Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WHEELS | ||||||
| EA07005 | NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. | 04/03/2007 | 08/04/2008 | WHEEL SEPARATION DUE TO SPOKE FRACTURE | ||
| All of the wheel separation incidents identified in ea07-005 have involved wheels subjected to aftermarket chroming in california.metallurgical analysis of aftermarket chromed wheels obtained from incident vehicles showed significant changes in material properties that can increase the chance of structural failure.nissan has issued several communications to dealers, both before and after odi's investigation began with pe06-050, warning against the practice of chroming wheels.nissan has advised odi that it will be sending another communication this year that repeats the warnings against aftermarket chroming. no defect has been identified in the original equipment nissan wheels.there have been no wheel separation incidents involving those wheels and they passed the sae radial fatigue, cornering and side impact tests conducted by vrtc.while there have been a few complaints, warranty claims and survey responses indicating cracks in original equipment wheels, they are few in number, often exhibit evidence of impact damage and may sometimes involve cracks in different locations of the wheel.at this time, in view of the limited incidence of the cracks and the fact that the cracks do not appear to have progressed, further use of agency resources on this investigation does not appear to be warranted.the agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information pertaining to the wheels on the subject vehicles and will take further action if warranted.see document file for more information about this closing resume. | ||||||
| WHEELS - RIM | ||||||
| EA07005 | NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. | 04/03/2007 | 08/04/2008 | WHEEL SEPARATION DUE TO SPOKE FRACTURE | ||
| All of the wheel separation incidents identified in ea07-005 have involved wheels subjected to aftermarket chroming in california.metallurgical analysis of aftermarket chromed wheels obtained from incident vehicles showed significant changes in material properties that can increase the chance of structural failure.nissan has issued several communications to dealers, both before and after odi's investigation began with pe06-050, warning against the practice of chroming wheels.nissan has advised odi that it will be sending another communication this year that repeats the warnings against aftermarket chroming. no defect has been identified in the original equipment nissan wheels.there have been no wheel separation incidents involving those wheels and they passed the sae radial fatigue, cornering and side impact tests conducted by vrtc.while there have been a few complaints, warranty claims and survey responses indicating cracks in original equipment wheels, they are few in number, often exhibit evidence of impact damage and may sometimes involve cracks in different locations of the wheel.at this time, in view of the limited incidence of the cracks and the fact that the cracks do not appear to have progressed, further use of agency resources on this investigation does not appear to be warranted.the agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information pertaining to the wheels on the subject vehicles and will take further action if warranted.see document file for more information about this closing resume. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| WHEELS | |||
| 03/18/2011 | 79120 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2005 nissan 350z. the contact stated that the front and rear passenger side wheels were cracked. the manufacturer was contacted and advised that the vehicle was out of warranty and referred the contact to the dealer. the dealer was contacted and advised that the vehicle should be brought in for repairs. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 79,120. | |||
| 03/18/2011 | 79120 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2005 nissan 350z. while parked the contact noticed the front and rear passenger side wheels were cracked. the manufacturer was contacted and stated the vehicle was out of warranty and referred the contact to the dealer. the dealer was contacted and stated the vehicle should be taken to the dealer for repair. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 79,120. ds | |||
| 09/20/2010 | 48300 | ||
| 2005 nissan 350z right rear wheel has a crack in one of the spokes which i noticed on september 19 2010. consulted miller nissan in van nuys california on september 20 2010. service advisor claimed its normal wear and tear and warranty does not cover a replacement. i explained how it is a safety issue and a wheel should not crack with only 48,000 miles on the vehicle. i have owned 8 cars and have never had any safety issues such as this. he simply walked away and did not consult me as to the safety of driving the vehicle off the lot. i also contacted nissan north america and i am waiting for a callback from one of their representatives. | |||
| 06/04/2010 | 32458 | ||
| 1. clicking noise heard from the drivers front wheel of car when braking two days prior to incident 2. the driver's side front outer portion of the wheel broke off, leaving the center portion of the wheel attached where the lug nuts attach the wheel to the car. all the spokes of the wheel broke apart. the outer portion of the wheel with the tire attached went bouncing across the road to oncoming traffic. the car came to a stop sliding on the ground leaving substantial body damage to the vehicle. this is a stock nissan wheel that came with the car. this occurred after making a right hand turn coming off a freeway off ramp. 3. towed the car to nissan dealership. dealership said the wheels are only warranted 3 years after the car was manufactured. the extended warranty does not cover the wheels. nissan refused to perform any repairs on the vehicle. | |||
| WHEELS - RIM | |||
| 05/01/2007 | 18829 | ||
| Wheel spoke fracture on 2 of 7 spokes of right front wheel. dealer classified as damage not covered by warranty but no impact, accident, or tire damage ever noted or observed. questioned if this was related to nhtsa action number peo6050 engineering analysis ea07-005 but dealer had no knowledge. wheel replaced at owner expense. nissan requested to respond about safety of these wheels, still waiting on response. | |||