NISSAN: THE SQUEAKS GET LOUDER

摘要

Scott Mount's Nissan Armada gives him a headache―literally. Soon after buying the SUV in December, the Orange County (Calif.) restaurant manager began experiencing skull-jarring vibrations from the roof. What's worse, the brakes squealed, and clicks emanated from the rear. Mount says the dealer replaced the brakes, checked the rear, and tried to quell the roof noise, but he remains unsatisfied. This is Mount's fifth Nissan, and it may be his last. "I won't buy another vehicle from them if they don't do something about this Armada," he swears. Five years after CEO Carlos Ghosn kicked off an astounding comeback that has unleashed a half-dozen hot-selling vehicles on the U.S. Market and generated solid profits after years of losses, Nissan Motor Co. Is having serious growing pains. Quality problems with the Armada, the Quest minivan, and the Titan full-size pickup dragged down Nissan's ranking in J.D. Power & Associates' annual initial quality survey, which reflects flaws found by owners in the first 90 days. In the survey, which was released on Apr. 28, Nissan finished 11th, way down from last year's 6th place. And the 147 problems spotted per 100 vehicles trail the industry average of 119.