2003 NISSAN ALTIMA Complaints

THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM THE MANUFACTURER WHICH STATED THAT CERTAIN ENGINE OPERATING CONDITIONS MAY CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE PRE-CATALYST. THE CONSUMER SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER BUT, THE APPOINTMENT WAS CANCELLED DUE TO THE PARTS NOT BEING AVAILABLE. *LA *JB

WHILE DRIVING A BURNING SMELL/ODOR CAME THROUGH THE VENTS. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

IN MY NEW NISSAN ALTIMA 2003, THE RADIATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE FOR DEVELOPING A CRACK. THE PROBLEM CONTINUES, BUT THE DEALER REFUSES TO ADMIT THE RADIATOR IS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THEY HAVE MANY OTHER CUSTOMERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK

DRIVERS SIDE HEADLAMP FAILED. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AT HIPPODROME, TONY BRYANT, THE FAILURE IS CAUSED BY THE HEADLAMP OVERHEATING AND IS A PROBLEM INHERENT IN THIS VEHICLE. THE REPAIR IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AT A COST OF $335 WITH NO ASSURANCE THAT THE LAMP WILL NOT FAIL AGAIN. THE HEADLAMP WAS REPLACED ON DECEMBER 19, 2003, AND DECEMBER 22, 2003. THE LAMP FAILED AGAIN ON JANUARY 26, 2004 AND THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED ON JANUARY 27, 2004. *JB

THE DEBRIS/FIRE RECALL 03V084000 WAS PERFORMED BY THE DEALERSHIP TWICE, BUT THE REMEDY FAILED BOTH TIMES. *NM

WHEN VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON, INCLUDING THE REAR DEFROSTER AND THE HEAT, BACK WINDOW SHATTERED. *AK

I AM VERY UNHAPPY WITH MY 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA PURCHASED IN MARCH 2003 THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL TIMES IN THIS PAST YEAR THAT MY CAR WILL NOT START I BROUGHT CAR TO DEALER THEY FOUND 2 RECALLS BOTH WERE FIXED BUT MY CAR STILL HAS DAYS WERE IT WILL NOT START. I WENT BACK TO DEALER THEY TELL ME THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TILL THEY CAN FIND OUT HOW TO FIX PROBLEM IT HAS BEEN SEVERAL MONTHS AND THEY STILL HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY CAR THEY TOLD ME THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE ARE HAVING SAME PROBLEM AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO RIGHT NOW! IF THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX MY CAR I SHOULD GET MY MONEY BACK OR THEY SHOULD REPLACE IT! I NEVER NO FROM DAY TO DAY IF MY CAR WILL START. *CB

WE ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE FUEL MILEAGE WITH THE NISSAN ALTIMA. IT'S A BRAND NEW 2003 ALTIMA WITH A 2.5/4-CYLINDER ENGINE THAT NISSAN ADVERTISES ON ALL THEIR WINDOW STICKERS AS GETTING 23/29. AFTER THE BREAKING PERIOD, MY FATHER STILL WAS GETTING ONLY 20 MPG SO RETURNED THE CAR ALONG WITH THE ORIGINAL WINDOW STICKER TO THE NISSAN DEALER IN HILLIARD, OH & THEY AGREED TO CHECK IT OUT WHICH THEY DID & REPORTED THAT THE CAR WAS FINE & OPERATING PROPERLY. WHEN HE PICKED THE CAR UP, HE WAS GIVEN SOME PAPERS & ASSUMED THE STICKER WAS AMONG THEM, BUT WASN'T. WHEN HE REALIZED HE WAS MISSING THE STICKER, HE RETURNED TO GET IT & WAS TOLD THEY COULDN'T FIND IT. HE TOOK HIS CAMERA TO THE DEALER & TOOK PICTURES OF LIKE STICKERS ON LIKE MODEL ALTIMAS CLEARLY SHOWING THE 23/29 MPG RATING. A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER, HE TOOK IT IN AGAIN EXPLAINING IT WAS STILL NOT GETTING ANY BETTER MILEAGE & SOMETHING MUST BE DONE SO BONNIE, THE SERVICE MGR. THERE TOOK OVER. AGAIN THEY CHECKED IT OUT & TOLD HIM THE SAME THING...THE CAR IS PERFORMING JUST FINE & THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHY HE IS NOT GETTING THE ADVERTISED MILEAGE. HE TAKES IT IN FOR A 3RD TIME, THEY BRING HIM HOME & KEEP THE CAR FOR SEVERAL HOURS. I TAKE HIM BACK TO PICK IT UP & WE WAIT FOR BONNIE WHO TELLS US THEY HAVE EXHAUSTED EVERY METHOD THEY HAVE FOR TRYING TO FIND OUT WHY THE CAR IS ONLY GETTING 20MPG. SHE AGREES TO CALL NISSAN HEADQUARTERS TO SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS OR WOULD TRADE OUT CARS FOR MY DAD. SEVERAL DAYS LATER SHE CALLS STATING SHE MADE THE CALL. HE'S REALLY TRAPPED & AT HIS WITS END. I SUBSCRIBE TO CONSUMER REPORTS SO CHECKED TO SEE IF THEY HAD TESTED THE CAR & SURE ENOUGH THEY HAD. THEY REPORTED GETTING ONLY 22MPG ON THE EXACT SAME 2003 4-CYLINDER MODEL, WHICH MADE ME START THINKING THAT PROBABLY NOBODY WAS GETTING THE ADVERTISED MILEAGE. I STARTED ASKING EVERY PERSON I FOUND WHO HAD A 2003 4-CYLINDER ALTIMA WHAT MILEAGE THEY WERE GETTING, NOT 1 PERSON EVER EVEN TOOK A MILEAGE CHECK!

WHEN USING THE HEATER THE VENTS BLEW HOT AS LONG AS THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING. AS SOON AS THE VEHICLE STOPPED, THE VENTS BLEW OUT COLD AIR. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER FOUR TIMES TRYING TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER FINALLY INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE TEMPERATURE CHANGE WAS NORMAL. *AK

I AM VERY UNHAPPY WITH MY 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. I PURCHASED IT USED IN AUG. 2002. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP NUMEROUS TIMES FOR SEVERAL THINGS. FAULTY SHOCKS, WHICH TOOK THREE VISITS AND TWO DIFFERENT SHOPS TO GET IT FIXED. AND THE LATEST PROBLEM, NOT STARTING. AND TO TOP IT OFF ON CHRISTMAS EVE STALLING IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. BAA HUM BUG, NO ONE WANTED TO HELP, THEY JUST WANTED TO HONK, LIKE I CHOSE TO "PARK" IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN, IN THE INTERSECTION. AFTER READING ALL THE COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE I AM UNCERTAIN THAT THEY FIXED THE CORRECT THING. THEY REPLACED THE STARER COIL. BUT WHEN I WENT TO PICK UP MY CAR THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON. SO NEXT THEY REPLACED A SENSOR THAT IS A NEW RECALL CAMPAIGN. I PURCHASED MY CAR WITH EXSISTING RECALLS THAT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED ABOUT. THE ONLY REASON I FOUND OUT WAS BECAUSE I CALL TO COMPLAIN TO THE FACTORY ABOUT THE TREATMENT I GOT FROM NORTH BAY NISSAN IN PETALUMA, CA. AND THE LADY I SPOKE WITH INFORMED ME OF 4 RECALLS! WHAT IS NISSANS STANDARDS FOR SELLING "CERTIFIED" USED VEHICLES??? I FEEL ROBBED. I HATE MY CAR, I DONT WANT IT, I DONT FEEL SAFE!