2005 Nissan Altima Tires & Wheels Problems

I WAS DRIVING AND MY CAR WENT THROUGH A PUDDLE WHICH CAUSED MY DRIVER'S SIDE LEFT WHEEL TIRE AND WHEEL COVER TO BREAK COMPLETELY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA WITH FUZION HRI TIRES, SIZE: 225/60R16. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE TRACTION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE AND TIRES WAS 50,000. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA, EQUIPPED WITH VREDESTEIN TIRES (N/A), LINE ULTRAK TECNARA (N/A), SIZE: 225/45/18. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE SIDEWALL ON THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE BECAME SEPARATED. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DRY AND THE WEATHER WAS EXTREMELY HOT. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE FAILED TIRE WITH THE SPARE HOWEVER, THE SIDEWALL ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE ALSO BECAME SEPARATED. THE RETAILER WHERE THE TIRES WERE PURCHASED WAS CONTACTED AND THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A RESPONSE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE DUE TO AN EXPIRED WARRANTY. THE APPROXIMATE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,100. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 91,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

I BOUGHT A CAR, SOLD "AS IS", BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP ADVERTISED THE CAR SAYING "EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD IS IN PERFECT WORKING CONDITION." THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME BUYING A CAR AND THEY TOOK ADVANTAGE OF IT. THE CAR IS MISSING 2 LUG NUTS ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE, AND BACK PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL(I DON'T KNOW HOW THE CAR PASSED INSPECTION) IT WAS SOLD TO ME WITH NO TRANSMISSION FLUID, WHEN I PUT SOME IN IT BEGAN TO LEAK BADLY(I HAVE PICTURES) THE VERY NEXT DAY AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR I NOTICED A KNOCKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE AND EVERYTIME I STARTED THE CAR IT BEGAN TO SHAKE FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS. EVERYDAY THE CARS ENGINE WOULD MAKE NEW NOISES, BY DAY FOUR THE CAR WOULDN'T START. DAY FIVE IT STARTED UP BUT IT WAS OVERHEATING WITHIN 5 MINUTES OF BEING ON(I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO READ THE HOT/COLD GAUGE YET BEING THAT THIS WAS MY FIRST CAR) I TRIED TAKING IT BACK BUT THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT TAKE IT BACK. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC, THEY SAID THE TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING SEVERLY, THE HEAD GASKET IS OVERHEATING AND ITS WARPED 4.0.. ITS MISSING LUG NUTS, THE BRAKES ARE BAD, AND HAS MOISTURE IN THE OIL. I STOPPED DRIVING THE CAR UNLESS IT WAS A EMERGENCY AND WHILE I WAS ON THE FREEWAY ONEDAY, THE CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND STARTED TO JUMP BACK N FORTH AND I COULDN'T PRESS THE GAS BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT GO. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED ON THE FREEWAY. I JUST RECENTLY TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC SHOP CALLED ARROW'S TRANSMISSION. THEY DECLARED THE ENTIRE ENGINE A TOTAL FAIL AND UNSAFE. *TR

ON INSTALLATION I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED SHIMMING, SHAKING AND INTENSE VIBRATIONS ON MY VEHICLE. I ASSUMED IT WAS THE CONDITIONS OF THE HIGHWAY, HOWEVER, THE FOLLOWING DAY DRIVING ON A DIFFERENT HIGHWAY THE SHIMMING, SHAKING AND INTENSE VIBRATIONS CONTINUED AND EVEN INTENSIFIED. I CALLED THE RETAILER, AND EXPLAINED THE EXPERIENCE AND THEY SUGGESTED HAVING THE TIRES REBALANCED, I DID AND THE BEHAVIOR CONTINUED. I THEN TOOK MY CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND HAD MY FRONT END ALIGNED AND THE DROVE THE CAR AROUND, AND THE SAME RESULTS CONTINUED. I SET MY CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 69 MPH AND THE CAR LITERALLY "DANCED" ACROSS THE HIGHWAY AND I MOMENTARILY LOST CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE. IT ALSO BEGAN RAINING AND THE TRACTION OF THE TIRES WAS NON-EXISTENT. THESE TIRES STEER ON THEIR ON AND PULL VERY HARD TO THE RIGHT. *TR

I WAS DRIVING NORTH ON THE MUSKOGEE TURN PIKE AROUND MILE MARKER 9 WHEN I HEARD A NOISE. I FELT SHUTTERING AND LOOKED IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR AND SAW A LARGE PIECE OF TIRE FLYING THROUGH THE AIR. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND CHANGED THE TIRE. ALL OF THE TREAD WAS MISSING AND THE TIRE WAS STILL INFLATED. THIS CAUSED OVER $1,800 IN DAMAGE TO MY CAR AND CAUSE ME TO HAVE TO BUY A NEW SET OF TIRES. *TR

I CHECKED MY TIRES AND FOUND THAT 2 OF THEM THAT I PURCHASED AT BJ'S WHOLESALE CLUB. THE DOT NUMBER WAS MISSING THE MONTH OF MANUFACTURE. THEY HAD THE FIRST 8 CHARACTERS BUT THE DATE WAS MISSING. I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN REMOVED. IT'S PROBABLY BEEN A YEAR SINCE I BOUGHT THEM. *TR

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR FRONT END ALIGNMENT. IT WA MAKING A FUNNY WHIRRING NOISE. MECHANIC ROTATED AND BALANCED TIRES. FOUND CUPPING TIRES. VEHICLE WAS STILL MAKING NOISE. HAD TWO NEW TIRES PUT ON FRONT. VEHICLE STILL MAKES NOISE. CONTINENTAL TIRES TOURING CONTACT AS P215 160R16 94T. *TR

I REPLACED THE TIRES ON MY 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA WITH A NEW SET OF BRIDGESTONE TURANZA EL-42 TIRES IN JULY OF 2007. WITHIN 3 MONTHS THE VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS SO BAD THE TIRES HAD TO BE ROTATED AND BALANCED EVERY 45-50 DAYS. I GOT THE RUN AROUND FROM THE DEALER IE: EXCUSES AS TO WHY I HAD TO ROTATE SO OFTEN WHICH NONE APPLIED TO MY DRIVING SITUATIONS AND THE CAR WAS NOT OUT OF ALIGNMENT AT ALL. FINALLY TOOK A CREDIT FROM DEALER AND REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES WITH NEW MICHELIN ENERGY SERIES IN MAY 2008 CAR DRIVES JUST LIKE IT DID OFF THE SHOW ROOM FLOOR!!!!! FIRESTONE NEEDS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES WITH THESE TIRES. THEY HAVE FLAT SPOTS, CUPPING PROBLEMS THEY ARE OUT OF ROUND. I FINALLY TOOK IT TO ANOTHER DEALER(NOT FIRESTONE)WHO CONFIRMED THAT THEY COULD NOT GET THEM TO BALANCE OUT PROPERLY BECAUSE OF ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH THE TIRES AND THE VIBRATION WAS STILL THERE. *TR

ALL OF MY THE RIMS OF MY VEHICLE HAVE RUSTED. NORMALLY THIS HAPPENS, I WAS TOLD FROM ACCUMULATION OF SALT DO TO SNOW STORMS. WE HAVE NOT HAD THAT MANY SNOW STORM FOR THIS CONDITION. CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN. *TR

THE TIRES THAT CAME WITH MY 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH BARELY 26,000 MILES ON THEM IN ONLY 2 YEARS! THE TIRES THAT CAME WITH THE CAR WERE CONTINENTAL TOURING TIRES THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO LAST "TIL 88,000 MILES. PIECES OF TREAD PITTED OFF THE TIRES, ALL FOUR! THE COMPANY CLAIMED IT WAS JUST ROAD HAZARD! WE'VE NEVER HAD TIRES ON 40 CARS WE'VE OWNED DO THIS! IT MADE MY RIDE VERY LOUD AND FELT ROUGH WHEN DRIVING. THE CAR WAS DIFFICULT TO HANDLE AT SPEEDS 55+! CONTINENTAL WOULD ONLY TALK TO US AFTER WE COMPLAINED TO NISSAN, BUT THEIR OFFER WASN'T ACCEPTIBLE. THEY SAID WE WOULD GET A DISCOUNT OF 30 DOLLARS/TIRE AND WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE REST, ABOUT $350 DOLLARS. THE CLENCHER WAS THAT I HAD TO BUY CONTINENTAL! WHO WANTS TO PUT DEFECTIVE TIRES BACK ON THEIR CAR? NOT ME! I GOT A DEAL, ELSE WHERE FOR BETTER TIRES. COMPANIES SHOULD TREAT CUSTOMERS BETTER, TO KEEP CUSTOMERS. I WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER NISSAN, OR OTHER VEHICLE AGAIN IF THEY HAVE THE SAME TIRES! A PERSON SHOULD NOT HAVE TO HAVE A SEVERE ACCIDENT, OR DIE TO GET A COMPANY TO ADMIT THEIR PRODUCT IS DEFECTIVE.

WHILE IN PARK, CAR ROLLED OFF JACK ONTO EVEN SURFACE PAVEMENT DURING TIRE CHANGE. AUTOMOBILE IS 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA AND NISSAN HAS BEEN INFORMED. OWNERS MANUAL RECOMMENDATIONS WERE FOLLOWED. HAD THE TIRE NOT BEEN LEFT ON THE VEHICLE, OR HAD LEGS OR ARMS BEEN UNDER CHASSIS, INJURY MAY HAVE OCCURRED. *JB

DEALER ROTATED TIRES FOR NORMAL MAINTENANCE. RETURNED HOME WITH THE CAR AND THE NEXT DAY NOTICED A VIBRATION. ASSUMED DEALER DID NOT BALANCE, SO CALLED AND MADE APPOINTMENT TO RETURN CAR. DEALER CHECKED CAR AND FOUND THE TIRES TO BE "FEATHERING". WAS NOT TOLD THIS WHEN TIRES WERE ROTATED. DEALER FOUND MAINTENANCE BULLETIN ON THE SAME CONTINENTAL 16 IN TIRES ON 2005 ALTIMA'S, BUT THE VIN NUMBER OF MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE BULLETIN. DEALER TOLD ME THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE TIRES TO GO TO A TIRE DEALER AND THE COMPANY WOULD PRO-RATE NEW TIRES. THE TIRE DEALER SAID THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE CAR, NOT THE TIRES AND REFUSED TO TAKE ANY ACTION. NISSAN DEALER THEN REFERRED ME TO THE NISSAN CO. TALKED TO NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIR'S, THEY ALSO REFUSED TO TAKE ANY ACTION, STATING AGAIN THAT IT WAS A TIRE PROBLEM, NOT A CAR PROBLEM. THEN CALLED CONTINENTAL TIRE CO AND THEY REFUSE TO TAKE ANY ACTION, SATING AGAIN, IT WAS A MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH THE CAR...AS EVIDENCED BY THE MAINTENANCE NOTIFICATION PUBLISHED BY NISSAN. BASED ON THE FACT THAT NISSAN HAS DOCUMENTED THE SAME PROBLEM EXISTS WITH 2005 ALTIMA'S REGARDING FEATHERING OF TIRES, I FEEL THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING THESE TIRES. BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE IF IT IS A TIRE PROBLEM OR A MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH THE CAR, I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE THAT IF I BUY NEW TIRES FOR THE CAR THAT I WON'T HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH TIRE FEATHERING IN THE NEAR FUTURE. WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS?. *JB

AT 8,000 MILE MARK TREAD IS COMPLETELY WORN ON BOTH FRONT TIRES OF 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA. CAR WAS PURCHASED JUST 9 MONTHS AGO AND ALL REQUIRED MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN KEPT UP TO DATE. TIRES HAVE NO DOT NUMBER ON THEM, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO IDENTIFY IF THE PRODUCT HAS BEEN RECALLED OR NOT. CLAIM FILED WITH MANUFACTURER, INSPECTION CARRIED OUT BY TIRE RETAILER CONFIRMED UNUSAL LACK OF TREAD DEPTH. RETAILER ALSO CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS EXTREMEMLY UNUSUAL FOR ANY TIRE TO SHOW THAT MUCH WEAR WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE, REGARDLESS OF PREVENTETIVE MAINTENANCE.

TRAVELING ON 95 NORTH FROM VA TO MD IN 2005 NISSIAN ALTIMA THAT WAS PURCHASED 06/06/05 REAR PASSENGER TIRE COMPLETELY SHREDED AFTER GAINING CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND PULLING CAR OVER, ONLY SIDEWALLS OF TIRE REMAINED. WE CHANGED THE TIRE TO THE DONUT THAT WAS PROVIDED WITH THE VEHICLE AND DROVE TO THE NEXT EXIT IN SEARCH FOR A PLACE TO REPLACE A TIRE ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON. I HAVE CONTACTED NISSIAN ALONG WITH CONTINENTAL TIRES IN REFERENCE TO DEFECT HAVE ADVISED THAT I AM CONCERNED AND NO LONGER FEEL SAFE WITH THESE TIRES AND REQUESTED THEY ALL BE REPLACED FOR THE SAFETY OF MYSELF AND FAMILY. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS 1385 MILES. AT THE TIME OF THE TIRE FAILURE THERE WERE 1268 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THE TIRE WAS INSPECTED BY A AUTHORIZED CONTINENTIAL DEALER IN GLEN BURNINE MARYLAND STATED THAT THE BELTS HAD SEPERATED CAUSING ONLY THE SIDEWALLS TO BE LEFT. ALTHOUGH NO ONE IN MY FAMILY HAS BEEN PHYISCALLY HURT, THIS WAS A VERY EMOTIONALL INCIDENT. THIS COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY BEEN ALOT WORSE AND NOT ONLY CAUSED INJURY TO US BUT OTHER TRAVELERS AS WELL. I FEEL THAT CONTINENTAL SHOULD BE HELD TO BACKING THERE PRODUCTS AND PROVIDING CUSTOMERS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF ITS CONSUMERS

PLEASE SEE THE FOLLOWING EXCERPT FROM A LETTER ADDRESSED TO NISSAN USA CONCERNING THE GENERAL TIRES ON MY 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S. NISSAN USA IS UNRESPONSIVE. I ASKED THE SERVICE ADVISOR WHAT THE FAILURE WAS REGARDING THE WHEEL BEARING BUT, HE DID NOT PRODUCE THE PART. NISSAN USA REFERENCE # 4966952, GENERAL TIRE FILE # [XXX], 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S, VIN # [XXX], NISSAN MEMBER # [XXX], CONTINENTAL [XXX] 94T TOURING CONTACT AS [XXX], [XXX], [XXX], [XXX] MY INITIAL TRIP TO THORNHILL NISSAN (FORT WORTH) ON JUNE 09, 2005, WAS FOR A VIBRATION IN THE STEERING AND A GRINDING / HUMMING NOISE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION. AS A TRANSMISSION REPAIR HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN DONE BY NISSAN, I WAS NOT SURE IF THESE TWO EVENTS WERE RELATED OR NOT. I TOLD THE SERVICE ADVISOR, RON ABRAHMSON (3193) THAT IT SOUNDED LIKE A DRIVER'S SIDE BEARING TO ME. INDEED, THAT WAS WHAT WAS FOUND TO BE THE PROBLEM AND IT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY REPAIRED. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN, WHO DID THE REPAIR, NOTED THAT MY ALTIMA SHOULD HAVE AN ALIGNMENT DONE. RON CALLED ME AND I TOLD HIM TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE IT DONE WHILE IT WAS THERE. WHEN I WENT IN TO PICK UP THE CAR, I WAS TOLD THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL BEARING HAUPON HEADING OUT FOR HOME, I NOTICED THE GRINDING NOISE AND VIBRATION WERE IMMEDIATELY GONE BUT, THERE WAS STILL A VERY NOTICEABLE HUM OR DRONE WHILE DRIVING. I TURNED AROUND AND WENT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. I SPOKE WITH RON, TOLD HIM OF MY CONCERNS AND ASKED HIM TO TAKE A RIDE WITH ME. WE DROVE SEVERAL MILES AND AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. HIS CONCLUSION, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TIRES. HE SAID THIS HAS BEEN A COMMON ISSUE/COMPLAINT FROM OTHER ALTIMA OWNERS WITH THIS BRAND OF TIRE AND SUGGESTED THAT MAYBE ROTATING THEM WOULD HELP. I TOLD RON THAT I WOULD ROTATE THE TIRES AND SEE IF IT HELPED. ON, SATURDAY, JUNE 11TH, I DID JUST THAT. DRIVING THE CAR OVER THE WEEKEND SHOWED NO IMPROVEMENT. *NM UPDATED 07/19/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I HAVE A 2005 ALTIMA 3.5 SL. I STARTED NOTICING PROBLEMS WITH THE TIRES WITHIN THE FIRST 6 MONTHS. I HAD THE CAR ALIGNED AND THE TIRES ROTATED AROUND 9,000 MILES. THIS DID NOT FIXED THE VIBRATION ISSUE. THE CAR FEELS LIKE I'M DRIVING ON MARBLES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND THE RIGHT FRONT FENDER IS RATTLING. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY LOOKED AT THE CAR. THEY DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE TIRES. I TOOK IT TO A TIRE DEALER, ONE BY ONE HAD EACH OF THE 4 TIRES REPLACED. I AM STILL HAVING ISSUES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS-CAR STILL FEELS LIKE RIDING ON MARBLES. I AM CONTACTING THE SERVICE DIRECTOR AT THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN ON THIS PROBLEM NOT SURE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS-I SUSPECT IS IT SOMETHING MECHANICAL.

AT 100 MILES A BRAND NEW NISSAN ALTIMA WITH CONTINENTAL TOURING M&S, CONTACT AS TIRES. P215/60R16 THE SIDEWALL BLEW OUT AT 10 MILES MPH. I AM DEALING WITH NISSAN TO GET THEM TO REPLACE ALL OF THE TIRES ON THE CAR. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE WITH THESE TIRES.*AK

TIRE BLISTER ISSUE(TURANZA EL 42 P215/55R17 93H M+S)--- I NOTICED A TIRE BLISTER ON MY FRONT PASSENGER TIRE. I VISITED MY DEALER FOR ASSISTANCE BUT WAS ONLY REDIRECTED TO BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE. HOWEVER, BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE DID NOT ADDRESS THE MATTER AND SIMPLY IGNORED THE FAILURE OF THE TIRE INTEGRITY. I AM WORRIED AS BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE HAS A HISTOY OF IGNORING PROBLEMS WITH ITS PRODUCTS AND HAS SACRIFICED THE SAFETY OF THE CONSUMER IN ORDER TO GAIN A PROFIT. NO ONE ANSWERED THE PHONE WHEN I CONTACTED THE BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE WARRANTY NUMBER (800-847-3272). I EVENTUALLY LOCATED ANOTHER NUMBER VIA DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE (800-582-0962). HOWEVER THE SOLE TECH SUPPORT REPRESENTATIVE SIMPLY DISMISSED THE MATTER. THE REPRESENTATIVE DID NOT COMPLETE A CLAIM FORM OR PROVIDE A CLAIM NUMBER. HE DIRECTED ME TO SEEK THE ADVICE OF A BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE RETAILER. HOWEVER, THE RETAILER COULD NOT PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITHOUT A CLAIM NUMBER, WHICH THE MANUFACTURER TECH REPRESENTATIVE SHOULD HAVE PROVIDED TO ME. I AM VERY CONCERNED WITH THE WAY BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE HANDLED THIS MATTER GIVEN ITS PREVIOUS HISTORY. I WISHED THAT NISSAN NEVER PLACED THIS BRAND OF TIRES ON ITS NEW VEHICLES, ESPECIALLY IF NISSAN DOES NOT PLAN TO PROTECT ITS CONSUMERS FROM BAD MANUFACTURERS. ***PLEASE NOTE THAT YOUR SYSTEM WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO INSERT THE CORRECT TIRE SIZE. MY TIRE SIZE IS P215/55R17 93H M. *AK

CONTACT STATED: ON 2/4/05, DEALER LOWERED THE TIRE PRESSURE FROM 41 PSI TO 34 PSI AND THE CAR STILL RAN VERY ROUGH. TOOK BACK TO DEALER ON 3/4/05 FOR A TEST DRIVE, BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM, SO HE LOWERED PSI TO 27. IT FELT LIKE THE TIRES WERE ROLLING OVER MARBLES, VERY ROUGH AND UNSAFE.*AK