NHTSA Complaint #10783861 — 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA

WELL MAINTAINED, GARAGED-KEPT ALTIMA HAD NO VISIBLE BODY RUST ANYWHERE UPON INSPECTION LAST NOVEMBER. TODAY I NOTICED RUSTY FLAKES ON THE FLOOR OF MY GARAGE, AND UPON LOOKING UNDERNEATH THE CAR, FOUND THAT ONE HALF OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE FLOOR PAN WAS CAVING IN. THIS RUST IS NOT NOTICEABLE TO THE CONSUMER UNTIL THE RUST IS ALL THE WAY THRU TO THE EXTERIOR, AT WHICH POINT THE WEIGHT OF THE FOOT BREAKS IT THRU THE UNDERCOATING. THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOORPAN WAS ALSO CAVING IN. WHEN I TOOK UP THE RUBBER MATS, FLOORMATS, AND CARPET/PAD, I SAW LARGE HOLES ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES WHICH ONLY AFFECTED ONE HALF OF EACH FLOORPAN. THESE RUSTED HALVES HAVE A TYPE OF HARD "BLACK SHINGLE" STUCK TO THE FLOOR, AND FROM WHAT I OBSERVED ALSO HAVE A SMALL 3"X3" SILVER PAPER COMPLETELY COVERING WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A DRAIN HOLE. THE UNRUSTED HALVES ARE PAINTED, HAVE NO "SHINGLES" AND NO RUST WHATSOEVER DESPITE BEING BUTTED RIGHT UP TO THE RUSTED HALVES. THESE "SHINGLES" APPEAR TO BE THE PROBLEM, THE RUSTED METAL WAS FIRMLY ATTACHED TO THEM. THIS MUST BE A DESIGN DEFECT OR SOMEONE AT NISSAN DID NOT DO THIER JOB RIGHT (SINCE THE DRAIN HOLES WERE COVERED UP WITH SILVER PAPER). THIS RUST OBVIOUSLY STARTED INVISIBLY FROM INSIDE THE CAR. I WAS ABLE TO EASILY PUSH THE RUSTED METAL THRU - I AM GLAD I WAS ABLE TO DISCOVER THIS BEFORE SOMEONE COULD PUT THIER FOOT THRU THE FLOOR OF A MOVING VEHICLE OR FALL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL DUE TO FUMES. THIS WAS FIXED AT AT COST OF $900 TO ME, BECAUSE I HAVE CHILDREN AND THIS IS A HAZARD. WE ALSO HAVE A 2000 CHEVY, AND A 2005 DODGE, AND NEITHER HAVE SUCH RUST ON/IN THE FLOORPANS, DESPITE BEING PARKED OUTSIDE AND DRIVEN IN THE SAME ELEMENTS. I WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE ALTIMA'S FLOORPAN REPAIR AS THE AMOUNT OF RUSTING IS NOT NORMAL FOR THE CARE TAKEN, AND ALSO IS NOT NOTICEABLE NOR PREVENTABLE BY THE CONSUMER.