To All Rogue Owners:

Many members have reported heavy scratching of the paint on the lower doorsills. We believe that the scratching is caused by dirt being trapped between the weatherstripping and the doorsill. Some have reported scratches to the point of showing primer and possibly rust.

Here is a photo of the affected area:Image courtesy member Ryepow

Close-up:Image courtesy member SquiggyFreud

If you have the aforementioned issue of scratching on the inside doorsill, I recommend you report it immediately. Numbers count here. If Nissan starts getting wide spread complaints, they will (hopefully) listen and deal with the issue.

1) Insist on speaking to the Service Manager at the dealership and show them the scratches on your vehicle's doorsills.

2) Make sure the dealer has documented the issue with photos. Take additional photos yourself and keep them on file.

3) Ask the Service Manager to bring the issue to Nissan's attention.

4) Tell the Service Manager to provide updates on what is being done. Better yet, tell him/her you will be calling back within a week for an update.

Try to be diplomatic about the process. If you are not getting any results, contact the dealership manager/owner. If you still don't feel the issue is being addressed, contact Nissan directly:

Nissan Consumer Affairs (USA) P.O. Box 685003 Franklin TN 37068-5003 (800) NISSAN-1 (or 800-647-7261) 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Eastern / Central Time / Pacific Time Monday through Friday

Nissan Canada Inc. (Canada) 5290 Orbitor Drive Mississauga, Ontario L4W 4Z5 1-800-387-0122Customer Satisfaction 1-800-268-0764 (Western Canada) 1-800-268-6499 (Eastern Canada)

I will keep this thread open so members can post updates. Off topic posts will be moved to a new thread to avoid clutter.

I had been talking about this for quite a while. My SM, one that I have known and dealt with since 1990, is bringing it to the Factory Reps attention today, 4-23. I brought it to his attention several weeks ago, but it takes awhile for rounds to be made.

He insists that they in all probability Nissan is in the process of constructing a SB that addresses the issue. Spoke to him yesterday and he said he has been looking for one. So at this time they have my pics, and complaint. The ball is in their side of the court for return.

IMO, it may be that they will be fixing paint and removing that foam. But to do that will probably effect the tight sill that it constructing. So, maybe they will be replacing the strips completely with .......

He called back today and said the report is filed with the Factory Rep, but that individual is saying that this has not been observed anywhere else previously.

My SM told him to hit the web, "read them and weep."

Modified by phantom of the opera at 4:41 PM 4/23/2008

Modified by phantom of the opera at 4:42 PM 4/23/2008

I know the topic has been discussed for awhile. I was sitting on the fence about this issue with my Rogue, and finally took some action with dealer. The Service Mgr was supposed to have a meeting with Nissan yesterday. I should have an update soon.

Here is a direct link to the other thread on this issue:

zerothread/325190

Update:

Fortunately my Service Manager has been great to deal with. I spoke in length with him today after the Regional Service Rep meeting he attended. Here is what I know:

1. Nissan is aware of the problem and reports are starting to come in now that the snow has gone and owners are washing thier vehicles only to discover the problem.

2. The complaints have been coming mainly from dark colored vehicles as it's more noticeable.

3. Nissan is working on a solution to the problem. Possibly a redesigned weatherstripping made from softer material that seals better. He said not to expect anything quickly. It may be several months before a fix is available.

4. He offered to re-paint the affected area. The option was mine, but he recommended to wait and see what Nissan comes up with first. I have opted to wait and see.

5. They readjusted the front door latches and hinges (under warranty) as it appears the door is dropping slightly when opened. This may be contributing to the issue as the door is moving up/down when opened or closed.

I said I would contact him in a few weeks to see if any progress has been made.

Once again, I must stress that complaints are slowly coming in. It's important for everyone to bring this issue to the dealer's attention so Nissan realizes it's a widespread issue! Then hopefully we can get some action quickly.

Hi

My Rogue is showing this paint wear as well, not quite as pronounced as the pictures here, but definitely there, I had temporarily covered the area with semi-clear duct tape, until Nissan comes forward with a fix.

This past Friday I was at the dealership and mentioned it to the sales rep. who sold me the car, who called the dealership maintenance/warranty manager who wanted to see it. He in turn sent me over to his body shop manager, who after looking at the damage (I pulled the tape back so he could see it) agreed that it is an issue and set up an appointment on the 12th to repair the paint and apply a layer of "stone guard" (like on the lower edges of the rear doors) to the affected area, which would give it one more thing to get through before it's bare metal and rusting.

On a similar note, the body shop manager told me that he feels the front mud flaps are too short, he'd seen a number of Rogues where the road grit off the tires flew up below the flaps and sandblasted the under side of the rocker panels, and suggested buying some longer after market flaps.

I picked up a pair of cheap ($8) flat mud flaps, mounted them in front of the stock flaps, using the same mounting screws, they hang down 2-3 inches lower, we'll see if they help at all. If not, they are simple to remove as well.

Pictures (not the best quality, sorry) are available at:

http://mainiac.googlepages.com/roguepictures

I just mentioned it to my salesman when he made his follow-up call to me, and he was very unconcerned and brushed it off. The problem is that my car is only 10 days old and only has minor scratches so far (which is pretty bad considering I've only had it 10 days!!), so there isn't much to show the dealership. Hoever I don't want to wait until it's rusted out to prove to them that it's a real problem. Anyway, I'll have to talk to the service manager as you've all suggested, and hopefully he'll be more concerned and helpful.

So, any news? Also, do we have a definitive solution to preventing further damage? I.E. Could tightening the hinges and using longer mud flaps up front prevent the scenario altogether? I don't want to just tape something on there, I'd like to do something (or make the dealer do something) that skirts around the problem. Thanks.

I think larger mud flaps would help, but it won't solve the problem.

The problem is a design flaw with the structure of the door sills - there is a lack of sill or lip at the bottom which every other vehicle has to prevent dirt and water from splashing into the door gap. The Rogue just has the door opening perpendicular to the road with no lip to prevent this, so as you drive dirt and water splash up and forces its way in between the weather stripping and the door.

Since Nissan can't re-engineer a door sill, a heavy duty weather stipping may solve the problem, as the existing weather stripping is very flimsy and cheap. I think the 3M paint film is a good idea too, it doesn't prevent dirt from entering the area but will protect the paint from scartching and rust.

My problem is that it appears to be a design limitation and there aren't many options for dealing with it that I can think of, but I'm not a Nissan engineer, maybe they'll come through for us.

I will contact my Service Manager for an update next week. I honestly don't expect a fast response on this matter... and my dealer indicated the same. Like I said above, make the dealer aware of the issue. The more owners make Nissan aware of the problem the better.

In the interim, paint protection film like I mentioned above OR a strip of weatherstripping as mentioned by another owner would provide a sacrificial layer. It's alot better (and cheaper) than getting door sills repainted.

I still can't find the 3M tape anywhere in town - I guess I'll have to go to a detailing shop.

I just found this site with all kinds of clear tape protection. http://www.invisiblemask.com/site.html

Randy

philipa_240sx wrote:To All Rogue Owners:

Many members have reported heavy scratching of the paint on the lower doorsills. We believe that the scratching is caused by dirt being trapped between the weatherstripping and the doorsill. Some have reported scratches to the point of showing primer and possibly rust.

Here is a photo of the affected area:Image courtesy member Ryepow

Close-up:Image courtesy member SquiggyFreud

If you have the aforementioned issue of scratching on the inside doorsill, I recommend you report it immediately. Numbers count here. If Nissan starts getting wide spread complaints, they will (hopefully) listen and deal with the issue.

1) Insist on speaking to the Service Manager at the dealership and show them the scratches on your vehicle's doorsills.

2) Make sure the dealer has documented the issue with photos. Take additional photos yourself and keep them on file.

3) Ask the Service Manager to bring the issue to Nissan's attention.

4) Tell the Service Manager to provide updates on what is being done. Better yet, tell him/her you will be calling back within a week for an update.

Try to be diplomatic about the process. If you are not getting any results, contact the dealership manager/owner. If you still don't feel the issue is being addressed, contact Nissan directly:

Nissan Consumer Affairs (USA) P.O. Box 685003 Franklin TN 37068-5003 (800) NISSAN-1 (or 800-647-7261) 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Eastern / Central Time / Pacific Time Monday through Friday

Nissan Canada Inc. (Canada) 5290 Orbitor Drive Mississauga, Ontario L4W 4Z5 1-800-387-0122Customer Satisfaction 1-800-268-0764 (Western Canada) 1-800-268-6499 (Eastern Canada)

I will keep this thread open so members can post updates. Off topic posts will be moved to a new thread to avoid clutter.

Nowhere in this thread do I see a picture. Eventhough it looked like you've posted it with the image scripts. Something wrong with my browser? Or does anyone else have the same issues?

God Danm it! After all these weeks of dry talk, still no f-ing pictures. Pretty pizzed off right now about it. WHAT SCRATCHES?

-Peter-

Cool it dude:

I emailed you copies of the photos THAT ONLY YOU can't seem to see - you must have a browser setting that is preventing you from seeing them.

Anyway, we've got lots of pics here and lots of detailed descriptions of the problem area, so if you can't understand what we're talking about don't vent on us - I don't think the description could be any clearer. Anyway, check your email, the photos are there for you to locate the problem so you check it out on your vehicle, and maybe take some preventative action with clear paint coating or added weather stripping.

...relax guy, don't get mad at us...pictures of this problem have been outhere for a long time, so, it must be your browser settings...sorry you arehaving the view problems....

Just wanted to ensure that everybody read this latest post from another member in a different thread with the same topic:

He posted the following:

"Since Rogue has a twin brother in Europe, I 've decided to check Qashqai (spelling?) forums there as well.Qasqhai has a slighly different body design with wide plastic side moldings but the doors still extended all the way down. Guess what?! A lot of people complain about dirt packing under the doors!! Sad news is that there is still no fix from Nissan and the car has been in Europe for at least year longer..."

Thanks, Kerr,

I got the pics in the email. I'll check it up on my Rogue tonight.

Sorry for the angered typo's. I just didn't know what the dealio was.

-Peter-

kerrton wrote:Cool it dude:

I emailed you copies of the photos THAT ONLY YOU can't seem to see - you must have a browser setting that is preventing you from seeing them.

Anyway, we've got lots of pics here and lots of detailed descriptions of the problem area, so if you can't understand what we're talking about don't vent on us - I don't think the description could be any clearer. Anyway, check your email, the photos are there for you to locate the problem so you check it out on your vehicle, and maybe take some preventative action with clear paint coating or added weather stripping.

Today I spoke again with the Service Manager at the local dealer. He has been very co-operative and is genuinely interested in seeing a fix for the problem.

Unfortunately there has been no update since I last spoke to him. He spoke to Nissan's engineers/reps at a meeting on April 24th and showed photos of the scratches on my car. He was told Nissan was working on a revised weatherstripping system. If and when any new information becomes available, he will contact me.

Here's what I just did. I took some rubber foam weatherseal I bought at Lowes. The size is 3/4" wide and 5/16" thick in a 10 ft roll but you'll need more for all four doors. However, what I did with this is put it between or should I say inside the already DOOR weather strip. This therefore pushes out the original door seal and makes a tighter seal at the bottom of the door hopefully not allowing any dirt to enter the car. Randy

Hi fellow Rogue-ies.

After having followed this thread for a while, and adopted the clear plastic/tape temp. fix suggested by many here, I'd like to update my experience with this problem.

I found this thread about 1 week after having bought my Rogue, found the (at the time) shallow scratches in clear coast and paint (Pearl). Thought I'd just try to keep the area clean. A week later, I was going to do the clear tape fix, notice a bunch more scratches and then some deep nicks/chips in the paint.

I brought it in to my local service group, they saw the marks and acknowledged they were scratches. That was all.

I then wrote a letter to Nissan Canada outlining the issue, they called me back and said the region rep would look into it. He gave me a call today, suggesting thats what happens to cars in Western Canada

He said he would look into it but did not offer any ideas in the meantime. I will continue to update if/when they figure out a fix for me.

Here are some pics of my DAMAGED Rogue.

http://www.nissanroguesuv.com/...1.jpgh ... m/...3.jpg

As has been suggested, I really hope everyone take a few minutes to write in to Nissan Canada/USA. They seemed to value our new owner opinions, so maybe we can get them to do something about it.

Good luck!Sampson

Thanks for the report. So, do you feel the clear tape fix has solved the problem, or do you think the tape will eventually wear through as well?

Also, just a note that you can't view your pics unless you have an account with the web site - no big deal though.

The tape is certainly working for the time being.

Certainly after time the clear tape will wear down, hopefully not too soon, and hopefully Nissan comes up with a solution for the problem.

BTW, I noticed you're just south of here in Lethbridge. If you haven't found clear tape yet, Auto Value Parts sells some from Trim Brite, like $25 for a big roll, long enough to do this fix at least 3-4 times.

Oh man I just ordered some online because I couldn't find the rolls anywhere in town - including shipping it cost me $50 bucks for a 5 foot, 18" wide roll. If I have to replace the tape later I'll definately keep that in mind.

Thanks a lot for the info, that is a really good price, too bad I didn't know sooner but I'll remember for next time.

I'll be in Calgary this weekend and I'll keep my eyes peeled for your Rogue!!!

Its easy to spot, its the one with all the scratches in the door sill!

Update:

I got a call from the Service Manager at Greg Vann Nissan today. The Technical Service Manager from Nissan Canada had come by and requested to see a Rogue with the door sill damage. He immediately called me to see if I was available and I drove over within the hour. I had a great conversation with the Nissan rep. He also took several pictures and detailed notes documenting the damage. Here are some highlights of our discussion:

Please note, these were points made by the Nissan rep and I have wrote them down to the best of my recollection.

- The problem has been reported at some Ontario Nissan dealerships and in particular at another dealership in Western Canada. I wonder if it was anyone here?- The door and sill design of the Rogue has a purpose. It addresses the problem where pant legs, skirts contact a conventional door sill and get dirty. In theory, the new design should keep the door sill clean. Perhaps Nissan engineers never forsaw the issues with this design in snowier climates that use salt and sand.- The white material showing through the scratched paint is actually a chip resistant coating and can be seen as a slightly bumpier paint finish on the lower sill/rocker panels.- The weatherstripping that is trapping the sand/dirt likely hardens in cold weather making the problem worse.- Nissan Canada is currently documenting the issue so engineers can determine the causes and best method to repair the problem and prevent it in the first place.

I asked him on possible solutions and guess what his first answer was?

"Apply a clear plastic film on the lower edge of the door sill. I would be similar to the product on the edge of the rear doors..."

Now, I must re-iterate: He merely suggested this and did not say it would be Nissan's final solution.

He stated any fix will likely be dealer applied/installed and dealt with via a TSB from Nissan. As far as a timeframe goes, he could not commit to a definite date but he said that it would be dealt with quickly.

At this point I added some comments of my own to our conversation:

I explained that I was the NICOClub.com Rogue Forum Moderator and that we have talked about this issue in length on the NICO forums. I stressed that this was not an isolated incident. I was willing to work with both the dealership and Nissan Canada to get this issue resolved ASAP and if they require any more info, to please contact me. I also requested that I be kept up to date on the progress of this issue and any possible fixes.

I thanked both the dealership Service Manager, the Nissan Canada rep, and exchanged business cards. The dealership also threw in a free oil change for my troubles.

I will keep posting updates as soon as I hear anything more.

...well, I guess that's great that you at least got some attention fromsomeone, maybe something will happen?? Sorry if I'm not too impressedat this point, I think he was feeding ya, but thanks for the info....we'll hope for the best??

Modified by mistergib at 1:50 PM 5/15/2008Modified by philipa_240sx

I have edited my earlier post to try and clarify things and avoid any misunderstanding.

Anyway, I would like to add that both the Nissan Rep and Service Manager are genuinely interested in finding a solution. They did not try to dismiss or minimalize the problem. I also added some fuel to fire by stating there are many Rogue owners on our forum that want a solution to this issue. In a sense I was trying to represent everyone here and hopefully make our collective voice be heard.

I personally TOTALLY appreciate this forum and especially this topic and all you detail-oriented guys are providing!!!

As I write this, my Rogue is at my dealer getting new paint and, I BELIEVE, ClearBra or something similar. They've had it since Monday and don't think it will be ready until Friday (not sure why it takes an entire week, but what do I know?! ) I've copied numerous pictures from these posts to show them, because according to these guys (Campbell Nelson Nissan, Edmonds/Seattle), this is the First they've heard of this problem. I'm also sending info to the Nissan Consumer Affairs, as suggested in some earlier posts.

Anyway, please know your details here on the forum are VERY much appreciated by most of us!! That's what we're here for, right?!?!


Modified by roguemocker at 1:24 PM 5/16/2008

The Western Canada dealer may be me, as I have reported it to my dealer.

Paul

modified by philipa_240sx

Could be me, I reported also. Both the service advisor and the regional rep sorta brushed me off a little. they also both insisted they had not heard or seen of the problem before.

Paul, how were you treated by your dealer?

Its hard to tell whether other owners would (1) notice this (on my white Rogue, you can't see it unless you look hard)(2) report this to the dealer(3) insist something be done or write/call the manufacturer

Hopefully more and more new members see this and complain, or OUR voices are load enough. We just have to keep pushing.

Here are those photos of my damage

Edited to add: (stupid photos, can't upload them)http://www.flickr.com/photos/5...tream/ ... 5...tream/