE SAID SO IT WAS NEVER IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE DEALER WHO DID ALL THE MAINTENANCE WORK NEVER MENTIONED SEEING A RUST SPOT. NOW THE HOLE IS HUGE AND IS GOING FAST. WE HAVE TO USE THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE WE CAN'T AFFORD A NEW ONE. NISSAN SAYS IT IS BECAUSE IT IS AN OLD CAR. MY 1993 HONDA CIVIC (OVER 210,000 WISCONSIN MILES ON IT) AND MY HUSBAND'S 2002 NISSAN SENTRA SER ARE OLDER AND THEY DO NOT HAVE RUST UNDERNEATH. WE HAVE TO DRIVE WITH A WINDOW OPEN BECAUSE THE EXHAUST SMELL AT A STOP SIGN OR WHEN THE WIND IS BLOWING AGAINST THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. WE HAVE 2 YOUNG KIDS THAT HAVE TO RIDE IN THIS CAR AS WE NO LONGER HAVE THE CIVIC AND THE SER IS SMALL. WISH NISSAN WOULD OWN THEIR MISTAKE/DESIGN FLAW AND FIX THIS FOR EVERYONE. IT WOULD LOOK GOOD FOR THEM TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND SET A "LEAD BY EXAMPLE" INITIATIVE TO ALL CAR MANUFACTURERS. *TR