2003 NISSAN FRONTIER Complaints

I NOTICED A NEW SOUND WHICH I THOUGHT MIGHT BE A STUCK CALIPER, YESTERDAY. THIS MORNING I DROVE TO MY AUTO GARAGE TO GET IT CHECKED AND JUST AFTER LEAVING THE HIGHWAY AND A BLOCK BEFORE THE GARAGE THE DRIVER SIDE WHEEL FELL OFF! THE GARAGE CHECKED IT REPLACED THE LUG NUTS WHICH HAD ALL LOOSENED SPONTANEOUSLY AND FALLEN OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING AT A WALKING PACE, TURNING TO THE LEFT WHEN THE WHEEL SEPARATED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 NISSAN FRONTIER. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND THOUGH IT WAS DUE TO A FLAT TIRE. THE CONTACT COASTED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED ALL THE TIRES WERE NORMAL. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DRIVE AND THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE DETACHED. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER AND CRASHED INTO A DITCH. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE LEAF SPRING FRACTURED, PULLING ALL CABLES AND CAUSED THE REAR END TO DETACH. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.

VEHICLE HAS SEVERE RUST CORROSION FROM THE BACK CAB BREAK LIGHT. IT LOOKS LIKE THE SEAL AROUND THE LIGHT WAS COMPROMISED AND CAUSES MOISTURE TO SEEP IN AND LEAK THROUGH THE ROOF. IT LOOKS AS IF IT IS RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT.

TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN FRONTIER. WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD CRANKING NOISE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE STEERING PLATE WAS EXTREMELY LOOSE. THE STEERING STOPS WERE LUBED AND THE SHAFT WAS CLEANED MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE STEERING SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT FURTHER APPROVAL WAS REQUIRED FROM THE MANUFACTURER TO DETERMINE IF THE PART WAS AVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAITED BUT DID NOT HEAR BACK FROM THE DEALER. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V554000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,909.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, HE CONTINUOUSLY HAD A HEADACHE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN VERIFIED THAT FUEL FUMES WERE EMITTED INTO THE VEHICLE. AS RESULT, THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

I HEARD A SUDDEN THUD AND THEN A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR END AS IF A BRAKE HAD HUNG UP,METAL TO METAL.WHEN I EXITED THE VEHICLE THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND A VERY STRONG SMELL OF OVERHEATING OF THE BRAKES OR METAL AND FLUID.UPON PULLING THE WHEELS,OUR COMPANY MECHANIC FOUND NOTHING OF THE SORT TO BE WRONG. I CALLED A FRIEND TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TRAILER-ED TO MONRO MUFFLER AND BRAKE IN MANSFIELD PA,WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE BEARINGS HAD FAILED IN THE REARS,BOTH INNER AND OUTER. NISSAN USA DETERMINED THAT MY VIN # DID NOT FALL INTO THE RECALL CAMPAIGN EVEN THOUGH IT FELL WITHIN THE SAME MAKE,MODEL AND YEAR WITHIN RECALL CAMPAIGN #02V299000! NISSAN ADVISED ME TO TAKE THE TRUCK TO WILLIAMS NISSAN IN SAYRE PA AND HAVE IT DIAGNOSED THERE. I HAD PREVIOUSLY CALLED THEM BEFORE CONTACTING NISSAN USA WHERE THEY HAD ALREADY ADVISED ME OF THE VIN # NOT BEING WITHIN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT AN ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURRED IF NOT A FIRE OR BOTH! THIS CAME WITH ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING IN THE VERY EARLY MORNING ON MY WAY TO WORK. I WOULD ADVISE ANYONE WHO OWNS THESE MAKE,MODEL AND YEARS TO HAVE THIS CHECKED AND REPAIRED. I CANNOT BELIEVE NISSAN WOULD NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY IN SUCH AN EXACT CASE AS THIS PARTICULAR RECALL STATES. IN ESSENCE THIS DOES START WITH THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM AND SEALS AS MONRO TOLD ME THE SEALS HAD FAILED! *TR

BOUGHT TRUCK NEW IN 2003 ORIGINAL OWNER. AT 36433 MILES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WAS TOLD FUEL TANK WAS RUSTED OUT NEEDED NEW TANK WHICH WAS REPLACED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. AT 91989 MILES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AGAIN COMES ON. WAS TOLD FUEL TANK/EVAP CANISTER VALVE/EVAP CONTROL SYSTEM NEEDED REPLACED AGAIN. AGAIN DONE UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. AT 120,608 MILES (28589 MILES LATER) CHECK ENGINE CAME ON AGAIN. TOOK TO NISSAN DEALER AGAIN FOR DIAGNOSTIC CHECK AND AM TOLD THAT THERE IS CORROSION AGAIN ON THE FUEL TANK AROUND SENDING UNIT. MAY NEED ANOTHER FUEL TANK, BUT NEED TO DROP TANK AND SEE HOW BAD IT IS. EXTENDED WARRANTY IS EXPIRED AT THIS POINT AND THE CHARGE WOULD BE UP TO ME. I WAS TRYING TO WORK WITH NISSAN TO REPLACE THIS TANK IF NEED BE. I UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS AN OLDER TRUCK, BUT IT IS GARAGE KEPT AND NEVER OFF ROAD IN EXCELLENT SHAPE. THEY WANT ME TO TAKE IT AND HAVE THE TANK DROPPED AT MY EXPENSE. IF IT TURNS OUT TO BE THE TANK THEY WILL THEN DECIDE WHAT THEY MIGHT PAY IF ANY. THEY ARE CALLING IT A GOOD WILL DECISION. I NEED A DEFINITE ANSWER FROM THEM ON HOW MUCH THEY WILL PAY BEFORE I DO THIS AND THEY WON'T DO THAT. MY THEORY IS THAT IF THIS TURNS OUT TO BE YET ANOTHER RUSTED FUEL TANK WHICH WILL MAKE THE FOURTH ONE THEY SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON THESE. I HAVE TWO OTHER FRIENDS WITH NISSAN FRONTIERS 2002, AND 2003 WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM FOR I HAVE GOOGLED THIS AND FOUND THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT RUSTED FUEL TANKS ON THESE YEARS AND MAKE OF NISSAN. I AM A 66 YEAR OLD MAN, AND HAVE NEVER IN ALL MY YEARS OF OWNING AN AUTOMOBILE EVER HAD TO REPLACE A FUEL TANK BECAUSE IT WAS RUSTED OUT, LET ALONE 4 OF THEM. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE, AND NISSAN NEEDS TO STEP UP AND ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM ONCE AND FOR ALL. *TR

I HAVE JUST OVER 100,000 MILES ON MY 2003 TRUCK. I HAVE BEEN FIGHTING RUST ISSUES ALL OVER THE RIG FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS. I WASH AND CLEAN MY TRUCK EACH WEEK AND POLISH TWICE A YEAR. I DO LIVE NEAR THE BEACH, BUT I UNDERSTAND THIS, AND BEING A AIRCRAFT MECHANIC BY TRADE, WORKING WITH AIRCRAFT ON SHIPS AT SEA, KNOW HOW TO PROPERLY SERVICE MY EQUIPMENT. THE RUST COMES OUT UNDER THE PAINT, ALONG THE REAR CAB BRAKE LIGHT, AND ALONG THE FRONT WIND SHIELD, PASSENGER SIDE. THE RIG HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND SINCE I'M RETIRED AND I BOUGHT THE TRUCK NEW, I HAVE TAKEN GOOD CARE OF IT. NISSAN REFUSES TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE, AND I BELIEVE THE PAINT SYSTEM THEY USE NEEDS SERIOUS UP GRADING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN FRONTIER. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE THE FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED DUE TO ITS STRAPS RUSTING THROUGH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000. UPDATED 05/11/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE GAS TANK SEAL ON THE FILER NECK ALSO RUSTED OUT. UPDATED 05/15/12

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT STATED THE BEARINGS ARE DEFECTIVE. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THERE WAS A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO STATED THERE ARE NO RECALLS AND THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THEY OFFERED NO OTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000.