NHTSA Complaint #10863431 — 2007 NISSAN VERSA

I WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 5-10 MPH ON A SLIGHT DOWNWARD SLOPE WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY MADE A LOUD NOISE, THE VEHICLE WAS JARRED, AND THE VEHICLE CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP. AFTER EXITING THE VEHICLE, I FOUND THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE HAD COME OFF FROM THE SUSPENSION, AND IT WAS MISALIGNED AND STICKING OUT AT AN ANGLE. IN ADDITION, THERE WERE SHATTERED PIECES OF VEHICLE PARTS ON THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTING ONLY ON THREE TIRES. LUCKILY THE VEHICLE STOPPED RATHER THAN ROLLING DOWN THE SLOPE AND COLLIDING WITH SEVERAL CARS AS WELL AS PEOPLE; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE DID HAVE TO BE TOWED AS IT WAS NOT DRIVE-ABLE FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE REQUIRED OVER $640 WORTH OF REPAIRS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE CONTROL ARM, DRIVE AXLE AND SHAFT. SEVERAL MONTHS FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT, NISSAN OPENED A CAMPAIGN SPECIFICALLY FOR CORROSION OF THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN IN MICHIGAN FROM 2007 TO SUMMER 2012 WHERE THERE IS HEAVY SNOW AND SALT ON THE ROADS IN THE WINTER. FROM THE SUMMER 2012 TO NOW, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN IN THE DC METRO AREA. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A NISSAN DEALERSHIP IN APRIL 2016 TO HAVE THE CAMPAIGN COMPLETED, WHICH WAS REPLACING THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE BY NISSAN, I WAS TOLD THAT NISSAN WAS UNABLE TO REPLACE SOLELY THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS BECAUSE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DISASSEMBLE OTHER PARTS NEEDED TO GET TO THE COIL SPRINGS DUE TO OTHER PARTS HAVING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE FROM CORROSION (EX. STRUT, BEARING, MOUNT, ETC.). AS A RESULT, MULTIPLE PARTS (NOT JUST THE COIL SPRINGS) HAD TO BE REPLACED.