NHTSA Complaint #11010630 — 2002 NISSAN PATHFINDER

STRUT TOWER RUST DAMAGE, MY PATHFINDER STARTED HAVING THAT NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN DURING MOTION. AFTER A QUICK INSPECTION AT THE DEALERSHIP WE REALIZED THERE WAS A BIG GAP UNDER THE STRUT TOWERS IN BOTH SIDES, AND THAT THERE WAS ALREADY A RECALL, BUT THE RECALL DOES NOT INCLUDES TO REPLACE THE STRUT COLUMN, JUST A CHEAP, GLUED-BOLTED STRIP OF METAL THEY CALL A BRACKET THAT DOES NOT EVEN COVERS THE GAP. THE "FIX" USED IN RECALL NHSTA ID: 11V-244 IS TOTALLY INADECUATE FOR VEHICLES IN WHICH CORROSION HAS TAKE ALL THE BASE OF THE STRUT TOWER AND THE TOWER IS ALREADY TOUCHING THE STEERING COLUMN. TO ELABORATE IMAGINE A GAP 3 INCHES HIGH AND 12 INCHES LONG; TWO OF THE 3 INCHES IN HEIGH WERE CREATED BY MATERIAL THAT RUSTED AND FELL APART AN ONLY ONE INCH IF BENT DISPLACEMENT. IF AS THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE RECALL INDICATE, THE STRUT TOWER MUST BE BENT BACK TO ORIGINAL POSITION, THE GAP WILL BE REDUCED ONLY THE ONE INCH THAT CORRESPOND TO DISPLACEMENT LEAVIN A 12 BY 2 INCHES GAP DUE TO CORROSION AND IT IS HERE, WHERE THE RECALL SOLUTION INDICATES THAT A TRIP OF STEEL SHOULD BE BOLTED/GLUED TO. THE 4-5 INCH STRIP(REPAIR BRACKET) WILL BE LAY IN CROSS POSITION PERPENDICULAR TO THE RUSTED GAP, LEAVING ABOUT 3 INCHES OF THE RUSTED GAP EXPOSED TO EACH SIDE. JUST LIKE A BAND AID STICK ACROSS A BIG WOUND. THIS IS NOT A LONG TERM FIX, THE BRACKET WILL FAIL AS WELL OR WILL DETACH FROM THE RUSTED SURFACES WHERE IT WAS INSTALLED.