2006 Nissan Altima

EXTREME RUST OF FLOORBOARDS. ON BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE OF VEHICLE, A 12"X24" AREA OF THE FLOORS ARE COMPLETELY GONE, WITH ONLY THE VEHICLE CARPET REMAINING. THIS IS MAJOR, WIDESPREAD SAFETY HAZARD ACROSS THE NISSAN PRODUCT LINE IN EARLY 2000S MODEL YEAR VEHICLES AND HAS BEEN WIDELY REPORTED ONLINE, IN PRINT, AND ON TV. IT'S A TRAVESTY THAT NHTSA HAS FAILED TO GIVE THIS ISSUE THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES AND FORCE NISSAN TO DO THE RIGHT THING IN ISSUING A RECALL. SO MANY OF THESE VEHICLES ARE STILL ON THE ROAD! THERE IS NO RUST ANYWHERE ELSE ON OUR VEHICLE; CLEARLY THIS IS A MANUFACTURING OR DESIGN FLAW. WE NOTICED THE RUST FOR THE FIRST TIME SEVERAL MONTHS AGO WHEN WE WERE IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE.

EXTREME RUST AND CORROSION OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE FLOOR PANEL AND FRAME. RUSTED AREA IS ABOUT 3' X 1'. RUST HAS EXPOSED THE INSULATION UNDER THE CARPET; THERE IS NO METAL REMAINING IN A 4" X 6" AREA. METAL AROUND THIS IS VERY THIN. I AM CONCERNED THAT TOO MUCH PRESSURE FROM MY FOOT WILL CAUSE LARGER AREA TO COLLAPSE. ESTIMATE TO REPAIR AT A BODY SHOP IS ABOUT $1,400. I HAVE DRIVEN MANY CARS LONGER THAN THIS AND HAVE NEVER HAD A FRAME OR UNDERSIDE RUST LIKE THIS. IT IS SURELY A DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING AND A POSSIBLE SAFETY ISSUE IF MY FEET GO THROUGH THE HOLE OR A PIECE OF ROAD DEBRIS PENETRATES THE CARPET.

IT HAS RECENTLY COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT THE FLOOR PANS OF MY CAR HAVE RUSTED THROUGH TO THE POINT WHERE MY FOOT COULD GO THROUGH THE FLOOR PAN. AFTER TAKING MY CAR TO GET A SAFETY INSPECTION IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, MY CAR HAS FAILED INSPECTION AND CANNOT PASS UNTIL THESE HAZARDOUS HOLES ARE FIXED ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE. THIS IS A MANUFACTURING ISSUE DUE TO THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED IN REGARDS TO THIS MATTER. OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES SHOULD NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE OF THIS ISSUE. AGAIN, THIS IS A REOCCURRING ISSUE AMONG NISSAN ALTIMAS, SPECIFICALLY THE YEARS 2002-2006. I AM NOW REQUIRED TO PAY AT LEAST $500 TO REPAIR AN ISSUE THAT IS OUT OF MY CONTROL. THERE IS NO WAY THAT I CAN STOP RUST FROM OCCURRING. THESE CARS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO BE DRIVEN BECAUSE EXHAUST FUMES CAN ENTER THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS A FOOT GOING THROUGH THE HOLES. IT IS UNETHICAL OF NISSAN TO ALLOW THESE VEHICLES TO STILL BE DRIVEN KNOWING THAT THIS IS A REOCCURRING ISSUE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE WHEELS WAS POINTED INWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS CRACKED, CORRODED, AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06V046000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

THE FLOOR BOARDS UNDER THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS ARE PREMATURELY ROTTING. EACH SIDE HAS A HUGE HOLE APPROXIMATELY 5 INCHES ACROSS AND 8-12 INCHES LONG AND THE HOLES CONTINUES TO ENLARGE. THIS PARTICULAR COMPLAINT HAS BEEN MADE BY HUNDREDS OF TIMES BY OTHERS. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NISSAN SHOULD DO SOMETHING TO REPAIR THE VEHICLES! DATE LISTED BELOW IS WHEN I FIRST DISCOVERED IT AFTER A MECHANIC BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTENTION WHILE THE CAR WAS UP ON A LIFT.

DURING A RECENT OIL CHANGE, MY MECHANIC BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT THE FRONT SEAT FLOOR BOARDS WERE RUSTING ON BOTH THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGER SIDES. THE RUSTING AREAS LOOK ALMOST IDENTICAL. I RESEARCHED THIS ON THE INTERNET TO FIND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 2002-2006 NISSAN ALTIMAS. THERE APPARENTLY HAVE BEEN A FEW CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS FILED AND SEVERAL TELEVISION REPORTS ON THE MATTER. I HAVE CALLED NISSAN; HOWEVER, THEY CLAIM IT IS NOT A DEFECT. I DISCUSSED WITH A NEIGHBOR RECENTLY WHO ALSO OWNS A NISSAN ALTIMA BUILT IN THAT TIMEFRAME AND FOUND OUT THAT HE TOO RECENTLY DISCOVERED THE RUSTING FLOOR BOARD ISSUE. NISSAN TOLD ME THAT I LIVED IN A SALT STATE AND DID NOT KNOW HOW I MAINTAINED MY VEHICLE; HOWEVER, GIVEN THE HUNDREDS AND PROBABLY THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS FILED, IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR THIS ISSUE TO BE DUE TO OWNER NEGLIGENCE. MY HOPE WAS THAT MY 15 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS CAR ONCE SHE GETS HER LICENSE, BUT NOW I'M FACED WITH SPENDING THOUSANDS TO EITHER FIX THE ISSUE (WHICH MAY NOT BE FIXABLE GIVEN THAT RUST AREAS GROW) OR TO BUY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE IS CURRENTLY A HOLE THROUGH MY FLOOR BOARD AND IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN TO ME, ESPECIALLY IF MY DAUGHTER IS BEHIND THE WHEEL.