2003 NISSAN SENTRA Complaints

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR A WHILE WITH ERRATIC GAUGES THAT ONLY WORK SOMETIMES.... THEN RECENTLY CAR HAS BEEN SHUTTING OFF, COMPLETELY DYING WHILE DRIVING SOMETIMES AT LOW SPEEDS, SOMETIMES ON THE HIGHWAY. SOMETIMES WILL RESTART FOR ME, SOMETIMES WILL NOT. AFTER RESEARCH ONLINE, FOUND OUT ABOUT RECALL ON 03 SENTRAS WITH THE EXACT THINGS THAT MY CAR HAS BEEN DOING. CALLED NISSAN AND TOOK MY CAR TO A LOCAL DEALER AND THEY SAID MY CARS VIN NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, EVEN THOUGH THE SAME YEAR, MODEL AND ENGINE AS THE RECALL LISTED. THIS IS SO DANGEROUS AND IT IS HAPPENING VERY FREQUENTLY NOW. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V455000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON WARNING INDICATOR TO ILLUMINATE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WILL PERIODICALLY SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND WILL NOT RESTART. OCCASIONALLY, THE VEHICLE TAKES AT LEAST A HALF AN HOUR BEFORE RESTARTING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE WARRANTY. THE DIAGNOSTIC WOULD COST $90. A MECHANIC STATED THAT THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR INDICATOR WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,000.

THIS IS WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO DATE: 1.MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR ?03 SENTRA AT 11 PM ON JANUARY 22, 2008 WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT. IT WOULD NOT RESTART. FORTUNATELY, IT HAPPENED ON A SIDE STREET WITH LIGHT TRAFFIC. 2.I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO MY USUAL MECHANIC, A FIRESTONE DEALER IN NORCROSS, GA. 3.THE NEXT DAY THE FIRESTONE MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE VEHICLE?S ISSUE WAS A CRANK POSITION SENSOR THAT WAS BAD AND THAT THIS WAS COVERED BY RECALL #03V455000 FOR ?03 NISSAN SENTRAS, AMONG OTHER NISSAN VEHICLES. IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT I TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A NISSAN DEALER. 4.THAT NEXT MORNING, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CAPITOL CITY (FORMERLY PEACHTREE) NISSAN.. THE CAPITOL CITY NISSAN SERVICE AGENT INFORMED ME THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. HE SHOWED ME THE DOCUMENT THAT INDICATED THAT THE RECALL ONLY APPLIED TO ?03 CARS MANUFACTURED ON OR BEFORE 30 JUNE 2002. MINE WAS APPARENTLY BUILT IN DECEMBER OF ?02 5.CAPITOL CITY NISSAN ALSO WASN'T CONVINCED THE PROBLEM WAS THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR SO INSISTED ON RUNNING THEIR OWN DIAGNOSTICS TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. IN THE END, IT WAS CONFIRMED TO BE THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR. IT IS MY CONTENTION THAT THE FAILED SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED BY THE RECALL. THE DEFECTIVE SENSOR CAUSED A SUDDEN ENGINE FAILURE, EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED IN RECALL NOTICE 03V455000. FORTUNATELY, THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE THE CAR WAS MOVING SLOWLY IN LIGHT TRAFFIC. I BROUGHT THIS TO NISSAN'S ATTENTION. THEY HAVE REFUSED TO CORRECT THE DEFECT AT THEIR COST. IT IS MY CONTENTION THAT THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE ALL ?03 SENTRAS AS I HAVE READ OF SEVERAL OF THESE OCCURRENCES TO VEHICLES JUST OUTSIDE THE RECALL MANUFACTURING PERIOD. *TR

MY 2003 NISSAN SENTRA, IS RECENTLY EXPERIENCING RELATED ITEMS IN RECALL CAMPAIGN 06V24000, BUT NISSAN STATES MY VIN DOES NOT SHOW ON THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO A NISSAN DEALERSHIP, AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR, WHICH WAS REPLACED FOR $698.41. SOON AFTER THE DEALERSHIP FIXED MY VEHICLE, I EXPERIENCED THE ENGINE STOP RUNNING AT A LOW SPEED WHILE TRAVELING ONTO THE HIGHWAY. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND NISSAN, I WAS ASSIGNED CASE # 6389764 I WAS TOLD I WOULD BE CONTACTED BY NISSAN WITHIN THE NEXT 48 HOURS. I AM POSTING THIS COMPLAINT , BECAUSE OF THE JEOPARDY OF NISSAN PUTTING MY LIFE AND MY FAMILY'S LIFE AT RISK. MY LOVED ONES ARE AFRAID TO TRAVEL IN THE VEHICLE WITH ME. I FIND IT SOMEWHAT OF A ENIGMA, THAT MY VIN DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL, BUT I AM EXPERIENCING THE EXACT PROBLEMS PER RECALL CAMPAIGN #06242000. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN SENTRA. SHE EXPERIENCED STALLING CONSISTENTLY IN NOVEMBER OF 2008. SHE THOUGHT IT WAS THE GASOLINE SHE USED THAT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. ON DECEMBER 3, 2008, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALERS DIAGNOSIS FOUND FAILURE CODES FOR THE HEAD GASKET AND CRANK SENSOR. THE THIRD CYLINDER AND THE CRANK SENSOR CIRCUIT WERE REPLACED. THE COST OF THE REPAIRS WERE $1,678.58. THE REPAIRS DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE DEALER REDIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE STALLING WAS DUE TO A FAULTY FUEL PUMP THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. A REPORT RELATED TO THE FAILURE WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL; HOWEVER, THE VIN WASN'T INCLUDED. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT SHE WILL RECEIVE A REFUND IF THEY FOUND THAT HER VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 135,000. UPDATED 02-23-09 *BF UPDATED 02/24/09. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN SENTRA. WHILE IDLING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WITH THE HEAT, HEADLIGHTS, AND RADIO ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE INTERIOR LIGHTING WAS STILL ILLUMINATED; HOWEVER, ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS WOULD NOT OPERATE. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH, SHE DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V455000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY IDLED WITHOUT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 70,000.

MY 2003 NISSAN SENTRA DIED OUT WHILE DRIVING AGAIN WITHIN TWO WEEKS (12/05/08 & 12/19/08)! THE PROBLEM IS THAT MY CAR DIES OUT WHILE DRIVING -THEN, SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT COMES ON & ALL GAUGES GO ERRATIC, OR VICE VERSA. THESE CONDITIONS COME OUT WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE FIRST TIME MY CAR DIED OUT ON THE ROAD WAS ON 03/21/2007. HOWEVER, SINCE I PURCHASED THIS BRAND-NEW CAR IN 2003, THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE. IT WAS HARD TO START THE ENGINE AND DIED OUT, WHICH RESULTED IN DAMAGING THE STARTER. (APPROX. 6 TIMES OF SERVICES AND POSSIBLY, A RECALL SEEMED TO SOLVE THIS ONE.) THEN, ANOTHER PROBLEM CAME UP. SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT COMES ON MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY AS YEARS GO BY SINCE 2004. (APPROX. 8 TIMES OF REPAIR ATTEMPTS AND NOT FIXED YET AS OF 12/23/08) ALSO, ALL THE GAUGES SUDDENLY GO ERRATIC (BOUNCING AROUND OR UP& DOWN MOVEMENTS) WHEN START A CAR OR WHILE DRIVING. AGAIN, THESE CONDITIONS COME UP WITHOUT ANY WARNING. ESPECIALLY, IN THE MORNING WHEN START A CAR, IT HAPPENS MORE (MORE THAN ONCE A MONTH) THAN WHILE DRIVING. THIS YEAR THE OIL GAUGE BECAME COMPLETELY INOPERABLE AND COST ME $550. RECENTLY, I SOMETIMES NOTICE THAT MY CAR DOES NOT CREEP, WHICH MAKES IT HARD TO SPEED UP. EVERY TIME THESE CONDITIONS COME UP, I TAKE MY CAR TO THE NISSAN DEALER. HOWEVER, THEY ARE UNABLE TO FIND WHAT IS WRONG. IT HAS BEEN YEARS, AND MY CAR IS GETTING WORSE EVEN THOUGH THE MILEAGE IS ONLY 33491. NOW, MY CAR HAS BEEN STUCK IN THE DEALER FOR DAYS AS OF 12/23/08. NISSAN SHOULD REPURCHASE MY CAR BECAUSE IT JEOPARDIZES OTHERS' AND MY SAFETY/LIFE ON THE ROAD. *TR

1. THE CAR DIES OUT WHILE DRIVING -SUDDENLY ALL THE GAUGES BECOME ERRATIC AND ENGINE DIES OUT. SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT COMES ON. BOUNCING GAUGES OCCUR WHILE DRIVING. 2. SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT COMES ON EVERY 3-4 MONTHS. THE CAR DIES OUT WHILE DRIVING ONCE A YEAR. BOUNCING GAUGES OCCUR AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH -ERRATIC AND SPORADIC. BECAUSE OF THIS ONGOING PROBLEMS THAT THE DEALER HAS NEVER BEEN ABLE TO FIX, IT GIVES ME GREAT EMOTIONAL DISTRESS AND FEAR OF DRIVING. IT WAS PURE LUCK THAT I DID NOT GET INTO ACCIDENTS SO FAR. BUT IT IS TIME THAT SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE TO STOP THIS ONGOING UNSOLVED PROBLEMS. 3. THE DEALERSHIP ALWAYS TAKES A LOOK AT IT, BUT THEY ARE UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEMS FOR YEARS. ONE TIME THEY RETURNED MY CAR, STATING, "THERE IS A GHOST IN YOUR CAR." DURING THE LAST VISIT AT THE DEALERSHIP, THEY STATED IT (CAR DIES OUT) WOULD COME BACK AGAIN, AND THAT NEXT TIME IT HAPPENED THEY WOULD DO FURTHER TEST. WHAT IF THE "NEXT TIME" GETS ME INTO A FATAL ACCIDENT? *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE VEHICLE. HE CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V477000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULES). THEY FURTHER STATED THAT THE FAILURES WERE DUE TO A CRACK ON THE SURFACE COATING ON ONE OF THE RESISTORS INSIDE THE ECM. THE GAS COULD CAUSE CORROSION OF THE RESISTOR, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR TO ILLUMINATE. IN ADDITION, THE FAILURE COULD CAUSE POOR DRIVABILITY (IDLE INSTABILITY, POOR ACCELERATION) OR THE ENGINE COULD STOP RUNNING WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. UPDATED 12/16/08 *CN AT 32,000 MILES THE ODOMETER WAS REPLACED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF AND THE COAST FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS AND THE RETURN TO NORMAL. UPDATED 12/18/08. *JB *TR

WAS TOLD BY NISSAN THAT MY 2003 SENTRA SE R SPEC V NEED A NEW ENGINE. ENGINE FAILED BECAUSE OF DEFECTIVE CATALYTIC MATERIAL BEING INGESTED THROUGH EXHAUST VALVES. THUS SCORING THE CYLINDER WALLS, LEADING THE CAR TO CONSUME OIL. WITHOUT OIL THE ENGINE WILL FAIL. THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALER CONCERNING AN OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM, DEALER DECLARED THAT IT WAS WITHIN PARAMETERS AND THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. THIS WAS JUST BEFORE THE 60,000 MILE WARRANTY WAS UP. THE CAR NOW HAS 95,000 AND NEEDS NEW ENGINE. NISSAN CLAIMS TO KNOW NOTHING OF THIS PROBLEM, YET THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *TR