The heater/defroster does not blow hot air while car is at a stand still. Once he press the accelerator and begin to speed up the hot then returns. I researched this on the internet and there are many of the same complaints from other altima owners. With this the windows fog up at traffic lights and when you are stuck at a standstill on the interstate the car becomes unbearably cold an is a safety hazard in the winter. The dealer wants over a hundred dollars to fix a problem of their design.
2003 Nissan Altima engine complaints
Page 12 of 20: complaints 311 to 340 of 559, newest first, as owners wrote them.
On november 18th while driving my 2003 nissan altima my car stalled then the check engine light came on. I brought my vehicle to a mechanic who told me the crankshaft sensor was bad. I then called nissan USA who said they couldn't do anything because this particular model was not recalled. However, when I researched online, I found numerous people with the same complaints.
I have a 2003 altima. The cars engine light was on and the car was running rough. I took it to the dealership and was told $850 for cat converter. I then towed it to my garage when the nissan corp. Would not help pay. My mechanic after he took it apart said all the insides of the cat came out and more than likely had gotten in the engine. He said he knew it needed a new engine. He put the car back together without replacing the cat because I didn't have enough money to replace the engine. The car would run now because the cat converter guts was out. We topped it off with oil so I could drive it home and by the time I got home 15 miles later and alot of smoke the oil was empty. I've read on several sites that thousand are having the same problem and nissan is not helping. This is a major problem with 2002/2003 nissan altima's and the corporation is doing nothing. Http://forums.automotive.com/70/1106267/nissan/2002-nissan-altima-oil-dropping-at-108,000miles-I-w/page10.html the average person can't afford to buy a new engine at 124,000 miles.
2003 nissan altima2.5,crank position sensor,stalling all the time,trouble starting, also car using alot of oil ,alot of run around by nissan dealership continuous problems never has been solved or fixed. Very upsetting that nissan has over looked all the complaints that they have had since 2002.
I have a 2003 nissan altima 2.5s 4 cyl. While driving , the check engine light illuminated on .I took the vehicle to the dealer for a diagnostic and they identified the cause of the failure as the crankshaft position sensor, the code is po335. The vehicle hesitated as if it were about to shut off. While accelerating, the vehicle would hesitate as well. Will not start. My ses light kept coming on and my car would die at traffic lights. There was no recall on my 2003 model; so I paid $224 for parts and labor. I had to replace the crankshaft position sensor on 2003 altima,had it repaired at local nissan dealership,wasn't under recall for 2003, does any one know who I can get in touch with to get my money back?seems like this is an ongoing problem with the altimas that the company needs to deal with..
Car was been driven and shut off on highway and would not restart . Car was towed to auto max in apple valley and determined the catalytic converter had caused the engine to be replaced because of debris from the converter been sucked in the engine. Total cost of engine replacement was $4226.62. Under further investigation I found that in canada , the canadian government has order nissan to replace the engine based upon the catalytic converter failure. If you go on line, there are numerous people in the same boat as me and nissan tries to play ignorant. I have also talked with a dealer in st. Cloud , mn where the service manger got a few engines replaced for customers as a result of this problem.
I have a 2003 nissan altima and the engine is dying. I have talked and researched others and they have the same problem. Is the federal safety agency aware of this problem?
The check engine light will come on and stay on for a cycle and then go of. The car will turn off while driving or idling, or when first start and put in to gear. Also the vehicle will not pick up speed as it should when this occurs. Happens several times per day at least 3 times a week. Was diagnosed as the crank shaft sensor.
I am the original owner of a 2003 nissan altima with about 95,000 miles. On 9/19, I took the vehicle to my local nissan dealer for service because the "check engine" light was on, the engine was running a little rough and had a slight rattle, and my oil light started blinking on occasionally. The dealer flushed and replaced the oil, and also replaced the catalytic converter and two oxygen sensors, at a total cost of $1700. The car was returned to me on 9/23. I was away 9/26-9/29 and did not drive the car. On weekdays, I typically drive about 10 miles to and from work each way. The next weekend I drove the car approx. 150 miles, at which time I noticed the rattle had not subsided and that my oil light had started to blink on again, especially as I drove uphill. I added 2 quarts to the engine on 10/4 and took the car to a jiffy lube on 10/8. The jl tech that replaced the oil told me that my oil was very low, so I brought the car back to the nissan dealer on 10/13. The dealer diagnosed the rattle as "internal engine failure" and recommended a new engine for $5000. My conversation with the dealer mechanic LED me to believe that the car was burning oil due to a leaky cylinder, most likely caused by failure of the pre-catalyst. The pre-catalyst or 'pre-cat' filters exhaust before it gets to the catalytic converter. The pre-cat is closer to the engine than the cat converter, so it tends to get overheated. When it does, it can break down, and little pieces of it can get sucked back up the exhaust system the wrong way, back into the cylinders, which damages the cylinders & allows oil to leak into the engine. Because of the massive oil consumption, I was unknowingly driving without enough oil, and permanently damaged the engine. I park my car in my garage & have never noticed an oil leak or smoke from the tailpipe. I have never gone more than 5,500 miles without an oil change, and I have a receipt from every oil change I've ever had. The car has no outstanding safety recalls.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. While driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact shifted into neutral, restarted the engine, and drove to her residence. She called the dealer and was informed that the vehicle was not being properly maintained. Later that week, the contact received a recall notice stating that the vehicle's electrical control module (ECM) needed to be reprogrammed. The vehicle was returned to the dealer and they reprogrammed the electrical control module. Immediately following the repair, the vehicle stalled again and the power steering became inoperable. She returned the vehicle to the dealer and they reprogrammed the ECM for the third time due to consistent stalling. Six months later, the stalling recurred. She called the dealer and was informed that the recall was satisfied and they were not liable for further repairs. A diagnostic test was performed at a local repair shop, which revealed that the crank shaft positioning sensor was defective. The mechanic informed her that the crank shaft positioning sensor was supposed to be repaired before reprogramming the ECM. The manufacturer stated that the vehicle was not included in any recalls for the crank shaft positioning system. The vehicle has not been repaired. The federal safety agency campaign id number was unknown. The current mileage was 125,000 and failure mileage was 62,000. Updated 10-30-08 *bf updated 11/03/08.
I was traveling southbound on 1-95 and was going with the flow of traffic at approximately 55 MPH in the fast lane on monday, september 29, 2008. Suddenly with no warning, my car stopped moving. It would not accelerate at all. I could not get out of the flow of traffic. Fortunately, my car was not hit as a result of this. My mechanic claims there was a problem with the drive by wire throttle motor. The dealer claims it is a problem with the catalytic converter. The car has been sitting in the dealers lot with no resolution since september 30th.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. While driving approximately 65 MPH, the engine failed without warning. The check engine warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer and they stated that the failure was related to the crank shaft sensor. The vehicle was repaired under warranty. On two separate occasions, the vehicle was taken to the authorized dealer for identical failures and repaired for the malfunctions. The vehicle was repaired for the crank position sensor recall, but the failure still persists. The federal safety agency campaign id number was unknown. The failure mileage was 60,570 and current mileage was 222,000.
I have a 2003 nissan altima 2.5 s model with a 4 cylinder engine. My problem is with the crankshaft position sensor. There is currently a recall out for the 2002,2005,2006 models regarding the crankshaft sensor. No recall is available for the 2003 model. If the 2003 model is having the same problem as the 2002,2005,2006 why no recall was put out for the 2003 models. It seems to me that all the same make and models should be recalled if the problems are the same. Just because the years are different do not mean the problems are different. It is clear that your aim is to protect big business. Not the consumer who spent$ 15,000 on a product that is defected. I am sure that if you spent $15,000 on a product you would what it to work correctly. Lets be fair! This is not something that cost 20 bucks.
I have had many problems with my 2003 nissan altima 2.5s. Currently excessive oil consumption code p0422 - replaced catalytic converter and pre-cat.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. While driving between 15-20 MPH, the vehicle shut off and lost total power. The failure occurred without warning. The vehicle restarts immediately sometimes, but can take five minutes to restart at other times. Once it restarts, the vehicle runs normally for the next day or next 30 days. The dealer could not determine the cause of the failure. The internet states that the crankshaft position sensor module is the cause of the failure. The failure mileage was 52,000.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. While driving approximately 35 MPH, the engine shut off without warning. The engine restarted after several attempts. No warning lights were illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and they stated that crank case sensor failed. Recently, the transmission began slipping and shifted erratically. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and repaired. The failure mileage was unknown. Updated 01/03/12*lj updated 01/05/12
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. While driving 60 MPH, the vehicle shut off in the middle of the expressway. It continues to shut off intermittently and takes 5-10 minutes to restart. The vehicle had to be towed on one occasion due to the failure. A mechanic stated that the crank angle sensor needed to be replaced. The contact referenced the federal safety agency campaign id number 06v242000 (engine and engine cooling). The recall states that the dealer will reprogram the ECM for free; however, the contact's recall notice stated that they will do more. She is able to fax or send the notice she received. The current mileage was 56,000 and failure mileage was 55,500.
The engine stopped while driving. Several times the engine stopped on red light. The last time was today 09/11/2008. I know there is a recall on the 2002 model related to the same problem. In some way 2003 owners will benefit for the same or similar recall?
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. While driving 60 MPH, the check engine light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle hesitated as if it were about to shut off. While accelerating, the vehicle would hesitate as well. The dealer stated that there was a recall on the 2002, 2005, and 2006 nissan altima's, but none pertaining to the 2003 model. They also stated that they were aware of the crankshaft failures, but there was no recall on the 2003 model; therefore, they could not assist. The failure mileage was 58,000 and current mileage was 84,000.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. While driving 40 MPH, the check engine warning light intermittently illuminated on the instrument panel. The dealer made the necessary repairs to the sensors to make the light dim. When the contact took the vehicle to the dealer for routine brake maintenance, it was discovered that the undercarriage of the vehicle was rusted. The contact was hesitant to touch the vehicle due to the amount of rust and feared that something would fail. The failure mileage was 50,000 and current mileage was 98,000. Updated 01/09/09. *lj updated 01/09/09.
The car seems to not start once it ran for a short time. Example I drive to the supermarket turns on fine, once I leave it is hard to start. Almost seem to be flooded. It use to do it once a week know its doing it everyday. Just recently I was driving and it turned off on me. From the nissan blogs it looks like this year has been giving problems. Another complain is the exterior lights they are faded or stain from inside, this could cause a visibility issue.
Tla*the contact owns a 2003 niacin alton. The contact stated that her vehicle is burning inefficiently. She must change the oil every 500 miles. Before the oil is changed, it resembles black sludge. When the contact approached a stop, the vehicle shook, lost power, and would not restart quickly. The dealer rebuilt the engine at the cost of $2,500, but the failure still persists. The vehicle has been parked for 30 days and would not restart. The failure mileage was 98,000.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. The vehicle was repaired according to the federal safety agency campaign id number 06v242000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the contact is currently experiencing the failures associated with the recall. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic and the contact was informed that the ECM module needed to be replaced. The current mileage was 100,432 and failure mileage was 88,000.
I have a 2003 altima (almost 55,000 miles). The vehicle turned off while I was driving. All the suggested maintenance was and is up to date. When driving there is often a slight pull/stall like it is going to shut off. It was checked nothing was found to be wrong. Service engine like came on. Had the diagnostics done it showed something wrong with starter. Nothing was wrong with starter, never had any problems starting. I have done research and found that several 2003 altimas are coming up with engine problems when they are fairly new, shutting off with out warning in the middle of traffic. Nissan doesn't appear to no what the problem is but are unwilling to take responsibility. Errors with the cam and crank sensors have been thrown out there for the reason the service engine light comes on. However, replacing this has not proved to be the solution to the problem.
My 20003 nissan altima has recurring stalling problem which has not been rectified by nissan even though it has issued recalls for vehicles of my type.
2003 nissan altima 2.5. Purchased used on 12/31/06 from nissan dealer. On multiple occasions the car has stalled either whille driving at low speeds or while in gear while idling in traffic. On 8/14/08 about a mile into a trip, I turned a corner after stopping and the car began to sputter & buck. I could not accelerate and the car died in heavy traffic. I was able to restart the car and get into a parking lot. I was able to get the car started again but it would die if I got under 1500 RPM and would not accelerate past 2000 RPM. I found out that day that there had been a recall on 2003 2.5 altima's for the crankshaft sensor, but nissan says my car was not part of the recall. I think it's very odd that I've had the same issue as described in the recall of other 2003 altima's but nissan declines to accept any responsibility for a known dangerous problem.
My nissan 2003 nissan altima 3.5v6 has shut down and locked up while driving. This has occurred twice in the past 6 months. The last time it occurred was approximately july 20, 2008. Both times it has occurred, I pressed the brake prior to it shutting down. The steering and engine shut off in each instance and I could've been in an accident. Afterwards I put the vehicle in park, restart the engine and continue to drive. I have read other posts that claim they have had the same problem.
I bought this car with 39,578 miles on it on september 9, 2006. After owning the car for 3 months, the radiator started to leak from the top. I took it to a radiator shop and they fixed it while saying that nissan had used cheap parts. A car that has less than 50,000 miles on it should not have these types of problems. Less than a year later, the service engine light came on so I took it to auto zone to get the diagnosis of the problem. The crank shaft sensor was bad and had to be replaced. It caused the car to stall when cranking/starting and left me stranded at some points and times because it would not start. After replacing this sensor, later to find out there was a recall on the sensor and was told my car was not included in this recall eventhough I assume the same parts are used on all models of the same kind, another sensor is now causing my car to idle high when in park or neutral. This type of behavior in the car causes more gas consuming which in today's economic battle with fuel prices, is not favorable. Now that I have read many other complaints from other people, I have noticed that this is a widespread problem on 2002-2005 altima models. If the crankshaft sensor had not been replaced sooner, the car could have stopped running in traffic, which is why it was recalled, and caused a serious accident maybe even death. I bought this car in confidence that it would be dependable for myself and my child but since I have called to log a complaint with nissan north america they informed me that the car has three other recalls that were stated as " serious to my safety".
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. The vehicle was repaired according to the federal safety agency campaign id number 06v242000 (engine and engine cooling). Six months after the repair, the failure recurred. While driving 70 MPH, the engine suddenly shut off; however, the contact was able to restart the engine without stopping the vehicle. The vehicle is currently being diagnosed by the dealer. The VIN and failure mileage were unknown.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. After pulling out of a parking space at an unknown speed, the vehicle shut off. The vehicle was able to be restarted after several attempts. The contact took the vehicle to a local mechanic and they informed her that it would be best to take the vehicle to the dealer so they could reprogram the ECM. The mechanic also provided her with a recall letter identifying the defect. The dealer informed the contact that the repairs under the recall had previously been performed. They further stated that they would make the check engine light dim, but if it was the crankshaft sensor, the repairs would remedy the failure. The recal number was unknown. The failure mileage was 120,000 and current mileage was 130,000.
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