2003 NISSAN ALTIMA Complaints
View complaints related to 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 860 complaints submitted for the 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. You can submit your own complaint to the NHTSA or call the Hotline, Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153.
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2003 NISSAN ALTIMA- ASHLAND, MA
MY 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA VIN 1N4AL11D33C2XXXXX WAS DISPLAYING A SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT WITH A CODE OF P0 507- IDLE SYSTEM TOO HIGH.....THIS APPEARED APPROXIMATELY 3 WEEKS FOLLOWING THE R0606 RECALL FOR A ECM RE-PORGRAM FOR A CRANK ENGINE SENSOR. THE INTRESTING THING, MY SISTER HAS THE SAME CAR, DID THE SAME RECALL AROUND THE SAME TIME AND HAD THE SAME SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT APPEAR THE SAME DAY WITH THE SAME CODE. SEARCHING THE WEB, IT APPEARS MANY FOLKS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I PAID ABOUT $140 TO HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED AND WANT NISSAN TO REFUND MY MONEY, HOWEVER 6 CALLS TO THEM HAS GOTTEN ME NO WHERE. *NM
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
2003 NISSAN ALTIMA- BAKERSFIELD, CA
I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY CRANK SENSOR ON MY 03 NISSAN ALTIMA, THE CAR WILL SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING CREATING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IF ON A HEAVY TRAVELED ROAD. I'M AFRAID THAT IT WILL RESULT IN A ACCIDENT POSSIBLY INJURING ME. I TRIED TO HAVE THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP FIX THIS PROB UNDER THEIR RECALL AND THEY REFUSED STATING IT WAS ONLY FOR THE 02 MODELS. MANY OTHER ALTIMA OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING IF YOU SEARCHED ON WWW.NISSANCLUB.COM YOU WOULD SEE NUMEROUS ENTRIES OF THE SAME THING. I JUST WANT THIS FIXED FOR SAFETY REASONS. *NM
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
2003 NISSAN ALTIMA- GRAY COURT, SC
I HAVE BEEN HAVING NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR MOVING VERY SLOWLY,NOT STAYING IN THE ROAD, PULLING AWAY FROM ME. I HAVE TO DRIVE MY CAR WITH 2 HANDS TO KEEP IN THE ROAD. I HAVE TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME MANY DIFFERENT PROBLEMS THAT MIGHT BE WRONG WITH MY CAR. WHEN I FINALLY DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO ANOTHER MAINTENANCE SHOP JUST TO MAKE SURE I WAS BEING TOLD THE TRUTH. AFTER 30 MIN OF HAVING MY VEHICLE I WAS TOLD BY A GOODYEAR MANAGER THAT I HAVE 3X THE WRONG SIZE TIRES ON MY VEHICLE. HE TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD HAVE 205/65/16 TIRES ON MY CAR AND I HAVE 225/60/16 TIRES ON MY VEHICLE. I AM FURIOUS BECAUSE I PURCHASED THIS CAR FROM THE DEALERSHIP WITH THOSE TIRES ON MY CAR AND HAVE TAKEN MY CAR IN THERE SEVERAL TIMES TO BE MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE AND THEY KNEW THAT WAS THE PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. MY CAR IS NOT A STEADY VEHICLE I FEEL UNSAFE IN THIS CAR. I HAVE TO CONSTANTLY HOLD IT STILL IN THE ROAD. WHEN IT RAIN I FEEL LIKE I WRECK AT ANYTIME. I HAVE A SMALL CHILD AND IT HURTS ME TO KNOW THAT I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR IN THERE SEVERAL TIMES AND NOT ONE TIME HAVE THEY SAID ANYTHING ABOUT MY TIRES. I HAVE HAD THOSE TIRES ALIGNED AND BALANCE BUT THE TECH TOLD ME IT WOULD DO ME NO GOOD BECAUSE THE TIRES ARE 3 TIMES TO BIG. PLEASE HELP I THINK THEY SHOULD REPLACE MY TIRES WITH THE RIGHT SIZE. ALSO MY SEAT BELTS ON THE CAR WILL NOT EXTRACT I HAVE TAKEN THIS TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY WILL PULL THEM OUT BUT WHEN I LEAVE AFTER ABOUT 4 TO 5 DAYS MY BELTS WILL GET STUCK AGAIN I ALSO HAD MY SEAT BELTS CHECKED AND WAS TOLD IT IS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEMS AND NISSAN WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY TOLD ME FLAT OUT IT IS NOT THERE PROBLEM I CAN NOT PULL A SEAT BELT. I HAVE TO LET MY DAUGHTER RIDE IN THE BACK AT TIMES WITHOUT A SEAT BELT UNTIL I CAN FIND SOMEONE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE SEAT BELTS ARE GETTING HUNG FROM THE CORE OF THE ENTRANCE BUT THEY WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. **NM
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
2003 NISSAN ALTIMA- TAMARAC, FL
2003 ALTIMA THROTTLE BODY WAS DEFECTIVE CAUSING CHECK ENGINE SOON LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. CHAMBER ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TS THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE RECALL SHE RECEIVED FOR THE CRANK ANGLE SENSOR AND ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE IS RELATED TO THE THROTTLE ASSEMBLY WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED. *NM
Source: CONSUMER LETTER -
2003 NISSAN ALTIMA- PEMBROKE PINES, FL
MY VEHICLE'S ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING WHILE WAITING AT A RED LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT EVEN CRANK ITS ENGINE. AFTER 10 MINS THE ENGINE CRANKED AND STARTED, I HAD IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST NISSAN DEALERSHIP, AND EXPLAINED OF A RECALL THAT STATED, " THAT SOME 2003 ALTIMAS MIGHT STOP RUNNING WHILE DRIVING DUE TO A PROBLEM BETWEEN THE CRANK ANGLE SENSOR AND THE ECM". WHEN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT CALLED ME BACK, THEY STATED THAT I HAD TO HAVE THE POSITION SENSOR REPLACED AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT OUT OF POCKET. WHEN I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT ON THE RECALL NOTICE I HAD RECEIVED IT CLEARLY STATED THAT "IF ANY ONE HAD TO PAY TOP HAVE THE ISSUE RESOLVED IN BEFORE THE CAMPAIGN THAT THEY BE ELIGIBLE FOR A REIMBURSEMENT. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPEATED THAT REPLACING THE SENSOR WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL, AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT, OUT OF POCKET. *NM
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
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2003 NISSAN ALTIMA- LAWRENCEVILLE, GA
I HAVE A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5 S AND MY OIL IS JUST DISAPPEARING FROM THE ENGINE. I DO NOT SEE LEAKING, BUT IT IS BEING CONSUMED SOMEHOW. THERE IS A RECALL SPEAKING OF THIS ISSUE. BUT NISSAN SAYS THAT IT DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT APART OF THE RECALL. I HAVE THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL, AND YEAR SO I BELIEVE IF MY VEHICLE IS DOING THE SAME THING, THEN SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT IT. MY CAR HAS NOW BEEN PARKED IN THE GARAGE FOR 2 MONTHS BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO BLOW UP THE ENGINE, BECAUSE IF I DRIVE ANYWHERE, ALL THE OIL IN THE ENGINE WILL BE GONE. *NM
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
2003 NISSAN ALTIMA- LA PALMA, CA
THIS IS THE SECOND COMPLAINT I'VE FILED WITHIN THE SPAN OF 30 DAYS. I HAVE BEEN HAVING STALLING PROBLEMS WITH MY 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA FOR THE LAST 2 MONTHS. THE ENGINE WOULD COMPLETELY STOP DURING LOW SPEEDS AND AT STOP (4 TIMES AT A STOP AND ONCE DURING A TURN). I HAVE ALREADY HAD ISSUES WITH MY NISSAN DEALERSHIP IN SERVICING MY RECALLS. FIRST I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON MY CAR SO I DROVE IT HOME. THEN I WENT BACK AGAIN AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS INDEED A RECALL FOR THE ECM. SO I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND SHOWED THEM THE REPORTS. THE DEALERSHIP DECIDED TO REPROGRAM MY ECM (AS THE RECALL STATES) AND SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING ELSE WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE THAT COULD BE CAUSING THE STALLS. HOWEVER, JUST TWO WEEKS AFTER MY VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR THE RECALLS, MY CAR ENGINE DIES AGAIN. I CALLED INTO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THEM RUN A DIAGNOSTIC ON MY CAR ENGINE AND ONCE MORE THEY COULD NOT LOCATE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE READ ONLINE REPORTS OF OTHER NISSAN OWNERS WHERE THEY COMPLAINED OF THE SAME SITUATION- EVEN AFTER THE REPROGRAMMING OF THE ECM, THE ENGINE STILL STALLS. SO NOW I HAVE MY CAR BACK BUT STILL WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I'VE ALSO TAKEN MY CAR TO AN NON-NISSAN MECHANIC AND HE TOO COULD LOCATE THE PROBLEM. NISSAN SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN VEHICLES, OR AT LEAST BE ABLE TO LOCATE AND FIX THE PROBLEMS WHEN IT OCCURS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE ENGINE STALLING WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. PLEASE ADVISE. *JB
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
2003 NISSAN ALTIMA- ROCKVILLE, MD
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30-35 MPH, A CHILD LOCATED BEHIND THE DRIVER SEAT BECAME CAUGHT IN THE SEAT BELT. THE CHILD BEGAN TO YELL BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT WAS TIGHTENING WHICH CAUSED THE CHILD TO CHOKE. THE CHILD WAS CUT OUT OF THE SEAT BELT WITH SCISSORS. ON MANY OCCASIONS, THE DRIVER SEAT BELT TIGHTENED SO BAD THE CONTACT WAS FORCED TO UNLATCH THE SEAT BELT TO ESCAPE BEING CHOKED ALSO.
Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE -
2003 NISSAN ALTIMA- INDIANAPOLIS, IN
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE RECALL REPAIR WORK #06V242000 WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE IN 10/06. THREE DAYS AFTER THE RECALL REPAIR, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO RUN IDLE. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING IDENTIFIED THAT THE IDLE WAS OFF AND NEEDED TO BE RELEARNED, WHICH WAS PERFORMED. 12 MILES AFTER LEAVING THE DEALER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN IDLING WORST THAN IT DID BEFORE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE COMPUTER WAS BAD BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT ACCEPT THE RELEARNING OF THE IDLE. THE COMPUTER WAS REPLACED. FOUR DAYS LATER THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS JUMPED AND TAKEN TO A INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE ALTERNATOR, BATTERY AND STARTER. THEY ALL TESTED NORMAL TO MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONS. THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP MECHANIC STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD PROBABLY NOT START DUE TO A DEFECTIVE COMPUTER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND RECOMMENDED THE VEHICLE BE TAKEN TO A DEALER.
Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE -
2003 NISSAN ALTIMA- ARNOLD, MO
MY 02 ALTIMA HAS HAD FOUR RECALLS, INCLUDING THE LAST ONE IN QUESTION. I BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR LURCHING THIS SUMMER. IT ACTED AS IF IT WAS GOING TO DIE. IT EVEN BEGAN TO DIE ON ME ONCE OR TWICE AT IDLE SPEEDS. ON AUG 24TH, WHEN I PULLED OUT OF THE PARKING LOT, THE CAR DIED. IT DIED THREE TIMES WHILE I WAS TRYING TO TURN AROUND AND GET BACK TO THE PARKING LOT. I TOOK THE CAR TO A REPUTABLE, ASE CERTIFIED MECHANIC. MEANWHILE, I CHECKED THE WEB. NO ADDITIONAL RECALLS WERE LISTED.) THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT POSITIONING SENSOR NEEDED REPLACING. THE CAR CONTINUED TO LURCH AND ACT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO DIE WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THE TECHS RECOMMENDED I TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. THE NISSAN DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS KNOWN. NISSAN HAD ISSUED A RECALL, THE CAR NEEDED THE ECM REPROGRAMMED. AFTER THEY REPROGRAMMED THE ECM, NISSAN STATED THAT THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR STILL NEEDED REPLACING. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE MECHANIC THAT HAD ALREADY REPLACED THE SENSOR. THEY ALSO SAID IT NEEDED A NEW CAM SENSOR. THEY REPLACED BOTH SENSORS AT NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE. WITHIN A FEW DAYS, THE CAR EXHIBITED THE SAME, PREVIOUS SYMPTOMS. I TOOK IT BACK TO NISSAN. THE SERV DEPT INFORMED ME THAT THE ISSUE WAS THE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY. THE BAD NEWS - THE COST WAS $1000. THE PART WAS ESTIMATED AT $550 AND LABOR WAS AROUND $450. ESTIMATE TIME OF REPAIR = 1 1/2 HOUR. THE WARRANTY IS 5 YRS / 60K MILES. HE STATED IF THE MILEAGE WAS 60K MILES, THEN THE THROTTLE BODY WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY... BUT, SINCE THE MILEAGE READ 65K MILES, THEN IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED. THE SERVICE MANAGER APPLIED FOR A GOODWILL WARRANTY. THE REQUEST WAS DENIED. I CONTACTED NISSAN. AFTER FILING THE COMPLAINT AND WAITING FOR A RESPONSE, I FINALLY OPTED TO HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED AT MY OWN EXPENSE. TO DATE, NISSAN DECLINED TO PAY FOR ANY PART OF THE THROTTLE BODY REPAIR. HOWEVER, THEY HAVE PROMISED TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR. *NM
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE