NHTSA Complaint #11208274 — 2013 NISSAN ALTIMA

VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A STRAIGHT FLAT STRETCH OF COUNTY ROAD TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. VEHICLE STARTED TO "SHIMMY" AND STEERING WHEEL RESPONSE BECAME SLUGGISH/ERRATIC, AND SKID CONTROL INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. VEHICLE WAS SLOWED TO APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH AND TURNED INTO A GAS STATION LOT AND PARKED. VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF THEN RESTARTED IN CASE SKID LAMP COULD RESET. VEHICLE WAS SLOWLY BACKED ABOUT A FOOT WHEN A LOUD "CLUNK" WAS HEARD. VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND REAR TIRE ON DRIVER SIDE INSPECTED. AT FIRST, TIRE APPEARED TO BE COMING OFF ROTOR UNTIL CLOSER INSPECTION SHOWED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR CONTROL ARM SNAPPED AT THE WELD NEAR TO WHERE IT CONNECTS TO THE FRAME. FLATBED TOW TRUCK WAS CALLED AND VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE CAR IS AWAITING REPAIR. TOW TRUCK OPERATOR INDICATED THAT HE HAS SEEN THIS PROBLEM MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE ON SAME MODEL CAR. RESEARCH ON INTERNET POST INCIDENT INDICATES SIMILAR MAKE/MODEL YEAR CARS HAVING SAME ISSUE.