Class Action: Nissan Hid Floorboard Rust Problem from Consumers

A putative class action lawsuit has been filed against Nissan North America Inc. alleging the company did not disclose to consumers that certain Altima vehicle models came with a defect where floorboards could “substantially deteriorate.” According to the lawsuit, floorboards in some Altima models had rotted out to the point where drivers could see the roadway underneath their vehicles.

Do you drive a 2002-2006 Nissan Altima with rusting or corroding floorboards? Our attorneys would like to hear from you.

Filed in Illinois federal court, the lawsuit specifically claims certain 2002-2006 model year Nissan Altimas have floorboards that cannot “withstand normal exposure to the elements” and are “prone to rusting and corroding in the course of normal operation” due to their inability to drain properly. Over time, this can cause the floorboards to break down to the point where holes can open up, allowing drivers and passengers to see the ground underneath the vehicle.

To make matters worse, the suit claims, Nissan refuses to cover the cost of repairs, and drivers must replace their own floorboards—a repair that can reportedly cost thousands of dollars—with no guarantee that the replacement floors won’t suffer from the same rust problem.

“Because the replacement of the floorboard can cost several thousand dollars, and because Nissan refuses to recognize the existence of the defect or to cover the full cost of repairs, many owners of class vehicles are not in a position to replace the defective floorboard when they discover the problem,” the complaint said.

Alongside other attorneys from across the country, John Yanchunis of Morgan & Morgan’s Complex Litigation Group is representing the plaintiffs in the suit. According to Yanchunis, in addition to the serious safety risk this defect poses to consumers, the cost of repairing the issue is something for which Nissan must take responsibility.

“The suit seeks the structural repair of the vehicles or the costs incurred by consumers to repair their vehicles,” Yanchunis said. “The condition renders the vehicles unreasonably dangerous.”

The class action against Nissan has grown to the point where it’s gained national attention. In a clip on NBC’s The Today Show{: target="_blank"}, viewers were shown specific examples of consumers frightened to drive their vehicles due to how badly their floorboards had deteriorated.