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Car Forum / Nissan / Nissan Cars / January 2007Nissan Truck Frames Rusting Out -- Common Problem?
I own a '95 Nissan pickup truck that is perfect in ever way -- EXCEPT that the frame has rusted through. In essence, the truck is now trash, despite having a great body, engine, and drivetrain. (Three shops have told me there's no way to weld or drill it -- the frame is crumbling.) Bottom line: The frame isn't supposed to be the *first* thing that goes bad on a truck. Clearly Nissan used some sort of sub-standard metal, or didn't treat it properly. (Two data points: I also own a '95 Toyota pickup, and a '95 Ford van -- with no rust on either frame.) The last shop I spoke with said that he has seen this many times before with Nissan pickup trucks, and that Nissan is aware of the problem and has taken some sort of action to assist owners. Does anyone know if there is any owner assistance available for this? Thanks! -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA '95 Nissan Pickup www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" Unfortunately it's pretty common in rust belt areas. I doubt Nissan is going to do anything about a 12 y/o truck. > I own a '95 Nissan pickup truck that is perfect in ever way -- EXCEPT > that the frame has rusted through. In essence, the truck is now [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > www.AlexisParkInn.com > "Your Aviation Destination" > Unfortunately it's pretty common in rust belt areas. I doubt Nissan is > going to do anything about a 12 y/o truck. Yeah, I doubt it, too. However, if Nissan is aware of this problem, they risk alienating hundreds of thousands of owners (like me) who may yet purchase a dozen or more vehicles in my remaining lifetime. And I can guarantee that there will never be another Nissan in my "fleet" again, after this fiasco. I've never heard ot such crap from an auto/truck maker. That frame should last nigh-on forever, compared to everything else in the truck. In short, Nissan would be money ahead (in the long run) to fix this problem. And the Japanese automakers are usually quite good about seeing the long run, unlike their American counterparts... -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA '95 Nissan Pickup www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" > I own a '95 Nissan pickup truck that is perfect in ever way -- EXCEPT > that the frame has rusted through. In essence, the truck is now [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > www.AlexisParkInn.com > "Your Aviation Destination" It is a common problem. I have a '93 Pathfinder I will have to get rid of for the same reason. It still looks good, runs great, only replaced the original exhaust about 6 months ago - alas, the frame is rotted. Especially around the rear wheel area. Spoke with a body guy; he see's lots of Nissan trucks around those years with the identical problem. Definitely upsetting. I'm sure other manufacturers come with their own set of issues. Between the frame and the manifold studs the truck will have cost me. Unfortunately, the frame isn't something that can be fixed. Other than that the truck has been exceptional. Keith Keith > Spoke with a body guy; he see's lots of Nissan trucks around those > years with the identical problem. Definitely upsetting. I'm sure other > manufacturers come with their own set of issues. Between the frame and > the manifold studs the truck will have cost me. Unfortunately, the > frame isn't something that can be fixed. Other than that the truck has > been exceptional. Agreed. Their trucks are remarkably reliable, run fantastic, handle well -- in short, they built the perfect little pickup truck. Even at 12 years old, it's barely broken in. Unfortunately, they built this fine castle on a foundation of sand. Nissan should be ashamed. For the frame to be the *first* thing to fail is unconscionable. Can anyone say "class action suit"? -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA '95 Nissan Pickup www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" I own a 92 Pathy and I hear and have witnessed similar problems. There is a particular place in the rear frame in the wheel well that collects dirt on the interior of the frame and gets wet and rusts. I am contemplating cleaning these spots out and sealing them up. Any opinions? Sparky > I own a '95 Nissan pickup truck that is perfect in ever way -- EXCEPT > that the frame has rusted through. In essence, the truck is now [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > www.AlexisParkInn.com > "Your Aviation Destination" > I own a 92 Pathy and I hear and have witnessed similar problems. > There is a particular place in the rear frame in the wheel well that > collects dirt on the interior of the frame and gets wet and rusts. > I am contemplating cleaning these spots out and sealing them up. > Any opinions? I'm not sure that will help. Although I didn't know the extent to which the frame was failing, I *was* aware that it was rusting. Thus, I kept the areas I could reach meticulously clean, even spray-painting exposed areas with black rustoleum. Unfortunately, the frame gave way at the point that is immedicately underneath the joint between the bed and the box. It's not broken all the way through, but it's going -- and the welding shops tell me that the rest of the frame has "cancer", too. It's apparently intergranular corrosion, and it starts from INSIDE, as well as outside. Anyone need a really nice engine/drivetrain? -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA '95 Nissan Pickup www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" Bottom line, every vehicle will rust if your driving in an area that uses salt to clear the roads, you must undercoat every year if you want it too last >I own a '95 Nissan pickup truck that is perfect in ever way -- EXCEPT > that the frame has rusted through. In essence, the truck is now [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > www.AlexisParkInn.com > "Your Aviation Destination" > Bottom line, every vehicle will rust if your driving in an area that uses > salt to clear the roads, you must undercoat every year if you want it too > last I take it you work for Nissan? That's the craziest thing I've ever heard. -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" >> Bottom line, every vehicle will rust if your driving in an area that uses >> salt to clear the roads, you must undercoat every year if you want it too [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > That's the craziest thing I've ever heard. If that's the craziest thing you've ever heard, you've never actually listened to what politicians say. ;)  SignatureFidei Coticula Crux > >> Bottom line, every vehicle will rust if your driving in an area that uses > >> salt to clear the roads, you must undercoat every year if you want it too [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > If that's the craziest thing you've ever heard, you've never actually > listened to what politicians say. ;) Good point. I live in an area that has seen "single party rule" since before I was born -- and I'm 48 years old. If you ever want to hear a bunch of hot-air-hooey from ruling-class, gold-plated politicians, come to Iowa City, IA some day... ;-) However, that still pales in comparison to someone who can apologize for an auto maker that builds trucks that dissolve into dust before the engines are worn out. Dammit, the FRAME is not supposed to be the FIRST thing that breaks on a truck! -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA '95 Nissan Pickup www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" >> >> Bottom line, every vehicle will rust if your driving in an area that >> >> uses [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > engines are worn out. Dammit, the FRAME is not supposed to be the > FIRST thing that breaks on a truck! Jay, you'd rather have a Fix Or Repair Daily with lousy pulling power and a crappy engine that lasts forever? ;) I live in Scotland where the roads are icy in winter and cars get rusted out from the salt that has to be put down. My old man had a Nissan that lasted 14 years in those conditions with never a problem whilst people with other makes were crapping out after 8-9 years. I have a 4 year old Nissan now that has been solid and I am looking to keep it until it goes to the breakers yard. Every Summer, I get it up on a ramp and I blast it and if it needs it underseal the areas that need it. That should make it last another 12-15 years. SignatureFidei Coticula Crux On Jan 23, 5:32 pm, "Oso" <osobear(beard)@(moustache)ntlworld.com> wrote: > >> >> Bottom line, every vehicle will rust if your driving in an area that > >> >> uses [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > -- > Fidei Coticula Crux- Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text - The point Jay is making however is that this isn't a normal wear & tear rust type issue. Rather, it is a recognized concern with Nissans which covers several years models. It's as common as the manifold stud bolt issue, which Nissan has recognized and yet done nothing about so far as reimbursing the consumer. Over the years these manifold studs have cost me at least $1,000.00. The frame problem will now cause me to trash an otherwise very roadworthy vehicle. The truck has been exceptional in every other way. But as Jay points out; the frame isn't generally a first concern, whether it's rust proofed or not. For that matter, more often than not, you're better off not adding additional rust coating. Applied improperly it can act as a highway for moisture and create a greater rust concern than if left as is. It is after all, coated at the factory. The sales guys don't tell you that. > Jay, you'd rather have a Fix Or Repair Daily with lousy pulling power and a > crappy engine that lasts forever? ;) I live in Scotland where the roads are > icy in winter and cars get rusted out from the salt that has to be put down. Right. And I've lived in the Upper Midwest of America my whole life. This is where all the natural bodies of water have an ocean-like salt content every spring, thanks to the lunatic politicians insisting on salting EVERYTHING whenever it snows. That said, I've owned many vehicles here over the years. ALL of them suffer from the salt, to some degree -- usually cosmetically. But this is different. Cosmetically, my Nissan is still fine. A bit of surface rust here and there, but for a 12-year old vehicle, it looks great. The frame, however, is toast. And it's criminal. Nissan has lost my entire family as customers, forever. -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA Pathfinder N56993 www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" And you have lost my attention, whiner. The only vehicle I've kept for 12 years was my 240Z, and it sat in the garage the last five. years. >> Jay, you'd rather have a Fix Or Repair Daily with lousy pulling power and a >> crappy engine that lasts forever? ;) I live in Scotland where the roads are [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > www.AlexisParkInn.com > "Your Aviation Destination" > And you have lost my attention, whiner. The only vehicle I've kept for 12 years > was my 240Z, and it sat in the garage the last five. years. And this is significant....why? -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA '95 Nissan Pickup www.AlexisParkinn.com "Your Aviation Destination" "And you have lost my attention, whiner. The only vehicle I've kept for 12 years was my 240Z, and it sat in the garage the last five. years." Well, I guess old Chuck sure told him. Brother, Gimme a break. The guy has a valid complaint. You don't pay over 20K for something and expect that it should last maybe 10 or 12 years. That';s stupid. SignatureR. J. Talley Teacher/James Madison Fellow NAR #69594 NRA #133073736 Reece, Maybe you're right. A truck frame should last more than 12 years. About three years ago I sold my 1990 F-250 and the frame was essentially rust free. But, the truck had never visited the rust belt where salting roads is commonplace. Vehicles used in areas where salting is commonplace require extra attention to last longer. Owners manuals and common sense tell you to rinse the undercarraige/frame after driving over salted roads. If a guy had a brain and desired to maximize the life of a truck he/she would inspect and deal with anything resembling rust each Spring. Amazing what a little sanding/wire brushing followed by paint will do to prevent rust. Sort of like a person who never changes the engine oil and after a couple of hundred thousand miles whines that these dang Nissan engines ain't no good. Mine give out at only 200K and I topped her up once't a month regardless. Maintenance guys, maintenace!! Butch > "And you have lost my attention, whiner. The only vehicle I've kept for > 12 years [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > a valid complaint. You don't pay over 20K for something and expect that it > should last maybe 10 or 12 years. That';s stupid. Here's my perspective from living in the snow and salt belt. I've owned many vehicles over the years, with varying rust infestations. True that keeping the vehicle clean will help to prevent most of the rust - this is about all that can be done. But try washing your vehicle when it's -40°C. It is unrealistic to rinse down your vehicle after every drive. At best, it gets done 2-3 times per month in the winter. Some people get away without washing their vehicle at all in the winter. Despite having salt sit on the vehicle for prolonged lengths of time, I have yet to have frames rot out. I haven't even had bodies rust out. Every vehicle seems to have differing susceptibility to rust. Some seem to be nearly immune to it, others rust at the first sign of salt. But my 95 Pathfinder has been the absolute worst. I treat it no differently than all the other vehicles I've owned. No undercoating, frequent washes, rust brushing and re-painting. My other vehicles looked fine - no noticeable rust. My PF - rust everywhere. The sheetmetal is rusting, the frame is rusting, all fasteners, the bumpers, even the window frames. The vehicle looks worse than anything I've ever owned. But what surprises me is that you can find two identical vehicles - one pristine and the other rusted beyond recognition. And speaking to the owners - they have both cared for their car in the same way. How is this possible? A friend paid through the nose to have his car "Diamond Kote" protected against rust. The result: a car that was unroadworthy in just 8 years. His neighbour had the exact same car, not protected, that looks brand new. Explain that. So my 95 PF will be sold soon if it can even be safetied due to the rust. Will I buy another Nissan? Probably. I've seen rust on almost all makes of cars. It doesn't seem to be a manufacturer problem necessarily. At least not in my opinion. DS > Reece, > [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] >> has a valid complaint. You don't pay over 20K for something and expect >> that it should last maybe 10 or 12 years. That';s stupid. Study after study and most recently, one performed by Consumer Reports say that dealer applied undercoating does nothing to halt rust and may in fact, hasten it in many case do to the methods by which it is applied. That being said, frames should not rust out before fenders or other body parts and most certainly shouldn't be rusting out in ten years. That's pretty damn crappy. SignatureR. J. Talley Teacher/James Madison Fellow NAR #69594 NRA #133073736 This is the bottom line here boys and girls, NO MATTER WHAT YOU OWN, IF YOU LIVE IN A SALT STATE IT'S GOING TO RUST, TWICE AS FAST AS A NO SALT STATE VEHICLE. I have a buddy that has a 1992 Pathpuppie that has been in Florida all its life... Not a speck of rust ! Know why ??? It don't snow here ! n > I own a '95 Nissan pickup truck that is perfect in ever way -- EXCEPT > that the frame has rusted through. In essence, the truck is now [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > www.AlexisParkInn.com > "Your Aviation Destination" > NO MATTER WHAT YOU OWN, IF YOU LIVE IN A SALT STATE IT'S GOING TO RUST, > TWICE AS FAST AS A NO SALT STATE VEHICLE. No kidding. But that's beside the point. Strangely enough, I currently own three 1995 vehicles -- a Toyota T100 pickup, a Ford Econoline Van, and the Nissan pickup truck. ALL have been in salt country their whole "lives". All have been treated the same, with excellent maintenance and regular washings. All are cosmetically and mechanically perfect. Guess which one is the ONLY one not road-worthy? Nissan HAS to know this is happening. I've heard from waaaay too many people just from this group to believe otherwise. -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA '95 Nissan Pickup www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" You know, it just isn't reasonable that the frame would rust out that fast. Something is not right. Even in salt country, a truck frame should be lasting longer, way too many do. Somewhere, Nissan has dropped the ball. I've spent a good part of my life in salt states and I've seen more than a few trucks used at the beach to drive the dunes and run through the surf. In no case have I ever seen a truck FRAME rust out. Panels, fender wells, fenders, doors by the buttload but never frames. I suppose it can and does happen but it just seems too short a time period for a modern truck to decompose. SignatureR. J. Talley Teacher/James Madison Fellow NAR #69594 NRA #133073736 > You know, it just isn't reasonable that the frame would rust out that fast. > Something is not right. Even in salt country, a truck frame should be [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > happen but it just seems too short a time period for a modern truck to > decompose. Agree 100%. The only thing I've ever seen quite like this was when my '95 Ford van started leaking oil last summer. The mechanic told me that the oil pan had RUSTED THROUGH from the outside in! Apparently Ford used some substandard metals in the oil pan that rusted easily, after being chipped by the inevitable stones that hit the bottom of the vehicle. So, even though the oil pan is in a constant oil bath -- from the inside -- it still rusted through, and had to be replaced. The frame, however, is still as strong as a bridge. Of course, you can replace an oil pan. There's not much can be done with a rotted frame. -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA '95 Nissan Pickup www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" Reece, We know you've heard of complete and utter neglect, right. Butch > You know, it just isn't reasonable that the frame would rust out that > fast. Something is not right. Even in salt country, a truck frame should [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > and does happen but it just seems too short a time period for a modern > truck to decompose. |
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