2003 NISSAN ALTIMA Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSTATE. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR AND THE CAMSHAFT SENSOR AT THE COST OF $373.57. THE DEALER ALSO REPROGRAMMED THE ECM AS STATED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06V242000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 67,976 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,924. UPDATED 06/16/08 *BF

1. THE FAILING OF THE ENGINE WAS SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED. 2. SYMPTOMS AND DIAGNOSED PROBLEM WERE IDENTICAL TO NHTSA RECALL ID #03V4550. 3. THE FAILED PART ("CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR") WAS REPLACED. *TR

2003 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5 DIED UNEXPECTED WHILE DRIVING. DEALER SAYS CRANKSHAFT SENSOR, AND NOT WARRANTED. REPEATED PROBLEM FOR NISSAN AND NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS, I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR'S ENGINE SHUTTING OFF WHILE SITTING IDLE AT A LIGHT OR SHUTTING OFF ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER STARTING MY ENGINE. I CONTACTED BOTH THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND NISSAN DIRECTLY ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THE DEALERSHIP NEVER RETURNED MY CALL/EMAIL AND NISSAN BASICALLY TOLD ME THAT SINCE MY VIN WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL, THAT THEY WOULD NOT GIVE ME A RECALL NOTICE FOR THIS PROBLEM. I TOOK MY CAR INTO A NISSAN DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT FIXED AND I WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE CRANK SHAFT POSITIONING SENSOR AND THEN FROM THERE, THEY WOULD REPROGRAM THE ECM. AFTER BEING TOLD THEY NEEDED TO RUN A 100+ DIAGNOSTIC CHECK, I WAS INFORMED THAT IN ORDER TO REPLACE THE SENSOR, IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $200+, WHICH I DIDN'T HAVE, SO WITH THE HELP OF A MECHANIC FRIEND, RESEARCHED THE CORRECT SENSOR, HAD HIM REPLACE IT AND THEN PROCEEDED TO TAKE IT TO ANOTHER NISSAN DEALERSHIP TO REPROGRAM. AGAIN, WE WERE TOLD THEY NEEDED TO RUN A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE, EVEN THOUGH I ALREADY TOLD THEM IT JUST NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. I WAS INFORMED THAT IF THAT WAS ALL THAT WAS NEEDED, THAT SERVICE WOULD BE ABSORBED INTO THE $100 DIAGNOSTIC FEE. THEY CALLED ME BACK AND TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE MY CAM SHAFT POSITIONING SENSOR FOR THE ECM TO BE REPROGRAMMED AND THAT WOULD COST ME $300+. I ASKED THEM WHY THERE WAS A DISCREPANCY WITH THE INFORMATION BEING RELAYED TO ME AND I WAS INFORMED THAT EACH DEALERSHIP OPERATES INDEPENDENTLY, SO THEY CAN'T BE LIABLE FOR ANOTHER DEALERSHIPS ASSESSMENT. I JUST WANT MY CAR FIXED WITHOUT FEELING AS THOUGH I AM PURCHASING PARTS THAT AREN'T COMPLETELY NECESSARY TO FIX MY PROBLEM, THOUGH MY IDEAL SITUATION WOULD BE THAT THEY SEND ME A RECALL NOTICE SO THAT I CAN GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY ANY MORE MONEY. *TR

2003 NISSAN ALTIMA - FAILURE OF CATALYTIC CONVERTER AT 96K MILES. RESULTING FAILURE HAS CAUSED COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE AND WILL RESULT IN COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT. I WAS THANKFULLY NOT ON THE ROAD WHEN THE ENGINE COMPLETELY FAILED. NISSAN IS CLAIMING NO RESPONSIBILITY AT THIS POINT - REPAIR WILL COST $4500. *TR

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, VEHICLE WENT DEAD IN MIDDLE OF INTERSECTION DURING HEAVY TRAFFIC, AND WAS NOT SHIFTING GEARS PROPERLY IN CITY TRAFFIC AS WELL AS INTERSTATE DRIVING. CAR WAS TAKEN IN TO DEALER, DEALER SCANNED SYSTEM AND FOUND CRANK CAM SENSOR BAD, REPLACED SENSORS AT A COST OF $401.94 WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE PROBLEM WAS RECALL, STATED OUR MODEL WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. CONTACTED NISSAN AMERICA, STATED RECALL WAS FOR 2002 MODELS AND IT WAS JUST A COINCIDENCE THAT WE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. REFUSED TO INCLUDE AND REIMBURSE US FOR CHARGES. *TR

MY LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS KEEP BURNING OUT EVERY 6 MONTHS OR SO. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS, BUT NISSAN REFUSES TO FIX THE ISSUE. THE TSB IN QUESTION IS: SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER : 05057. WHAT SHOULD I DO WHEN A DEALER REFUSES TO PERFORM SERVICE ON AN ISSUE THAT THE NHTSA HAS CLEARLY RECOGNIZED? *TR

THERE IS NO INTERLOCK ON IGNITION TO PREVENT REMOVAL OF THE IGNITION KEY IF SHIFTER IS NOT PLACED IN PARK POSITION. CAR WAS PARKED AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WAS IN NEUTRAL WHEN KEY WAS REMOVED. CAR ROLLED OUT OF PARKING LOT DOWN EMBANKMENT AND CRASHED INTO TREE THEN PROCEEDED ACROSS STREET INTO A LOWER PARKING LOT HITTING GUARD RAIL BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. THIS LACK OF A SAFETY FEATURE WAS UNKNOWN TO OWNERS AND CONSIDER THIS A DEFECT SAFETY RISK TO THE PUBLIC. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SERVICE STATION BECAUSE THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, IT BEGAN TO STALL. THE CONTACT HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE IT WOULD REMAIN ON. THE SERVICE CENTER STATED THAT THE CRANK SENSOR AND THE ENGINE SPEED SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. A FEW WEEKS AGO, AN OXYGEN SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 55,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT TOOK HER VEHICLE TO A SERVICE STATION BECAUSE THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE ALSO BEGAN TO STALL WHEN SHE STARTED THE VEHICLE. SHE HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE ON AND OFF IN ORDER FOR IT TO REMAIN ON. THE SERVICE CENTER STATED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT AND ENGINE SPEED SENSORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT A FEW WEEKS AGO, AN OXYGEN SENSOR WAS REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 55,000.