Rust help! (Pics included)

This is a 2002 Nissan sentra GXE. I need to know the severity of this rust damage (not a rust expert). This photographed damaged is located to the left of the rear wheel, on the driver side. There's a similar rust spot just to the left of this pic but, it's not nearly as bad. As you can see, if one tried to use the jack point in this area, it would break.

Is this part of the frame? I need to know if this thing is safe????!!!!:uhoh:

Help needed! Thanks in advance.

If this is forward of the rear wheel, or behind the front wheel, it is structural.

Wow... that's bad. The rust seems to have eaten part of the frame and now it's just dangerous. Eventually it will split. I can't imagine that car passing an inspection with that going on. The only way to get any money out of a car like that is to take it apart, check the parts to see what's rebuldable or reusable, and sell those parts.

It is forward of the rear wheel. The rusted metal on the inside is very weak. I just put $1200 into this car. Can someone put the magnitude of this damage into perspective for me? Also, does anyone know the frame structure of this vehicle (does it have rails)?

Sentras are 'unibody' vehicles, which means that the body effectively IS the frame. When a unibody FWD car like the Sentra is built, the 'shell' is welded together. Within that shell, structural material is added to support the rear suspension. To finish the structure of the car, a front 'sub-frame' that locates the engine and front suspension is then bolted to the unibody. The rust that you show has already started to 'eat into' that rear supporting structure. At this point, there's nothing that you can do to save it that's financially realistic. You might be able to drive the car as it is for a while, keeping its weakened structure in mind. If the car runs and drives well and you don't mind doing the work, you also might look for another Sentra the same year with a solid body and worn out engine - and swap over the driveline. Otherwise, I'd do what what MikeCStig suggests and part it out. Craigslist is your friend!

Sorry for the bad news...

And - to MikeCStig - Kentucky doesn't have annual inspections. Tommyraym could probably keep it on the road as long as it can pull itself from Point A to Point B. Not an ideal - or particularly safe - solution; but then, I live across the river in Ohio and we have the same set-up.

DB

Thanks Dave! That post was crazy helpful. It does run well but, finding a local sentra that's the same model has already proven to be difficult in the past. It's currently my only means of transportation so I will continue driving it (obviously keeping its weakened structure in mind). Also, I think it's fairly safe to say that I should not have any back seat passengers. Defiantly going to invest in a new car in the near future. I'm a bit nervous about driving it now. What might it look like when it does give? I ask because I can't imagine anything that doesn't result in a catastrophic wreck.

What might it look like when it does give? I ask because I can't imagine anything that doesn't result in a catastrophic wreck.

That's a bit difficult to answer because different cars have different strengths and weaknesses; and I've never owned a Sentra. I'd watch for the doors (especially rear) to become difficult to open and close. Also watch for uneven tire wear (assuming that the car was properly aligned to begin with).

Something else to keep an eye on - the strut towers in cars like this are also very susceptible to rust. If you have the rear tires off, use a shop light and look up into the wheel wells where the shock absorbers mount. Look for rust around the upper plates and any seams along the sides of the towers. You can also check these from inside the trunk if you take out the fiber panels on the sides. In my opinion, shock tower rust-thru is probably more serious than rust in the rocker panel area because a failed shock tower can allow one side of the rear suspension to collapse suddenly, which could result in loss of control. A 'little' rust in those areas shouldn't incite fear but, if they're rusted thru, I'd be worried!

In any case, good luck with keeping your Sentra rolling!

DB

Thanks again Dave. I removed the fiber panels in the trunk and saw no signs of rust on the top of the shock towers. Doors seem to be OK too. Does the shell cover the entire floor of the car? I'm thinking it does but, i would feel a lot better if I knew for sure. Also, should I spray some kind of rust treatment on it?

Does the shell cover the entire floor of the car? I'm thinking it does but, i would feel a lot better if I knew for sure.
Yes, the floor is part of the shell. The easiest way to imagine it is to think of it as 'all' the basic metal parts being welded together into a single cage-like structure. Once that's done, the doors, trunk, glass and other parts are attached.

Also, should I spray some kind of rust treatment on it?
At this point, I wouldn't spend a lot of money on rust treatments. (I really don't have a lot of faith in most commercially available rust treatments, anyway.) If you really want to slow down the rust, get a cheap (often under $10) pump sprayer from a big-box farm store - you know... the hand-held kind with a wand you'd use to spray insecticide on flowers... Load it with kerosene and spray all the rusted areas. Then go back and spray it again! Don't be afraid to stick the wand up into the rocker panels - or even into the bottoms of the doors. You want the kerosene to 'seep' down into any spaces where the parts come together. It won't 'kill' the rust, but it will certainly slow it down. Pay attention to where you park for the next few days, because you'll get lots of little drips under the car.

For years, farmers and construction companies have been using kerosene to protect implements that are stored outdoors. Kerosene contains a small amount of parrifin (wax) that makes it stick to metal. If you want to 'improve' on it, you can add a small amount of motor oil (used oil is fine) to the kerosene. One friend of mine has a lawn care business and he has one 'oil day' every year... he and his employees spray this stuff onto or into anything that they think might rust! You probably couldn't get EPA approval on this process, but it does work!

Edit: Remember, kerosene is flammable! Keep the spray away from electrical and exhaust components, for obvious reasons.

Dave B.