# Altima Rust Shocker!



## PeeBus (Sep 15, 2007)

I own a beautiful 2002 Altima 3.5SE. It's fully equipped and has a spoiler and upgraded chrome grill added. I've never had problems with it. It runs beautifully and the bodywork is near perfect. So what's the problem? 
I decided to sell it and get a newer model. I found a buyer and with certified cheque in hand we headed to a Nissan dealer for a pre-sale inspection. Guess what? It failed! The floor pan on the passenger side is rusted out! The mechanic was able to push a screwdriver right through! I asked if this was unusual and he said he had never seen such a problem on a relatively new Altima. I called Nissan and they told me to basically "pee up a rope"! The car's too old. The warranty has expired. The mileage is too high. The floor pan is not covered by the perforation warranty anyway etc.
Has anyone heard of this problem? Is there a way to get Nissan to admit that there must be a factory defect since the car has never been accidented and the floor pan shows no sign of road/off road damage?

I'm stuck with a car that looks perfect but is not sellable in its present condition.


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## PeeBus (Sep 15, 2007)

Since Nissan refused to help me, I've sold the car at a $2000 loss. I've also written off Nissan for life. They now join Ford and Chrysler on my list of vehicles that I will never buy on principle. Too bad. It was a great car. If only Nissan had a conscience, I'd still be on board.


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## Host47 (Dec 4, 2007)

I'm sorry that you did not receive a reply sooner. My past experiences with Japanese companies is that they do not seem to care about you, the consumer, whatsoever. They only want money, and they are litigious mother fuckers. If there were a car manufacturer that I would stick next to, it would be Mercedes Benz. Other than that, each car I see I look at individually, and not at the make.

For example, the Nissan Quest makes me sick to my stomach, while I am loving my 2005 Altima 2.5 SL. One more would be the BMW X3, which I see as their "affordable" SUV that they don't really care about. Yet the BMW M5 makes me pre-cum. Yes I just said that. Can you imagine a 21 year old in a $100,000 507 HP sedan? Vroom.


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## Host47 (Dec 4, 2007)

I spoke with the Nissan mechanic that I know today and he said that he has never seen nor hear of any Altimas having rust problems in the cabin area. He did make a good point that if a little rust were to occur, with any rust-able metal, that in time the rust spreads, with the aid of water or not, and as such could cause the problem listed above.


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## TuffguyF4i (Nov 8, 2006)

Do you live in an area where there is either salt in the air or alot of salt used during winter? Lots of people forget to wash under their car all winter. 5 years can totally rot out any car unless it is washed well.

Do you park the car on dirt? That can also rot a body very quickly.


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## surgite111 (Apr 5, 2008)

I have the same problem with my 2003 Nissan Altima. The problem with the floor is that is not solid. For some unknown reason there is sheet metal welded on top of the floor on the driver side and passenger side. In the winter, water seeps through the welds of the sheet metal and gets trapped between the floor and the sheet metal trapping the water which in turn causes rust. 

If the floor was solid and it rusted prematurely thats a normal risk but the floor having that sheet metal makes it a Nissan defect. Nissan should repair the hole at their expense.

Any 2002, 2003 Nissan Altima owner should check your vehicles for rust to prevent this from happening before it gets worse. There should be a recall to fix this problem.


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## Bruncle09 (Apr 21, 2008)

*02 Altima Rust*

I noticed a rust stain on my front drivers side carpet and brought it to the local Nissan body shop and they told me the floor was rusted out. Sounds like the same thing everyone else has. Quote to fix it was $2,400. The guy at the body shop said it was the second altima in the past few weeks he has seen with the rust problem. I'm going to see if Nissan will do anything about it but I'm not very optimistic! Car has been great, I have 166,000 miles and haven't had any issues till now!


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## surgite111 (Apr 5, 2008)

I took my car to the body shop to have it examined. The person that looked at it said it was a bad rust hole and that it had been rusting for almost a year. He said that he will contact a dealer and forward it to a Nissan rep for further action. I will keep you abreast of the situation.

My suggestion to anyone that calls Nissan head office and is told that the warranty is over to escalate the complaint and not to hesitate to contact any media outlet and and the car organizations that touted the 2003 Nissan Altima as the car of the year.

There is strength in numbers don't not do anything about this.

If Nissan doesn't do anything about this and I have to buy from another car maker, I tell you that this will be a bitter divorce. I love Nissan and this is my second Altima I will do what I have to get service.


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## Medjai (Apr 22, 2008)

have any of you considered the possibility that you might have spilled some abrasive liquid like braka fluid in there?...

this is just a thought,

i have not checked my altima yet  (am affraid to do so)


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## surgite111 (Apr 5, 2008)

Medjai said:


> have any of you considered the possibility that you might have spilled some abrasive liquid like braka fluid in there?...
> 
> this is just a thought,
> 
> i have not checked my altima yet  (am affraid to do so)


The rust hole is underneath the car how would it be possible for brake fluid to cause that rust? 

Make no doubt about it, many cars will have the same problem as I have. Of course those that are blessed by not having to deal with winter should not be affected.


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## surgite111 (Apr 5, 2008)

I have heard from the owner of the body shop who which in turn contacted the Nissan rep. The rep had said that he can get $350.00 CDN to fix the car from Nissan no questions asked and no further action required on my part. To me this is absolutely B/S because it does not cover the actual cost to have it properly fixed which is to have the floor pan cut out and replaced the cost for that will be approximately $2000.00. It doesn't even cover the cost of having the area around the hole cut out and metal welded in place. The cost for that will be at least $500.00 and I will have to put in the remaining money to pay for that.

I am seriously thinking about getting the latter done because the car would never pass the safety as is. I certainly cannot afford to fix the car the way it is supposed to be fixed. 

I bought a brand new car in 2003 for $30,000 I should not have to be dealing with this problem. Once I get it fixed I will publicize the pictures of the rust damage to media outlets and car reviewers.


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## surgite111 (Apr 5, 2008)

For those that may be asking...yes I did get the car under coated, I had it done by Krown Rust Control twice in the five years I have owned the car.


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## metro273 (Sep 16, 2005)

Just last week at my dealership, we had an '02 Altima with the floor pans on both sides rusted thru. I could see the bottom of the carpeting...
I expect to see more in the future!


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## Bruncle09 (Apr 21, 2008)

As I expected, Nissan is not interested in helping me out. They said they do not think this is a defect in the car, and made it out like it was due to my high mileage (167,000 on an 2002 3.5SE). I tried to find out what the criteria was for issue a recall but couldn't get a straight answer from the representative. I assume that if enough people complain then they may take some sort of action.

One of my coworkers has an older model Toyota Tacoma and the floors started rusting out on him. Toyota is giving him 1.5 times the value of the truck towards a new vehicle. I guess thats better than nothing. I would advise anyone with an Altima to have there vehicle checked and if there is a problem report it to Nissan. If enough people complain they have to do something. right? 

Toyota rust recall: http://www.showstop.org/images/truck/rust_warranty/dealer-communication.pdf


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## Jasen (Sep 24, 2008)

I also have an 02 Altima with rust holes in the floor. I just discovered them a few weeks ago and have been through pretty much the same thing described by other members here; service center was no help, only 5 year warranty for perforation, called Nissan Canada, sorry, 5 year warranty, maybe it was parked on grass? Went to a Nissan body shop and got a quote of around $2000 for the repair. He told me maybe the carpets were wet in the winter. 

I also have rust on the front passenger door on the inside where the window surround meets the door, and a bit on the rear driver side door as well. Told me they'd have to replace the doors for about $1500 each installed & painted. 

I agree with Surgite111, this is unacceptable and now that I've found out this is a common problem I'm going to call back Nissan Canada and push a little harder, and start calling the media as well. I hope others will too.


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## herviorel (Apr 15, 2008)

2004-3.5 altima, 125 000km in Canada. underneath is like new but is true that I did myself a light rustprotection treatment after a got it( 2 ruber spray from walmart- 20$)


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## nissandriver59 (Jun 4, 2009)

*More of the same*

Count me in. Noticed my rust holes last week, called the dealership, got the "we're not a bodyshop so we weren't looking" answer. Nissan has me escalated to "regional" now, but I expect the same run-around as I got from my engine cat debris fiasco. I have a lot of money into this car and am really frustrated at their lack of ownership of obvious design flaws.

Same estimations - 1200 for sheet metal repair, or 1900 for OEM pan. I gotta do something. I am way too invested in this car to get rid of it.

The hole on my driver side is about a foot in length, the passenger slightly smaller.

I bought the car new, never been in a flood, park in the garage most of the time, wash periodically in winter to remove any salts from the road (Iowa).

Unbelievable.


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## Outkast (Jan 29, 2006)

It's all that glorious salt ya'll have up there. I've seen 2 year old cars come into the shop with the exhaust looking like it's ready to fall off.


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## nissandriver59 (Jun 4, 2009)

Exhaust is one thing - heat, moisture, cooling,heat, short drives, moisture, etc. kill enough exhausts fromt he inside out. Road salt is another atack point for that which doesn't help. (by the way mine is ALL original except the cat I had put on when I replaced the engine 2 years ago.)

Floor pan on my car is the ONLY spot for the rust, and they are describing it as inside-out. The shops I've taken it to are dropping their jaws at the sights of it, and they see everything.


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## David Duc (Jun 9, 2009)

I have a 2004 Altima ,same situation, absolutely no rust except for huge rust holes 12x16 inches in floor pan on both passenger and driver side ,,,,, definitely expect Nissan to address this issue ...


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## qa4432 (Nov 21, 2008)

This weekend I was walking toward my '02 Nissan Altima car and saw a something hanging from my passenger side....I looked under my car to see what it was and saw that it was a large flap of rust. I took my car to Nissan dealer the they were quick to tell me that my car no longer had rust protection. I mentioned all the online complaints and they said they had not seen this issue at their shop. They said to follow up with Nissan corporate in the meantime they would provide an estimate which I have yet to receive. Yesterday, I took my car to reputable body shop and they pulled carpet back in the front passenger seat and showed me a hole that allowed me to see the ground. They told me my car was a safety hazard!!! The dealer did not tell me this! They also mentioned to call Nissan. I called Nissan and was promised a call by end of day today (June 10). The dealer reminded me about my winters (Chicago) and how salt can cause rust....Why only rust on passenger side????? Has anyone gotten any resolution from Nissan???

Diana


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## David Duc (Jun 9, 2009)

I was told by the dealer here in Montreal to bring the car to their garage . 
They indicated that Nissan has made exceptions for waranntee coverage on the 
Altimas . They took seveal pictures of the rust and said they would follow 
up with NIssan Canada . I was told they would get back to me by June 20.


I'll let you know the outcome


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## DonaldDuck (Jun 30, 2009)

*Rust under passenger side floor*

just noticed that the passenger side floor is rusted out from below on my 2003 Altima. Haven't removed the carpet yet. Seems to be OK on the driver's side. I'm anxious to hear a response from Nissan.


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## AntiheroResuscitator (Jul 17, 2009)

Has anyone heard of this issue persisting with the Altima's newer than 2004? I have a 2006 2.5SE with very low mileage and so far this is the most amazing car I've driven, so I'm a little concerned that this situation could potentially occur with my car. 

If anyone has heard about this issue persisting I would also like to know if anyone has heard of anything to prevent this issue.


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## WhiteFox (Sep 4, 2002)

Sudden rust, Canada, rust, canada... Rust.... Canada...... hmm. 

Yup, it's all Nissan's fault!


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## nissandriver59 (Jun 4, 2009)

*Rusty Nissans*

Well - I got my Final call from Nissan today.
After many calls back and forth, following all the instructions for information, we're done. Put a fork in me - 'cause that's what they did.

They have told me they will take ZERO responsibility with this matter... that, "since my car is outside of the perforation warranty, they are unable to assist me in this matter."

I suggest EVERYONE with this issue to call into 800-nissan1 and let them know what you have. She claimed to have heard of NO other customers with this problem - I cannot believe that. Regardless, their stance is they look at every car at a case-by-case and answer according to their findings. This is a blind view to trending.

She said that if I would ave had it in the dealership for this within the perforation-covered time, they would have considered it. My holes are a foot in diameter. This does not occur overnight. This has been happening for a long time... I've had tot he dealer many times they didn't notice it. The dealer's response was that since they aren't a dealership they don't look for rust when I have in for other maintenance procedures.

Wow. Not a happy camper today.


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## BigDog8176 (Aug 21, 2009)

Another rust victim in the northeast here. I was changing the oil on my wife's '03 Altima at the end of July and noticed the passenger floor was rusted and when I crawled under it I really couldn't believe the size of the hole. Naturally my perforation warranty ended in Oct. '08 and Nissan and all of their reps have basically told me to get bent. This problem is way too common for it to be a coincedence and we all need to do something about it to make Nissan own up to the defect in these cars that causes them to rot out in less than 6 years. I checked the databade over at the NHTSA and there are only a handful of complaints about rust holes in the floors of these cars. We ALL need to file complaints with the NHTSA and document the problem before anything can be done. I filed my complaint today and I urge everyone here with the same problem to do it as well. It only takes 10 minutes or so to file the complaint. Here is the link to their website to file the complaint:
Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), File A Safety Complaint

I am also going to print up some notices that I will keep in my car with me and slip under the wiper of every 02-06 Altima I see around town urging people to look under the car and check it for rust. If it's rusting we ALL need to file a complaint. Nissan obvioiusly could care less and won't do anything to help us with THEIR design defect. I have started a spreadsheet with NHTSA complaint numbers and dates so if you take the time to fill out the complaint form please email me at [email protected] with the complaint number, the date it was filed and the year of your Altima. If enough of us band together we can possibly force a recall and make Nissan pay for THEIR mistake instead of leaving us all out in the cold with big holes in our cars.


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## BigDog8176 (Aug 21, 2009)

My Car:










And the rust holes on the passenger side. Total BS.


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## realmac (Jun 1, 2008)

My thoughts go out to all of you 3rd gen Altima owners. I will have to take a look under my 4th gen to see if I too may have to worry about this very problem. A whole new platform / build process, but if I can be proactive and avoid this from happening...

Toyota shows once again their commitment to quality and Nissan languishes. I wonder how many complaints they got before corporate decided to try and do right by those customers.


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## eenbox (May 9, 2010)

Here is my finding from yesterday - my mechanic lets me get into the shop and I buzzed around and underneath the car and found WOW concern - rust in passenger side flooring (from underneath the vehicle). Here are the 3 slide-show pics:

*CLICK HERE*

Pretty much it should not be an issue as I will go to the body shop for an estimate and get it fixed. 
Note: I do not plan on selling this car as I will drive it until it dies! After that *NO NISSAN FOR LIFE!!!*


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## eenbox (May 9, 2010)

eenbox said:


> Here is my finding from yesterday - my mechanic lets me get into the shop and I buzzed around and underneath the car and found WOW concern - rust in passenger side flooring (from underneath the vehicle). Here are the 3 slide-show pics:
> 
> *CLICK HERE*
> 
> ...


Just to update: I have received a call from the dealership where I bought my car (as I submitted a complaint about it online directly to the dealership) and person from dealership asked what was the concern / complaint about. I said I am simply not happy with paying a car of $33,000.00 and experiencing corroded floor pans underneath passenger seat underneath the car. He stated that there is lifetime floor panel warranty and once inspected if it falls under that warranty it would be fixed. I am scheduled to go to dealer to get the vehicle looked at - but everything I researched so far points towards - yes, this must be covered by their Lifetime warranty as it is stated in the 2005 warranty booklet on page 40.

I will update as we move forward on this issue...


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## eenbox (May 9, 2010)

eenbox said:


> Just to update: I have received a call from the dealership where I bought my car (as I submitted a complaint about it online directly to the dealership) and person from dealership asked what was the concern / complaint about. I said I am simply not happy with paying a car of $33,000.00 and experiencing corroded floor pans underneath passenger seat underneath the car. He stated that there is lifetime floor panel warranty and once inspected if it falls under that warranty it would be fixed. I am scheduled to go to dealer to get the vehicle looked at - but everything I researched so far points towards - yes, this must be covered by their Lifetime warranty as it is stated in the 2005 warranty booklet on page 40.
> 
> I will update as we move forward on this issue...


Visited dealership today and practically Nissan Director (Manufacturer Department) has confirmed that my vehicle was out of warranty and no coverage can be provided. However, Service director of dealership was very forthcoming in addressing this issue and completely understood my point. I have told him complete story and he arranged undercarriage inspection on the spot, took pictures of the car undercarriage and overall car itself, and advised to send him my pictures which I have shown to him from my phone. 

That all together will be forwarded to Nissan in the form of the claim for consideration to approve repairs as this was qualified in verbal to be design flaw underneath the car where little round area was completely exposed and not sealed with anything causing salt, mud, water, etc to get in and initiate corrosion to start and start eating my flooring...

I will update as more details are available....


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## tropicaltom (May 21, 2010)

We have an "02 Altima. From the topside it looks great-no rust, no damage, nice wheels, mellow green color. Just don't look underneath, because there you'll find two big holes, same place as all the others: under the front floors on the outside of the rails (but not under the back seats or floors). 

I've talked to Nissan and their response, in so many words, is "stuff it". They say it's too old, and out of warranty, and they're not going to do anything about it. I'd have an easier time accepting that if the car was a 1992, or a 1982, but 8 years is too short a time for those panels to rust away, especially when there are no other rusty areas on the car. Under the floor is gone, yet there's no other rust and that's the way it should be? I don't think so. There seems to be a design/manufacturer defect, and Nissan won't do anything about it.

So why is the car rusting only in that specific location? (I've got photos of other Altimas, the rust is always in the same place) Is the car safe? Is the structural integrity of the car compromised? What do the holes in the floor do to the value of the car? Can they be fixed? How are they fixed? Can they be fixed so they don't recur? Who can fix them? What do the holes, or the repair of the holes, do to the value of the car?

And why isn't Nissan taking responsibility? They could come out looking so good, for a much lower price than they pay for advertising, or they could come out looking so bad, which is their apparent choice.

If anyone knows the answers to my questions, please, fill me in.


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## eenbox (May 9, 2010)

tropicaltom said:


> We have an "02 Altima. From the topside it looks great-no rust, no damage, nice wheels, mellow green color. Just don't look underneath, because there you'll find two big holes, same place as all the others: under the front floors on the outside of the rails (but not under the back seats or floors).
> 
> I've talked to Nissan and their response, in so many words, is "stuff it". They say it's too old, and out of warranty, and they're not going to do anything about it. I'd have an easier time accepting that if the car was a 1992, or a 1982, but 8 years is too short a time for those panels to rust away, especially when there are no other rusty areas on the car. Under the floor is gone, yet there's no other rust and that's the way it should be? I don't think so. There seems to be a design/manufacturer defect, and Nissan won't do anything about it.
> 
> ...


Sorry to hear that bud... I am currently dealing with Nissan and have prepared the whole game-plan to go until they fix the car!

Reason why corrosion occurs is because of design flaw on their cars. You can see on the pictures *CLICK HERE* that there is that little round circle that has opening and that's where everything starts.

To be quite exact my Altima 3.5 SE is a 2005 Altima - hey... 2 0 0 5 ... 5.5years old car with the corrosion and rust hole in diameter of 9-10 inches... I am not going to let Nissan get away easily on this. 

Here is what I did so far:

- got my car inspected by the dealership - provided statement with pictures and they will forward to Nissan to seek possible approval for repair without the cost to me;
- did not get response 5 days;
- reported to BBB (Better Bussines Bureau) case assigned and in process (so far they have contacted Nissan and asked for VIN number);
- got follow-up from dealership Service Director via e-mail (once I mentioned BBB and complaint filed he then responded) - he is completing the claim with Nissan today - and will wait for response.

I will update on more details but trust me - I have a whole game-plan ready for them ... I will not let this go away just like that... People will know of this "quality" of Nissan...

I urge everyone to post as many pictures as they can on this forum as I will include them in my further publications - we need to share with public all experiences and at least get people to know what and how the Nissan Quality really is...


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## tropicaltom (May 21, 2010)

*"02 Altima*

I'm in Minneapolis. Where are you? I've photos and license numbers of 16 Altimas and will get more, along with vin numbers (the camera I used wouldn't get the vin number, but that's no big deal, I have another camera and there's no shortage of Altimas with rusty underbodies around here.

My plan is to talk to the BBB, the Attorney General Consumer Affairs, the MN Dept. of Motor Vehicles, and my insurance company. I've been through the Nissan complaint dept. in Niagara Falls, NY, and my complaint is already in the Nothin' Doin' For That Guy Trash File.

I have no intention of letting this go either. Fair is fair, and this isn't.


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## eenbox (May 9, 2010)

tropicaltom said:


> I'm in Minneapolis. Where are you? I've photos and license numbers of 16 Altimas and will get more, along with vin numbers (the camera I used wouldn't get the vin number, but that's no big deal, I have another camera and there's no shortage of Altimas with rusty underbodies around here.
> 
> My plan is to talk to the BBB, the Attorney General Consumer Affairs, the MN Dept. of Motor Vehicles, and my insurance company. I've been through the Nissan complaint dept. in Niagara Falls, NY, and my complaint is already in the Nothin' Doin' For That Guy Trash File.
> 
> I have no intention of letting this go either. Fair is fair, and this isn't.


Sounds good bud - I will send you more pictures as I have them - It'd be great if you can forward me pics you have at the hand. 

My e-mail is [email protected]

I live in Northern Chicagoland area and each month when it would snow I made sure that I go for a carwash with undercarriage rinse off included to ensure no snow or salt gut stuck underneath to cause the corrosion - I guess that didn't help.

Later


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## eenbox (May 9, 2010)

Quick update for all:

Nissan has responded and has denied they are liable for coverage of my claim of perforation since it is not complete perforation and on the top of that car is out of warrany. Regardless of me stating this has nothing to do with warranty but design flaw they are liable for - no response in detail on that one. 

I am currently going for estimate at body shops to see how much it will cost and can it be fixed. I will post soon with more information... 

Note: BBB is currently working on the case and I will update on more info as soon as I get more from BBB...


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## tropicaltom (May 21, 2010)

Quick update for anyone with holes in the floor of your Altima. If you recall, our '02 Altima looks great as long as you don't look under it---if you do you'll see the holes in the floor.
- repair estimates range from $2400. to $3100.
- each estimate has that * that says, in so many words, "we really don't know what we're getting into."
- took a complaint form and photos of 28 Altimas (22 w/rust damage, 3 w/possible rust, and 3 w/no rust) to the MN Atty. General Office today. 

If you're not sure where you stand with YOUR rust, get down on your knees and look at the underbody of the car, right under the front seats.

You could be unpleasantly surprised


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## realmac (Jun 1, 2008)

I posted a video of the underbody on my 4th generation 2008. Feel free to chime in, does anything look visibly different from 3rd to 4th gen? Thinking if Nissan knew this was a flaw, maybe something was redesigned and could help your case?


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## tropicaltom (May 21, 2010)

*more rusty Altimas*

I was out doing some other business today and looked at the Altimas I saw in various parking lots.

I drove by seven Altimas. Of that seven, five have obvious rust, some just getting started, others looking like rusty tin can style peeling sheetmetal. 

Of the other two, one has a small hole in the panel---bound to rust soon, and the undercoating is peeling on the last one, so give it a year or two.

Not bad. Two out of seven cars all the floor is still there.

What's to complain about?
(not to worry, you'll have holes in your Altima floor before long)


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## eenbox (May 9, 2010)

realmac said:


> I posted a video of the underbody on my 4th generation 2008. Feel free to chime in, does anything look visibly different from 3rd to 4th gen? Thinking if Nissan knew this was a flaw, maybe something was redesigned and could help your case?
> 
> YouTube - 2008 Nissan Altima 2.5SL


Bud, fwd to 1:35 and see bottom right corner of the video... That is a flood drain hole that IS supposed to be SEALED by rubber seal and then undercoated.
That was how my 2005 Altima looked like brand new. Same thing... Watch what happens in the next 2-3 years - If I were you I would take it ASAP to Body Shop for an Inspection and deal with it now... My cost of repair was close to $1000 and no guarantee there is that rust will not come back. I am dealing with nissan now...


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## eenbox (May 9, 2010)

eenbox said:


> Quick update for all:
> 
> Nissan has responded and has denied they are liable for coverage of my claim of perforation since it is not complete perforation and on the top of that car is out of warrany. Regardless of me stating this has nothing to do with warranty but design flaw they are liable for - no response in detail on that one.
> 
> ...


Another recent update: BBB has still open case as Nissan has responded and has contacted me (Corporate Consumer Affairs). After fixing my car in the meantime for about $800 (lots of cutting and welding) Nissan has asked me to forward them all the estimates and the receipt that I have paid the repairs for further review. 

On my estimate Nationwide Certified Body Shop has stated what has caused the rust to develop in the last few years. No seals were installed by manufacturer affecting front drain-holes to initiate rust/corrosion. 

They have promised to call me back this week with an update - tomorrow is left and then BBB will be alerted again.

I will update everyone on everything. 

PS. Once everything is done and completed - hopefully Nissan covers the expense I had, plan is to share my full experience online, and on as many media networks as possible - and to alert other people to look for rust on their Altima's... If you don't have it, it does not mean it is not developing internally... Nissan had to cut the expense somewhere to provide good engines - it appears they have used cheap chinese metal for their body parts...

ANOTHER ADDITON: I do not have pictures currently but I have discovered MORE RUST ON MY ALTIMA. This time it started developing (bubbling) on my trunk lid. I will provide more pictures soon for everyone to see along with my full follow-up. Unbelievably enough paint job Nissan did on their cars is awful.


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## eenbox (May 9, 2010)

eenbox said:


> Another recent update: BBB has still open case as Nissan has responded and has contacted me (Corporate Consumer Affairs). After fixing my car in the meantime for about $800 (lots of cutting and welding) Nissan has asked me to forward them all the estimates and the receipt that I have paid the repairs for further review.
> 
> On my estimate Nationwide Certified Body Shop has stated what has caused the rust to develop in the last few years. No seals were installed by manufacturer affecting front drain-holes to initiate rust/corrosion.
> 
> ...


Very quick update as I have accomplished success on getting the following:

After Nissan Consumer Corporate Affairs has reviewed my case and all the pictures and body shop estimates, they have decided to approve payment in the amount of what I paid to fix it. YES, I GOT NISSAN TO PAY MY REPAIRS AFTER PROVIDING THEM WITH ALL THE PAPERWORK - of course this case was overseen by BBB at all times and all communication was carbon copy to BBB .... I am however preparing video with slideshow and my complete experience with nissan - however, it will probably have to wait until late summer / fall as I have no enough time to do it now.

Again, YES NISSAN PAID MY REPAIRS!!!


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## vet26 (Jul 14, 2010)

I just fixed ours with sheet metal from a Buick hood, it should be good now. My pieces were 10x20 that I replaced on both sides. This thing is a POS. I wish I had seen this post before I dug into it. This is the last Nissan to enter our garage.


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## tropicaltom (May 21, 2010)

I think your next business idea is "The Nissan Rust Repair Corporation. Using old Buick hoods, we repair or replace the belly of YOUR car with genuine Buick sheet metal. The Buick sheet metal may be old, but at least it'll be there when you look under your car!" Good luck!

It's a shame, but there's a big market for your services.

Or better yet, perhaps Nissan North America will own up to the defect and take responsibility for the rust. I'd like to see one of the executives who's making this decision to leave all of us in the lurch when his car starts to disappear before his very eyes.

I can't figure it out. These people have two choices: deny responsibility for what is clearly a design/manufacturing flaw and create a large group of people who'll tell everyone they know what a piece of junk Nissan builds and calls a car, or take responsibility for the flaw and create the same large group of people who'll swear by the name Nissan because they know Nissan takes care of it's customers.

The car business is more and more competitive. Nissan has a built in opportunity for brand loyalty, and they're so short-sighted it's hitting them on the head and they don't see it. Go figure.


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## filsali (Sep 26, 2010)

BigDog8176 said:


> Another rust victim in the northeast here. I was changing the oil on my wife's '03 Altima at the end of July and noticed the passenger floor was rusted and when I crawled under it I really couldn't believe the size of the hole. Naturally my perforation warranty ended in Oct. '08 and Nissan and all of their reps have basically told me to get bent. This problem is way too common for it to be a coincedence and we all need to do something about it to make Nissan own up to the defect in these cars that causes them to rot out in less than 6 years. I checked the databade over at the NHTSA and there are only a handful of complaints about rust holes in the floors of these cars. We ALL need to file complaints with the NHTSA and document the problem before anything can be done. I filed my complaint today and I urge everyone here with the same problem to do it as well. It only takes 10 minutes or so to file the complaint. Here is the link to their website to file the complaint:
> Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), File A Safety Complaint
> 
> I am also going to print up some notices that I will keep in my car with me and slip under the wiper of every 02-06 Altima I see around town urging people to look under the car and check it for rust. If it's rusting we ALL need to file a complaint. Nissan obvioiusly could care less and won't do anything to help us with THEIR design defect. I have started a spreadsheet with NHTSA complaint numbers and dates so if you take the time to fill out the complaint form please email me at [email protected] with the complaint number, the date it was filed and the year of your Altima. If enough of us band together we can possibly force a recall and make Nissan pay for THEIR mistake instead of leaving us all out in the cold with big holes in our cars.


Just to let you know I have filed a complaint with NHTSA ODI 10357667 rusted passenger floor board with the same or bigger rusted hole. Have a 2002 Nissan 3.5SE which is like the Black one of BigDog perfect on the outside but like the picture underneath.... the same here. The only thing that,s holding all up is the carpeting and sound deadening mat. I am just trying to wait and see. I sprayed rubberized coating underneath meanwhile before getting it fixed soon. One more Altima for all of us. The thing is I just bought a 2010 Altima 2.5 this time and already planning to trade it to a US made car. No rust yet on the 2010 and I just double spray the front floor boards with extra rubberized coating.


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## filsali (Sep 26, 2010)

2002 Nissan Altima 3.5 SE . Have file a report with NHTSA ODI 10357667 same rusted passenger floor board as big as Bigdog's hole , but mine has rusted through..I just found out about it a week ago. Dealer has not warned me about anything.


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## tropicaltom (May 21, 2010)

Filed a report with the NHTSA yesterday, ODI# 10358132.

In that report I also mentioned the mentioned not only the rust on the fuel filler neck, which I suspect many of these cars have as well.

And as for the dealer warning you about anything, they're not going to. A Nissan salesman told me that the company knows about this problem in '01-'05 Altimas, and has elected to ignore it and wait for it to go away rather than be responsible for it.


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## filsali (Sep 26, 2010)

tropicaltom said:


> Filed a report with the NHTSA yesterday, ODI# 10358132.
> 
> In that report I also mentioned the mentioned not only the rust on the fuel filler neck, which I suspect many of these cars have as well.
> 
> And as for the dealer warning you about anything, they're not going to. A Nissan salesman told me that the company knows about this problem in '01-'05 Altimas, and has elected to ignore it and wait for it to go away rather than be responsible for it.


Update for my rusty floors passenger side. Was able to get it fixed by my mechanic for $450 and he showed me the double layer thin sheet metal that nissan used. I told him not to place a hole for the rubber plug. So the fix was not as expensive and hopefully will get re-imbursed when nissan admits the design flow underneath. Now like others I have to fix the rusty fuel filler neck because my SES keeps turning on. I was able to pass inspection after I reset the code, run the car to readiness and go straight to inspection before the computer trips the gas cap small leak code P0442...So thats how to pass inspection temporarily... mine passed.


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## Heather1 (Oct 19, 2010)

*More Rust.......*

I also filed a complaint (ODI # 10361120). I talked to a Supervisor at Nissan North America today and she gave me 3 reasons for why Nissan wouldn't fix my car (1) Out of Warranty (2) Costs too much to fix (yes... she actually said that) (3) She didn't know the history of my car. I am really disappointed in the way they are handling this. It's obviously a defect.





BigDog8176 said:


> Another rust victim in the northeast here. I was changing the oil on my wife's '03 Altima at the end of July and noticed the passenger floor was rusted and when I crawled under it I really couldn't believe the size of the hole. Naturally my perforation warranty ended in Oct. '08 and Nissan and all of their reps have basically told me to get bent. This problem is way too common for it to be a coincedence and we all need to do something about it to make Nissan own up to the defect in these cars that causes them to rot out in less than 6 years. I checked the databade over at the NHTSA and there are only a handful of complaints about rust holes in the floors of these cars. We ALL need to file complaints with the NHTSA and document the problem before anything can be done. I filed my complaint today and I urge everyone here with the same problem to do it as well. It only takes 10 minutes or so to file the complaint. Here is the link to their website to file the complaint:
> Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), File A Safety Complaint
> 
> I am also going to print up some notices that I will keep in my car with me and slip under the wiper of every 02-06 Altima I see around town urging people to look under the car and check it for rust. If it's rusting we ALL need to file a complaint. Nissan obvioiusly could care less and won't do anything to help us with THEIR design defect. I have started a spreadsheet with NHTSA complaint numbers and dates so if you take the time to fill out the complaint form please email me at [email protected] with the complaint number, the date it was filed and the year of your Altima. If enough of us band together we can possibly force a recall and make Nissan pay for THEIR mistake instead of leaving us all out in the cold with big holes in our cars.


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## darklycanthropy (Oct 23, 2010)

WTF i just found out it have this problem today


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## darklycanthropy (Oct 23, 2010)

I found out that the rust is from salt build up that comes from shoes in the winter covered in salt, slush, and snow. I fixed it myself by cutting out the cancer and welding in galvanized sheet metal folded in two. I'd recommend anyone to keep their car dry and salt free in that area. It takes 1 minute to removed the trim and lift the carpet and look at the metal underneath. If you see all white corroded insulation then you should clean it before it gets worse and spray the floor pan with grease or wd40.


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## Altima_2006 (Nov 24, 2010)

*2006 Altima floor rusted and preforated*

I own a 2006 Altima SL and the floor had rusted and perforated directly below the driver and passenger areas. Luckily my private mechanic pointed it out last September. Since it is still under the 5 year manufacturer warranty, Nissan has repaired it. The only down side was that Nissan did not provide me with a vehicle for the 4 days my car was in the body shop for repair.

The floors on Altima's are poorly designed (it’s not a solid floor and the areas below the driver and passenger are welded allowing for moisture and water to seep in and cause rust). Nissan is totally dismissing that it is a manufacture defect; on the contrary, they are blaming it on salted roads. Except for the two areas Nissan repaired, there is not a speck of rust anywhere else on the floor of my Altima. If the rust was due to salt on the roads, the entire floor would have rusted.

If you own an Altima, do not rely on the dealerships to bring it to your attention, because they won't. I took my car to dealership I purchased my Altima from for a rust inspection 6 months earlier and they made no mention of the rust, on the contrary they said it was rust free! 

Make sure you or an independent mechanic check your floor for rust!


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## bbakernbay (Apr 23, 2008)

*The Rusted Floor is Not Caused from the Top*

My 2003 Altima 3.5 has 162,000 km and was rustproofed by the dealer. They never, ever reported a problem to me after their "Inspections". I was shocked when I checked underneath my Altima to see the rust flaking off and a large hole.

This is NOT caused by moisture from the passenger compartment. I have rubber mats and almost never have a passenger. The carpet is as clean as the day I received the car. Why doesn't it occur on the driver's side equally where there is much more use and moisture. Only rarely, it is predominately a passenger side issue.

The problem is a design defect and if you read the NHTSA reports, there is over 7 pages of owners documenting this.

There seems to be only a few owners receiving minimal compensation.


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## jaysonbarn (Jan 4, 2011)

Appearance of rust can be due to number of reasons. It can be due to salty environment, moisture in the air, dust etc. If you clean up the car properly the I don't think you'll face such problems.


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## bbakernbay (Apr 23, 2008)

That's not true. How is it that hundreds of complaints have been lodged about the very same location (passenger floor and a lesser number also driver floor). This is a very specific defect in design or construction that created this severe rust-out problem/


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## AChiTwn (Apr 7, 2011)

What Altima!! Check Maximas as well. Nissan has HUGE, I repeat HUGE issue with metal sheet conditioning and rust protection during their manufacturing process. 
I owned both, new Altima '92 and new Maxima 2000. 
Let me tell you about Altima first. Altima started to rust about 5 years after purchase. It was first front frame beam (or it looked as such) – rust was very visible through bottom front bumper opening. I got it fixed/painted under warranty. Than rust started to develop just about same time (I had about 70K miles on it) along the lip of both rear wheel wells, part facing rear doors. I noticed that, and was cleaning it every spring and painting and fixing it..but you can do so much, it rusted to the point that rust started to "bubble" on a body side, just above the well edge. I sold the car about that time. Had roughly 150K miles I believe.
While having that issue I was noticing same developments on other Altimas I would pass by on streets. As time went by I could tell that EVERY first gen Altima model (92-95) had same problem.
Now about Maxima! Got it new as well, model 2000 GLE, fully loaded. Guess what - after about 5-6 years, (let me cut and paste from above) - "rust started to develop just about along the lip of a rear wheel wells, next to rear doors".... To make the story short, still own this Maxima, 145K miles on it, it became my sons college car. In the meantime rust started to “eat” both well lips, I "fixed" them using fiberglass and raisin compound, painted it etc. But rust came through again this spring. 
Believe me - I can tell accurately which year your Maxima is (models 2000-2006) based on amount of rust it developed in this area. I can do it while you are passing by )
In summary, VERY disappointing Nissan quality when it comes to body quality (I also read about rust problems on Quests and trucks). The root cause of the problem for both, Altima and Maxima is in the way how they weld inner wheel well metal sheet to the outer body sheet - they don't seal space between welds and water/salt gets inside in-between metal sheets. Once in there, it is game over - slow death 


started to form in the body


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## surgite111 (Apr 5, 2008)

I had my 2003 Nissan Altima driver side floor pan repaired last year. I was getting no where with the dealer nor with Nissan Canada so I took pictures and wrote a letter to Nissan Japan. A friend of mine was already going to Japan and he personally delivered my package to Nissan. I got a call from Nissan Canada a few weeks later to call my dealer which arranged an appointment with a body shop. Within a month the floor pan was repaired FREE OF CHARGE!!

The body shop confirmed it was a design flaw that caused the rust to happen. Don't ever believe that snowy boots can cause a problem like a previous poster indicated.

It was out of the warranty period that I discovered the rust but it was quite evident that the rust formed way before the warranty ended.

Will I buy another Nissan? Most likely. I was pissed that I had to go through what I went through to get it fixed and well after such a short time I shouldn't have had to go through that experience at all. A car should not rust that bad in such a short time.

Call me nutty but I really like Nissan, I may even buy a Maxima at some point.


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## kaeXo (Jun 27, 2011)

2006 3.5SL bought in December of 2006 for $29,500 USD + $2,500 extended warranty

57,000 miles -- Kansas City, Missouri

I also have a 2003 3.5SE with nearly identical damage, both in location, size, and shape. It has ~110,000 miles. The damage is actually not as bad as the 2006, but it's still pretty close.

I'm taking it to the dealership in an hour, but I can almost guarantee you they will deny me, like always, even though I paid nearly 10% more for the extended 100,000 mile warranty.

pics of the 2006:


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## 2006altima (Sep 30, 2009)

Man this is unbelievable!!!!! I have a 2006 Altima 2.5 S with 160,000 miles on it. I guess I better check it out.


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## Lambeau Leaper (Oct 11, 2011)

*Floor Rust recall/service bulletin??*

I have a 2002 Altima SE 3.5. About two years ago I had the passenger side floor plate repaired for rust. This was covered under warranty since I purchased the symtech rust protection for lifetime warranty. I discovered rusting on the driver's side, there's actually a hole. I called the dealer this morning and told him I was bringing the car in for the rust work. When I told him it was the driver's side floor he said they are not doing anything right now with that because they are expecting a recall notice or service bulletin from Nissan. I asked him when Nissan would issue the notice and he said it could be a couple of weeks or a month or two. Has anyone else received this excuse from the dealer?

Thanks


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## toddnissan (Oct 12, 2011)

these problems all suck and this makes me glad i have the 2nd gen. my advice to all of you since i work at a heating and air company i know one thing. sheet metal is NOT 1000 dollars. Its very cheap and you can do the replacements yourself and save 950 dollars. also since a good majority of these happenings are north us or canada id say 

SALT is the enemy here not nissan. 3rd gens seem to catch salt in these rust places very easy which would explain the laundry list of people with these problems. save yourself the headache and wash the salt off the bottoms of your car. i live in iowa with a 12 year old 2nd gen and never have this problem, you guys with your 15 thousand + dollar cars should be taking same or better care lol. 

hopefully people will actually put some elbow grease in this instead of throwing off nissan for not paying 2 grand for a problem caused by the drivers and cities who throw WAY to much salt on the ground


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## kmccalsky (Oct 18, 2011)

With all do respect Toddnissan, why are only the Nissans rotting out if this is only a salt issue, honda, toyota, hyundai, kia, ford, GM, Chrysler don't have these problems. 

I do have to admit, I have seen rotted floors like this recently on an american car....of course it was 40 years old!


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## realmac (Jun 1, 2008)

I checked my 2008 again and no rust whatsoever near the drain holes. Car still looks the way it did when it was new. In-service date was 1/1/2008. Though since moving to the south in July I don't think rust will be a problem.


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## Reese77 (Nov 4, 2011)

I have a 2008 Altima that I bought used only have had it for a couple months and it has rust on the roof of the car.


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## 05AltimaSE (Nov 16, 2011)

*More Rusted Altima floors - 2005 3.5 SE - Lincoln NE*

I started by calling Nissan North America (800) NISSAN-1 or 800-647-7261) They've referred me to with Nissan Regional Consumer Affairs regarding the rusted out floorboards. I appreciated their "surprise" and "never heard of this before" - they do know about the extended warranty on the rear subframe though! I'm asking everyone I see with an Altima to check for rust and if they find any to call Nissan. I may get some help from a "Goodwill" fund since out of warranty but still playing phone tag with my rep. I'm extremely disappointed we're having to deal with this problem. I knew the mechanicals are practically bullet-proof on imports but I didn't think the body would rust out in 6 years. There's got to be an issue with the design somewhere...


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## kmccalsky (Oct 18, 2011)

Hey everyone, just a followup. I am an autobody tech that had a customer with a 2005 nissan altima with extremely rusted floor boards. I contacted nissan america, and got the response that there is no known rust issue with these cars. I then contacted the NHTSA and filed a complaint against Nissan on behalf of my customer. After the complaint was filed, a rep from Nissan asked my customer to bring their car to a local nissan dealership. The floors were repaired at no cost to my customers.


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## UpsetAltimaGuy (Dec 8, 2011)

I have also filed a complaint with NHTSA. I'm hoping to receive a call as well. My problem has gotten much worse.


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## bbakernbay (Apr 23, 2008)

surgite111 said:


> For those that may be asking...yes I did get the car under coated, I had it done by Krown Rust Control twice in the five years I have owned the car.


My 2003 3.5 has the same problem. I am really annoyed the dealer never mentioned this to me after one of the car's regular service inspections. I only found the problem after reading about the problem on the Nissan Forum. My hole is fist size only on the driver's side. Very disappointing to hear that Krown Rust Control was ineffective.


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## bbakernbay (Apr 23, 2008)

toddnissan said:


> these problems all suck and this makes me glad i have the 2nd gen. my advice to all of you since i work at a heating and air company i know one thing. sheet metal is NOT 1000 dollars. Its very cheap and you can do the replacements yourself and save 950 dollars. also since a good majority of these happenings are north us or canada id say
> 
> SALT is the enemy here not nissan. 3rd gens seem to catch salt in these rust places very easy which would explain the laundry list of people with these problems. save yourself the headache and wash the salt off the bottoms of your car. i live in iowa with a 12 year old 2nd gen and never have this problem, you guys with your 15 thousand + dollar cars should be taking same or better care lol.
> 
> hopefully people will actually put some elbow grease in this instead of throwing off nissan for not paying 2 grand for a problem caused by the drivers and cities who throw WAY to much salt on the ground


Then why is the problem mostly only with 2003 models? Obviously they made some modifications in the floor pan design to eliminate the problem.


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## bbakernbay (Apr 23, 2008)

The fact is that there are 1,000's of Altimas with the exact same problem. This is a design/manufacturing defect that Nissan refuses to acknowledge.


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## abby321 (Apr 26, 2012)

*Should I fix rust on floor if I'm trading it in?*

Similar to the other posts here, I have discovered huge rust holes (18x6 inches) on the floor of the driver and passenger side in the front of my car. My mechanic said that he thinks water is coming through cracks in the firewall under my windshield and he said that he can't fix the cracks and thus the leak. My dilemma is what should I do to get the best trade in value (fix the floors or don't fix the floors). 

If I fix the floors (for $1,500) the rust will be gone on the floors, but won't a mechanic be able to see that the floors were fixed and wouldn't that significantly decrease how much I could get in for trading it in? Right now, it looks like the trade in value for a 2002 Nissan Altima in even poor condition (my car is in good condition except for the floors) is about $4,000. My body shop guy thinks I could get that if I trade it in after fixing the floor, but I have significant doubts especially once my car is put on a lift and it can be seen that the floor was replaced, thus indicating that my car is leaking. I'm wondering if it makes more sense not to fix the floors and not pay $1,500, try to get whatever I can for the trade-in with the rusted floors, and buy a new car. Anyone have any experience with this?


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## Amazon (Jul 31, 2012)

I am also dealing with this. For me it's just on the passenger side. But a very large hole.

I filed the safety issue with NHTSA, and contacted Nissan Consumer Affairs. They have had me go to a Nissan dealer for an estimate. The first one gave me, what I later found out to be crap excuse about how they weren't capable of fixing it. The second quoted $2k to repair. Also said that it looked like the driver's side was rust protected and the passenger side was not - it was that dramatic a difference between the two.

My case has now been assigned to an area rep, and I'm now stuck in VM hell. I'll be extremely PO'd if Nissan had me go through two dealers to find out they'll leave me holding the bag. So my fingers are crossed they'll do something.

Oh, what had me torqued about dealer # 1 is that I find out from dealer # 2 that their body shop is bigger than theirs, yet they told me the "job was too big to handle". So I had to go to a dealer further away and take more time off to deal with this because of their BS. Yet they were trying to tell me to trade the car in. Dirtballs. If I get another Nissan...it won't be from them!


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## Amazon (Jul 31, 2012)

05AltimaSE said:


> I started by calling Nissan North America (800) NISSAN-1 or 800-647-7261) They've referred me to with Nissan Regional Consumer Affairs regarding the rusted out floorboards. I appreciated their "surprise" and "never heard of this before" - they do know about the extended warranty on the rear subframe though! I'm asking everyone I see with an Altima to check for rust and if they find any to call Nissan. I may get some help from a "Goodwill" fund since out of warranty but still playing phone tag with my rep. I'm extremely disappointed we're having to deal with this problem. I knew the mechanicals are practically bullet-proof on imports but I didn't think the body would rust out in 6 years. There's got to be an issue with the design somewhere...


was your issued resolved through Nissan??


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## Amazon (Jul 31, 2012)

Amazon said:


> I am also dealing with this. For me it's just on the passenger side. But a very large hole.
> 
> I filed the safety issue with NHTSA, and contacted Nissan Consumer Affairs. They have had me go to a Nissan dealer for an estimate. The first one gave me, what I later found out to be crap excuse about how they weren't capable of fixing it. The second quoted $2k to repair. Also said that it looked like the driver's side was rust protected and the passenger side was not - it was that dramatic a difference between the two.
> 
> ...


I _finally _heard from my case rep. Nissan won't do anyhting. YES, they know about the problem. But my car is out of warranty, and I live where road salt is used. That's the excuse anyway. 

So why the heck did they waste all of my time taking it to Nissan dealers for an estimate?!!! I'm so angry right now I can't see straight. 

I still think this is unacceptable. Cars should not rot out from under you like this. THEY KNOW IT'S A PROBLEM!! It's also a SAFETY issue!!

This answers my other imminent question - it won't be replaced with a Nissan. They've lost a customer. And I'll be sure to share this with anyone who will listen. Hope it was worth what ever they saved by treating a long time customer like this.


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## Burgomaster (May 13, 2014)

*2004 nissan maxima rust problem*

We have 90,000 miles on our Maxima, kept in a garage and washed regularly, same floor pan problem. Completely shot and body shops say not worth fixing. My wife's car and she took it in for an oil change. It literally happened this winter so it must have been from the inside out or the dealer servicing it at regular intervals surely would have caught it. I'm taking it in when I get back from a business trip and am anxious to see the response. Cj from minneapolis


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## 418stroker (Jul 6, 2014)

*nissan altima floor rotted 2006 3.5*



kmccalsky said:


> Hey everyone, just a followup. I am an autobody tech that had a customer with a 2005 nissan altima with extremely rusted floor boards. I contacted nissan america, and got the response that there is no known rust issue with these cars. I then contacted the NHTSA and filed a complaint against Nissan on behalf of my customer. After the complaint was filed, a rep from Nissan asked my customer to bring their car to a local nissan dealership. The floors were repaired at no cost to my customers.


hello my name is gene and i just bought my 2006 nissan altima. minde you it only has 54 thousand miles on it.. and is in excellent shape. was garaged its whole life. one owner. older couple. and well i just found a rust hole in my drivers side floor. its huge, car has orriginal exhoust in a1 shape.. again this car shines like the sun. no rust. exept on the floor in a area abought 11x14 how can i get nissan to fix mine? please if you can text me or call. cuz i dont have this site saved. or know if i will ever see youre response. 814 661 4431 thanks you sooo much.


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## 418stroker (Jul 6, 2014)

*i have a 2006 same problem only 50,000 miles on it did they fix it*



eenbox said:


> Sorry to hear that bud... I am currently dealing with Nissan and have prepared the whole game-plan to go until they fix the car!
> 
> Reason why corrosion occurs is because of design flaw on their cars. You can see on the pictures *CLICK HERE* that there is that little round circle that has opening and that's where everything starts.
> 
> ...


did they fix it same problem 2006 only 50,000 miles on it


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## suejah (Aug 7, 2014)

I have 2006 Altima 3.5 and just found out both floor pans are rusted. This has to be a design flaw for so many of this model to have the same problem. Only has 56,000 miles on it. Will be going back to the dealer to try to get Nissan to pay for repairs. I don't give up easily!


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## SalemNissan (Sep 17, 2014)

*Filed a claim with Nissan on 2005 Nissan Altima*

I am doing the same thing. Fined a claim with Nissan and waiting for a response. It looks like filing a complain with the National Highway Traffic Safety Association is the way to go. That makes Nissan get back to a consumer much faster.


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## korner (Sep 23, 2015)

*2006 Altima*

I have the same problems both sides rust almost through the floor only 68000 km on car


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## altima241 (Aug 10, 2016)

Hello, I'm new here.

I'm currently looking to buy a local 2006 Altima 2.5 S, and I was wondering how obvious this rust problem is. Is it easy to find by looking and feeling underneath the car while it's on the ground, or does the car need to be raised on a lift? Do you need to pull up the carpet to find the beginning stages of it?

I'm able to look and feel under the car I want to buy. Seems completely normal. I'd like to know if that's reasonable enough to call it good. If 10-11 years and 100k miles haven't caused obvious problems, maybe this car is unaffected?


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## korner (Sep 23, 2015)

There is a class action lawsuit in the State of Illinois about this. I had mine fixed for $800 plus tax I had 2 new steel plates put in both sides Nissan wont do a thing about this. I would recommend asking the seller if you could pay to pull up the front carpeting or if you can do it yourself to see if there is rust. For sure you will find it Am surprised it doesn't show from underneath


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## altima241 (Aug 10, 2016)

Thank you for the feedback. It's good to know how much it can cost to fix.

The car I just got looks perfectly fine from underneath and from above the carpet. Maybe there's a problem brewing, though. If so, I'll deal with it down the road. The previous owner came down a bit in price just in case I need some work done.


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## WxSteve (Dec 2, 2016)

darklycanthropy said:


> I found out that the rust is from salt build up that comes from shoes in the winter covered in salt, slush, and snow.


Wrong. I recently bought a 2006 with 119k on the clock and had this same hole in the passenger's side. The problem is this: The mud flaps are too close to the wheel OR they are too short, either way they allow gravel and stuff to hit the car in exactly those 2 places behind the wheel. Over the span of thousands of miles all of that sand and gravel acts like a sandblaster. Think about it, blast, apply a little water, let sit, blast again, apply more water, we are efficiently returning our cars to the earth as quick as possible!

Road salt exacerbates the problem, but even in the south you'll see the hole, it just may take longer to show up.

Don't take my word for it, drive your Alti or Maxima and listen, then drive another car, you don't hear the same amount of gravel and crap hitting underneath the car like you do on our Nissans. This is a design flaw, period.


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