1998 Infiniti I30

IN SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009, I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH INFINITI AND NHTSA REGARDING A STRUCTURAL DEFECT TO THE FRAME OF MY 1998 INFINITI I30T. BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN, THE FRAME ROTTED AND COMPLETELY SEPARATED UNDER THE ENGINE DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION. MECHANICS ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE ENGINE AND/OR TRANSMISSION COULD FALL OUT CAUSING THE OPERATOR TO LOSE COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A SERIOUS MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT CAUSING SERIOUS BODILY INJURIES AND/OR DEATH. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE NISSAN MAXIMAS AROUND THE SAME YEAR ALSO HAD THE SAME ISSUE BECAUSE THEY UTILIZED THE SAME FRAME. I CANNOT BELIEVE INFINITY, NISSAN AND/OR NHTSA HAVE NOT INITIATED RECALLS ON THESE VEHICLES GIVEN THE RECENT RECALLS AND SERIOUS ACCIDENTS OF VEHICLES WITH SIMILAR ISSUES THAT HAVE RESULTED IN DEATHS (I.E. FORD WINDSTAR VANS AND HONDA PASSPORTS). WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO ISSUE A RECALL OF THESE VEHICLES TO PROTECT THE OPERATORS? *TR

IN JUNE 2009, I TOOK MY 1998 INFINITI I30T INTO A DEALERSHIP FOR A ROUTINE SERVICE. THE DEALERSHIP NOTIFIED ME THAT MY VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE FRAME HAD ROTTED UNDER THE ENGINE & HAD DISCONNECTED FROM THE BODY. HE THEN INFORMED ME THAT CONTINUED OPERATION COULD RESULT IN THE FRAME COMPLETELY SPLITTING APART CAUSING THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION TO FALL OUT OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD THEN TRIGGER A SERIOUS M/V ACCIDENT. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER PASS THE YEARLY STATE INSPECTION. I ADVISED THE SERVICE MANAGER TO FIX THE PROBLEM. HE INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS NO WAY TO CORRECT THE DEFECT. THERE WAS NO REPLACEMENT PART OR WAY TO WELD THE PIECES TOGETHER. I WENT TO KELLY INFINITI AND SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER, WHO ADVISED ME THERE WERE NO OPEN RECALLS FOR FRAMES IN THESE VEHICLES. HE WENT ON TO STATE THAT HE HAS HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM IN SIMILAR VEHICLES AND BELIEVED THE KELLY COLLISION CENTER COULD POSSIBLY REPAIR THE PROBLEM. WHEN ASKED HOW AN AVERAGE CONSUMER WOULD IDENTIFY AND KNOW TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM, HE ADVISED THAT THE FRAME IS CHECKED ON A VEHICLE'S YEARLY INSPECTION. MY VEHICLE HAD JUST BEEN INSPECTED IN OCTOBER 2008 AND THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE FRAME. HAD I NOT GONE IN FOR SERVICE IN JUNE, MY NEXT INSPECTION WAS IN OCTOBER 2009, A FULL FOUR MONTHS LATER. WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED HAD MY 17 YEAR OLD SON HIT A POT HOLE ON A HIGHWAY GOING 55 OR 65 MPH AND THE VEHICLE SPLIT APART AND/OR THE ENGINE FELL OUT? A FATALITY IS CLEARLY A POSSIBILITY. I WENT TO KELLY COLLISION CENTER IN BEVERLY AND MET WITH MANAGER SKIP GIRARD, WHO ADVISED ME HE COULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM, AS HE HAD DONE WITH SEVERAL OTHER 96 AND 97 I30'S. HE STATED THAT MY I30 WAS THE FIRST 1998 THAT HE HAD SEEN WITH THIS FRAME ROT. HE ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE'S DESIGN CAUSES WATER FROM THE ROAD OR RAIN TO CONTINUOUSLY SATURATE THE FRAME IN THIS AREA, WHICH CAUSES CORROSION. THE ENTIRE FRONT PORTION OF MY FRAME WAS REPLACED. *TR