2000 alloy wheel recall

I did a few searches and did not see any posts about this so here is the info. Sorry for the captital text but that is they way they entered the report.

NHTSA recall search page.

Make / Models : Model/Build Years:
NISSAN / XTERRA 2000

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number : 03V307000
Recall Date : AUG 15, 2003
Component: WHEELS
Potential Number Of Units Affected : 31700

Summary:
2000 NISSAN XTERRA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN OCTOBER 15, 1999, AND FEBRUARY 29, 2000. THE ALLOY WHEELS USED ON THESE VEHICLES MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY MANUFACTURED AND COULD DEVELOP CRACKS IN THE WHEEL SPOKES.

Consequence:
IF A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF SPOKE CRACKS DEVELOP, THE WHEEL COULD FAIL AND SEPARATE FROM THE MOUNTING HUB, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy:
NISSAN WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND REPLACE THE FOUR ALLOY WHEELS WITH XTERRA SE MODEL BRIGHT ALLOY WHEELS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SPARE TIRE STEEL WHEEL IS NOT AFFECTED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

Notes:
ALSO, CUSTOMERS CAN CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION’S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Glad they finally recalled the wheels. My truck was built a month too early so I guess I can't get my beaten to death SE wheels replaced (none of my originals have cracks). I do have one cracked one though, but it's not off my truck and it's the XE (non machined) version. I still may try and get it replaced, but I don't want it replaced with the machined wheel.

Yeah, baby!

Four new wheels for my four year old truck. I guess the dealer's comment about "nobody at Nissan has heard of this happening" was BS?

wow that's awesome.. so.. do they look the same? can someone post a pic of the SE model bright alloys?

thanx!

Thanks for posting this topic. I never would have known about it otherwise. Good work!

Agreed on that! Time to switch out my wheels so I have a brand new set...

Very cool, mine are all scratched and gouged, I could use a new set

What about all those people with cracked XE wheels ?
I've seen more pictures of those here than anything else.

xorand, thats exactly how i feel about them. maybe we can pay the difference to get the charcoal ones or something?

Correct me if I'm wrong but as I read it, this recall applies to all Xterras (XE or SE) made within those build dates, all of which came with the 15" non-cross-type wheels. The SE wheels look just like the XEs but were more polished. As I read it, everyone affected will get the SE polished wheels as replacements.

My build date was 3/00 (got to check again).

If I'm understanding it correctly they are only saying that the replacement wheels are the SE styled ones. Could it be that the XE version is no longer available so everyone gets the machined ones instead regardless of which they had to begin with? I'm guessing that's the case since Nissan started only offering the machined wheel after 2000. Even if that's the case though it's unfortunate...the XE version is 10X better looking than the machined wheel.

Oh yeah, the one of mine that is cracked is the XE style, but I bought those wheels from someone else so I don't know if they'll replace them anyway and the last thing I want are more of the machined wheels.

In an effort to clear up some confusion for some folks, these are the style wheels being recalled. The first picture is the non machined XE version and the second picture is the machined version with the dark inserts. The second machined type is the replacement regardless of which you currently have if I'm understanding this correctly.





Sorry; I'm at work and those are the best I can find right now.

I agree, maybe we can haggle for some Frontier rims...

I here ya there...the 4 spoke wheels are fugly for sure. Good news is you don't have to worry about that because those are also 16" wheels and I think we can rest assured that Nissan isn't buying new tires for everyone too.

Of course let's not forget that this is why Nissan is recalling these wheels:

The over view of the crack.


and...upclose (sorry it's a little blurry).


Oh, and I find it interesting that the notification of owners began Sept. 15th, 2003. That's still a week away.

I like the new supercharged wheels with the little rivets myself

got mine today. so exactly what wheel are we getting? is it the 4 spoke? and what if i need to buy one more for the spare. I do a 5 tire rotation.

I had mine done a few weeks ago and the new wheels look just like the old ones (except new of course).

The recall does not apply to the spare since the spare wheel is steel. If your spare is alloy and made in the time frame in question you'll need to discuss that with your dealer I guess. There is a provision in the recall that allows for one to be reimbursed if they had already purchased new wheels to fix the cracking problems.

Benny, did you receive notification first or did you just go to the dealership and talk to them about it?

I called Nissan and they told me that my X was made on March 2, 2000, which is only 2 days past the recall. They told me I didn't have to have them replaced but I'm kinda worried about it since it was only 2 days. What if it was made in February then just sat there for a few days before being completed?

WHat if you own the wheels but don't own the 2000 SE?

Can you post a pic? And does anyone know if you can pay xtra or difference for any other type of wheel that fits or nissan offers like the supercharger rims???

I'm in the same boat. And the guy I bought them off of doesnt even own his X anymore. The dealer said that there wasn't much they could do since the wheels aren't original equipment on my X.

Haven't tried contacting Nissan yet

Ok cool well if you find anything out please let me know!!!

Yeah, I bought a second set of XE alloys off ebay during the winter of '00/'01 and have no idea if they fall within the recall period. I guess I'll just have to keep a very close eye on them.

I have yet to recieve a notification. I called the dealership when I first heard about this and they didn't know anything. I waited a week and checked back. By then they had the recall in their database. If you provide them your VIN over the phone they can tell you if you're affected. If so, they should set up an appointment for when you can come in. It took about an hour and half to change out all four wheels for me.

Much appreciated, Benny. I may as well take care of it now since I have spare time on my hands.

Figures this would come after I replaced my cracked one and am now sitting in Iraq. Oh well, Nissan has been pretty helpful and understanding regarding my other military related troubles. Maybe I can have my cracked one put on my spare and then get them to change all 5.

I called the dealer and they had to make a few calls but said OK to all 5 wheels.

My Xterra was manufactured in June of 1999, earlier than the recall date.

3 out of 4 of my wheels show cracks. Nissan needs to investigate this further.

That worries me - I bought mine in August 1999.

Just got mine replaced yesterday. hehe nice and shiny I like them much better than the regular alloys..

I got a hassle from the local dealership, but got taken care of immediately at another one a few miles further. More on that in the "Dealerships" section.

Hey Guys and Gals...I've been lurking around here for a couple years, but thought that I would add some possibly helpful to those of us that had cracked wheels. I don't think that it is a problem just with the 2000 X's because mine is an '01 that had the same problem.(06/01 manufacture date) I took it into the dealership(Coggin-Jacksonville, FL) for the free vehicle inspection during Oct. and showed the asst. service manager the cracked wheel. He informed me that they had a recall on the '00 but would look into the '01 as well. Shows up that there is no "bulletin" out for the '01 XE wheels, but he contacted the claims department and was told that he could cover the 1 rim that was cracked under the "Goodwill" program. He took pics of the rim and sent it to corporate and would have them look more into the problem. So my suggestion to all of us that have cracked rims is to take it into the dealership and have them send pics to the corporate office. Even if they are unwilling to replace the wheel at that time corporate might offer a more comprehensive recall down the line for more years after enough of us "inform" them of the problem.

BTW...this was the second time that I went into the dealership and showed them the crack...both times were after the 3yr/36,000 warranty expired. The first time they didn't want to cover the wheel because I had passed the "bumper-to-bumper warranty". So, I didn't want to fork over the cash, cause I felt that there was a problem with them. Since then, they recalled the '00 wheels now they need to extend it to all XE wheels.

Glad that Nissan offers free vehicle inspections and that I waited and checked again. Unfortunately, they wouldn't cover the leaking foglamps...but I want to upgrade them anyway...any suggestions?

So.... I'm still not clear on whether I'm getting a new STLYE of wheel, or if they will look like my originals, just new. I have the standard 2000 4WD "bright" (not shiny) alloy wheel. Can anyone VERIFY that they got 2000 wheels, or newer-than-2000 model wheels?????

IF your vehicle is included in the Recall you will be getting the exact style wheel you currently have since you have an SE. Only the XE owners will be getting a slightly different wheel (same style, just polished aluminum vs. dull aluminum looking).

If it wasn't for the forum, I would of never known of the recall because I didn't get a notice from Nissan. I called a Nissan dealer, and my X is part of the recall. Thanks. Anyone know where to look to see what mailing address they have for us? Also, anyone know if the center cap is the same for the 2000 XE and SE wheel?

Yes, same cap.
I would call 1-800-NISSAN-1 to verify the address on file that is associated with your VIN.

Brent

This will get interesting.

I called George Harte Nissan in CT to verify my appointment for the wheel replacement. There's no record of me having one (?), so I make a new one. I ask if the wheels are ordered, and I get "We need to inspect each wheel to see if it's cracked. We only replace the cracked ones".

WTF? That's not the way the recall is worded.

OK, you dumb ass at George Harte Nissan, read this:

THE WHOLE POINT IS TO REPLACE THE WHEELS BEFORE THEY CRACK AND KILL PEOPLE.

I may end up in jail after this experience.

Ken, what happened? Did they replace all the wheels?

Others, has anyone been able to keep one as a spare.

Got a call yesterday from my local nissan dealer about the recall. Shot mine over there straight away, gonna wonder over there later and see what the situation is. My tracking needed done so once I get it back I'll see if I can have them do the tracking FOC too! lol. Dealer thought my 60k mile 2000 looked like it only had 20k miles, thank you Mer Car polish for that one. Shame I can't find the stuff in US stores and have to get my English friends to ship the stuff over to me. Anyway - I'll post a pic of the replacements, kinda hoping they are the same as I thought the original wheels looked bad ass, seems to be alot of conflicting 'Yes they are the same' and 'No they are different' kinda stuff going on in here. If they aren't the same then Brown & Brown Nissan in Mesa, AZ are gonna have 1 unhappy customer - unless of course I like the new ones better! lol. This dealership btw. has been awesome so far.

I was at the dealer this morning for an oil change, tire rotation and exhaust manifold check (I think its cracked).

I just happened to be chatting with the service rep and I mentioned the Rim Recall. He looked it up, and a the system flagged my VIN as a possible check. They will look into it and call me back.

So I get to work, and check this thread and low and behold.... My truck has a build date of Dec/2000. Smack in the middle of th recall period. So I guess I am getting new rims . That's great, considering is scratched this set at my last off-roading trip.

I wonder if they will hand out new centercaps too? I am missing one of those.

My first call to the dealer went the same.
But they ordered the 4 rims just in case.
I looked over the recall (campain as they call it) and the wording is not "inspect" but replace. So I printed everything off that I could find. I also showed them my Nissan offical notice and very quickly they changed their mine. I also referred to the firestone recall and not all the replaced tires where damaged.

But they would not, could not give me the old rims. They even said that nissan is spending a rep around to look at them. They do get a big V cut into them. It can't hurt to ask.

also what if you have an XE... i know I'd be pissed to have 3 SE wheels and one XE if in fact they only replace the cracked ones.

Got mine back from the dealer, same wheels just maybe slightly darker, I had to wipe them as I thought there was brake dust on them as they looked a deeper grey than the old ones. Same style - perfect! Kudos to Brown & Brown my local dealer who called me - not me calling them and bugging them about the recall.

New Wheels pics:
http://www.rinky.us/xterra1.jpg
http://www.rinky.us/xterra2.jpg

The campaign is to REPLACE ALL 4 WHEELS, not inspect, polish turn over or whatever some B.S. that a dealer may be giving you.

The replacement rims are all the same, ie. polished SE style. If you got a XE then you get 4 polished SE style rims.

The dealer is supposed to damage the rim to the point of not ever being able to use it again, ie. you don't get the old ones back for any reason. A very high liability factor.

As far as second hand rims, there is a production date on the inside of the rim to indicate when THEY were made. Would require dismounting the tire from the rim to see the date. If Nissan could tell you if the rims are part of the campaign or not is a crap shoot without the original VIN of the vehicle they were on.

Stopped buy my local Nissan dealership w/ my handy recall notice that I recieved last week and set up an appointment. Just so happens I purchased tires Friday. They're going to mount my new tires on my new rims for no charge. Perfect timing. :p

I still haven't gotten a notice. I was at the dealer yesterday, and asked if it mattered if they were on the truck or not - it doesn't (at least to this dealer). So bonus for me! I don't have to remount them before I get them replaced. (Easier for them, too.)

I hate the entire car dealership experience. I hated it from the inside and it's even worse from the outside. The motorcycle dealership I worked at was somehow different. The employees actually gave a shit.

Tomorrow I go back to the Nissan shop and I'm supposed to get my new wheels (finally). One of two things will be true tomorrow night:

a) I'll have 4 new wheels.

b) You'll see me on the evening news.

11/26, THE FINAL CHAPTER

When I got to the dealership this morning they discovered that one of the four wheels in stock was damaged. I could feel that "postal" feeling coming on. It was the parts manager who stepped up to the plate and pulled the situation back from the edge. He sent someone to another dealer and bought one of their wheels. I now have 4 new wheels with new 31" Revos on them.

Thanks to Jeff for proving to me that only some of the people at George Harte Nissan suck.

As I type this, my truck is at the dealership having the wheels replaced. I guess I got abit lucky as I just happened to be driving by yesterday and stopped in to ask if they had a waiting list for the recall. Turned out they had one extra set, so I set up the appointment for today.

I sure do wish I had spare money sitting around because they had a LeMans Sunset 350Z Roadster 6-sp on the lot. They even had a black Roadster 6-sp there, which was surprising because every other Roadster AND Coupe I've seen there over the last few months (probably 15 total) were autos.

I know I'm going to get flamed for this, but I'm a newbie. I just purchased my 2000 X used, how would I be able to tell if I had the alloy or steel wheels? Do they look different?

Easiest way is that the alloys have 4 spokes, steel have 6 spokes.

Thanks for clearing that up for me. I just ran the VIN # and it looks like I'm in line for 4 new wheels and an automatic shift cable. I'm going to make the appointment tomorrow. Thanks for all the help! Where would I be without this site....

I was looking at my rim, since it was off because of a flat. The only information that made any sense was "Made in Hungary". How can I interpret all of the numbers? I realize my rims were probably made post recall, but I have a crack in one. Which I need to talk to the dealer about.