Nissan Frontier Warning for Used Truck Shoppers

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Here is what one Nissan Frontier owner discovered when a dealership failed to detect an odd problem no one would expect with his CPO purchase that could become a problem for other used Frontier shoppers.

The importance of a used vehicle prepurchase cannot be overstated.

Not only can a prepurchase inspection save you from potential future headaches and hidden costs, but there is also a safety issue beneath this to ensure that when a used car is sold...it is truly road-worthy.

Aside from safety, a prepurchase inspection will:

  • Uncover hidden problems.
  • Avoid expensive repairs.
  • Verify a vehicle's condition.
  • Check for signs of an accident and for flood damage.
  • Verify ownership and other legal issues.
  • Assess its true value.
  • Protect you from predatory "As-Is" purchase deals.
  • Provide you with some negotiation leverage.

Related article: Used Car Dealer Forced to Buy Back As-Is Car It Sold

Vehicle Prepurchase Inspections Are Not Infallible

However, a prepurchase inspection on a used vehicle is not a 100% guarantee that a used vehicle is roadworthy, safe, and/or a good deal for a used car shopper.

According to a recent Steve Lehto YouTube channel episode, sometimes a used car prepurchase inspection will miss oddities that initially should not have been missed by the manufacturer when a model is coming off the assembly line.

Case in point: A 2023 Nissan Frontier sold as a certified pre-owned unit with just 14,000 miles on it, which a truck shopper eventually discovered a few months later was developing some noise and vibration issues related to missing frame welds found by his mechanic.

The Story Reported

Follow along with Steve as he discusses the reported story published on The Drive website, where you will find some excellent images of where Nissan's automated welding robot systems missed the frame welds on the used Frontier.

The Warning to Shoppers

Which by the way, begs a key question currently lacking a definite answer: Are there other Nissan Frontier trucks out there that are also missing frame welds?

While reports are currently lacking about additional Frontier models having this problem, the owner of the weld-challenged Frontier posits a compelling reason why there must be more Frontiers out there like his as reported by Steve and posted on The Drive website:

"My childhood best friend who sets up welding robots for companies said there is no way the robot only missed my frame," Bossinger said. "The welder that removed it from the fixture should've caught it, according to my mom, who retired as a welder from Case-New Holland. And they should have caught it at QC at the factory before a truck was built on the frame."

That said, here is the video with additional details and a description of how much trouble this caused the truck owner and why you should give any used Frontier for sale a closer look than usual.

Certified Pre-Owned Truck Was Missing Frame Welds From the Factory

 

For additional articles related to used vehicle prepurchase inspections, here are a few useful ones for your consideration:

Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.

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Image source: Deposit Photos