2003 NISSAN ALTIMA Complaints

2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. CONSUMER STATES ENGINE STOPPED WHILE DRIVING *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HIS WIFE WAS DRIVING OVER RAILROAD TRACKS, WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. SHE WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED, BUT WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE FOR NISSAN TO REPLACE THE PART(S) UNDER PREVIOUS RECALL 06V242000 AND ADMIT THE PRESENCE OF AN ONGOING SAFETY HAZARD. *JB

IN OCTOBER 2010 THE AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHING, RESULT: RETRIEVED CODE B1129-RH SIDE AIR BAG MODULE OPEN CIRCUIT, NOT DETECTED AT THE TIME, CODE WAS IN PAST TENSE. MAY HAVE INTERMITTENT FAULT. CLEARED CODE AND LIGHT STAYED OFF AT THE TIME. IN JULY 2011 THE AIR BAG WAS FLASHING AGAIN RETRIEVED CODE B1129-RH AGAIN. THIS TIME THEY SAID SEAT BACK NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND/OR NEEDS A SENSOR UNIT . I FIND THIS A MANUFACTURE ISSUE AND RESPONSIBILITY, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THIS CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN A CAR ACCIDENT OR ABUSED. THE AIR BAG IS NOT A TIRE TO GO BAD, IF ONE WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT AND REPLACED IT AT A PRIVATE PLACE THAT IS ANOTHER STORY! IT IS NOT FAIR FOR THE SAME CODE (B1129-RH) ONCE THEY JUST TURNED OFF AND ONCE THEY SAY YOU NEED TO REPLACE IT. *KB

WE HAVE A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA, WE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE CATALYIC CONVERTER, WE CHANGED IT, IN AUG 2011, WE LEARNED ABOUT THE PROBLEM ON-LINE. WHAT WE DID NOT READ ABOUT IS HOW THE CONVERTER GOES BAD AND THROWS PARTS OF IT INTO THE ENGINE AND HAS THE ENGINE BURN OIL AND EVENTUALLY THROW A ROD. WE TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN OIL CHANGE IN NOV 2011, TRAVELED 500 MILES AND THE ENGINE GOES OUT WE TOLD THE SERVICE ADVISOR THERE WAS A KNOCKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE, HE SAID THIS COULD BE DUE TO LOW OIL, IF THE NOISE CONTINUES AFTER OIL CHANGE WE WILL DIAGNOSE THE NOISE. WELL, THE NOISE STOPPED, AFTER THE ENGINE GAVE OUT, THE DEALERSHIP IS TELLING US THAT WE ARE AT FAULT CAUSE WE DID NOT GET THE DIAGNOSIS DONE ON THE VEHICLE. I ASKED THEM IS THE TEST WOULD DETERMINE THAT A ROD WAS GOING TO BLOW, HE SAID NO, THEN WHY PAY FOR THE TEST. I HAVE BEEN READING ON LINE AND SEE THERE ARE SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE, AND NISSAN CORP WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS, PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT FILING A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT, BUT THERE IS NO RECORD OF ANYONE FILING ONE. I RECENTLY TALKED TO A FRIEND, WHO'S DAUGHTER HAS THE SAME VEHICLE, THEY JUST WENT THRU THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE BLOWN ENGINE, WE GOT ESTIMATES TO REPLACE THE ENGINE, $3500-$5500 FOR ANOTHER ENGINE AND LABOR, THIS IS CRAZY, I CALLED SEVERAL USED OR REBUILT ENGINE PLACES AND THIS ENGINE IS HARD TO COME BY, GUESS LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE BLOWING THE ENGINES FOR THE SAME REASON, YET NISSAN CORP CAN NOT FILE A RECALL OR HELP OUT WITH THE COSTS, ESPECIALLY WHERE THEY KNEW ABOUT THE BAD CATALYIC CONVERTER AND BLOWING DEBRIS BACK INTO THE ENGINE. THAT IS A SHAME, NISSAN IS KNOWN FOR GOOD STRONG DEPENDABLE VEHICLES, AND FOR THEM NOT WANTING TO HELP THE CONSUMERS IS GOING TO HURT THEM IN THE LONG RUN. I HONESTLY CAN SAY I WOULD NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER NISSAN AGAIN. *TR

I OWN A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S. MY VEHICLE'S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT RECENTLY ILLUMINATED WITH A "P420" CODE. WHEN I WENT TO SMOG MY VEHICLE, I WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE WOULD FAIL SMOG DUE TO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THE MECHANIC AT THE SMOG STATION SUGGESTED I TAKE MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. I FOLLOWED HIS ADVICE AND CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, WHO ASKED THEM TO COMPLETE A DIAGNOSTIC TO DETERMINE THE ISSUE. AFTER ONE BUSINESS DAY, THE DEALER PROMPTLY CONTACTED ME, NOTING THAT "BITS OF MY PRE-CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAD DEGRADED AND BEEN SUCKED INTO MY ENGINE". THIS HAS RESULTED IN A QUOTED COST AT $2,944 FOR A LONG BLOCK + $790 DOWN PIPE + EXHAUST MANIFOLD $681 = $4,415 + LABOR (ESTIMATED AT 20 HOURS AT A RATE OF $130/HOUR) FOR A TOTAL COST OF APPROXIMATELY $7,015. APPARENTLY, AS A RESULT OF A DESIGN FLAW IN THE POWER VALVE SCREWS, THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS DEFECTIVE, BREAKS DOWN, AND IS SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE, CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE CODE SENSOR READS A CODE OF P420. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM ON WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV, FORUMS, AND FROM VARIOUS OTHER NISSAN ALTIMA OWNERS. I CAN PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION FOR THIS AT THE INVESTIGATING AGENTS REQUEST, INCLUDING THOSE FILED WITH THE NHSTA AND CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM. SOME RELEVANT LINKS: 1)HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/NISSAN/ALTIMA/2003/ENGINE/ 2)HTTP://AUTOS.MSN.COM/RESEARCH/VIP/RELIABILITY.ASPX?YEAR=2003&MAKE=NISSAN&MODEL=ALTIMA 3)HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/NISSAN_ALTIMA.HTML 4)HTTP://WWW-ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV/COMPLAINTS/ (SEARCH UNDER 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA ENGINE & ENGINE COOLING. THERE ARE 75 PAGES DOCUMENTING THIS ISSUE!). *TR

VEHICLE HAS STALLED - ENGINE STOPPED - IN TRAFFIC SEVERAL TIMES. THE CAM AND CRANK SHAFT SENSORS ARE THE CAUSE OF THIS ISSUE AND NISSAN REFUSES TO RECALL THESE PARTS. IT IS ABSURD THAT THE SAME PARTS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR OTHER ALTIMAS BUILT IN THE SAME YEAR, YET SEVERAL VINS, INCLUDING MINE, WERE EXCLUDED. THE RECALL FOR MY VIN WAS TO REPROGRAM THE COMPUTER TO PREVENT THE FAILED PARTS FROM TELLING THE COMPUTER TO SHUT THE CAR OFF. THIS RECALL HAS DONE NOTHING TO PREVENT THE ISSUE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, NOT ONLY FOR MYSELF AND MY FAMILY BUT ALSO OTHER DRIVERS. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN REPORTED NUMEROUS TIMES ON THE INTERNET BY OTHER DRIVERS. WHEN WILL THE NHTSA STAND UP FOR THE CITIZENS IT WAS CREATED TO PROTECT? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FLOORBOARD ON THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES OF THE VEHICLE WERE ROTTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND A CLAIM WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A RETURN CALL FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

RECENTLY WHILE DRIVING IN A RAIN STORM, IT FELT LIKE WATER WAS SPLASHING UP UNDER MY FLOOR PAN ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. WHEN I HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK UNDER THE CAR, I NOTICED A LOT OF RUST AND A HOLE. I WENT ONLINE TO CHECK AND SEE IF THIS WAS A PROBLEM WITH MY MAKE AND MODEL AND LO AND BEHOLD, MANY HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE AND ALL HAVE SAID THE SAME THING...AND THAT IS THAT NISSAN IS UNWILLING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. I TRIED CONTACTING NISSAN ONLINE, BUT NO ONE HAS RESPONDED TO MY INQUIRY. FROM WHAT I AM SEEING OTHERS REPORT, NISSAN JUST DOESN'T WANT TO HELP. HAVING RUSTED FLOOR PANS IS A DANGEROUS THING AND NISSAN SHOULD BE WILLING TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS. I'M AFRAID THAT I'M GOING TO HAVE A GIGANTIC HOLE AND PERHAPS MY SEAT COULD FALL THROUGH. INCIDENT DATE ABOVE IS APPROXIMATELY WHEN I DISCOVERED THE ISSUE. *TR

AT 9:30PM, ON NOVEMBER 16, 2011, A DARK RAINY NIGHT, I LEFT A HS PARKING LOT. AFTER A SHORT DISTANCE, THE ENGINE (3.5L) COMPLETELY FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THIS CAUSED THE POWERSTEERING TO ALSO STOP. THE SITUATION ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. CARS BEHIND ME AND ON THE OTHERSIDE OF THE ROAD ALMOST HIT MY VEHICLE. IT WAS TERRIFYING AND CONFUSING. TWICE BEFORE, GOING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE ENGINE COMPLETELY STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER MY INSISTANCE, A NISSAN DEALERSHIP FINALLY EXAMINED THE CAR AND FOUND THE CAM POSITION SENSOR WAS FAULTY. THEY REPLACED IT WITH 23731-6J90B. IT WAS PAID FOR BY MY EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE COMPANY SAID THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF ANY RECALLS. THAT WAS 08/04/09. FROM THAT DATE TO 11/16/11, I HAD NO PROBLEM. THEN ON 11/16/11 IT HAPPENED AGAIN (SEE ABOVE).THERE IS A BASIC DESIGN FLAW IN THIS VEHICLE WHICH NEEDS TO BE FIXED. NHTSA'S CAMPAIGN # 03V455000 DESCRIBES THE PROBLEM. ALSO NVS-215 06V242 ALSO DESCRIBES THE PROBLEM. NO ONE SHOULD DRIVE THIS CAR UNTIL IT IS PROPERLY FIX. IT SHOULD BE PART OF THE RECALL. THE NISSAN SPECIALIST AT 800-343-6913 WAS VERY DISMISSIVE. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. *KB

DRIVERS SIDE FLOOR RUSTING THROUGH FROM INSIDE TO OUTSIDE , WAS TOLD IT WOULD NEED TO BE REPAIRED IN ORDER TO PASS STATE INSPECTION. WAS TOLD EVENTUALLY EXHAUST FUMES MAY LEAK INSIDE OF VEHICLE THROUGH ROTTED FLOOR. CAR ONLY HAS 73,000 MILES ON IT . WORRIED THAT CORROSION WILL WORK ITS WAY TO THE SEAT SUPPORT AND WILL FALL THROUGH. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD REFUSE TO START AND EXHIBITED AN ABNORMAL CLICKING. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ALSO ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL AT ANY TIME. THE CONTACT HAD THE ENGINE DUE TO A DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAIN DEFECT. THE DEALER DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED TO COVER A PORTION OF THE REPAIR COSTS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V455000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 114,128.