NHTSA Complaint #10953529 — 2016 NISSAN PATHFINDER

WHILE DRIVING OUR 2016 NISSAN PATHFINDER VEHICLE, WE FELT A SUDDEN VIBRATION AND THEN THE NEXT THING WE KNEW, THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL (TIRE AND RIM) FELL OFF THE CAR. THE VEHICLE CAME DOWN ON WHAT REMAINED OF THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL ASSEMBLY. I MANAGED TO KEEP THE VEHICLE ON THE ROAD UNTIL WE HAD ENOUGH SPEED TO THEN COAST TO A COMPLETE STOP ON THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THE WHEEL THAT CAME OFF CONTINUED THROUGH AN OPEN FIELD AND COLLIDED WITH A PRIVATE PROPERTY FENCE, DAMAGING THE FENCE IN THE PROCESS. THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 6 OF US IN THE VEHICLE AND THANKFULLY, EVERYONE WAS WEARING THEIR SEAT BELTS. ONCE I CONFIRMED THAT THERE WERE NO INJURIES, I CONTACTED A NEARBY TOWING COMPANY WHICH THEN TOWED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FROM WHICH WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT HAD ANY WORK DONE THAT INVOLVES THE TIRES SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. THERE HAVE BEEN NO ACCIDENTS AND NO DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE TO THE WHEELS OR THE VEHICLE AS A WHOLE SINCE THE TIME OF PURCHASE WHICH WAS AUGUST OF 2016. WE HAVE DROPPED OFF THE VEHICLE WITH THE LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIP FROM WHERE WE PURCHASED IT AND AS OF THIS REPORT, ARE WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM THE COMPANY AS TO HOW THEY PLAN TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AS A RESULT OF THIS MISHAP IS NOT FULLY KNOWN AT THIS POINT. AT A MINIMUM, THE FENDER AND FENDER WELL, ENTIRE WHEEL ASSEMBLY, RIGHT FRONT SUSPENSION, BRAKE SYSTEM, RIGHT FRONT TIRE ALL APPEAR TO HAVE SUSTAINED DAMAGE. IT IS UNKNOWN IF THERE HAS BEEN ANY COMPROMISE TO THE DRIVE TRAIN OR FRAME/CHASSIS COMPONENTS AS A RESULT OF THIS INCIDENT. THIS HAS CAUSED US GREAT CONCERN GIVEN THAT THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A LOSS OF LIFE OR SERIOUS INJURY DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION AND TYPE OF ROAD THAT IT MAY HAVE OCCURRED ON. WE WERE FORTUNATE THAT THE INCIDENT OCCURRED ON A STRAIGHT AND LEVEL PORTION OF THE ROAD WITH VERY LITTLE TRAFFIC IN THE VICINITY. ...UPDATED 02/15/17 *BF