Nissan Altima Complaints (2003)
883 consumer complaints on file.
- #10157487May 13, 2006VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1. CAR STALLED AND ONCE I HELD THE GAS PEDAL DOWN AND WAS ABLE TO HOLD THE KEY OVER AND CRANK THE ENGINE A HUGE PUFF OF BLACK SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE CAR AND IT SEEMED TO RUN FINE, ALTHOUGH THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. IT EVENTUALLY WENT AWAY AFTER A WEEK OR SO. 2) A WEEK OR SO LATER I STARTED THE CAR, IT TURNED OVER FINE BUT HAD NO POWER, IT SIMPLY WOULD NOT GO. IT DID NOT EVEN REALIZE I WAS PUSHING ON THE ACCELERATOR. 3) I REMOVED THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION IN FRUSTRATION AND THEN TRIED AGAIN. THE SECOND TIME THE CAR WORKED FINE. IT REVVED WHEN I PUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL AND THEN TOOK OFF JUST FINE. 4) THIS BEGAN TO BE A MORE COMMON OCCURRENCE AND IF I TOOK THE KEY OUT OR WAITED A FEW MINUTES IT WOULD STRAIGHTEN UP. 5) NOT NOW! THE CAR WON'T MOVE FORWARD. AND NOW IT IS EVEN STARTING TO STALL OUT AND FLOOD. 6) NOW THE BATTERY EVEN SEEMS TO BE RUNNING DOWN. THIS HAS ALL TAKEN PLACE IN THE MATTER OF ABOUT THE PAST 5 WEEKS AND NOW IT WON'T MOVE FORWARD OR RUN AT ALL. *NM
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10156864May 5, 2006ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WE PURCHASED A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA IN JANUARY OF 2005. AFTER HAVING THE CAR APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS THE CAR BEGIN STALLING WHILE DRIVING AND IT WOULD HAPPEN PERIODICALLY. WE TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, THIS HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES AND WITH MUCH BOLDNESS. WE TOOK THE CAR BACK AND DEMANDED THAT THE PROBLEM BE FOUND. BECAUSE SOMEONE ALMOST HIT US AND MY CHILDREN COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED DUE TO NEGLECT OF NISSAN/DATSUN. THEY INITIALLY TRIED TO GIVE US THE RUN AROUND AND STATED THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEMS, THEN AFTER THE TECH, DROVE THE CAR FOR APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES THE CAR STALLED AND THEY DETECTED THAT IT WAS A SENSOR AND WE HAD TO PAY FOR THIS. I KNOW THAT NISSAN SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS, BECAUSE THIS IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING MORE THAN REPORTED, I JUST FOUND THIS SITE AND I KNOW THAT IT WOULD BE A DISSERVICE TO OTHER PEOPLE THAT MIGHT HAVE THIS DEFECT AND HAVE NOT HAD SYMPTOMS YET OF THIS POSSIBLY FATAL DEFECT. THANK GOD WE WERE NOT HARMED AND NO OTHER DRIVERS. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10155886April 22, 2006ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
RE: ACTION NUMBER RQ06001 MANUFACTURER: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA I HAVE EXPERIENCED ALL FOUR PROBLEMS WITH MY 2003 ALTIMA THAT NISSAN NORTH AMERICA CITED AS REASONS FOR THE RECALL OF THE DEFECTIVE PART. SERVICE RECORDS DOCUMENT THAT THE PROBLEM THAT MY CAR WOULD NOT CRANK WAS REPORTED AS EARLY AS 23,619 MILES WHEN I HAD TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED IN TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. SINCE IT WAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM, OTHER RECORDS SINCE THAT TIME REVEAL THE SAME COMPLAINT. EACH TIME THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPORTED THAT THEY COULD NOT LOCATE THE REASON FOR THE PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN RECENTLY BECAUSE IT BEGAN CUTTING OFF ABRUPTLY WHILE TRAVELING - AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. NOW THAT THE WARRANTY PERIOD IS OVER, WITH OVER 60,000 MILES, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT NOTIFIED ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE CRANK POSITION SENSORS AND THEY BOTH WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THEY ALSO INFORMED ME THAT DUE TO THE MILEAGE, IT WAS MY EXPENSE TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CORRECTED. I CALLED NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS ABOUT THE SITUATION REMINDING THEM THAT THE PROBLEM BEGAN BEFORE THE WARRANTY PERIOD WAS OVER AND THAT I HAD READ THEIR INFORMATION REPORTED TO NHTSA. I WAS TOLD THAT MY 2003 ALTIMA WAS NOT AMONG THOSE PRODUCED JUNE 1, 2001 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2002 AND THEY WOULD NOT PAY TO HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED. OBVIOUSLY, MY 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA IS ALSO ONE IN WHICH DEFECTIVE CRANK SENSORS WERE INSTALLED AS EVIDENCED BY THE ON-GOING PROBLEMS AND THE CONCLUSIVE DIAGNOSIS GIVEN ME BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THE CESSATION OF THE ENGINE WITHOUT WARNING WHILE TRAVELING THE INTERSTATE "COULD" HAVE COST MY LIFE. JUST AS MY CAR HAD A DEFECTIVE PART CREATING THESE PROBLEMS, THERE MAY BE OTHERS LIKE MINE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I NOTIFIED THE DEALERSHIP ON YESTERDAY TO REPAIR MY VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WOULD INVOLVE REPLACING THE TWO CRANK POSITION SENSORS AT A COST OF $115 FOR THE SENSORS AND $225 FOR LABOR ($340) PLUS TAX. I ASSUME THE OLD PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE. *NM
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10155599April 18, 2006ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
MY 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5 S (75,000 MILES) WAS BROUGHT IN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. FOR A WEEK OR TWO THE CAR HAS RUN ROUGHLY AND HAD A STRANGE ODOR IN THE DRIVES COMPARTMENT. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE RADIATOR HAS A CRACKED SEAL AND IT HAS BEEN LEAKING FLUID. IT WAS BELOW THE MINIMUM LINE WHEN IT WAS BROUGHT IN. THE FUMES IN THE DRIVERS COMPARTMENT WERE THE FUMES FROM THE ANTI FREEZE. NO SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT EVER CAME ON AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE NEVER MOVED. THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THE CAR HAD A PROBLEM. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10155458April 16, 2006VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
AT APPROXIMATELY 45,000 MILES, MY CRUISE CONTROL SET BUTTON POPPED OFF MY 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID SINCE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY (OVER 36,000), IT WOULD COST $92.00 TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE PART. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN ON A FAIRLY NEW CAR. I PREVIOUSLY OWNED A SATURN 1996 SL2 AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTON FALLING OFF. I FEEL THIS IS FLIMSY WORKMANSHIP AND THE NISSAN CORPORATION SHOULD PAY TO HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED. *NM
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10155455April 16, 2006ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY CAR WOULD LOSE POWER AND TURN OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. *NM
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10155025April 11, 2006ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AFTERWARDS, THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY RESTARTED. IN OTHER STALLING INCIDENTS, THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO REMAIN IN THE OFF POSITION SEVERAL MOMENTS BEFORE RESTARTING. AFTER THE INCIDENTS OCCURRED, THE "CHECK ENGINE SOON" LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND REPLACED THE CRANK SHAFT SENSOR. THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 03V455000, REGARDING THE ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10154352April 1, 2006ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON & OFF , ENGINE WAS CONSUMING OIL FASTER THEN NORMAL . STARTED HAVING ENGINE NOISE , DEALER MECHANICS SAID SOMEONE LEFT OIL CAP OFF THEREFORE OIL WAS LOST , ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. HAD CAR CHECK OUT BY OUTSIDE MECHANIC SAID CATALYST WAS FOUND TO BE DAMAGE INSIDE ,WHICH CAUSE COULD OIL TO BURN OFF. NOW THE ENGINE IN A 2003 ALTIMA NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ON NISSAN WEB SITE THEY HAVE RECALL ON EXHAUST HANGER PIN WHICH COULD CAUSE PROBLEM TO CATALYST THEREFORE COULD DAMAGE ENGINE. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10153799March 27, 2006ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
I HAVE AN 03 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S. THIS VEHICLE STALLS AND SURGES WHILE DRIVING AND WILL IMMEDIATELY RESTART. THIS PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND IS A WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM WITH THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR FOR THIS CAR. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10153613March 24, 2006ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR OR AT IDLE SPEED, IT WOULD STALL AT ANY GIVEN TIME, HOT OR COLD. I WOULD HAVE TO RESTART THE CAR AND HAVE FOUND THE CRANK SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10153556March 23, 2006ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
FOR THE PAST FEW DAYS, CAR HAS BEEN STALLING AND REFUSING TO START UP. ONCE, IT HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY AND LUCKILY THE TRAFFIC WAS NOT HEAVY, SO COULD MANAGE TO TAKE IT TO THE SHOULDER. MANAGED TO RESTART THE CAR AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF TRYING. SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON, AND THERE IS HARDLY ANY POWER WHEN YOU PRESS THE ACCELERATOR. TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC, AND HE TOLD ME THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. SEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT SYMPTOM, BUT WHEN I CALLED THE DEALER, MY VIN # DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL. THAT IS SO STRANGE. I HOPE NISSAN REALIZES THAT THERE ARE OTHER ALTIMA'S FROM 2003 THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10152696March 14, 2006ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
2003 ALTIMA 2.5S EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE: THE CAR STALLED TWICE DURING OPERATION (ALMOST CAUSED 2 ACCIDENTS) THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR WAS REPLACED (WE FOUND SOME INFO ON THE INTERNET THAT OTHERS HAD ISSUES WITH THIS AND THE CAR HAS NOT STALLED SINCE. *NM
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10152720March 14, 2006FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
I RECENTLY FILED ODI # 10152516 (MY 2003 ALTIMA 2.5 HAD STALLED AT A RED LIGHT AND CUT OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY) AND WOULD LIKE TO UPDATE INFORMATION: I TOOK CAR TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY "FOUND CODE P0335-CR POS SENSOR," SO THEY REPLACED CRANK POS SENSOR. NISSAN NEEDS TO DO A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM SO OTHER OWNERS WON'T NEED TO SUFFER THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM. *NM
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10152516March 12, 2006FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
CAR, A 2003 2.5 S ALTIMA, STALLED WHILE AT RED LIGHT. CHECK ENGINE AND CHECK OIL LIGHTS LIT UP. CAR RESTARTED AFTER THREE ATTEMPTS. THEN, LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES LATER, CAR SEVERELY JERKED WHILE DRIVING 60 MILES PER HOUR. CAR'S HEATER WAS ON AT TIME. FELT LIKE VAPOR LOCK, BUT IT WAS TOO COLD OUTSIDE FOR THAT (40 DEGREES). CAR DID NOT HAVE MUCH ACCELERATION. HAD TO PULL OF FREEWAY. *NM
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10152164March 8, 2006ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
LAST MONTH, AS MY '03 ALTIMA 2.5S WAS NEARING 65,000 MILES, IT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY STALL WHEN STOPPING AT RED LIGHTS. AFTER IT HAPPENED 4 TIMES, I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THEY FOUND NO PROBLEMS WITH IT. 2 DAYS AGO, IT HAPPENED AGAIN IMMEDIATELY AFTER I STARTED THE CAR. IT TOOK SEVERAL TRIES TO RESTART THE CAR. THERE WAS NO WARNING PRIOR TO THE ENGINE STALLING. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10151463February 28, 2006FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
CAR STALLS OR DOESN'T START. REPLACED FUEL PUMP AND RESET COMPUTER CHIP.*JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10151365February 27, 2006FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
2003 NISSAN ALTIMA WE PURCHASED CAR NEW, AND HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS.[FUEL PUMP 40K,STARTING PROBLEMS, SENSORS, AND RIGHT NOW CAR IS BACK IN REPAIR SHOP]WHEN I CALLED WAIKEM NISSAN IN CANTON,OHIO ABOUT THE FUEL PUMP, THEY TOLD ME IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY, YET MY MANUAL SAID IT WAS. *NM
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10150429February 16, 2006ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE INTERMITTENTLY STALLED. THIS ALSO RESULTED IN NO START CONDITIONS AT VARIOUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER DISCOVERED THE CRANK SHAFT SENSOR NEEDED REPLACED. SINCE THE REPAIR WORK WAS COMPLETED, THE VEHICLE OPERATES NORMALLY.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10149239February 1, 2006SUSPENSION
1) THE CAR WOULD ALWAYS PULL TO THE RIGHT. I TOOK THE CAR IN NUMEROUS TIMES TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE ALIGNMENT CHECKED. I WAS ALWAYS TOLD THAT THE ALIGNMENT WAS PERFECT. I ALSO TOOK THE CAR IN NUMEROUS TIMES TO HAVE THE TIRES CHECKED TO SEE IF THEY WERE DEFECTIVE OR NEEDED TO BE ROTATED RELATED TO THIS ISSUE. THE TIRES WERE ROTATED AND INSPECTED AND NO ISSUES WERE FOUND, NOR WAS THE PROBLEM RESOLVED. 2) THE CAR STILL PULLS TO THE RIGHT. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT RIGHT STRUT HAS GIVEN OUT. THE CAR STILL DRIVES, HOWEVER THE RIDE IS EXTREMELY POOR, ESPECIALLY OVER VERY MINOR IMPERFECTIONS IN THE ROAD. I NEVER TAKE THE CAR OFF ROAD. IT IS USED ON THE FREEWAY BETWEEN CITIES, SO IT HAS SOMEWHAT HIGHER MILES FOR A 2003, BUT ASS THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THE STRUT SHOULD NOT HAVE GIVEN OUT THIS EARLY. IT IS SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS TO REPLACE. SEVERAL CERTIFIED PROFESSIONALS HAVE TOLD ME THAT I NEED TO REPLACE BOTH STRUTS AS A RESULT OF THIS ISSUE. 3) THE CAR IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED. I WILL UPDATE THIS COMPLAINT AS EVENTS WARRANT. (THE PARTS WILL BE SAVED). *NM
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10148528January 25, 2006ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT ON 1/11/06 I TOOK MY 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA TO SOUTH CHICAGO NISSAN FOR A RECALL ON HEADLIGHTS. AT THIS TIME I DECIDED TO PURCHASE THE 60,000 MILE SERVICE PACKAGE WHICH INCLUDED THE DRAINING AND REFILLING OF THE COOLING SYSTEM OR RADIATOR. AFTERWARDS, THE RADIATOR WAS LEAKING FLUIDS. I TOOK THE CAR BACK, AND THE SUPERVISOR DISCOVERED THE RADIATOR WAS CRACKED . HE INFORMED ME THAT THEY WEREN'T LIABLE, AND IT WOULD COST ME $749.60 FOR A NEW RADIATOR. BUT, I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT THE RADIATOR HAD TO BE OKAY FOR IT TO BE SERVICED; OTHERWISE, SOMEBODY WOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING. I APPEALED TO THE MANAGER, BUT NOTHING CHANGED. I BELIEVE SOUTH CHICAGO IS LIABLE BUT DON'T WANT TO PAY . PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER AND LET ME KNOW WHAT MY OPTIONS ARE BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE $750 TO PAY FOR A RADIATOR . THE NAME OF THE COMPANY IS SOUTH CHICAGO NISSAN, 7410 S. WESTERN, CHICAGO 60636. *AK ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0