Nissan Altima Complaints (1996)

92 consumer complaints on file.

#551603March 29, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE RESULTED IN ENGINE FIRE. *MJS
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#717729January 22, 2000
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY - CAR WAS TOTALLED. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
0
#855253January 20, 2000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENLY ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP & WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED AFTER BEING TEST DRIVEN. THE PROBLEM WOULD HAPPEN AT LEAST 5 TIMES IN ONE DAY. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER & INFORMED HAD NOT HEARD OF THAT PROBLEM BEFORE. DID NOT OFFER ANY HELP. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#717369January 15, 2000
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
NP SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#716999January 6, 2000
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON, BUT FIRESTONE TECHNICIANS INDICATE THEY ARE UNABLE TO RECEIVE AN UNDERSTANDABLE CODE TO INDICATE WHICH SYSTEM IS FAILING WHEN THEY DID THE DIAGNOSTIC. IT RECEIVED A 707, BUT APPARENTLY THIS IS NOT A CODE THAT GOES WITH ANY FAILURE. THEY HAVE TOLD ME TO GO DIRECTLY TO A NISSAN DEALERSHIP TO FIND OUT WHY THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT IS COMING ON. IT MAY BE SOMETHING TO NOTE, THAT THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON NEW YEAR'S DAY...COULD THIS MEAN THERE IS A Y2K COMPUTER THING GOING ON? PLEASE HELP! THANK YOU, HEATHER. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#852004November 23, 1999
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. HOWEVER, CONSUMER WAS NOT DRIVING FAST ENOUGH FOR THE AIR BAGS TO HAVE DEPLOYED. CAR FILLED WITH SMOKE MAKING, IT WAS HARD TO SEE THE ROAD. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#714790November 15, 1999
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
I CONTACTED A NISSAN DEALER PARTS DEPT. THEY REPORTED TO ME THAT THIS IS VERY COMMON, AND THE CAM SENSOR IS NOW REPAIRED IN A NEWLY DESIGNED DISTRIBUTOR, BUT ALL THE ORIGINAL CAM SENSORS IN THE FACTORY DISTRIBUTORS WERE EXPERIENCING A HIGH FAILURE RATE. I KNOW OF TWO OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#714380November 5, 1999
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
NO SUMMARY
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#851106October 19, 1999
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION DUAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT ABSOLUTELY ANY KIND OF IMPACT, CAUSING $2600 WORTH OF DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE INJURIES TO DRIVER AND PASSENGER. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#846400September 2, 1999
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WAS COMING TO A STOP ON THE HIGHWAY, WHEN ENGINE STARTED RACING, ALMOST TOOK OFF. HAD FOOT ON BRAKES AT TIME. TURNED VEHICLE OFF. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER NEXT DAY & MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND CAUSE OF ENGINE RACING. HAS HAPPENED TWICE ALREADY. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#547543July 27, 1999
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
GEAR STICK WOULD NOT MOVE INTO PARK. YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#707511June 13, 1999
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
I AM AWARE OF TECH. SAFETY BULL. NTB 96-009; 009A; 009B. TRANSMISSION FAILED 3 TIMES. EACH TIME IT WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE AND NEUTRAL GEAR WAS A FORWARD GEAR. DRIVE GEARS WERE NOT CORRECT, OFTEN NEUTRAL. 1ST 2 TIMES, PROBLEM CORRECTED ITSELF AFTER ABOUT 1 HR. DEALER REFUSED TO DEAL WITH PROBLEM UNTIL 3RD FAILURE, CLAIMING THEY NEEDED TO SEE THE ACTUAL PROBLEM BEFORE DEALING WITH IT. THEY DID INSPECT CAR AFTER 1ST FAILURE BUT FOUND NOTHING. 3RD TIME THEY DID LINE AND PRESSURE (?) TESTS, WHICH THEY COULD HAVE DONE 1ST TWO TIMES BUT DID NOT. TRANSMISSION FAILED. THEY DID NOT ATTEMPT TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF FAILURE, CLAIMING THAT NISSAN CORPORATE INSTRUCTED THEM TO REPLACE AND NOT INVESTIGATE. TOLD ME THEY WERE PUTTING A "NEW" TRANSMISSION IN. FOUND OUT AFTER WORK DONE THAT IT WAS A REMANUFACTURED ONE. THEY ALSO REPLACED RADIATOR. NISSAN CORPORTATE CONTACTED AFTER 1ST FAILURE, BUT REFUSED TO DEAL WITH PROBLEM. I AM CONCERNED OVER SAFETY AND INSTALLATION OF REMANUFACTURED TRASMISSION. I OWN 2 OTHER ALTIMAS, A 96 AND A 94. SHOULD THIS BE THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL AND SHOLD NISSAN BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SHARING DATA ON INVESTIGATION OF FAILED TRANSMISSIONS WITH YOUR OFFICES IN LIGHT OF TSB? *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#838684June 1, 1999
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE TRAVELING 5 MHP TAPPED VEHICLE IN FRONT AND FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY INDICATIONS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#837205April 28, 1999
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS DEPLOYED IN A 10 MPH FRONTAL IMPACT. VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP IN WHICH THE AIRBAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#706055April 28, 1999
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER, AIR BAGS
WIPER LINKAGE FAILED ON DRIVERS SIDE/ AIRBAG LIGHT BLINKS CONSTANTLY FOR NO REASON
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#703642February 23, 1999
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT
DEBRIS COLLECTS IN THE WINDSHIELD WELL OF MY CAR. IT THEN APPARENTLY FALLS DOWN INTO THE HEATING VENT SECTION. AS A RESULT, I HAVE HAD SMOKE COME OUT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE HOOD OF MY CAR, AND A BURNING SMELL POUR INTO THE CAR CABIN. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS NO FILTER ON THE CAR TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING, AND WANTS TO CHARGE ME TO FIX THE PROBLEM (BY CLEANING OUT DEBRIS). WHEN I ASKED HIM HOW I PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING, HE TOLD ME NOT TO PARK UNDER TREES. THIS IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DO WHERE I LIVE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#702829February 1, 1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE UPPER OIL PAN SEAL IS NOT SECURE. THIS CAUSES OIL TO LEAK FROM ENGINE. I AM FAMILIAR WITH FOUR OTHER INDIVIDUALS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM ( ALTIMA OWNERS). THE SEAL ITSELF IS VERY INEXPENSIVE, BUT THE LABOR TO LIFT THE ENGINE TO REPLACE THE SEAL, IS ESTIMATED AT APPROXIMATELY $450 TO $600. WITH FIVE ALTIMA OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, I FEEL THIS IS A DESIGN ERROR. ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED! *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#701109December 4, 1998
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANY DEFECT IN THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED, THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT WAS FLASHING CONTINIOUSLY. AFTER THE BODY WORK WAS REPAIR, THE BODY SHOP TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FLASHING INDICATOR LIGHT. THEY LEARNED THAT THE SENSOR MODULE WAS DAMAGED. OUR INSURANCE COMPANY PAID AN ADDITIONAL $500+ TO REPLACE THIS. HOWEVER, WHEN THEY REPLACED IT, AN ERROR MESSAGE WAS RECEIVED WHICH SAID: "PASSENGER AIRBAG DISENGAGED." THUS, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED FROM THE ACCIDENT, ALTHOUGH THE AUTO BODY REPAIR SHOP SAID THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT SUSTAINED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM BECAUSE THEY FEEL THAT IF THE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY, IT WAS DEFECTIVE FROM THE FACTORY. THEIR LOGIC IS THAT THE IMPACT COULDN'T HAVE CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. NISSAN REFUSES TO ABSORB THE COST BECAUSE OUR VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. AT PRESENT, WE ARE STILL WITHOUT OUR VEHICLE. IT HAS BEEN 3 MONTHS AND THIS IS OUR ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#781172October 12, 1998
AIR BAGS
AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT COMES ON/OFF.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#538929July 26, 1998
STRUCTURE:BODY
WHEN VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED DEALER WAS QUESTIONED ABOUT BURN MARKS INSIDE THE TRUNK, DEALER CLAIMED THAT IT WAS GREASE. TWO DAYS AFTER PURCHASE OWNER OPENED TRUNK AND SAW CARPET BURNING AND MELTING. VEHICLE LOST POWER WHEN THIS OCCURRED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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