2003 NISSAN SENTRA Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE BURNED 3/ 4 OF OIL IN THE TANK EVERY 2000 MILES. THE SERVICE DEALER REPLACED TWO ENGINES AND CHANGED AN OIL BLOCK TO TRY TO FIX THE ISSUE, BUT THE OIL CONSUMPTION HAS CONTINUED.

CAR BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH, HAD TROUBLE STARTING, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON. DIDN'T DRIVE MUCH AFTER PROBLEM. TOOK TO DEALER (LEITZINGER IMPORTS) WHERE I ATTEND COLLEGE, PENN STATE UNIVERSITY. PROBLEM DIAGNOSED AS P0462 - FUEL/SENSOR CIRCUIT, AS PER TSB. ENGINE CONTROL UNIT NEEDS REPROGRAMMED WHICH WAS DONE. MY FATHER PICKED UP AFTER FIXED & SERVICE PERSONNEL MENTIONED IT WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. NISSAN NORTH AMERICA WAS CONTACTED & MY FATHER SPOKE WITH A HELPFUL REP SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR WORK. FILE NUMBER WITH NISSAN IS 5463960. NO KNOWN RECALLS, REIMBURSEMENT DENIED BUT MIGHT HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT IF WE OWNED MORE NISSANS. WAS MENTIONED TO REP THAT NO PARTS WERE REPLACED WHICH INDICATES IT WAS A COMPUTER/PROGRAM MALFUNCTION & NOT FAULT OF OWNER. *NM

WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 30 MPH THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT ANY PREVIOUS WARNING AND CAR WAS GOING TO STOP SUDDENLY BUT THE DRIVER WAS LUCKILY ABLE TO REACT IN TIME AND DEPRESS THE CLUTCH PEDAL AND CRUISE TO A SAFE SPOT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HAD THE VEHICLE BEEN AT AN INTERSECTION IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH. ONCE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THE DRIVER RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AFTER SEVERAL TRIES UPON WHICH THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE TACHOMETER WAS NOT READING THE RPM. THE VEHICLE WAS SLOWLY (5 MPH) DRIVEN TO A SAFE LOCATION WHERE FURTHER DIAGNOSIS REVEALED A TROUBLE CODE 0335 ( CRANK POSITION/CIRCUIT MALFUNCTION). EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A PREVIOUS RECALL (03V455000) FOR THIS ISSUE THE DEALER REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT AND DO ANY REPAIRS AT NO CHARGE STATING THAT ACCORDING TO THE VEHICLES VIN# THERE WERE NO OPEN RECALLS ON IT. *JB

I HAVE A 2003 NISSAN SENTRA SER THAT CONTINUES TO HAVE PROBLEMS. IT STALLS, DIES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND SOMETIMES WONT START. THERE IS NO WARNING AS TO WHEN ITS GOING TO DIE. IT FEELS LIKE IT LOSES POWER WHILE YOUR DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND WHEN I TAKE IT TO THE DEALER THEY TELL ME THERE IS NOTHING THE MATTER WITH IT THEY HAVE REPLACE THE CHAMBER ASSEMBLY THROTTLE AND THEN REPLACED THE CRANK SENSOR ASSEMBLY. SOMETIMES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DOES NOT EVEN COME ON BUT WHEN THEY SCAN IT FOR A CODE A CODE COMES UP OR SOMETIMES NO CODES COME UP. THIS CAR HAD BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER 10 TIMES AND THEY STILL HAVE NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. *JB

THIS IS A 2003 NISSAN SENTRA GXE, LESS THAN 2 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY AND UNDER 300 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY. THE FIRST SERVICE DATE AFTER THE END OF WARRANTY, THE DEALER RECOMMENDED A NEW FUEL PUMP FOR THE NON-STARTING PROBLEM. THE DATES BELOW SHOW THIS PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL LINE WAS WELL-DOCUMENTED LONG BEFORE THE WARRANTY WENT OUT. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER 6 TIMES IN THE PAST 18 MONTHS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. 06/11/04-- CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, DEALER REPLACED SPARK PLUGS 08/09/04-- CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, DEALER REPLACED COIL ASSY-- IGNITION 06/25/05-- CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, NO ACTION BY DEALER-- BUT DEALER SAID NEXT TIME THE LIGHT CAME ON, A NEW FUEL PUMP WOULD BE REQUIRED. THIS HAPPENED OUT OF TOWN, SO I ONLY WENT TO THIS DEALER ONCE. 07/26/05-- CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, NO ACTION BY DEALER BECAUSE PREVIOUS DEALER DID NOT RECORD HIS DIAGNOSIS IN FILE. 08/19/05-- CAR TURNING OVER BUT NOT STARTING. AAA CHECKED BATTERY AND SAID THE BATTERY WAS FINE. TOWED CAR TO DEALER. DEALER SAID CAR WAS FLOODED, CLEANED OUT SPARK PLUG TUBES, BUT DID NOT FIX CAUSE OF THE NON-STARTING. 10/21/05-- CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, NO ACTION BY DEALER 12/23/05-- WARRANTY RUNS OUT ONCE IN JAN. AND ONCE IN FEB. 2006, THE CAR DID NOT TURN OVER. WHEN I TOOK CAR IN FOR ROUTINE OIL CHANGE ON FEBRUARY 16, 2006, ADVISOR RECOMMENDED A NEW FUEL PUMP AT COST OF $695. THE DEALER CALLED AND ASKED NISSAN USA FOR A GOODWILL CLAIM WHICH WAS DENIED. ON MONDAY, FEB. 20, 2006, I CALLED NISSAN USA TO FILE A REQUEST FOR THIS TO BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, CONSIDERING THE LONG RECORD OF THIS PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY. I WAS TO HEAR BACK IN 24 HOURS. I MADE MULTIPLE CALLS THROUGH THE WEEK AND RECEIVED NO ANSWERS AND ONLY ONE PHONE CALL BACK-- ON THURSDAY-- TO TELL ME THAT THE FILE HAD BEEN MISDIRECTED AND THAT I SHOULD HEAR LATER. ON FRIDAY, FEB. 24, 2006, I CALLED AGAIN AND WAS TOLD THE CLAIM WAS DENIED. THE SERVICE REP. COULD NOT TELL ME WHY AND THE ADVISOR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *JB

PURCHASED A NEW NISSAN SENTRA IN JAN. 03'. STARTED NOTICING LONG ENGINE CRANK BEFORE START BY MAR. 04'. DEALER VISIT IN MAR. 04' FOUND NO PROBLEM. PROBLEM PERSISTED UNTIL SEP. 04'. TOOK VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER, PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FUEL PUMP ISSUE. FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED AT THAT TIME UNDER WARRANTY. A NISSAN TECHNICAL BULLETIN/SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED IN JUN. 05' DETAILING THE SPECIFIC ISSUE. IN SEP. 05' LONG CRANK PROBLEM RETURNED. MY VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER GENERAL WARRANTY AND THE FUEL PUMP IS NO LONGER UNDER PARTS WARRANTY AND NISSAN IS REFUSING TO HELP. THE REPLACEMENT FUEL PUMP HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE ORIGINAL AND NOW NISSAN EXPECTS ME TO PAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM, ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THE ISSUE VIA THEIR OWN TECHNICAL BULLETIN/SERVICE BULLETIN. THIS MAKES NO LOGICAL SENSE. *NM

I HAVE PURCHASED A NISSAN SENTRA 2003 . I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THE WINDOWS DO NO FIT NICELY INTO THE RUBBER RUNS. IN FACT YOU CAN SEE AND FEEL THE GAPS. I FEEL THAT IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE WHEN I'M DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND PROCEED TO CLOSE MY WINDOWS, THEY WON'T CLOSE PROPERLY AND THE WIND WHISTLES THROUGH THE CAR AND I HAVE TO PULL OVER TO CLOSE THEM. I CALLED STADIUM NISSAN IN CALGARY, ALBERTA CANADA. I SPOKE TO DARREN IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THERE AND WAS ADVISED THAT BECAUSE MY 60,000 KM WARRANTY HAD RUN OUT THAT IT WOULD COST ME APPROX $ 230.00. HE ALSO TOLD ME TO SIT THE CAR IN THE SUN AND THE RUBBER WOULD SOFTEN AND REFORM WITH THE WINDOWS. HE DID ADVISE ME THAT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN A LOT BUT HE HAS SEEN IT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. HE TOLD ME THAT EVEN FIXING IT WOULDN'T GUARANTEE THAT IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. I TOLD HIM THAT THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. THIS IS DEFINITELY A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE TO CORRECT IT. I DID NOTICE THAT ON THIS WEBSITE THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN SUBMITTED. THE ITEM NUMBER IS 10008714 AND THE SUMMARY DESCRIPTION SAID " FRONT WINDOW GLASS RUN RUBBER DEFORMED. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR PROMPT HELP IN THIS MATTER. SINCERELY, CAROLINE COCKER. *JB

I HAVE A 2003 NISSAN GXE SENTRA THAT CONTINUES HAVE PROBLEMS CRANKING. I HAVE ALREADY TAKEN THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE AND NISSAN REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP. NISSAN SAID IT WAS NOT A RECALL, IT WAS A BULLETIN. NOW I'M HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP IN JACKSON, MS WHERE I RECIEVED IT FROM. GRAY DANIELS NISSAN SOUTH JACKSON, MS. EVERY OIL CHANGE I TELLED THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEM I'M HAVING. THE LAST TIME I TOOK MY CAR FOR SERVICE WAS ON A FRIDAY MORNING, I ADVISE THEM THAT I WAS PLLANNING TO GO OUT OF TIME THAT DAY, BEFORE I LEFT MY CAR WITH THEM. I ASK THEM SPECIFICALLY IF THEY WERE GONNA BE ABLE TO SERVICE MY CAR. THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULD. I CALL BACK AROUND LUNCH AND NISSAN SAID THEY STILL HAVEN'T GOT TO MY CAR YET, DUE TO HIGH VOLUME OF RECALLS FOR THE NISSAN MURANO. I ADVISE NISSAN AGAIN THAT I WAS PLANNING ON GOING OUT OF TOWN TODAY. I RECEIVE NO CALL. I CALLED THEM AGAIN AT 4:00 PM. AND THEY STILL HAVEN'T SERVICE OR LOOK AT MY CAR. THEY TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO LEAVE IT WITH THIM. I TOLD THEM EARLY THAT MORNING THAT I WAS PLANNING A ROAD TRIP FOR THAT DAY. I'M CONTINUING TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I ALSO RECEIVE A CALL FROM THERE SERVICE DEPARTMENT IF I WAS SATISFIED WITH THE SERVICE I RECEIVED. I REPLIED NO, BECAUSE THEY HAD MY CAR FROM 0730 TO 4:00 PM WITHOUT SERVICING MY CAR OR CALLING ME TO LET ME KNOW THAT IT WOULD NOT BE SERVICE. *AK

DT: AT 32,000 MILES THE CONSUMER HAD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 15 TIMES FOR REPAIRS. THE MAIN ISSUE WAS AT 15,000 MILES. THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. AFTER THAT, THE CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS WHEN TURNING, WHEN HE TOOK HIS FOOT OFF THE GAS THE VEHICLE SPUTERED. THE SERVICE MANAGER TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND SAID IT WAS NORMAL. THE CONSUMER NEVER EXPERIENCED ANY PROBLEMS UNTIL THE FULE PUMP WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD OTHER PROBLEMS SUCH AS 2 NEW FAN BELTS, TRUNK FLOODED ONCE. THE HEATER CONTROL WAS REPLACED 4 TIMES. THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH. *JB

THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD A NUMBER OF RECALLS FROM ITS PRELIMINARY 02 MODEL YEAR TO ITS LATEST 05 MODELS. THE FOUR CYLINDER MOTOR THAT POWERS THIS CAR WITH THE ENGINE CODE QR25DE HAS A HABIT OF INGESTING BUTTERFLY VALVE SCREWS. THESE SCREWS SECURE PLATES THAT OPEN AT A CERTAIN RPM WITHIN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD TO ALLOW MORE AIR TO ENTER THE ENGINE. OVER A PERIOD OF TIME THESE SCREWS CAN WORK THEMSELVES LOOSE BECOME SUCKED THROUGH THE INTAKE SYSTEM AND ENTER THE CYLINDERS OF THE MOTOR. DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY OF THE DAMAGE THE RESULTS COULD LEAVE THE OWNER NOTICING ABNORMAL THROTTLE RESPONSE BECAUSE OF LOOSE PLATES, THEY MAY NOTICE THEIR MOTORS ARE BURNING AN INCREASINGLY LARGE AMOUNT OF OIL OR AT WORSE IMMEDIATE ENGINE STALL/FAILURE THAT COULD OCCUR AT ANY SPEED. AT TIMES THEY MAY BE TOTALLY UNAWARE ANY DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED UNTIL MORE SCREWS BECOME DISPLACED. SCREWS HAVE BEEN NONE TO SCORE CYLINDER WALLS AND CLOSE SPARK PLUG GAPS AS WELL. I AM UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT NISSAN IS AWARE OF THIS FAILURE BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF OWNERS STRICKEN BY THIS PROBLEM HAVE HAD THEIR ENTIRE MOTOR REPLACED AND AT TIMES JUST THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. HOWEVER THERE HAVE BEEN A GOOD AMOUNT OF CASES WHERE DEALERS HAVE REFUSED TO DO WARRANTY WORK ON THESE VEHICLES. SOME OF THE MORE MECHANICALLY INCLINED OWNERS HAVE ATTEMPTED TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM BY USING AN ADHESIVE DESIGNED TO SECURE SCREWS BY THE NAME OF LOCTITE. OWNERS WHO HAVE DONE THIS HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WHAT SO EVER, BUT FOR THOSE OF US NOT SKILLED ENOUGH TO TAKE THIS TASK ON OURSELVES WE ARE PRETTY MUCH WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN AND HOPING IT DOESN''T HAPPEN AT A VERY INCONVENIENT TIME. INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN SEEN IN ALL B15 SENTRAS WITH THIS PARTICULAR MOTOR FROM 2002 TO 2004 WHICH INCLUDES THE SE-R, SE-R SPEC V AND 2.5 SPECIAL EDITION. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ THIS.