Nissan Altima Complaints (2003)
883 consumer complaints on file.
- #10732546July 7, 2015ENGINE, STEERING
WHIE DRIVING ABOUT 45MPH THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF, STEERING WAS VERY HARD . TRIED TOO RESTART ENGINE,HARD TO RESTART. AT TIOMES THE CAR IS HARD TO START AFTER SITTING FOR AWHILE. ENGINE ALSO STUMBLES,OR SEEMS TO MISS FIRE WHILE DRIVING. THIS NOT THE FIRST INCIDENT. HAD THE SENSORS REPLACED AFTER THE FIRST PROBLEM.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10731248June 30, 2015STRUCTURE:BODY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FLOORBOARDS PREMATURELY RUSTED TO THE POINT OF DETERIORATION. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THERE WERE HOLES NEAR BOTH SIDES OF THE FLOORBOARDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 185,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10730996June 29, 2015ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND RATTLED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANK SHIFT POSITION SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V455000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10731072June 29, 2015ENGINE
THIS NISSAN IS BURNING OIL LIKE CRAZY. IT STARTED IN JAN, 2015, ENGINE WAS MAKING TERRIBLE NOISE, OIL LEVEL CHECKED, COMPLETELY EMPTY. I TOOK IT TO NISSAN WHO SAID IT WASN'T A PROBLEM AND DID OIL CHANGE. THEN, JUST THIS SATURDAY, JUNE 27TH THE CAR WAS HARD TO START AND SOUNDED LIKE METAL SO I TURNED IT OFF AND CHECKED THE OIL- COMPLETELY EMPTY AGAIN. WE HAD TO POUR 4 QUARTS IN!!! IT DOES NOT HAVE A LEAK, NOTHING IS EVER SEEN WHERE IT HAS BEEN PARKED. IT IS JUST BURNING OIL LIKE CRAZY DUE TO SOME TYPE OF DEFECT FROM NISSAN THAT HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT ON LINE IF YOU GOOGLE NISSANS BURNING OIL... AND DANGEROUS SITUATIONS THAT HAVE OCCURRED . I DO NOT WANT TO WAIT FOR AN ACCIDENT, PLEASE, PLEASE, LISTEN TO ALL OF US AND GET NISSAN TO ADDRESS THIS FAILURE WITH THEIR VEHICLES. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 100,000 ON IT AND I HAVE CHANGED THE OIL EVERY 3500 MILES WITHOUT FAIL. I DID NOTHING TO CAUSE THIS ALONG WITH THE OTHER HUNDREDS TO THOUSANDS OF OTHER NISSAN OWNERS THAT HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS. I HAVE CALLED NISSAN IN THE PAST ON MY OTHER ALTIMA ABOUT THEIR AC THAT FAILS DUE TO IT ALWAYS RUNNING WITH DEFROSTER AND IT DOESN'T TURN OFF THEN SO IT'S ALWAYS RUNNING. ALSO, I SEE MANY OTHER RUSTED OUT FLOORBOARDS, CAUSING THE PASSENGER SEAT TO NOT BE BOLTED DOWN IN THIS SAME YEAR THAT I HAD HAPPEN TO ME 2 YEARS AGO AND HAD TO SPEND $2000.00 TO FIX THAT THEY SAID THE SAME, SORRY , THIS IS NOT OUR PROBLEM. WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IN AN ACCIDENT, THE PASSENGER WOULD'VE NOT BEEN PROTECTED WHEN THEIR SEAT FLEW OFF. PLEASE, PLEASE GO AFTER THEM ....THEY ARE TERRIBLE.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10730833June 28, 2015STRUCTURE:BODY
MY FLOOR PANEL IS RUSTING AND I CAN SEE THE GROUND WHEN DRIVING. ALSO IT ISN'T SAFE FUMES ARE GETTING IN AND I HAVE A 4 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10727044June 24, 2015STRUCTURE:BODY
THE 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA THAT WE PURCHASED, USED, 6 MONTHS AGO HAS SIGNIFICANT RUSTING/FLOOR ROT ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE. THE HOLES ARE GETTING BIGGER AND WIND RUSHES THROUGH WHEN DRIVING. CONSIDERING THE BROAD RANGE OF ALTIMAS AFFECTED, I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL YET. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE FOR DRIVER AND PASSENGER.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10725745June 17, 2015ENGINE
ENGINE OIL EXCESSIVELY BEING CONSUMED/BURNING. EXHAUST LEAKAGE. THERE IS A RECALL THAT ADDRESSES THIS (NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V084000 ) AND IT COVERS MY MODEL YEAR, BUT IT WOULD NOT COME UP ON THE DEALER'S COMPUTER SO THEY DID NOT FIX THE ISSUE.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10724541June 10, 2015UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE CAR HAS GIVEN REPEATED PROBLEMS STARTING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS SHOWN A CRANK AND CAM POSITON SENSOR ERROR. I HAVE PAID TO HAVE THESE SENSORS CHANGED WITH GENUINE NISSAN PARTS AND THE CAR WILL NOT START AT ALL.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10724201June 9, 2015ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CRANK SHAFT SENSOR WAS REPLACED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V455000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,023.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10723836June 7, 2015STRUCTURE:BODY
BODY PANELS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH BELOW DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS FLOOR MATS WITH ONLY THE FLOOR MATS AND CARPET PREVENTING YOUR FOOT FROM CONTACTING PAVEMENT. THIS COULD BECOME LIFE THREATENING IF YOUR FOOT WERE TO BECOME STUCK IN THE HOLE AND NOT ABLE TO ENGAGE THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS IS A COMMON SAFETY ISSUE AFTER FINDING MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10716973May 17, 2015STRUCTURE:BODY, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
RUSTED PASSENGER SIDE FLOORBOARD. 13" BY 10" HOLE.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10716710May 15, 2015STRUCTURE:BODY
MISSOURI MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTION FAILED DUE TO "PASSENGER FLOOR BOARDS RUSTING OUT."
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10716522May 14, 2015ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST, WHICH LOCATED FAILURE CODES AT THE CRANK POSITION SENSORS AND CAM SHAFT POSITION SENSOR. THE DEALER STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V455000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) WAS EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE CRANK POSITION SENSORS AND CAM SHAFT POSITION SENSOR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 218,000. UPDATED 8/10/15*CN
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10715689May 11, 2015STRUCTURE:BODY
THE 2003 ALTIMA 3.5 SE SEDAN HAS SIGNIFICANT FLOOR PAN RUST ON THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS SIDES WITH SECTIONS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH HUNDREDS OF OTHER REPORTS I HAVE SEEN ON THE OBVIOUS DESIGN FLAW WITH THE ALTIMAS. THE REST OF THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE SHOWS MINIMAL SURFACE RUST. ASSUME THAT THIS WILL BE A RECALL ITEM SOON AS THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. ASIDE FROM THE FLOOR PAN ISSUE, THE VEHICLE HAS PERFORMED WELL AND HAS BEEN DURABLE. MILEAGE IS APPROX. 150K.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10715273May 8, 2015STRUCTURE:BODY
MY FLOOR BOARDS HAVE BEEN RUSTING FOR SOME TIME NOW. I KEPT FEELING THE CARPET ON MY DRIVERS SIDE GETTING SOFT, IT DIDN'T FEEL LIKE I HAD A WHOLE LOT OF STABILITY. I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND I SAW A BIG HOLE WHICH HAD FORMED FROM RUST. I COULD SEE THE CARPET FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY CAR WHICH NOW GETS WET WHEN IT'S RAINING. I AM AFRAID THE CARPET IS GOING TO WEAR OUT AND I WILL HAVE NO PROTECTION TO THE OUTSIDE ELEMENTS.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10713389April 28, 2015ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
CAR BEGAN TO IDLE ROUGHLY AND WAS HARD TO START. REPLACED OXYGEN SENSORS WHICH DID NOT CURE SYMPTOMS. WAS TOLD THAT THE 2 PRE-CATS (CATALYTIC CONVERTERS) NEEDED REPLACED. MOTOR MOUNTS ALSO RECOMMENDED. REPLACED AND PROBLEM PERSISTED. HARD TO START, RUNS ROUGH NOW SHUTTING DOWN WHILE DRIVING. RAN CODES MYSELF WITH OBD-II TOOL AND FOUND CRANKSHAFT AND CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSORS TO BE FAULTY. I HEARD OF A RECALL FOR THIS VERY ISSUE; EVEN DESCRIBED MY SYMPTOMS EXACTLY. EVEN THOUGH MY YEAR MODEL AND CAR WAS RECALLED THE NISSAN OF FORT WORTH SERVICE DESK TOLD ME MY VIN # WAS NOT COVERED. MY CAR HAS THE EXACT SAME ENGINE AS ALL OF THE OTHER NISSANS MADE IN THIS YEAR RANGE AND THE SAME FAULTY CRANKSHAFT AND CAMSHAFT SENSORS BUT FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON MINE ARE NOT COVERED BY THIS. HOW IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE. I HAVE REPLACED A LOT OF PRICEY PARTS ALL WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY REPLACING THE SENSORS. EVEN IF I HAD TO PAY FOR THE CRANK AND CAMSHAFT SENSORS IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN BAD IF I HAD NOT PAID OVER $3000 IN REPAIRS TO OTHER STUFF THAT MAY NOT HAVE NEEDED REPLACING. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10706633April 20, 2015ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR WHEN MY CAR SHUTOFF ALL OF A SUDDEN. I WAS NOT ABLE TO GET IT STARTED AND CARS WERE WHIZZING BY ME . FINALLY AFTER SEVERAL TRIES THAT SEEMED LIKE FOREVER, THE CAR STARTED AND I TOOK THE FIRST EXIT OFF THE HIGHWAY. THEN ONCE I MADE IT OFF THE HIGHWAY THE CAR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I MADE IT BACK HOME BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT START PROPERLY. IT COMES ON AND THEN SHUTOFF OR STAYS ON FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THEN MAKES A SOUND LIKE ITS GOING TO CUTOFF IF YOU PUT IT IN GEAR. FINALLY HAD THE CAR CHECKED AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE CAMSHAFT/CRANKSHAFT SENSORS BASED ON THE CODES. MY FAMILY COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED DURING RUSH HOUR. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. THESE PARTS SEEM TO CONTINUOUSLY GO BAD AND ENDANGER THE SAFETY OF EVERYONE. I HAVE LESS THAN 70,000 MILES ON THIS CAR. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10706204April 17, 2015ENGINE
IN THE PAST 2.5 YEARS I'VE HAD TO REPLACE 2 COILS ON 2 DIFFERENT CYLINDERS, AND 2 DIFFERENT CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSORS AS WELL. EACH TIME IT'S COST ME UPWARDS OF $300 EACH INCIDENT. A REVIEW OF THE INTERNET WEBSITE FOR COMPLAINTS FROM NISSAN DRIVERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE MAKE/MODEL/YEAR INDICATES THAT OTHERS HAVE ALSO RUN INTO THESE ISSUES WITHOUT ANY RECOMPENSE. SOME EVEN HAD THEIR CARS STALLING OUT WHILE DRIVING, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY CONCERN. "LUCKILY" (AND NOTE THAT I USE THE TERM IN QUOTES), MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN THAT THE ENGINE STARTS RUNNING ROUGH, FEELING LIKE ON JUST 3 OF ITS 4 CYLINDERS, THEN THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT COMES ON. IT WAS THEN ALWAYS OBVIOUS SOMETHING WAS REALLY WRONG. Q: WHY WASN'T THIS A RECALL ITEM FOR THE NISSAN ENGINE? P.S. I HAVE LESS THAN 60K MILES ON MY CAR AND IT'S IN PRISTINE CONDITION AND ALWAYS GARAGED. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10705998April 16, 2015ENGINE
2.5L ENGINE S MODEL NISSAN ALTIMA. 2002-2003 HAS WELL DOCUMENTED BLOGS AND COMPLAINTS OF EXCESSIVE OIL USE. CAUSES ARE ANY THING TO POOR DESIGN VALVE SEALS TO DUST KICK BACK FROM OVERHEATED CATALYTIC CONVERTOR INTO PISTON/CYLINDER AREA CAUSEING RING FAILURES AS WELL. THIS CURRENT VEHICLE HAS TO BEEN DIAGNOISISED BY A NISSAN DEALER. IT BURNS 2 QUARTS OF OIL PER 160MILES. THE DEALER RECOMMENDS A NEW ENGINE AND NEW CATALYTIC CONVERTOR. THE REGIONAL NISSAN MANAGER CHRIS STATES NISSAN WILL NOT ASSIST IN ANY WAY TO REPLACE/REPAIR THESE ITEMS BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT OWNED THE VEHICLE LONG ENOUGH. THE CAR IS WORTH $3800. THE ENGINE +CONVERTOR+ LABOR IS OVER THE VALUE OF THE CAR. SOME ONE HIGH UP SOMEWHERE DROPPED THE ROYAL BALL ON RECALLING THIS ENGINE. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10705426April 13, 2015POWER TRAIN, ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
CAR STALLED TWO TIMES WITHIN 20 MINUTES WHEN SLOWING CAR DOWN TO MAKE A TURN. MEINEKE AND PAUL MILLER NISSAN OF FAIRFIELD, CT IDENTIFIED THAT PARTS 23731-AL61A (CRANKSHAFT/CAMSHAFT SENSOR) AND 23731-6J90B (CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR) NEED TO BE REPLACED. THESE SENSORS WERE PART A RECALL FOR THE SAME MAKE, YEAR AND MODEL OF CAR THAT I OWN. NISSAN N.A. CLAIMS THAT MY VIN WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL. 630,000+ VEHICLES WERE AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL BUT MY VEHICLE DOES NOT APPLY. ON LINE COMPLAINTS SUGGESTS THAT THE EXACT SAME COMPLAINT KEEPS RECURRING BUT NISSAN HAS NOT EXPANDED THERE VIN REGISTRY TO INCLUDE ALL CARS THAT ARE AFFECTED. SPOKE WITH NISSAN N.A. CASE EXPEDITER WHO STATED MY VEHICLE VIN WAS NOT ON THE AFFECTED LIST ALTHOUGH MY COMPLAINT WAS THE SAME AS THOSE VEHICLES ON THE LIST. NISSAN REPRESENTATIVE WOULD NOT TELL ME WHERE MY PART WAS MADE AND WHERE THE DEFECTIVE PARTS WERE IN FACT MADE. CLAIMED THAT THIS WAS INTERNAL NISSAN INFORMATION THAT THEY HAD NO OBLIGATION TO GIVE ME. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0