Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Nissan Altima submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 42 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 42, in the owner's own words
THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE IS RUSTING AWAY. THERE IS A HOLE IN THE FLOOR BOARD ON PASSENGER SIDE, FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE FROM RUST. YOU CAN FEEL AROUND THE FRAME OF THE CAR AND CHUNKS OF METAL FALL OFF . THIS WAS NOTICED DURING MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE . CAR WAS STATIONARY , I HAD NOTICED THAT I WAS GETTING AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF DUST INSIDE THE VEHICLE.
I RECENTLY HAD MY CAR SERVICED AND WAS TOLD MY FLOOR PANEL HAD ROTTED THROUGH. THE CAR IS A 2004 BUT HAS LESS THAN 44,000 MILES, HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AND HAS BEEN GARAGED PART OF THE TIME.ARTICLES ON THE INTERNET SHOW IT IS A MASSIVE PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS DUE TO POOR DRAINAGE DESIGN. THE REPAIR IS OVER $2000. OTHERWISE THE CAR IS IN GOOD SHAPE. THIS IS JUST ONE OF 1000'S OF REPORTS TO THE NHTSA ABOUT THIS PROBLEM.
FLOOR BOARDS (DRIVER & PASSENGER SIDES), EXTENSIVE RUST CAUSING PIECES OF FLOOR BOARDS TO FALL OFF, OR EASILY BE REMOVED WITH HAND BY MECHANIC, LEAVING INSULATION EXPOSED ON EXTERIOR, AND HOLE UNDER CARPETING. SMELL OF GAS FUMES IN CABIN. ALSO, SQUEAKING AND CRACKING SOUNDS UNDER DRIVER SEAT AND SURROUNDING AREA, WHEN DRIVING OVER MINOR/SMALL BUMPS IN ROAD, OR WHEN SHIFTING WEIGHT, WHEN SITTING IN DRIVER SEAT. NOTE: ONE OWNER, GARAGE KEPT, DRIVEN BY 115-LB. PERSON ONLY. PICTURES AVAILABLE. (IS MY SEAT FALLING THROUGH THE FLOOR? IS MY CAR SAFE TO DRIVE?) *TR
PASSENGER FLOOR BOARD RUSTING. HOLE IN THE FLOOR!
RUSTED FLOOR BOARDS/PANELS UNDER VEHICLE AT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FLOOR SIDE DUE TO A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. RUST STARTED AFTER 2 YEARS OF USE .VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW AT THE DEALERSHIP AND RUST STARTED 24 MONTHS AFTERWARDS WITH NO ACTION TAKEN BY THE DEALERSHIP OF NISSAN. OWNER DECIDED TO REPAIR THE RUST AT THE DEALERSHIP WITH NO COMPENSATION FROM THE DEALERSHIP OF NISSAN CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS. REPAIR S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND RECEIPT ATTACHED. NISSAN CORPORATE CLAIM #22951460.
THE PASSENGER FLOORBOARD HAS RUSTED OUT LEAVING A 12" X 10" HOLE RIGHT IN THE AREA THAT YOU WOULD STEP INTO THE CAR. SINCE THIS IS THE AREA THAT IS REGULARLY INSPECTED DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE OIL FILTER, HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS WASN'T DETECTED PREVIOUSLY TO JUST FALLING OUT.
FLOOR BOARDS UNDER THE DRIVER & PASSENGER SEATS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. CAN SEE & FEEL THE CARPET FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR. IF YOU STEP TOO HARD ON THE FLOOR FROM THE INSIDE, YOU FOOT WOULD GO THROUGH AND YOU WOULD TOUCH THE GROUND.
RUST ON FLOORBOARD REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF FLOORBOARD. MINOR RUST WAS OBSERVED VIA INSPECTION WHEN UNDERNEATH THE CAR; HOWEVER, ONCE THE SEAT WAS REMOVED, THE SHOP INDICATED THE PROBLEM WAS MUCH WORSE, BECAUSE THE RUST IS OCCURRING FROM THE INSIDE. THIS IS NOT TYPICAL RUST DUE TO SALT, ETC.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE ACCELERATING OFF FROM A COMPLETED STOP, THE CONTACT NOTICED RUST ON THE GROUND. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE RUST WAS FALLING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR IS RUSTED THRU. THE HOLE IS ABOUT 6 X 9. IF MORE OF THE RUST IS REMOVED, I KNOW IT WILL BE MUCH BIGGER. I WAS QUOTED $900-$1200 FOR THE REPAIR. IS THERE A RECALL OR CAMPAIGN FOR THIS PROBLEM. IM TOLD THIS IS COMMON FOR, THIS CAR. IF THERE ISN'T THERE SHOULD BE. [XXX] FIXED NOW WILL I GET REIMBURSED? THANK YOU, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
DURING AN ANNUAL INSPECTION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER FLOOR PANS ARE RUSTING THRU. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A GARAGE KEPT CAR WITH LOW MILES FOR IT'S AGE. THERE IS NO OTHER RUST ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE CAR EXCEPT IN THESE AREAS. THE INSPECTOR NOTED THAT THIS IS NOT NORMAL FOR A CAR OF THIS AGE AND MILEAGE. AFTER RESEARCH ON THE ODI SITE, I'VE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY AND STRUCTURAL ISSUE THAT IS KNOWN BY NISSAN FOR YEARS, BUT THEY REFUSE TO ACT UPON IT. THE VEHICLE CAN NOW BE CONSIDERED UNSAFE TO DRIVE BY FAULT OF DESIGN OF THE MANUFACTURE. PLEASE HAVE AN INVESTIGATOR OPEN A TICKET TO HAVE A RECALL, OR AT THE VERY LEAST, A MANUFACTURE FIX SINCE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE...EVEN THOUGH NISSAN IS STATING THAT IT ISN'T AND THEY WON'T ACT...THIS SHOULD BE A NEGLIGENCE CASE ON THE PART OF NISSAN.
I OWN 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S. I FOUND A HUGE RUSTED HOLE ON THE PASSENGER/RIGHT SIDE FLOOR PAN/FLOORBOARD. MY WIFE FELT VERY UNSAFE WHILE DRIVING AND I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE HOLE IS GETTING BIGGER WHICH CAN CAUSE A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT. A LOCAL MECHANIC MENTIONED THAT HE SAW A COUPLE OF CARS WITH THE SAME ISSUE AND IT ESTIMATED AT LEAST $1,500 TO FIX AND FIGURE OUT THE REASON OF WATER LEAKING. I THINK NISSAN HAS TO RECALL THE CARS.
MY 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA HAS SEVERE CORROSION ON THE PASSENGER-SIDE FLOOR BOARD. I FEAR THIS VEHICLE IS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE> NISSAN IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND HAS BEEN FOR SEVERAL YEARS YET THEY REFUSE TO REPAIR THESE CORROSION ISSUES, CLAIMING THERE ARE NOT A SAFETY ISSUE AND OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR
THERE IS SEVERE RUST/ROT VISIBLE ON AT LEAST THE DRIVER SIDE FLOOR BOARD. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE WHICH I PURCHASED FROM A CLOSE FAMILY MEMBER AND THE CAR WAS WELL MAINTAINED. I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND WHY THIS WAS NOT DETECTED DURING A RECENT NYS DMV INSPECTION. AFTER DOING SOME ONLINE RESEARCH I LEARNED THAT MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE AND I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT NISSAN WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THIS ISSUE. THIS IS CLEARLY A DESIGN DEFICIENCY/DEFECT... SEVERE ROT SHOULD NOT OCCUR IN JUST 10 YEARS. I PURCHASED THIS CAR NEARLY TWO YEARS AGO AND THIS REPAIR WILL NOT LIKELY BE COST EFFECTIVE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FLOORBOARDS WERE RUSTED AND HAD HOLES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FLOORBOARDS WERE RUSTED, FRACTURED, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 146,000. UPDATED 5/28/15 *TA UPDATED 11/23/2015*JS
FOUND OUT THAT THE SUB-FRAME ASSEMBLY PANELS (FRONT FLOOR PANELS) ARE ROTTING OUT. ISSUE IS IF THEY FAIL CARS TIRES WILL TILT IN AS THE SUSPENSION IS TIDE INTO THE FRONT FLOOR PANELS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE FLOORBOARDS WERE CORRODED AND DETERIORATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 137,500.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FLOOR BOARD RUSTED OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FLOOR BOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 202,000.
I NOTICED ONE DAY SOMETHING HANGING FROM UNDER MY DRIVER SIDE UNDER BODY. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION I NOTICE THE DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE UNDER BODY TO BE CORRODED OUT WITH ABOUT A 5 X 11 HOLE. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE AND THINK NISSAN SHOULD BE SENDING OUT A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED RUST AND CORROSION UNDER THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SUBFRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT BOTH THE FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE OF THE SUBFRAME NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
I HAVE TWO SAFETY RELATED ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE. 1) THE FRONT SUBFRAME HAS HOLES DUE TO RUST. 2) THE FRONT PASSENGER FLOOR BOARD IS RUSTED THROUGH WITH A HOLE APPROXIMATELY 10" X 20". I TOOK THAT CAR TO FRED MARTIN NISSAN FOR AN INSPECTION. THEY STATED THAT THESE ISSUES ARE NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY, RECALL OR GOODWILL CAMPAIGN. THESE ISSUES APPEAR TO BE MANUFACTURING DEFECTS. *TR
DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF AS I WAS TRYING TO ENTER VEHICLE. ABOUT A YEAR LATER, ANOTHER BROKE OFF. THERE IS SHARP PLASTIC WHERE IT WAS BROKEN AND IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO ENTER THE VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY WITHOUT CUTTING YOURSELF. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN IT IS NECESSARY TO BE ABLE TO ENTER THE VEHICLE QUICKLY AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE. IT IS NOT SAFE. *TR
EXCESSIVE PREMATURE RUST ON FRONT PASSENGER FLOOR PAN. ABOUT 5"X10" IN SIZE AND CONSISTENT WITH MOST OTHER NISSAN ALTIMA RUST COMPLAINTS FOR CARS OF SIMILAR AGE. SINCE NOTICING THE RUST I HAVE LOOKED AT DOZENS OF SIMILAR NISSAN ALTIMAS IN STORE PARKING LOTS ALL WITH THE SAME PREMATURE RUST PATTERN. IT APPEARS THAT NISSAN DESIGNED THE FLOOR PANS WITH A DRAIN PLUG WHICH ALLOWS WATER PENETRATION ABOVE THE FLOOR PAN WHERE IT CAUSES RUST. THE REST OF THE FLOOR PAN ON THE ENTIRE VEHICLE IS IN EXCEPTIONALLY PRISTINE SHAPE, BUT DUE TO THE IMPROPERLY DESIGNED/INSTALLED FLOOR PLUGS THE RUST HAS CAUSED HOLES TO DEVELOP IN THE FLOOR PAN AROUND THE FRONT PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. UPON NOTICING THE RUST, I TALKED WITH A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO STATED HE HASN'T SEEN A NISSAN ALTIMA OF SIMILAR AGE IN HIS SHOP THAT DID NOT HAVE IDENTICAL RUST PATTERNS IN THE SAME SPOT. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT AND THE RUST IN THIS ONE AREA AROUND THE DRAIN PLUGS IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE LACK OF RUST EVERYWHERE ELSE. HOLES IN FLOORBOARDS OF LATE MODEL CARS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE MOST CONSUMERS WOULD NEVER SUSPECT THIS WOULD BE AN ISSUE ON LATE MODEL CARS WHICH ARE OTHERWISE NOT SHOWING ANY SIGNS OF RUST. HOLES IN THE FLOORBOARDS CAN ALLOW PENETRATION OF DEADLY EXHAUST FUMES, ESPECIALLY IN STOP AND GO TYPE DRIVING AS WELL AS PERSONAL SAFETY RISK AS THIS WEAKENS THE OVERALL STRENGTH OF THE UNIBODY DESIGN IN A CRASH. ALSO IF UNDETECTED LONG ENOUGH IT CAN CAUSE SEATS TO LOOSEN AND FALL FROM THEIR MOUNTS. I STRONGLY URGE THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD TO ISSUE AN IMMEDIATE RECALL SINCE IT APPEARS THE MANUFACTURER IS UNWILLING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE RISK IT IS PUTTING ON CONSUMERS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TWO OF THE DOOR HANDLES FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,096 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 135,348.
I MERELY WENT TO OPEN MY DRIVER SIDE PLASTIC DOOR HANDLE AS NORMAL TO OPEN DOOR AND THE PLASTIC PART SPLIT INTO TWO PIECES, I HEARD OF MANY OWNERS WITH SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A SAFTEY ISSUEA ND SHOULD BE FIXED BY NISSAN, WILL THEY? *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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