2003 Nissan Altima Structure
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
HAD TO REPLACE FRONT PASSENGER FLOOR PAN BECAUSE THERE WAS A HOLE ABOUT 15 INCHES LONG AND 5 INCHES WIDE DUE TO RUST. MY FRONT SUBFRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED AT THIS POINT. RUST IS EXPECTED IN NEW YORK DUE TO SALT, BUT AFTER TALKING WITH NISSAN THEY SAID THEY HAVE NOT HEARD ANYONE ELSE HAVING ISSUES DESPITE THOUSANDS OF HITS ON A SIMPLE INTERNET SEARCH ABOUT RUST ISSUES FOR NISSANS.
TOOK CAR FOR MO MANDATED SAFETY INSPECTION. CAR FAILED INSPECTION DUE TO FLOOR PAN BEING RUSTED ALL THE WAY THRU. WHEN PASSENGER SEAT CARPET WAS MOVED, YOU COULD SEE THE ROADWAY THRU THE FLOOR FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE. AFFECTED AREA WAS APPROX 24"X9". COST OVER $1000 TO REPLACE AFFECTED AREA.
FLOOR PANS ROTTED OUT
FLOORBOARDS ON DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS SIDE IS COMPLETELY RUSTED THRU. IT IS MY 82 YEAR OLD MOTHERS CAR, WHICH SHE BOUGHT NEW. THE CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN GARAGE KEPT AND TAKEN CARE OF METICULOUSLY BY ME AND IS IN MINT CONDITION. NO RUST WHAT SO EVER ON THE CAR (EXCEPT THE FLOORBOARDS) AND HAS ONLY 50,000 MILES.
RUSTING UNDERCARRIAGE ON PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE
FLOORBOARD IS RUSTED THROUGH
PURCHASED A 2003 ALTIMA, 1 OWNER CAR FOR MY 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER. AFTER HAVING CAR FOR ABOUT 9 MONTHS NOTICED METAL RUSTED MATERIAL IN THE DRIVEWAY UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. INSPECTED AND FOUND A HOLE THE SIZE OF MY FIST GOING ALL THE WAY THROUGH. ENDED UP REPLACING MOST ALL OF THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR PAN DUE TO A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. IF NOT FOR THE CARPET THE PASSENGER COULD HAVE PLACED THEIR FOOT THROUGH THE AREA. HAVE TALKED TO OTHERS AT BODY SHOPS AND FOUND THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ALTIMA FROM 2003-2006. NOT A CHEAP FIX EITHER.
FLOOR BOARDS ARE COMPLETELY RUSTING THROUGH, AND IT SEEMS THIS IS A PROBLEM TYPICAL WITH NISSAN VEHICLES BUILT IN THIS TIME FRAME. I FEAR THIS WILL AFFECT SAFETY, AND POTENTIALLY LEAD TO INCREASED RISK OF CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE FLOOR RUSTED AND FELL OUT THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FLOOR PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.
TAKATA RECALL - THE DRIVER SEAT DOOR IS ALMOST FALLING OFF OF ITS HINGES. TAKATA RECALL - THERE IS CORROSION UNDER THE CAR FROM RUSTING, MAKING MAJOR HOLES UNDER THE CAR
THE UNDERSIDE OF VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER'S SIDE FLOORBOARD AREA HAS RUSTED THROUGH COMPLETELY THROUGH TO THE INSIDE CARPETING. UPON RESEARCHING, IT APPEARS TO BE A COMMON DEFECT THAT NISSAN REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE. THERE IS SIGNIFICANT AREA OF DETERIORATION ON BOTH SIDES OF UNDERBODY OF VEHICLE.
THERE IS A LARGE HOLE IN THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR BOARD, COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH TO THE INTERIOR CARPET.
THE 2003 ALTIMA 3.5 SE SEDAN HAS SIGNIFICANT FLOOR PAN RUST ON THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS SIDES WITH SECTIONS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH HUNDREDS OF OTHER REPORTS I HAVE SEEN ON THE OBVIOUS DESIGN FLAW WITH THE ALTIMAS. THE REST OF THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE SHOWS MINIMAL SURFACE RUST. ASSUME THAT THIS WILL BE A RECALL ITEM SOON AS THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. ASIDE FROM THE FLOOR PAN ISSUE, THE VEHICLE HAS PERFORMED WELL AND HAS BEEN DURABLE. MILEAGE IS APPROX. 150K.
MY 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA, WHICH I'VE OWNED SINCE BRAND NEW, IS DEVELOPING A ROT HOLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE CHASSIS. A VISIT TO A LOCAL NISSAN DEALER LAST MONTH CONFIRMED THIS BUT DID NOT OFFER TO COVER IT UNDER A GOODWILL WARRANTY. I DID NOT CONTACT NISSAN THINKING IT WAS A ONE-TIME ISSUE. HOWEVER, BASED ON AN NBC NEWS REPORT FROM 4/6/2015, I'VE LEARNED THIS IS A GROWING ISSUE. PLEASE WORK WITH NISSAN IN OBTAINING A SAFETY RECALL. *TR
VIN [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED A PIECE OF THE FRAME HANGING DOWN UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT AND PASSENGER SIDE FRAME WERE COMPLETELY RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FLOOR BOARDS WERE RUSTED TO THE POINT OF DETERIORATION. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO FURTHER INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND UPON TAKING IT TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE SERVICING IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FLOOR BOARDS PREMATURELY RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,900.
OUR ALTMAN FAILED INSPECTION DUE TO A 9 INCH HOLE IN THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR. THIS APPEARS TO BE A WIDESPREAD ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL. THERE ARE ENOUGH COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS ISSUE SO THAT IT TO BE A RECALL.
THE FLOOR BED IS RUSTED AND HAS HOLES ON BOTH DRIVER SIDE AS WELL AS PASSESNGER SIDE.
ON MARCH 17, 2015 MY MECHANIC DISCOVERED FRONT FLOORBOARDS RUSTED THROUGH FROM INSIDE VEHICLE. I CAN PUT MY FIST THROUGH ONE OF THE HOLES. THE RUSTED FLOORBOARDS ARE A SAFETY ISSUE. THIS IS A DESIGN ISSUE WELL-KNOWN TO NISSAN AND PREVIOUSLY REPORTED TO NHTSA BY OTHER NISSAN ALTIMA OWNERS. COST TO REPAIR IS OVER $3,000. MY NISSAN ALTIMA IS LOW MILEAGE AND HAS BEEN WELL-MAINTAINED. IT HAS BEEN GARAGED AND IS OTHERWISE IN GREAT CONDITION. I CANNOT IN ALL GOOD CONSCIENCE DONATE THIS VEHICLE TO CHARITY AND CERTAINLY WILL GET A GREATLY REDUCED TRADE-IN VALUE FROM ANY BUY FOOLISH ENOUGH TO BUY THIS NISSAN. I REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO NISSAN, BUT RECEIVED NO REPLY. I PLAN TO JOIN A CLASS-ACTION SUIT AGAINST NISSAN AND ALSO ASK THE NHTSA TO ISSUE A RECALL THAT FORCES NISSAN TO REMEDY TO PROBLEM OR COMPENSATE ME FOR MY LOSS OF VALUE.
MY FLOOR BOARDS HAVE BEEN RUSTING FOR SOME TIME NOW. I KEPT FEELING THE CARPET ON MY DRIVERS SIDE GETTING SOFT, IT DIDN'T FEEL LIKE I HAD A WHOLE LOT OF STABILITY. I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND I SAW A BIG HOLE WHICH HAD FORMED FROM RUST. I COULD SEE THE CARPET FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY CAR WHICH NOW GETS WET WHEN IT'S RAINING. I AM AFRAID THE CARPET IS GOING TO WEAR OUT AND I WILL HAVE NO PROTECTION TO THE OUTSIDE ELEMENTS.
I HAVE A LARGE RUSTED HOLE UNDERNEATH THE DRIVERS FLOORBOARD. IT IS APPROXIMATELY 5" WIDE X 12" LONG. THERE IS A HARD PLASTIC PIECE THAT IS NOW DRAGGING ON THE GROUND AND THE INSULATION IS READY TO FALL OUT. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE MY FEET ARE ABOUT TO POKE THROUGH THE FLOORBOARD ALLOWING EXHAUST INTO MY CAR. I HAVE A CALL INTO THE ATTORNEYS FOR THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AND WILL NOT BE BUYING ANOTHER NISSAN BECAUSE OF THEIR LACK OF CONCERN FOR THIS KNOWN ISSUE.
I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2003 ALTIMA. RECENTLY I WAS NOTIFIED WHILE GETTING MY TIRES ROTATED THAT I HAVE A LARGE HOLE RUSTING THRU THE BOTTOM OF MY CAR IN THE FRONT PASSENGER FLOOR. THE AFFECTED AREA IS ROUGHLY 18" LONG X 10" WIDE. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN AS NO ONE EVER LOOKS UNDER THE CAR TO CHECK FOR RUST. LUCKILY NO INJURY OCCURRED BUT IT'S JUST AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. HOW MANY INJURIES OR WORSE YET DEATHS WILL NEED TO OCCUR BEFORE A RECALL IS ISSUED. CLEARLY THERE IS A PROBLEM YET NISSAN IS NEGLECTING TO ACT UPON IT.
BODY PANELS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH BELOW DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS FLOOR MATS WITH ONLY THE FLOOR MATS AND CARPET PREVENTING YOUR FOOT FROM CONTACTING PAVEMENT. THIS COULD BECOME LIFE THREATENING IF YOUR FOOT WERE TO BECOME STUCK IN THE HOLE AND NOT ABLE TO ENGAGE THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS IS A COMMON SAFETY ISSUE AFTER FINDING MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS.
RUST THROUGH THE UNDERBELLY OF THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE, CAN FEEL THE CARPETING ABOVE. WORRIED ABOUT RESALE AND SAFETY. I SEE THIS DEFECT IS A VERY WIDESPREAD CONCERN AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. *TR
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Quick Summary
The 2003 Nissan Altima has 107 Structure complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.