8.4

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$670
Average Mileage:
116,400 miles
Total Complaints:
64 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (22 reports)
  2. cut out the rusted metal, replace and paint (17 reports)
  3. needs to repair (9 reports)
  4. repair floor pan (9 reports)
  5. replace the floor pans totally (7 reports)
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problem #64

Jul 072016

Altima SL 2.50

  • Automatic transmission
  • 54,000 miles

Floor board repaired in 2016 about 54000 miles. Cost was about $400. Had about 97000 miles and replaced vehicle frame cost was $800. Love my vehicle as it will run forever. So I had to repair.

- Desi S., Chicago, IL, US

problem #63

May 042018

Altima 2.5L 2.5L V4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 88,688 miles

Our 2005 Nissan Altima has been a reliable vehicle and well maintained. It is almost always garaged and is the garage in winter months when we are in Florida. Last week it appeared that something was about the fall out of the underbody on the front driver's side. It has mileage of only 88k. We took it to a garage that showed us that it was nearly rusted through on the floorboard. We took the car to three body shops that refused to touch it to repair.

Reviewed this site and other sources on our internet search learning of the floorboard concave "design flaw", class action suits, and Nissan's position as not to address or repair this design flaw.

Today we took it in to the dealer which estimated that it would cost over $1100 to repair of which about $150 was to purchase the repair "kit.". I mentioned my knowledge of the problem so their response relative to not being able to help us out with this repair did not surprise me. They suggested I call Nissan Corporate.

Called Nissan Corporate and they were unwilling/unable to help. They did document my complaint. They mentioned an extended warranty but after a few minutes on hold said that it had expired. They also stated that their complaint process had changed and that I would be unable to escalate this further.

The fact that Nissan is not making good on repairing this obvious design flaw is quite disheartening. This is not consistent with my prior knowledge of Nissan. This is the second Nissan we have owned and we will not be buying another! We will be sharing our experience with neighbors and friends. We will also be joining any class action suits that arise.

- Sue H., Fishers, US

problem #62

Feb 012018

Altima 3.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 118,540 miles

This is the same problem thousands of Nissan Atlima owners are having. Floor boards on both sides rusting through...Nissan tries to say this is natural and "not a safety issue" Really?? The safety issue is so ridiculous its not even worth talking about because its so obvious. But I want to talk about this being "normal"for older cars..Our other car is a 2003 and has 25k more miles and no sign of rust on the floor boards. The two cars we had before both had over 200k miles, floorboards were fine when we traded them in (both 15+yrs old).My father has a 2001 Cadillac with 180k miles he was told he has a tiny amount of rust on the floorboards nothing even remotely close to being rusted all the way through.

Just for fun I asked the guy at Firestone where we get our car repaired how often they see floorboards rusted all they way through. I will paraphrase he said its not unusually to see a little rust on cars 15+ years but rarely rusted all the way through. He said he has seen it on very old cars 25+ years and on Nissan Altimas and another model of another brand (sorry I forget the brand and I don't want to guess).

So Nissan is just lying through their teeth when they say "this is just the normal wear and tear on a car" NO its normal on a car with faulty design with inferior products....I opened a case with Nissan and was told they could not help me...So I am going heavy on social media to anywhere I can tell my story and how Nissan does not give rats ass about its customers.......Paul S

- Paul M., Columbus, OH, US

problem #61

Jun 012011

Altima EX 3.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 90,000 miles

click to see larger images

floor pan rusted through

First found out about this when I stepped into the car and noticed the floor gave. Looked underneath and saw the floorboard was rusted through. Was able to pull big chunks of rusted metal off. The only thing keeping my feet from the road is the carpet. Rusted through on driver's side and passenger side. I looked this up online and realized this was a widespread problem for this year and model. I am shocked that Nissan still refuses to issue a recall on this. Getting this properly fixed costs more than the car is worth. Other than this MAJOR DESIGN FLAW, the car is still in good working condition. It has 160,000 miles on it and I'd like to continue driving it as long as possible. However, I am fearful that one day my foot will go through the floorboard while I'm driving down the highway. Perhaps that's what it will take for Nissan to issue a recall on this.

- Jason L., Wichita, KS, US

problem #60

Aug 012016

Altima

  • Automatic transmission
  • 105,000 miles

click to see larger images

floor pan rusted through floor pan rusted through

The floor board rusting through on a 11-year old car with just over 100k miles is not acceptable as Nissan says. This is a safety issue and is obviously happening on nearly all Altima's in the low to upper 2000's. My daughter drives this car and has friends along many times. You can smell exhaust leaks so it's not only a safety issue with protecting the driver it is a health issue. I've asked two friends who work on cars to give me a quote to fix and it is way too expensive. Nissan needs to stand behind this and issue a recall very soon. I want to be part of any class-action lawsuits on this common issue.

- hilmee, De Forest, US

problem #59

Apr 202017

Altima 2.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 146,000 miles

I just started performing my own car Maintenance teaching myself how to fix cars. While working underneath my vehicle I noticed a hole in the driver floorboard, I thought it was caused by a car jack being placed in the wrong position when jacking up the car. From my research I discovered this is a known issue with Nissan Altima's. I can't believe Nissan hasn't stepped up to the plate to resolve this issue. I had the damage assessed and was roughly quoted $650.00 dollars. Ridiculous seeing how the car is only worth $4,000, any DIY fixes out there that doesn't involve welding?

- Quintin H., San Diego, CA, US

problem #58

Apr 042017

Altima S 2.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 130,000 miles

The floor board on the passenger side has a whole rusted through that is about 1 foot by 18 inches. This is a safety issue and I have never seen a 12 year old vehicle have a floor board rust all the way through.

- Dave C., La Vista, NE, US

problem #57

Feb 012017

Altima S 2.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 120,000 miles

Car engine has been fine with regular maintenance, but have had many issues with the car body. First the floor under driver side is totally rusted thru with a large hole. Second the paint on hood and roof has totally come off. Car is black but now has large white portions on hood and roof and appears that maybe it is because of windshield wiper fluid?? Lastly the door handle on driver side broke off completely when I tried to open door over the winter? Car body is falling apart which is a shame as the engine is fine.

- Mike P., Verona, NJ, US

problem #56

Feb 052017

Altima S 2.5L 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 137,000 miles

While under the vehicle attempting to purge air from the cooling system, I noticed both sides floor pans rusted through completely. This is allowing air to enter the vehicle at highway speeds. After researching, I have found that this is very common among Nissans during this era. I planned on passing this down to my kids who will start driving in less than a year, or reselling, but I dont feel safe having them or anyone else drive it. My "dependable brand foreign vehicle" has pretty much been a pain in the butt, mostly due to "engineering" design flaws.

- Ray W., Gaithersburg, MD, US

problem #55

Jul 072013

Altima S 2.5

  • Manual transmission
  • 120,000 miles

click to see larger images

floor pan rusted through floor pan rusted through

Absolutely ridiculous how rusted this was. It surprised me when I saw it and who knows how many years it has been there. I bought the car used in 2013 and I probably could have gotten the car for much cheaper had I noticed. I got quotes from a small weld shop for fixing it and they quoted me about 500$ as a minimum cost but it could go up. I opted to fix it myself with rivets saving a few hundred dollars. But that doesn't recoup the lost value of the car due to this being a wide spread issue. The car is barely worth a $1,000 despite being kept in great shape. I hope Nissan fired the engineers that were responsible for this blunder they call a car. It was a total pain in the ass to fix. I have only fixed the driver side, next summer I will fix the passenger side.

- Josh C., Lehi, UT, US

problem #54

Oct 082015

Altima S 2.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 163,000 miles

I understand that this is a fairly common issue on this model, but it seems pretty unreasonable that this happened. I removed the carpet and trim from inside the car, removed the rusted metal, and shaped a new piece from heavy-gauge steel. I rust-proofed that on both sides, then applied undercoating on the exterior. The repair seems solid, and it feels really good to know that I'm not driving around with a big hole on the passenger side floor!

- Chris B., Columbus, OH, US

problem #53

Sep 272016

Altima S 2.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 122,500 miles

Floor rusted through on drivers side under the floor mat.

- Kenneth T., Toms River, NJ, US

problem #52

Jul 202016

Altima 2.5S 2.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 113,000 miles

click to see larger images

floor pan rusted through floor pan rusted through

Bought a used 2005 Altima 2.5S with 76K miles on it, from a local Nissan dealer in Dec 2012. During service visit to my mechanic in Jul 2016, he noticed the rotted out floor boards, approx 6" to 8" wide x ~18" long, on both sides. Online research into this issue and the myriad complaints about it led me here. My 21 year old daughter drives this car, and because of this issue, she's now only driving it locally to work,train station, friend's houses, etc, never more than 10 miles at a time. I'm starting to wonder if the dealer knew about this at the time I bought it, as I've seen reports that Nissan was first alerted about it in 2008, when the first cars to get this problem were ~6 years old. I'm debating getting it fixed or just selling it for junk at this point. It's only got ~113K miles on it now, so I'm hesitant to give up totally just yet, as long as the fix isn't too much $$$. If I decide to junk it, my daughter will get my 2012 Altima, and I'll look for a Honda or Toyota. I'm done with Nissan!

- Jim G., Methuen, MA, US

problem #51

Sep 122016

Altima SE 2.5L L4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 89,000 miles

I can't believe a car maker like Nissan would take a "I don't really care" attitude about the rusting floor board problem of the older models. Hopefully they will fix the problem with their newer models, but I probably will not buy another Nissan again.

- Daniel S., Hanover, PA, US

problem #50

Aug 272016

Altima SL 3.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 66,200 miles

I have had my Altima for 11 years and have taken excellent care of it. I made sure it had regular maintenance and even had special protective coating put on it every year. The paint on my car is very good. I took it to the nearby dealer ship and even the mechanic that looked at it stated he has never seen a car from 2005 have its paint look as good as mine. The issue is the floor board on the passenger side is rusted. In October of 2007 I had an issue were the water drainage hose came loose and leaked onto the passenger floorboard. The dealership repaired this and replaced the carpeting. I requested the padding be replaced as well, but I cannot guarantee this happened. Recently I had new brake pads put on and it was noticed that the passenger floor board has a rust hole. I am EXTREMELY upset by this. This car was my "Brad." I have had 6 jobs and a boyfriend/husband with this car. I am sickened that I will have to soon part with it in order to get any value out of it. I have ranted and raved for years about how Nissan has taken care of my car and how well it has held up. My car only has 66,000 miles on it and I could have driven it for another 66,000 but now I am contemplating getting a new one. I want Nissan to admit that there was a defect in the drainage hose and rectify the situation. This is a serious safety issue. I read there has already been an injury related to this. What's it going to take? 1 death? 5? or more? Is there a limit to someone's quality of life through injury or death before this is addressed? Consumers should be compensated for this injustice by having this repaired for free or giving them cash value back for having this hardship put upon them. Shame on you Nissan! Stand up and MAKE THIS RIGHT! Heartbroken in Ohio

- Julie F., Mogadore, OH, US

problem #49

Jul 202016

Altima SE 3.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 131,000 miles

Saw a piece hanging down from underneath the drivers side front floor board. Took it in for oil change and was told both front floor pans are rusted out. Was told by mechanic he thought they had recall on them. Contacted dealership and was told no such recall. Nothing they will do.

- gkbath, Lebanon, IL, US

problem #48

Jul 152016

Altima S 2.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 129,800 miles

rust out floorboards on both the driver and passenger side. Is this car still safe to drive?

- rave40, Newtown Square, US

problem #47

Dec 012013

Altima 2.5 S 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 70,000 miles

I talk to people who had cars for years and different makes and models they never seen anything like this on such a young car. They told me this problems happen to cars built 1980 and under. Why did I have to buy this nissan so many problems seen I got the car.

- hustleman92, New York, NY, US

problem #46

Jun 142016

Altima

  • Automatic transmission
  • 93,200 miles

found out I had rusted through floor panels on both my passenger and driver side of my 2005 Nissan Altima. I have only 93,200 miles on my care, it's in good shape other than the Flintstone floors. Called and spoke to Customer Representative from Nissan, Brought vehicle to Nissan dealership as directed, They got a quote for repairs, they spoke to the corporate office who said THEY would be calling me back next day. Got a call from corporate today who informed me that the 3YEAR warranty was up so they would not pay for the repairs.. SO.. I purchase a Nissan - pay $15,500 for it, take care of it but tough when the floors rot out. I cannot sell my vehicle nor can I trade it in because of this even though the Better Business Bureau is looking into / taking complaints on models from years 2002-2006 for this specific problem. This is exactly what I said to Justin from corporate = 1. buy vehicle - pay $15,500 2. Maintain upkeep 3. have ONLY 93,200 miles on it. 4. Find out I have rust hole both driver side floor panel and passenger side floor panel. 5. told too bad, no warranty, we won't pay. (in other words, 3 years after you have purchased car, when the floors rust out do the Flintstone shuffle, wait till your butt is dragging asphalt or pay ANOTHER $1000 to get new floor boards to replace the Defective Ones that NISSAN PUT IN!!) 6. Do not try to sell the car ,do not try to trade car in because that's a huge no-no and I, ME could get in trouble for not divulging to an unsuspecting customer this DANGER or I will get zilch trying to trade it in. Of course Nissan wants their customers to return to buy more vehicles from them. Bring family, friends and relatives so they can get screwed over too. Don't forget our trip is on you............we look forward to your money and your lack of brains.

- Kathryn P., Marlborough, NH, US

problem #45

May 152016

Altima SL 3.5L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 186,000 miles

Just noticed the problem because I saw a chunk of the floor dangling below the car. I'm sure the hole has been there much longer but because of the inside carpet, it went unnoticed. Given this is a known problem with hundreds of these cars and potentially dangerous, Nissan should absolutely be re-calling and repairing effected vehicles!!! Until they stand up and back their product, not only will I not purchase another Nissan, but I will do everything in my power to makes sure everyone I know is aware of this situation and Nissan's lack of action to correct it.

- Tony A., Oregon, WI, US

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