Nissan Altima Complaints (2003)
883 consumer complaints on file.
- #10587325May 8, 2014VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
WHILE AT A RED LIGHT, THE CAR UNKNOWINGLY STOPPED! I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW UNTIL THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND I ATTEMPTED TO PULL OFF. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND RESTERTED THE CAR WITH NO ISSUE. A COUPLE DAYS LATER THE ENGINE STARTED A SLIGHT SHAKE AND EACH DAY THE SHAKE BECAME MORE INTENSE AND THE ENGINE WOULD SHUT OFF WHEN DRIVEN FOR A WHILE & WHILE MY FEET IS ON THE BREAK THE METER WOULD JUMP FROM 0 TO 2 AND SHUT OFF WEN IT HIT 0. ALSO WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PULL OFF THE CAR FEELS LIKE IT'S STUCK THEN IT'LL SHOOT OFF. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10583037April 16, 2014ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED SIX TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER THREE TIMES. ON ONE VISIT, THE ECM WAS REPROGRAMMED AND THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE DEALER WAS CURRENTLY REPLACING THE CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR AND CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. THERE WAS A RECALL RELATED TO THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V455000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10579443April 13, 2014STRUCTURE:BODY
NOTICED THE FLOOR BOARD ON THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE ARE COMPLETELY ROTTED THROUGH. DATE NOTICED WAS 4/13/2014. THIS ISSUE WAS FIRST NOTICED AT LEAST A YEAR AGO BUT THE FLOOR PANEL WAS NOT YET COMPLETELY ROTTED AWAY. IT WAS JUST A SIMPLE CASE OF SURFACE RUST. IT WAS TREATED WITH RUSTOLEUM BLACK PRIMER TO TRY AND SLOW THE RUST DOWN. THIS IS A WELL KNOW ISSUE AND IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY NISSAN AND NOT JUST THROWN AWAY. *JS
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10579199April 11, 2014ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, AN UNUSUAL NOISE EMITTED AND THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR AND CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR BOTH WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A RECALL RELATED TO THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V4550000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), HOWEVER THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10575423March 28, 2014ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CAM POSITION SENSOR HAD FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 03V455000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10573979March 21, 2014STRUCTURE:BODY
SAME FLOOR ROT/RUST AS REPORTED BY THOUSANDS OF OTHERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. CONTACT NISSAN AND THEY SEND YOU TO DEALER TO VERIFY PROBLEM. ONCE IT'S VERIFIED THEY SAY IT'S TOO FAR OUT OF WARRANTY TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. SOME PEOPLE GET ASSISTANCE AFTER FILING MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS BUT MOST OF US GET THE DENIAL AND RUNAROUND. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10568615March 11, 2014ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10566782March 3, 2014ENGINE
WHEN I SLOWED DOWN TO TAKE A RIGHT TURN, MY NISSAN ALTIMA STALLED ALL OF A SUDDEN. MY STEERING AND BRAKES GOT LOCKED. I COULD NOT START IT IMMEDIATELY.. BEHIND ME WAS A CARGO TRUCK HOWEVER AT A MORE GAP DISTANCE SO THAT HE COULD BRING HIS TRUCK TO A HALT BEFORE REAR BUMPING ME. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IF IT WAS ON A HIGHWAY OR IF THE SPEEDS WERE HIGHER. THIS CAR HAS GIVEN ME STARTING PROBLEMS. NISSAN TOLD THAT MY VIN IS NOT COVERED IN ANY RECALL CAMPAIGN, SO I HAD GET THE CAM SHAFT SENSOR & CRANK POSITION SENSOR REPLACED AT A LOCAL MECHANIC. AFTER THAT I STILL FACE STALLING PROBLEMS, ENGINE STARTING PROBLEMS. MY BATTERY HEALTH IS GOOD AND THE ENGINE CRANKS, BUT DOES NOT FIRE. PISSED OFF WITH THIS CAR. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10563848February 11, 2014ENGINE
DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY AND MOTOR STOPPED IN FAST LINE OF HWY 60 IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AND ALMOST GOT REARENDED BY ON COMING TRAFFIC, THANK GOD THEY STOPPED . HAD CAR TOWED IN AND CAME TO FIND OUT IT BLEW A ROD, HAVE BEEN TOLD BY A NUMBER OF MECHANIC THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM MOTOR AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED YEARS AGO DUE TO ALL PROBLEMS THESE MOTORS HAVE CAUSED PEOPLE. YOU CANT GET A REPLACEMENT MOTOR ANYWHERE ONLY FOUND ONE AND THEY WANT 2000.00 I FEEL NISSAN NEEDS TO MAKE THIS RIGHT. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10563004February 5, 2014STRUCTURE:BODY
FLOOR BOARD ON THE DRIVERS SIDE IS ROTTING WHICH LEFT A SIZABLE HOLE. THIS PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE AND ALLOWS DEBRIS FROM STREET TO ENTER VEHICLE. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10558483January 4, 2014SERVICE BRAKES
IN MORNING, STARTED CAR, DROVE DOWN ROAD SHORT DISTANCE,WENT TO STOP AT STOP SIGN AT HIGHWAY AND BRAKES WERE HARD, WOULDN'T DECOMPRESS AT ALL, SLID ONTO HIGHWAY. TOOK TO DEALER, CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. IT WAS IN WI, WAS COLD OUTSIDE,PARKED OUTSIDE AT NIGHT. THIS ALSO HAPPENED LAST YEAR IN WINTER, HAD IT HAPPEN TWICE, ONCE BACKING UP AFTER WORK AND ANOTHER AT STOP SIGN IMMEDIATELY AFTER STARTING CAR WHERE BRAKE PEDAL WAS FROZEN AND CAR WOULDN'T STOP. NARROWLY AVOIDED ACCIDENTS IN THESE CASES. SEEMS TO WORK BETTER AFTER CAR WARMS UP FOR A BIT. LAST YEAR, NISSAN DEALER REPLACED THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND CLOSURE VALVE WHICH COST ME OVER 617.00 AND IT DIDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN UNTIL THIS YEAR. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR NOW SINCE THIS HAS HAPPENED SO MANY TIMES TO ME. I COULD'VE BEEN IN VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENTS OR DIED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10556800December 20, 2013ENGINE
CRANKSHAFT SENSOR NOT ON RECALL YET 1000'S HAVE THIS PROBLEM. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10554448December 2, 2013ENGINE
I AM A COLLAGE STUDENT AND I BOUGHT A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA I ALWAYS LIKE THIS CAR BUT I GOT A SHOCK IN MY LIFE THE FIRST WEEK TO SCHOOL I SAW THE ENGINE LIGHT BLINKING WHEN I CHECK THERE IS NO OIL I ODD 3 QUART AND IT FILL TO THE H LEVEL THE NEXT WEEK IT WENT TO BELOW LOW LEVEL I ONLY GOT THIS CAR 3 WEEKS ONLY AND I ALMOST USED ONE GAL OIL CAN ANY ONE DO ANY THING ABOUT THE PROBLEM THE CAR DO NOT SMOKE IT JUST BURN THE OIL. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10552448November 15, 2013ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
I WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT AND WHEN IT TURNED GREEN I WENT TO GO AND MY CAR STALLED OUT. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND IT'S DUE TO CAM AND CRANKSHAFT SENSORS. DROVE THE CAR TO WORK TODAY THE CAR STALLED OUT AGAIN COMPLETELY SHUT ITSELF OFF. ONCE AGAIN HAD TO PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE RODE THE BEST I COULD TURN THE CAR OFF AND THANKFULLY IT TURNED BACK ON. CALLED NISSAN TODAY SPOKE WITH A CONSUMER AFFAIRS SUPERVISOR NAMED [XXX] AND THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT MY VIN # IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL FOR THIS CLAIM ON CRANKSHAFT SENSORS AND THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO FORWARD MY INFORMATION TO A REGIONAL OFFICE FOR CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND SEE IF THEY CAN GET THEM TO PAY FOR THE PARTS BUT IN THE MEAN TIME I HAVE TO GET A DIAGNOSTICS REPORT DONE ON THE CAR AT A NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE DIAGNOSTICS REPORT AND THEY WILL NOT WAIVE IT FOR ME AND IN ORDER TO GET APPROVAL FOR THE PARTS I HAVE TO GET THE DIAGNOSTICS REPORT. SO THEY TRANSFERRED ME TO A DEALERSHIP IN ALBANY NY A NISSAN DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT SPOKE WITH A GUY NAMED ED HE SAID THEY WOULD NEED MY CAR FOR 24-48 HOURS AND CAN NOT PROVIDE ME WITH A RENTAL, CAN NOT WAIVE THE DIAGNOSTICS FEE AND THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET MY CAR IN UNTIL AWEEK FROM NOW. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS. PEOPLE ARE GOING TO END UP BEING SERIOUSLY INJURED IF NOT KILLED BY THIS MALFUNCTION. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10552008November 12, 2013ENGINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
WHILE MY SON WAS DRIVING, THE ENGINE BEGAN MISSING AND STARTED TO SMOKE. AT THE SAME TIME THE HEATER QUIT PRODUCING HEAT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. ENGINE DIAGNOSTICS INDICATED CYLINDER # 4 MISFIRE. TOOK TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE ENGINE WAS DESTROYED BY FAILED CATALYST IN THE PRE- CATALYST. OIL HAD FOULED THE MISSING CYLINDER'S SPARK PLUG. THE ENGINE OIL LEVEL WAS FULL AND THERE HAD NO PREVIOUS INDICATION OF OIL CONSUMPTION, BUT THE OIL WAS FOUND TO CONTAIN COOLANT. THESE CARS ARE POPULAR FOR PARENTS TO PURCHASE FOR TEENAGERS AND APPEAR TO BE HAZARDOUS. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V084000 INDICATED THAT THIS PRE-CATALYST ISSUE WAS A FIRE HAZARD BACK IN 2003. IT APPEARS WHATEVER WAS DONE IN THIS RECALL DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THIS FAILURE SEEMS TO BE FAIRLY COMMON OCCURRENCE. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10551842November 11, 2013POWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ENGINE
I WAS DRIVING AND MY CAR JUST SLOWED DOWN AND EVENTUALLY CUT OFF. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND STARTED IT BACK UP. WHEN I ARRIVED AT MY DESTINATION AND CUT THE CAR OFF AND TRIED TO CUT IT BACK ON IT WOULD NOT START. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10550978November 5, 2013ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
CRANK CAMSHAFT SENSOR WAS REPLACED DUE TO HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING VEHICLE. VEHICLE STILL CONTINUES TO HAVE PROBLEMS STARTING. ALWAYS NEED MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO START. I AM AFRAID VEHICLE WILL COMPLETELY SHUTOFF IN TRAFFIC SINCE I COMMUTE SO MUCH ON HIGHWAYS. THERE IS A HIGH CHANCE OF AN ACCIDENT. NISSAN REFUSES TO INCLUDE MY VIN NUMBER ON RECALL LIST. THIS IS COMPLETELY ABSURD. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10550690November 3, 2013ENGINE, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THIS PROBLEM STARTED GRADUALLY IT WOULD JUST TURN OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING WITHOUT ANY WARNING.IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC IT WAS SCARY. THANK GOD IT WOULD TURN BACK ON RIGHT AWAY. I DECIDED TO SEE IF DOING A OIL CHANGE SPARK PLUGS AND AIR FILTER WOULD HELP IT DIDN'T . ONE SATURDAY ON SEPTEMBER 21 OF THIS YEAR ON LUNCH BREAK I NEED TO COME HOME REALLY QUICK IT STOPPED BEFORE I MADE IT HOME IT WOULD NOT TURN BACK ON AT ALL! I CALLED THE TOW TRUCK HE WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TURN BACK ON. I TOOK IT TO AUTO ZONE THEY SAID MY BATTERY WAS BAD SO I BOUGHT A NEW ONE. IT CONTINUED TO STOP ON ME. IT WOULD RUN FOR A FEW DAYS WITHOUT STOPPING AT ALL UNTIL JUST A FEW DAYS AGO IT DIDN'T WANT TO START AT ALL THOUGHT IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP. NOW THAT HAS BEEN CHECKED OFF THE LIST. THE ENGINE LIGHT HAS THEN TURNED ON AND THE CODES THAT IS BEING READ OUT IS FOR A RECALL THAT WAS ISSUED IN DECEMBER 22 OF 2003 R 3022 / INFINITI WHAT CAN I DO? *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10546912October 6, 2013STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
I TOOK MY 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA TO GET A PA INSPECTION AND WAS SHOCKED THAT THE FLOOR PANELS ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR HAD RUSTED OUT. THERE IS NO OTHER VISIBLE RUST ON THE CAR AND I FEEL THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW WHICH SHOULD BE REMEDIED AT NISSANS EXPENSE. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10546299September 30, 2013STRUCTURE:BODY
A FEW YEARS AGO APPROX. 2009 OR SO I NOTICED A WHOLE IN MY PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR BOARD WHILE GETTING AN OIL CHANGE. IT SEEMED LIKE IT CAME OUT OF NO WHERE. IT IS A VERY LARGE RUSTED OUT WHOLE UNDER THE PASSENGERS SIDE WHERE YOUR FEET WOULD BE. I HAVE NO OTHER RUST ON OR UNDER THE VEHICLE BUT IN ONE SPOT!!! MY MECHANIC LOOKED INTO IT AND SAID THAT WHEN NISSAN MADE THESE VEHICLES THEY POSITIONED A TUBE THAT CARRIES LIQUID TO IN THE CAR VERSUS OUT OF THE CAR. I THEN CALLED AND WENT TO NISSAN AND SPOKE WITH THEM. THERE A MAN TOLD ME THAT IT IS A BIG ISSUE WITH 2003-2005 ALTIMAS BUT NISSAN WOULD NOT RECALL IT SO IT WOULD COST $1600 FOR A NEW FLOOR BOARD. WHILE SEARCHING THE INTERNET I FIND THAT THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE! AND QUITE THE SAFETY CONCERN. THERE IS A WHOLE IN HUNDREDS OF VEHICLES IF NOT THOUSANDS AND NISSAN WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. I WOULD LOVE FOR SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BEFORE SOMEONE FALLS THROUGH A MOVING VEHICLE. MOST PEOPLE DO NOT LOOK UNDER THEIR CAR ON A MONTHLY OR BI MONTHLY BASIS AND IT'S VERY DANGEROUS. MY HOPE IS THAT IF EVERYONE WHO OWNS THIS VEHICLE FINDS OUT ABOUT THIS THEY WILL TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR PASSENGERS ARE SAFE. AND ALSO SHAME ON NISSAN FOR NOT CARING ENOUGH OF THEIR CUSTOMERS TO NOT WANT TO ADMIT THEIR MISTAKES!! *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0