2003 NISSAN ALTIMA Complaints

A/C COMPRESSOR DOES NOT DISENGAGE WHEN THE MANUAL SELECTOR SWITCH IS MOVED FROM THE DEFROST POSITION. THIS IS COVERED BY A SERVICE BULLETIN NTB03-048 DATED 5-6-03 FROM NISSAN CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS NOTED AS A CHANGE IN OPERATION FROM EARLIER MODELS AND I FEEL IT IS DANGEROUS. THE ONLY WAY TO DISENGAGE THE COMPRESSOR AFTER USING THE DEFROSTER IS TO STOP THE CAR, MOVE THE SELECTOR SWITCH TO ANY FUNCTION THAT IS NOT DEFROSTER RELATED, TURN OFF THE IGNITION AND RESTART THE CAR. IF YOU DON'T THERE IS AT LEAST A 10% LOSS IN MILEAGE DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE A/C COMPRESSOR IS OPERATING AND THE TEMP SELECTOR MUST BE ADJUSTED UP OR THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE WILL FREEZE. THIS WAS DISCOVERED BY MY WIFE AND I ON OUR WAY THROUGH CHICAGO ON I-94. I THOUGHT IT WAS A SIMPLE WARRANTY PROBLEM THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO GET FIXED UPON MY RETURN TO WAUKESHA. THE SERVICE BULLETIN MAKES IT SEEM THAT THIS IS NORMAL AND THE CONSUMER WILL JUST HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE PROBLEM. NOW THAT I KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON I FEEL THIS IS NOT ONLY DANGEROUS AND ENVIRONMENTALLY UNFRIENDLY BUT JUST ANOTHER WAY THE CAR MANUFACTURER HAS DECIDED TO CUT CORNERS AND NOT MAKE TWO DIFFERENT RELAYS FOR THE MANUAL AND AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL VEHICLES. I DO NOT FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO CARRY BLANKETS AROUND IN MY CAR TO KEEP ME WARM IN JUNE AND JULY BECAUSE MY A/C WILL NOT SHUT OFF UNLESS I RESTART MY ENGINE. WHAT FOOL WOULD DO THAT ON A BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THIS IS NOT A DEALER PROBLEM, THIS WAS IN THE VEHICLE WHEN I BOUGHT IT AND THAT THE WAY NISSAN DESIGNED IT. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL CAN HIT THE "AUTO" CONTROL AND THE PROBLEM STOPS. I DON'T HAVE THAT BUTTON IN MY "MANUALLY" CONTROLLED HEATER/AIR CONDITIONER. I HOPE THAT YOU WILL ADDRESS THIS WITH NISSAN. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE BULLETIN THIS PROBLEM STARTED WITH MOST OF THE 2003 MODELS. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. *NLM

WE PURCHASED A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA S ON NOVEMBER 12, 2002. WE NOTICED A ROUGH VIBRATION WHEN WE ARE SITTING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT IN DRIVE AND WHEN WE HAVE IT IN PARK. WE TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY TO BE CHECKED AND WE WERE TOLD IT WAS NORMAL. WE WANTED TO EXCHANGE THE VEHICLE FOR ANOTHER ALTIMA OF SAME VALUE BECAUSE WE HAVE FRIENDS WITH 2002-2003 ALTIMAS AND THEY ARE NOT HAVING THIS PROBLEM. WE HAVE TAKEN IT BACK SEVERAL TIMES BUT THEY STILL CONTINUE TO SAY IT IS NORMAL. ALSO, WE ARE HAVING A PROBLEM WITH ACCELERATION ON THIS VEHICLE. WHEN YOU TAKE OFF IT HESITATES BEFORE IT PICKS UP SPEED AND THE TRANSMISSION DOESN'T SEEM TO BE CHANGING OUT SMOOTHLY. WE AREN'T HAVING ANY LUCK WITH THE DEALERSHIP WE PURCHASED IT FROM. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT THE CUSTOMERS AFTER THEY GET YOUR $20,000 + CHECK. I REALLY THINK THERE SHOULD BE A BETTER WAY FOR CUSTOMERS TO RECEIVE QUALITY SERVICE FROM THESE DEALERSHIPS AFTER PURCHASE. WE FEEL LIKE WE PURCHASE A 2003 LEMON AND WE THINK THAT NISSAN CORP. SHOULD MAKE THESE DEALERSHIPS THAT ARE SELLING THEIR PRODUCTS SATISFY THE CUSTOMER BEFORE/AFTER THE SALE. *TT

NAR 04/28/2003 MR THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED A MECHANICAL FAILURE, THAT WOULD REQUEST A NEW VEHICLE UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY. *CB

2003 NISSAN ALTIMA WITH 3,539 MILES ON JAN 17TH MY WIFE DROVE IT OUT FOR THE GROCERY SHOPPING. WHEN SHE CAME BACK SHE PARKED THE CAR ON THE DRIVE WAY IN 'P' WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AS SHE WAS TO GO OUT AFTER UNLOADING THE SHOPPING BAGS FROM THE TRUNK. SHE GOT OFF FROM THE CAR AND OPENED THE TRUNK AND UNLOADED THE SHOPPING BAGS AND TOOK THEM TO THE KITCHEN THROUGH THE GARAGE. SHE TOOK FEW BAGS EACH TIME TO THE KITCHEN SO SHE TRAVELED FEW TIMES FROM THE CAR TO THE KITCHEN. THEN SHE WALKED TO THE MAILBOX AND THEN TOOK THE LAST BAG FROM THE TRUNK AND AFTER CLOSING THE TRUNK WALKED TO THE KITCHEN. SOON LATER SHE OPENED THE KITCHEN DOOR AND WALKED INTO THE GARAGE WHEN SHE NOTICED THAT THE CAR WAS COMING TOWARD HER. IT HAPPENED SO FAST AND AS SHE LOOKED AT THE CAR SHE GOT PARALISED AND THE CAR BUMPED INTO THE WATER HEATER BASE AND STOPPED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AND IN 'P'. MY WIFE DIDN'T GET HURT BY 1/16" OR SO... MY DAUGHTER RAN TO THE CAR TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED AND VERIFIED IF THE CAR WAS IN 'P' OR NOT. IT WAS IN 'P' AND THE INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE PANEL SHOWING 'P' TOO!! I TOOK SOME PICTURES OF IT SINCE THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO AT THAT MOMENT. MY WIFE WAS IN SHOCK. SO I STAYED WITH HER THAT EVENING AND RIGHT NEXT DAY EARLY MORNING TOOK THE CAR TO THE NISSAN DEALER AND REPORTED THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE DEPT CHECKED IT OUT AND SAID THAT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR AND TOLD ME AND TO MY WIFE AND MY DAUGHTER THAT WE HAVE TO USE OUR INSURANCE TO FIX THE DAMAGES CAUSED TO THE CAR AND THE HOUSE BY THE MALFUNCTION OF THE CAR. NO FURTHER ACTION WAS TAKEN BY THE NISSAN DEALER REGARDING THIS ISSUE ALTHOUGH I REQUESTED TO CONTACT NISSAN USA CORP TO REPORT THE PROBLEM.