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A driver of a Nissan Frontier is expressing concern for fellow owners after discovering that his truck was sold with a faulty frame. Although the vehicle was certified by a dealer, it was later found to have issues that necessitated a replacement from Nissan. The process for compensation has been lengthy and frustrating, leaving the owner feeling abandoned.
Mathew Bossinger shared his story with The Drive, detailing his experience after purchasing a 2023 Frontier 4×4 crew cab from Woodhouse Place in Omaha, Nebraska. He bought the truck as a certified pre-owned model, with only 14,000 miles on it, intending to use it as a retirement gift to himself after 16 years of Army service. To complete the purchase, Bossinger traded in two family vehicles, with the transaction facilitated by his brother-in-law, who works as a salesman at Woodhouse Place Mazda.
The truck was listed under Woodhouse Place Nissan, which meant that Bossinger forfeited his CPO warranty. While this typically wouldn’t be an issue, his purchase soon revealed itself to be anything but standard. Six weeks after the acquisition, Bossinger began noticing strange sounds emanating from underneath the vehicle.
“The first thing I noticed was a squeak or rattle in the right front,” Bossinger recalled. “Initially, I thought it was just a bushing issue, so I didn’t make an appointment right away. About two weeks later, I noticed the steering wheel was making a popping noise. Both sounds worsened, prompting me to schedule an appointment, thinking it was likely a problem with the U-joint connection in the steering column and something minor in the right front.”
His truck was taken to Sid Dillon Nissan, where technicians identified a serious issue that Woodhouse Place Nissan had failed to mention: a defective frame. The truck had left the factory without several critical welds in its ladder chassis, which stressed other parts of the frame. Some sections were bent, while others had developed stress fractures. Unfortunately, the only solution was a complete frame replacement, and securing this fix along with compensation for a defective CPO vehicle has proven to be a significant challenge.
From the outset, Bossinger was promised a new frame but never received a clear timeline, as Nissan corporate provided him a service date that the dealer later claimed was unattainable. Initially, Bossinger wasn’t even given a loaner vehicle and was instead advised to continue driving the noisy truck until the new frame became available.
“It was certified pre-owned, so the dealership must have rushed through the inspection,” Bossinger noted. “This has completely taken away the pleasure of what should have been enjoyable fishing trips with my children in our bass boat that we inherited in January.”
Bossinger faced difficulties in getting responses from Woodhouse Place Nissan, making numerous calls, leaving voicemails, and posting reviews on Facebook and Google. Until recently, he claims the closest he received to an acknowledgment was a generic reply to a Google review, although his brother-in-law insisted that Woodhouse Place was aware of the situation.
“My brother-in-law mentioned sharing the truck’s issues with his coworkers, and everyone thought it was a bizarre situation,” Bossinger explained.
After The Drive contacted Woodhouse Place Nissan for a statement, one of the dealer’s managers suggested in an email exchange that Bossinger’s Google review was their first notification about the truck’s defective frame and expressed regret over “what you think has happened to your vehicle.” The manager claimed to have called Bossinger, but he indicated he never received a call prior to the email.
Meanwhile, Nissan corporate has been more responsive, though still noncommittal. Bossinger requested a replacement truck or an extended warranty, but both requests were denied. He has established contact with the office of a regional Nissan executive, which indicated it would consider reimbursing him for payments while the truck was out of service or offering a service contract once the repairs were made.
“The contact from Nissan was quite noncommittal,” Bossinger said. “It felt more like he was trying to pacify me than genuinely assisting with my requests for a service contract or a replacement vehicle.”
A Nissan spokesperson confirmed to The Drive that the company is aware of the situation and that the replacement frame has been delivered. Their account aligned with Bossinger’s, although Nissan did not clarify whether a manufacturing audit was being conducted.
“Nissan is acknowledging the customer issue and is working alongside the dealership on this repair,” a company spokesperson stated. “The frame has already arrived at the dealership, and the customer is scheduled to bring the vehicle in for repair. We are also discussing potential compensation with him, but I cannot disclose specifics.”
Signs of progress are finally appearing in Bossinger’s case. He managed to get his truck in for the frame replacement and has been provided with a loaner vehicle. Additionally, Woodhouse’s management has resumed contact, offering insights into how the frame damage might have been overlooked during the inspection.
“They explained that the frame damage is likely located under the wheel liner on the right front, which is why it wasn’t detected during the CPO inspection,” Bossinger stated. “Woodhouse Place Nissan assured me that if I bring the truck in, they will offer full value without attributing any frame issues to its value. They claimed that most of the problem lies with Nissan and their defective product, but they’re willing to assist us in this matter.”
However, Bossinger’s concerns extend beyond his personal truck. He has lodged a complaint with the NHTSA, and he has learned it has been escalated to the Office of Defects Investigation. Drawing on his limited background in manufacturing, he suspects he may not be the only Frontier owner affected.
“My childhood best friend, who works with welding robots for various companies, believes it’s impossible for the robot to have missed only my frame,” Bossinger contended. “According to my mother, who retired as a welder at Case-New Holland, the welder removing it from the fixture should have caught it, and quality control should have identified it at the factory before any truck was constructed on that frame.”
Our independent research found no additional complaints about faulty frames related to the current generation of Nissan Frontier or its recently discontinued full-size counterpart, the Titan. Outside of Bossinger’s account, the NHTSA database shows no complaints regarding frame issues, with the few reports on forums being attributed to cracked undercoating or seam sealing. Overall, there seems to be no significant frame issue with the Frontier, but owners should have their trucks checked for any unusual noises, particularly if there are concerns about the frame.
Got a tip or question for the author? You can reach them here: james@thedrive.com
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