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
MY PASSENGER FLOOR BOARD IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. THIS IS WHERE MY YOUNGER DAUGHTER SITS. WE HAD NO IDEA THAT IT HAD BEEN THAT WAY FOR THE LAST YEAR UNTIL WE COULD HEAR THE HIGHWAY COMING UP THROUGH THE FLOOR. I AM A SINGLE MOM AND HAD TO GO TO A NEIGHBORS WHO PULLED UP THE CARPET TO FIND NO FLOOR UNDERNEATH. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND NISSAN NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!!!!!!!!!!!! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FLOORBOARDS PREMATURELY RUSTED TO THE POINT OF DETERIORATION. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THERE WERE HOLES NEAR BOTH SIDES OF THE FLOORBOARDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 185,000.
MY FLOOR PANEL IS RUSTING AND I CAN SEE THE GROUND WHEN DRIVING. ALSO IT ISN'T SAFE FUMES ARE GETTING IN AND I HAVE A 4 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER.
THE 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA THAT WE PURCHASED, USED, 6 MONTHS AGO HAS SIGNIFICANT RUSTING/FLOOR ROT ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE. THE HOLES ARE GETTING BIGGER AND WIND RUSHES THROUGH WHEN DRIVING. CONSIDERING THE BROAD RANGE OF ALTIMAS AFFECTED, I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL YET. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE FOR DRIVER AND PASSENGER.
FLOOR ON DRIVERS SIDE IS RUSTED AND CRUMBLING OFF-GETTING THINNER-APPROX FOOT AND HALF IN LENGTH. PASSENGER SIDE IS ABOUT FOOT LONG CRACK. I NOTICED THIS MYSELF ABOUT A YEAR AGO. OF ALL THE OIL CHANGES I HAVE HAD ON THE CAR NO MECHANIC HAS EVER MENTIONED THE CORROSION ON MY 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. *TR
UNUSUAL RUSTING OF UNDERBODY PASSENGER SIDE. HAVE BECOME AWARE THIS IS KNOWN ISSUE ON 2002 TO 2007 ALTIMAS. MECHANIC IDENTIFIED THIS TO ME SEVERAL MONTHS AGO BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS ISOLATED INCIDENT UNTIL RECENTLY. CLEARLY SAFETY PROBLEM IF IT RUSTS ALL THE THROUGH THE FLOOR BOARD. I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR DO THIS INCLUDING ONES OLDER AND WITH MORE MILES. *TR
I TOOK MY CAR FOR INSPECTION AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE BOTTOM OF MY FLOOR BOARD. I HAD TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED IN ORDER TO PASS INSPECTION. MY CAR IS GARAGE KEPT AND I ONLY HAVE 67,000 MILES ON MY CAR AS OF TODAY'S DATE. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME TO PURCHASE A NEW CAR WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR. THIS CAR IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION EXCEPT FOR THIS PROBLEM. I THOUGHT I WOULD BE ABLE TO GET A DECENT AMOUNT FOR A TRADE BUT WHO WOULD WANT THIS CAR. UNTIL TODAY I THOUGHT I JUST GOT A BAD CAR BUT WATCHING THE "TODAY" I KNOW THIS IS WIDE SPREAD. CAN I GET REIMBURSED FOR MY COSTS? *TR
THE FLOOR OF THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WERE RUSTED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THAT WAS OVER 2 YEARS AGO. I RECENTLY NOTICED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE FLOOR, NEAR THE GAS PEDAL IS ALSO STARTING TO DIP AND MAY BE RUSTED. AFTER WATCHING A NEWS REPORT I DECIDED TO FILE A COMPLAINT SINCE THERE ARE MANY OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN EFFECTED BY THIS PROBLEM AND I NOW BELIEVE IT TO BE AN ISSUE RELATE TO THE DESIGN OF THE CAR. *TR
MISSOURI MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTION FAILED DUE TO "PASSENGER FLOOR BOARDS RUSTING OUT."
FLOOR BOARDS RUSTED OUT BIG HOLES . *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER FLOORBOARD WAS ENTIRELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC, WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE ENTIRE FLOORBOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 220,000.
HAD MY CAR INSPECTED,WAS TOLD IN WILL NEED FLOOR PANS,EXTREME RUST.NO RUST ANY WHERE ELSE ON CAR. CONFIRMED BY NISSAN DEALER.CONTACTED NISSAN NORTH AMERICA,WITH NO RESULTS.THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT THAT MANY ALTIMA'S HAVE.CAN ANYTHING BE DONE? [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, A SCRAPING NOISE EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, SHE NOTICED THAT THE FLOOR BOARD WAS HANGING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE AND THE UNDER BODY WAS RUSTED OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
I HAVE THE NOTORIOUS FLOORBOARD RUST PROBLEM. A RECALL NEEDS TO BE MADE. I HAVE A FOOT SIZE HOLE ON THE DRIVER SIDE FLOOR BOARD. IT IS RUSTED OUT ALL THE WAY TO THE INTERIOR CARPET. THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM NISSAN NEEDS TO PAY TO FIX. NOT THE CONSUMERS. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT ON HOW THE CAR WAS MADE. *TR
THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FLOOR PANELS ARE TOTALLY RUSTED OUT WITH SIGNIFICANT HOLES EXTENDING INTO THE VEHICLE. MY RESEARCH INDICATES THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM IS A DESIGN DEFECT. RUSTING BEGAN AROUND THE DRAINAGE HOLES BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT PROPERLY SEALED BY THE MANUFACTURER. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND IT HAS BEEN KEPT IN PRISTINE CONDITION. NISSAN IS FULLY AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AS THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE. THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION AS IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR
FLOOR BOARD ON THE DRIVERS SIDE IS ROTTING WHICH LEFT A SIZABLE HOLE. THIS PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE AND ALLOWS DEBRIS FROM STREET TO ENTER VEHICLE. *TR
NOTICED THE FLOOR BOARD ON THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE ARE COMPLETELY ROTTED THROUGH. DATE NOTICED WAS 4/13/2014. THIS ISSUE WAS FIRST NOTICED AT LEAST A YEAR AGO BUT THE FLOOR PANEL WAS NOT YET COMPLETELY ROTTED AWAY. IT WAS JUST A SIMPLE CASE OF SURFACE RUST. IT WAS TREATED WITH RUSTOLEUM BLACK PRIMER TO TRY AND SLOW THE RUST DOWN. THIS IS A WELL KNOW ISSUE AND IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY NISSAN AND NOT JUST THROWN AWAY. *JS
SAME FLOOR ROT/RUST AS REPORTED BY THOUSANDS OF OTHERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. CONTACT NISSAN AND THEY SEND YOU TO DEALER TO VERIFY PROBLEM. ONCE IT'S VERIFIED THEY SAY IT'S TOO FAR OUT OF WARRANTY TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. SOME PEOPLE GET ASSISTANCE AFTER FILING MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS BUT MOST OF US GET THE DENIAL AND RUNAROUND. *TR
I TOOK MY CAR TO GET FIXED LAST WEEK AND MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THE BAD NEWS. BOTH THE PASSENGER SIDE AND DRIVERS SIDE UNDERCARRIAGE IS COMPLETED ROTTED OUT. HE SAID NISSAN ALTIMAS ARE KNOWN FOR THIS AND HE HAS ACTUALLY FIXED 5 OF THE SAME YEAR (2003) FOR THE SAME PROBLEM OVER THE LAST 3 YEARS. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH NISSAN AND THERE ARE A MILLION COMPLAINTS ALL OVER THE INTERNET REGARDING THIS SAME EXACT ISSUES FOR 2003 ALTIMAS. WHY ARE THERE NO RECALLS? IT IS HAPPENING ALL OVER THE US SO IT IS NOT THE ROADWAYS AND SALT TO BLAME. NO HONDAS OR TOYOTAS ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE AT 83K MILES. SO I CALLED AN AUTOBODY PLACE AND ASKED THEM TO QUOTE ME THE JOB. WITHOUT EVEN TELLING THEM WHAT KIND OF CAR I HAVE, HE SAID LET ME GUESS, YOU HAVE A 2003 ALTIMA. WHAT THE HECK? NISSAN KNOWS OF THIS ISSUE JUST BY SEEING ALL THE PEOPLE FILING COMPLAINTS FOR RUSTED OUT FLOORS. MY CAR IS DOWN TO THE CARPET AND WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION. I GET A CAR WASH ALL THE TIME AND IT ONLY HAS 83K MILES, IT'S OLDER, BUT I NEVER DRIVE IT! WHY DOESN'T ANYONE FILE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT? THIS IS NUTS! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE FLOOR BOARD CORRODED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
IN EARLY AUGUST 2013, I NOTICED A RUSTED PIECE OF METAL HANGING FROM THE UNDER CARRIAGE OF MY 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. DURING A RECENT OIL CHANGE, I ASKED THE MECHANIC TO LOOK AND SEE WHERE THE PIECE OF METAL WAS COMING FROM. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR'S FLOOR PANEL ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH LEAVING A GAPING HOLE THE SIZE OF A FOOTBALL IN FRONT OF WHERE THE PASSENGER SEAT IS LOCATED. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, I DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM COVERING 3 MODEL YEARS, 2003 THRU 2006 AND HAS AFFECTED THOUSANDS OF ALTIMAS. MY 2003 ALTIMA WAS A "CERTIFIED USED CAR" THAT WAS PURCHASED AT ARLINGTON NISSAN, ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL IN 2006. IT'S CURRENT MILEAGE IS 126,000. THERE IS NOT ONE SPOT OF RUST ON ANY OTHER PART OF THE CAR. IT HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT SINCE I PURCHASED IT. I CALLED ARLINGTON NISSAN ON 9-11-13, TO ASK IF THERE HAD BEEN SOME SORT OF RECALL ON THE VEHICLE ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT ALTHOUGH THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, NO RECALL HAD BEEN INITIATED BY NISSAN CORPORATE. THEY TOLD ME TO CONTACT NISSAN'S CONSUMER AFFAIRS DIVISION WHO THEN INSTRUCTED ME TO PROVIDE THEM WITH A DIAGNOSTIC REPORT COMPLETE WITH ESTIMATED REPAIR COSTS FROM ARLINGTON NISSAN. NISSAN'S CONSUMER AFFAIRS DIVISION WOULD THEN TURN THE CLAIM OVER TO THE REGIONAL OFFICE THAT OVERSEES ARLINGTON NISSAN. THAT OFFICE WOULD GET BACK TO ME WITH A DECISION ON REPAIRING THE DEFECT. THERE WAS NO PROMISE OF THEM FIXING THE PROBLEM AT NO COST OR REIMBURSING ME THE COSTS OF HAVING AN INDEPENDENT BODY SHOP DO THE REPAIR. NOW IT IS THE WAITING GAME. THE NHTSA SHOULD MANDATE A NATIONAL RECALL ON THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT AS IT POSES A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE FOR ANYONE DRIVING A 2003-2006 NISSAN ALTIMA. *TR
A FEW YEARS AGO APPROX. 2009 OR SO I NOTICED A WHOLE IN MY PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR BOARD WHILE GETTING AN OIL CHANGE. IT SEEMED LIKE IT CAME OUT OF NO WHERE. IT IS A VERY LARGE RUSTED OUT WHOLE UNDER THE PASSENGERS SIDE WHERE YOUR FEET WOULD BE. I HAVE NO OTHER RUST ON OR UNDER THE VEHICLE BUT IN ONE SPOT!!! MY MECHANIC LOOKED INTO IT AND SAID THAT WHEN NISSAN MADE THESE VEHICLES THEY POSITIONED A TUBE THAT CARRIES LIQUID TO IN THE CAR VERSUS OUT OF THE CAR. I THEN CALLED AND WENT TO NISSAN AND SPOKE WITH THEM. THERE A MAN TOLD ME THAT IT IS A BIG ISSUE WITH 2003-2005 ALTIMAS BUT NISSAN WOULD NOT RECALL IT SO IT WOULD COST $1600 FOR A NEW FLOOR BOARD. WHILE SEARCHING THE INTERNET I FIND THAT THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE! AND QUITE THE SAFETY CONCERN. THERE IS A WHOLE IN HUNDREDS OF VEHICLES IF NOT THOUSANDS AND NISSAN WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. I WOULD LOVE FOR SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BEFORE SOMEONE FALLS THROUGH A MOVING VEHICLE. MOST PEOPLE DO NOT LOOK UNDER THEIR CAR ON A MONTHLY OR BI MONTHLY BASIS AND IT'S VERY DANGEROUS. MY HOPE IS THAT IF EVERYONE WHO OWNS THIS VEHICLE FINDS OUT ABOUT THIS THEY WILL TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR PASSENGERS ARE SAFE. AND ALSO SHAME ON NISSAN FOR NOT CARING ENOUGH OF THEIR CUSTOMERS TO NOT WANT TO ADMIT THEIR MISTAKES!! *TR
THE FLOOR STRUCTURE UNDER THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE ARE RUSTED OUT. THIS ISSUE IS WELL KNOWN FOR MODELS 2002 - 2006 ALTIMAS. NISSAN AND DEALERSHIPS REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT. I INITIALLY COMPLAINED WHEN VEHICLE HAD 52,000 MILES ON IT AND THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING THAN NOW AT 120,000 IT TOTALLY RUSTED OUT AND WON'T PASS INSPECTION. PLEASE COMPLAIN. *JS
PURCHASED THIS CAR FROM A DEALER IN 2011. THREE WEEKS AGO WHILE PUTTING NEW BRAKES, RIMS AND TIRES NOTICED THE WHOLE UNDER CARRIAGE ON THE DRIVER SIDE IS RUSTED OUT AND FALLING A PART IN CHUNKS. TOOK IT TO A BODY SHOP TO GET A REPAIR ESTIMATE, IT WILL BE $2,700.00 TO FIX IT. THE DEALER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IS NOT MUCH HELP AND THE NISSAN SEEMS TO BE AWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT NOT WILLING TO HELP OR HAVE A RECALL. I LIVE IN MARYLAND WHERE A STATE MANDATED INSPECTION IS REQUIRED BEFORE I CAN SELL OR TRADE IN THIS CAR. THE CAR WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION WITHOUT THIS ISSUE RESOLVED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING INSPECTED BY THE DEALER, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT FLOOR BOARDS WERE CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 159,000. ...UPDATED 12/03/13 *BF UPDATED 12/05/2013 *JS
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Quick Summary
The 2003 Nissan Altima has 107 Structure complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.