1999 Nissan Pathfinder Steering

I TOOK MY CAR TO THE MANSFIELD OHIO NISSAN MMG DEALERSHIP TO BE INSPECTED FOR A CORROSION RECALL. THE DEALERSHIP PROVIDED ME WITH A LOANER WHILE THE INSPECTIONS WERE CARRIED OUT. NISSAN DECIDED THAT THE CAR WAS NOT REPAIRABLE AND OFFERED TO BUY THE VEHICLE FOR $5,600. I HAD A FEW DAYS TO CONSIDER THE OFFER BUT WAS UNDER IMMENSE PRESSURE AND THREATS THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR STORAGE CHARGES FOR MY CAR ON THEIR LOT AND ALSO THE LOANER CAR IF I DID NOT ACCEPT THEIR OFFER. THE DEALERSHIP EVEN THREATENED RESORTING TO "OTHER MEASURES" WHICH I INTERPRETED AS "CALL THE POLICE" IF I DID NOT EITHER ACCEPT THE OFFER OR RETURN THE LOANER CAR. WE ARE A SINGLE INCOME FAMILY, PARTIALLY DISABLE SPOUSE WHO CAN'T WORK WITH 2 KIDS IN COLLEGE SO I CAN'T AFFORD A CAR PAYMENT OR TO TAKE A LOSS ON THE VEHICLE. I TOLD NISSAN THAT I COULD NOT AFFORD THEIR OFFER BECAUSE I HAD DECIDED ABOUT A YEAR AGO THAT I NEED TO GET ANOTHER 100K MILES OUT OF THIS CAR AND THEN PROCEEDED TO INVEST ABOUT $4,000 INTO MAJOR MAINTENANCE THAT WOULD EXTEND THE LIFE OF THE CAR. I WAS WILLING TO PROVE ALL OF IT WITH RECEIPTS. I WAS TOLD BY NISSANN THAT THEY WOULD NEVER PAY ME FOR THIS MAINTENANCE, NO MATTER WHAT. I ASKED FOR A COPY OF THE INSPECTION REPORT SO I COULD ASSESS THE RISK AND THAT WAS DENIED. I COULD NOT FINANCIALLY AFFORD THE OFFER AND COULD NOT LONGER TOLERATE THE STRESS OF WORRYING ABOUT NOT HAVING A CAR OR THE POLICE AFTER ME SO I RETURNED THE LOANER AND PICKED UP MY CAR AND HAVE PUT IT BACK INTO FULL SERVICE. WHEN LEAVING THE LOT I HEAR A NOISE IN THE FRONT AND FELT SOMETHING IN THE STEERING THAT I HAVE NEVER NOTICED BEFORE. I HAVE SINCE HEARD IT A FEW MORE TIMES. I ASKED NISSAN IF THIS COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE INSPECTION BUT THEY ARE NOT ANSWERING ME. WHY WOULD CORROSION MAKE A NOISE ? I'M SCARED TO DRIVE THE CAR, CAN'T AFFORD THE OFFER, CAN'T HANDLE ANY MORE THREATS. HELP ? *JS

OUR 1999 1/2 NISSAN PATHFINDER'S STEERING COLUMN SEPARATED FROM THE WHEELS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A CURBING. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO OUR MECHANIC AND THEY DID A TEMPORARY FIX BUT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SO RUSTED OUT ON THE DRIVER SIDE THAT IT NEEDED TO BE WELDED BACK TOGETHER WITH A PIECE OF SHEET METAL. WE SPOKE TO THREE DIFFERENT SHEET METAL SHOPS AND ALL SAID THAT THEY WOULD NOT DO IT BECAUSE OF SAFETY CONCERNS. WE BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE STRUT TOWER AND LED TO OUR LOOSING OUR STEERING. THIS OCCURRED IN JULY 2009, AT THAT TIME, WE KNEW NOTHING OF A RECALL INVOLVING THIS PROBLEM, I CALLED NISSAN AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AND THERE WERE NO RECALLS. DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED, WE HAD TO JUNK IT. THE CAR WAS ONLY 10 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME AND ALWAYS MAINTAINED. I FEEL WE SHOULD GET SOME REIMBURSEMENT AS THE CAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN WORTH SOMETHING, HOWEVER, IF THE STEERING COLUMN IS NO LONGER ATTACHED AND CORROSION IS SO BAD, WE COULD NOT SELL THIS VEHICLE TO ANYONE. WE WOULD LIKE SOME TYPE OF REIMBURSEMENT. *TT

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 NISSAN PATHFINDER. A MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE PINION SEAL WAS LEAKING IN THE FRONT GEAR BOX. THE MECHANIC FURTHER EXPLAINED THAT IT MAY POTENTIALLY CAUSE A FIRE OR EXPLOSION. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THAT FAILURE. THE PURCHASE DATE AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS AVAIABLE UPON REQUEST. NLM

CLAIM # 42-1281-769 - WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO EXIT RAMP, HOWEVER VEHICLE'S STEERING BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE, CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE'S STEERING WOULD NOT RESPOND AND BEGAN TO SWIRL LEFT TO THE EDGE OF THE HIGHWAY AND BACK AGAIN, GOING OFF THE BANK RESULTING IN AN OVERTURN, THERE WAS ONE INJURY. *TT

CLAIM NUMBER - 20-5208-313 WHILE DRIVING IN RAINY WEATHER, CONSUMER EXPERIENCED STEERING PROBLEMS, CAUSING VEHICLE TO FLIP OVER, THERE WERE SIX INJURIES. *TT

WHILE TRAVELING AT 40-50 MPH VEHICLE STARTED TO SPIN IN A 180 DEGREE TURN. WHEN THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED GROUND HAS ALWAYS BEEN WET. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THAT VEHICLE WAS IN GOOD CONDITION, EVEN THOUGH PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED THREE TIMES ALREADY. *AK

UN-CONTROLLABLE STEERING WOBBLE AT 70 MPH. HAVE TAKEN IT BACK TO DEALER TWICE, WITH ONLY TIRES REPLACED. FOUND SIMILAR PROBLEMS ON A YAHOO WEBSITE, WITH CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE CONTACTED NISSAN, THAT HAVE RECEIVED NO FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM. I WILL SEND EMAIL TO YOUR WEB ADDRESS WITH COMMENTS FROM YAHOO MESSAGE BOARD.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE DUE TO STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK