Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. The contact stated that while drive at various speeds, the vehicle check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that there was an abnormal odor coming from the exhaust. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The mechanic determined that the rear and front catalytic converters and the oxygen (o2) sensors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The vehicle then was taken to bosak nissan (220 verplank rd, burns harbor, in 46304 (219) 787-1777) to be inspected. The contact was informed that the VIN was not subjected to a recall. The contact referenced the federal safety agency campaign number: 03v084000 (engine and engine cooling) as a possible solution to the failure however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
2003 Nissan Altima: check engine light
182 of the 883 complaints about the 2003 Nissan Altima describe check engine light.
- owner complaints
- 182
- of this car's complaints
- 21%
- typical repair cost reported
- $430
- typical mileage
- 81,769
- recalls
- 3
Check engine light by model year
What owners say
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, the vehicle stalled with the service engine warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the shoulder of the roadway, waited for about 10 minutes due to the steering wheel being difficult to maneuver. The vehicle resumed normal operation after 10 minutes. The vehicle was taken to palmetto 57 nissan (16725 nw 57th ave, miami gardens, fl 33055) but was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure recurred intermittently. The contact referenced the federal safety agency campaign number: 03v455000 (engine and engine cooling) as a possible solution to the failure however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated the ECM (engine control module) needed to be replaced. The vehicle was towed to (royal nissan of cortland 3901 west rd, cortland, ny 13045(607) 753-9774) where it was diagnosed that the spark plugs were fouled and also that the head gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 147,000.
The federal safety agency shows 10 recalls for my car, went to nissan bridgewater and they only found one recall to reprogram ECM and perform idle air volumn learning procedure, after this 2 days later service engine light went, now they want me to pay 140 for diagnostic test, they didn't want to see that my car has 10 recalls and to look into those issues, the car has no power while driving in on the highway, headlights keep going on and off, the gas gage fluctuates, the car goes through gas real fast, nissan bridgewater needs to fix these issues, if not I will report nissan bridgewater dealer to the better business bureau, this car has 90,403 miles
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. While driving 45 MPH, the check engine indicator illuminated and the vehicle suddenly started jerking and sputtering until the engine turned off. The vehicle had to be towed to nissan of mobile (1015 east interstate 65 service rd s, mobile, al 36606) where they replaced the coil pack. The contact stated that the same failure recurred multiple times. The vehicle was taken to nissan of corinth (813 s parkway st, corinth, ms 38834) where it was diagnosed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 149,286.
This vehicle is on its second catalytic converter and flex pipe, I previously changed them in autum of 2017. After installing a brand new one from rockauto.com eastern catalytic for $290 less than two months later I got a check engine light on my car. I took it to two mechanics and advanced auto parts where the diagnostic tool read code p0420 low efficiency bank 1. I had no money to replace it and now it's so clogged up it's shooting carbon monoxide back inside the vehicle causing me to end up at the emergency room where they told me I had symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. I am suffering from memory loss, noncoherent speech, unable to see 20/20 vision and chest pain. I hope you here at the nation highway transportation safety board can do something when it comes to all these cheap parts coming I from china and being sold to people as if there high quality goods. I have to drive with my windows down in the middle of winter due to high levels of this poison.
Every 100 miles car start burning oil to fast..engine start running slow..check engine light start blinking on and off
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. While driving at a low speed, the check engine warning indicator illuminated intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the crank position timing sensor was defective and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact was advised that the vehicle was previously repaired according to the federal safety agency campaign number: 01v357000 (engine and engine cooling). The failure mileage was 208,000. Updated 07/27/16*lj the consumer stated the vehicle frequently stalled at intersections and red lights. Sometimes when the vehicle stalled, it would not engage, until the vehicle was re-started. Updated 08/01/16.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. The contact stated that the service engine warning light illuminated randomly. The contact stated that the vehicle consumed an abnormal amount of oil as the failure progressed. The vehicle stalled several times and was able to be restarted but the failure continued. The vehicle was taken to multiple independent mechanics but was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine assembly needed to be replaced. The contact was not included in the federal safety agency campaign numbers: 06v242000 (engine and engine cooling), 03v455000 (engine and engine cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled while driving low speeds. In addition, the service engine soon light constantly illuminated. The contact was able to get the vehicle operational after manually restarting the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the ECM, crank cam position sensor, and cam position sensor malfunctioned and needed to be reprogrammed and replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact was made aware of the federal safety agency campaign number: 03v455000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000. Updated 02/23/16*lj; break down happening daily andservice engine light to come up updated 04/24/18*jb
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. The contact stated that the service engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for routine maintenance and they cleared the code however, the failure progressed and the vehicle stalled more than five times. The contact had to wait a brief moment and was able to restart the vehicle. The VIN was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 03v455000 (engine and engine cooling). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was also included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 03v251000 (fuel system, gasoline); however, the dealer stated that the recall did not apply to the vehicle. The approximate failure mileage was 91,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
Car suddenly stops while your fmdriving at a low speed. Check engine comes on andturns vehicle off. This is very dangerous and I font understand why it hasnt been recalled. Most of the comments are said to be either the camshaft or crankshaft. They replaced the part and it was fine for 3 months and it ccontinues to do it. Im going to end up causing an accident and nissan doesnt even care....
Service bulletins that may apply
- MIL on with DTC U1000 or U1010 stored in engine control unit
- Engine oil cooler gasket available
- Malfunction indicator lamp on with diagnostic trouble code U1000 or U1010 stored in engine control unit
- Engine will not start
- After a cold soak, the engine cranks but does not start
- Essential tool - J-47010 tamper resistant torx plus 25IPR bit
- Alternator noise after engine shut off
- Unable to maintain idle or low/rough idle at start
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.5l engine, the crank angle sensor is affected by temperature variations. Under certain driving conditions, these variations in temperature can be large enough to cause a brief interruption in the signal output from the sensor.
- Risk
- If the interruption in the signal from the sensor is so brief that the electronic control module (ECM) logic does not have time to diagnose the condition, the engine may stop running without warning while the vehicle is driven at a low speed increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will reprogram the ECM free of charge. The recall began on august 21, 2006. Owners may contact nissan at 1‑800‑647‑7261.
Recall number 06V242000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger vehicles, the circuit board for the crank position sensor or cam position sensor may have an improper solder joint due to solder deformation caused by heat stress accelerated by the existence of flux residue during the soldering process.
- Risk
- This could cause the "service engine soon" warning light to come on, create a no start condition, cause reduced engine power, or cause the engine to stop running without warning during vehicle operation, which could result in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the crank position sensors. Camshaft position sensor(s), and in some cases, the variable timing control sensor(s). Vehicles involved in a previous recall campaign, 01v357, are also included in this new campaign. The replacement sensors used in that campaign are also affected. Owner notification began on december 22, 2003. Owners should contact nissan at 1‑800‑647‑7261 or infiniti at 1‑800‑662‑6200.
Recall number 03V455000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
- What is wrong
- On certain vehicles equipped with the 2.5 liter engine, the exhaust pipe hanger pin may catch debris from the road that could be ignited by contact with the main catalyst. Also on 2002 altima and sentra vehicles, certain engine operating conditions may cause the pre-catalyst to overheat and damage the catalyst substrate.
- Risk
- Either of these two conditions could result in a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will remove the protruding portion of the exhaust pipe hanger pin. In addition to the corrective action, in order to reduce the risk of fire in the event of poor or improper maintenance that could result in oil spillage, heat shield(s) will be installed on the pre-catalyst and exhaust tube. Owner notification began on july 28, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact nissan at 1‑800‑647‑7261. Nissan recall nos. R3007, r3014, r3015, r3016, r3017. Also on 2002 altima and sentra vehicles, certain engine operating conditions may cause the pre-catalyst to overheat and damage the catalyst substrate. If substrate particles enter the combustion chamber, they could score the cylinder walls, resulting in increased oil consumption. If the engine oil level is not checked on a periodic basis and drops below the low level, and the driver continues to operate the vehicle ignoring noticeable engine noise, engine damage may occur which could result in a fire. The pre-catalyst will be tested to ensure it is working properly and replaced if necessary. If damage is found inside the pre-catalyst, it will be necessary to replace the engine.
Recall number 03V084000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2003 Nissan Altima check engine light
Is check engine light a common problem on the 2003 Nissan Altima?
182 of 883 owner complaints about the 2003 Nissan Altima (21%) mention check engine light. The model year with the most reports is 2002.
How much does it cost to fix check engine light on the 2003 Nissan Altima?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $430 (median of 39 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2003 Nissan Altima?
There are 3 recalls and 13 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2003 Nissan Altima
Stalling 246Won't start 55Engine failure 51Oil consumption 45Loss of power 44Hesitation 28Headlights 22Jerking 22Fire or smoke 16Overheating 13Knocking 12Misfire 12Fuel smell 10Fuel pump 9No deployment 7Power steering loss 7Door locks 5
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