2003 NISSAN ALTIMA Complaints

PURCHASED THIS CAR FROM A DEALER IN 2011. THREE WEEKS AGO WHILE PUTTING NEW BRAKES, RIMS AND TIRES NOTICED THE WHOLE UNDER CARRIAGE ON THE DRIVER SIDE IS RUSTED OUT AND FALLING A PART IN CHUNKS. TOOK IT TO A BODY SHOP TO GET A REPAIR ESTIMATE, IT WILL BE $2,700.00 TO FIX IT. THE DEALER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IS NOT MUCH HELP AND THE NISSAN SEEMS TO BE AWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT NOT WILLING TO HELP OR HAVE A RECALL. I LIVE IN MARYLAND WHERE A STATE MANDATED INSPECTION IS REQUIRED BEFORE I CAN SELL OR TRADE IN THIS CAR. THE CAR WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION WITHOUT THIS ISSUE RESOLVED. *TR

IN EARLY AUGUST 2013, I NOTICED A RUSTED PIECE OF METAL HANGING FROM THE UNDER CARRIAGE OF MY 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. DURING A RECENT OIL CHANGE, I ASKED THE MECHANIC TO LOOK AND SEE WHERE THE PIECE OF METAL WAS COMING FROM. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR'S FLOOR PANEL ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH LEAVING A GAPING HOLE THE SIZE OF A FOOTBALL IN FRONT OF WHERE THE PASSENGER SEAT IS LOCATED. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, I DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM COVERING 3 MODEL YEARS, 2003 THRU 2006 AND HAS AFFECTED THOUSANDS OF ALTIMAS. MY 2003 ALTIMA WAS A "CERTIFIED USED CAR" THAT WAS PURCHASED AT ARLINGTON NISSAN, ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL IN 2006. IT'S CURRENT MILEAGE IS 126,000. THERE IS NOT ONE SPOT OF RUST ON ANY OTHER PART OF THE CAR. IT HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT SINCE I PURCHASED IT. I CALLED ARLINGTON NISSAN ON 9-11-13, TO ASK IF THERE HAD BEEN SOME SORT OF RECALL ON THE VEHICLE ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT ALTHOUGH THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, NO RECALL HAD BEEN INITIATED BY NISSAN CORPORATE. THEY TOLD ME TO CONTACT NISSAN'S CONSUMER AFFAIRS DIVISION WHO THEN INSTRUCTED ME TO PROVIDE THEM WITH A DIAGNOSTIC REPORT COMPLETE WITH ESTIMATED REPAIR COSTS FROM ARLINGTON NISSAN. NISSAN'S CONSUMER AFFAIRS DIVISION WOULD THEN TURN THE CLAIM OVER TO THE REGIONAL OFFICE THAT OVERSEES ARLINGTON NISSAN. THAT OFFICE WOULD GET BACK TO ME WITH A DECISION ON REPAIRING THE DEFECT. THERE WAS NO PROMISE OF THEM FIXING THE PROBLEM AT NO COST OR REIMBURSING ME THE COSTS OF HAVING AN INDEPENDENT BODY SHOP DO THE REPAIR. NOW IT IS THE WAITING GAME. THE NHTSA SHOULD MANDATE A NATIONAL RECALL ON THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT AS IT POSES A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE FOR ANYONE DRIVING A 2003-2006 NISSAN ALTIMA. *TR

2003 NISSAN ALTIMA (122,000 MILES) - PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE FLOOR BOARDS ARE COMPLETED RUSTED. NISSAN IS NOT HELPING WITH THIS KNOWN DEFECT. *JB

MY TRUNK LATCH WILL RANDOMLY POP OPEN. THE FIRST TIME WAS WHILE DRIVING IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. THE SECOND TIME, I CAME OUT OF A STORE TO FIND MY TRUNK OPEN. IT KEEPS POPPING OPEN EVERY TIME I DRIVE NOW. IT'S VERY DANGEROUS ON THE HIGHWAY TO SUDDENLY HAVE YOUR TRUNK FLY UP BLOCKING YOUR VIEW TO THE TRAFFIC BEHIND YOU. I HAVE JIMMY RIGGED IT WITH A BUNGEE CORD INSIDE SO THAT IT ONLY POPS UP ABOUT AN INCH OR TWO WHEN THE LATCH POPS. I WOULD JUST DUCT TAPE IT, BUT I NEED ACCESS TO MY DAUGHTER'S STROLLER. I ALSO UNPLUGGED THE INTERIOR TRUNK LIGHT SO THAT MY BATTERY WOULD NOT BE WORN OUT. THE WEIRD THING TOO IS THAT THE DOOR OPEN LIGHT DID NOT GO ON WHEN THE TRUNK OPENED. HOPING MY HUSBAND CAN FIX THIS DURING THE WEEKEND.

2003 NISSAN ALTIMA (127,000 MILES) - PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE FLOOR BOARDS ARE COMPLETED RUSTED. NISSAN IS NOT HELPING WITH THIS KNOWN DEFECT. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS BEFORE NHTSA GETS INVOLVED? OVER 70 REPORTS ON THE THIS SITE AND HUNDREDS MORE IF YOU PERFORM A SIMPLE INTERNET SEARCH. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT ANY WARNINGS. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN CONSUMING OIL EXCESSIVELY BEFORE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V084000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING ). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 133,931.

WE NOTICED OVER THE WEEKEND THAT THE FLOORBOARDS UNDER THE FRONT SEATS ARE COMPLETELY RUSTED. I COULD HAVE BEEN WALKING MY CAR LIKE THE FLINTSTONES ANYTIME SOON. *TR

MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 55 MILES PER HOUR. IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A BAD CAMSHAFT SENSOR...THE SENSOR WAS REPLACED. IT WORKS FOR A WHILE THEN THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED ABOUT 6 MONTHS LATER, THEN AGAIN ABOUT 6 MONTHS LATER AND AGAIN 6 MONTHS LATER. IN ONE CASE I ONLY NARROWLY AVOIDED A CRASH BECAUSE MY CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY STREET. NOW 4 YEARS LATER WE HAVE REPLACED THE CAM SHAFT SENSOR 6 TIMES AND HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. MY MECHANIC DID RESEARCH AND FOUND VEHICLE OF MY SAME MAKE AND MODEL WERE PART OF A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM RECALL 01V357 AND FOLLOW UP RECALL 33411. NISSAN KEEPS TELLING ME MY CAR ISN'T AFFECTED. I SERIOUSLY FEEL IT SHOULD BE. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY THE PROBLEM I AM HAVING. DESPITE REPEATED CALLS TO NISSAN THEY WILL NOT LOOK AT MY CAR WITHOUT CHARGING ME OR CONSIDER ADDING IT TO THE RECALL. MY CAR IS NO LONGER OPERABLE BECAUSE IT STALLS SO VIOLENTLY, I AM AFRAID I WILL CRASH AND PUT MY FAMILY IN DANGER. PLEASE HELP! *TR

I HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING AT 84000 MILES BECAUSE THE STEERING HAD A KNOCKING SOUND EVERYTIME YOU TURN IT LEFT OR RIGHT,OR WHEN YOU GO OVER A BUMP,,,,IT WAS VERY SLACK AND EVENTUALLY IT FELT AS THOUGH IT WOULD FALL OUT AT ANYTIME.....WAS ADVISED AT THE DEALERSHIP THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED NO EXPLANATION COULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN . THIS WAS DONE YESTERDAY 08/22/2013. NOW THERE IS A VERY HUGE RUST HOLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE UNDER THE CAR ...THIS CAR IS 10YRS OLD WITH 84000 MILES AND I TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF MY CAR..I BOUGHT IT IN 2006 WITH ABOUT 25000 MILES. THE HOLE IS ABOUT TWELVE INCHES BY SIX INCHES. THE LIGHTING IS SO POOR MOST TIMES AT NIGHT I ALWAYS HAVE TO USE MYHIGH BEAM ....WORST CAR I EVER HAD...THERE WERE SO MANY OTHER PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD WITH IT . THIS CAR SPENT MANY WEEKS AT THE DEALERSHIP. .. *TR

WHEN I WAS CAME HOME FROM SHOPPING I STOP CAR AND SWITCH OFF AND GO HOME AFTER ABOUT 15 MIN GOING TO SOME WHERE BUT CAR TAKE TIME TO START AFTER FEW SECOND CAR START. TRY 3 TIMES SAME. NEXT DAY GOING TO WORK AND SAME STARTING PROBLEM START CAR AND GOING ABOUT 1 MILE DRIVE POWER CUT OFF AND LUCKILY NO ONE BEHIND ME ABLE TO GO ON SIDE BECAUSE CAN NOT DO ANYTHING NO BRAKE NO GAS GOD HELP ME AFTER ONE MINT START CAR AND RICH WORK ABOUT 2 MILE . AT WORK WE HAVE MECHANIC HE HAS SOFTWARE FOR CAR DIAGNOSIS HE CHECK AND TOLD ME CODE P0340 FOR CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR WE CHANGE ONE BOUGHT FROM DEALER AFTER 2 HR GOING HOME SAME PROBLEM STARTING. MECHANIC RESET AND GO HOME NEXT DAY GOING TO WORK SAME THING HAPPENED POWER SHUTOFF ABOUT 1 AND 1/2 ABLE TO PARK ONSIDE AND START AGAIN AND DROP TO REPAIR SHOP. HE CALLED ME AND TOLD ME YOU HAVE TO CHANGE ANOTHER CAMSHAFT SENSOR AFTER WOK FINE FOR UP TO NOW. BUT THEY RECALL SOME CAR BEFORE FOR THIS PROBLEM IF I WAS IN HIGHWAY THEN WHAT HAPPENED DO YOU THINK I WILL ABLE TO WRITE NOW OR DIE. CAN YOU CHECK ON THIS AND DO SOMETHING OTHERWISE SOME ONE DIE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR