Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. While at a traffic light the vehicle stalled. She restarted the vehicle and it began to function normally. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer to reprogram the throttle body. The check engine light illuminated and the vehicle was taken back to the same dealer. The dealer advised her that the crank sensor was defective and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The pre-owned vehicle was purchased in may of 2010. She called the manufacturer and was advised that there were no recalls and someone would call her back. She referenced recall 06v242000, engine and engine cooling and was told by the representative that the vehicle was no longer under warranty and the failure was not the same component as the recall. The failure mileage was unknown and the approximate current mileage was 106,500.
2003 Nissan Altima engine complaints
Page 8 of 20: complaints 191 to 220 of 559, newest first, as owners wrote them.
I have a 2003 nissan altima which engine turns off in the middle of the road with no warning. I had my car checked out and found out it was the crankshaft sensor. I spoke with a friend who works on cars and I was told that the original crankshaft sensor had to be updated to stop oil from getting on it. When I called nissan they refused to help me and I was told I would have to pay for the repairs myself. This car stops in the middle of the road without warning and nissan doesn't want to accept the fact that they have produce a faulty car that can cause a person to have a deadly crash.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign id number (03v084000- engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe) and took the vehicle to the dealer for repairs; however, she continued to experience the same failure. The dealer was not contacted. The contact did not inform the manufacturer. The vehicle was not repaired. The current mileage was approximately 158,300. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima 2.5. While the contact was driving, the oil light illuminated. The contact stated that the oil had been changed 2,000 miles prior to the light. The vehicle was taken to get another oil change but the failure continued. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and a local repair shop but the failure could not be diagnosed; the mechanics stated that the problem was most likely oil consumption. The failure mileage was approximately 64,000.
I suspected that my car developed problems with the exhaust system, and two nissan dealerships confirmed that the catalytic converter is cracked. I found out that problems with defective catalytic converters in 2002-2003 altimas were addressed in nissan voluntary recall campaign #r3007 (the federal safety agency #03v‑084). The work pertaining to that recall was performed on my car on 07/31/2006 but the defective catalyst has not been replaced as instructed on page 5 of nissan recall campaign bulletin #ntb03-070c. I asked the dealerships to replace the catalyst as part of the recall #r3007 (the federal safety agency #03v‑084), but they refused since the recall has been recorded as performed. I contacted nissan consumer affairs, but my request to complete the recall work was denied. I contacted ceo of nissan, carlos ghosn, and executive vp of nissan north america, carlos tavares. They also rejected my request to properly service my car as nissan promised in its recall #r3007 (the federal safety agency #03v‑084). The catalyst defects described in nissan recall campaign bulletin #ntb03-070c are very serious. The debris from catalyst may damage the engine which can result in fire. I kindly request that you investigate whether nissan's remedy (recall #r3007, the federal safety agency #03v‑084) in this case of defective catalyst was adequate.
2003 nissan altima stalls while driving. When I go in reverse and then put the car in drive the car continues to go in reverse. Stalls when I step on the accelerator but speeds up when I step on the breaks, I have to repeatedly slam my foot on the break to avoid hitting cars in front of me. The check engine light continues to come on, when it does the car stalls even more. I took it to a nissan dealership they gave it a diagnostic test. They stated that they entered a code for the sensors, but were not sure if that was the actual problem with the car. I have been taking this car to nissan mechanics since I purchased it in 2007 and it is still doing the same thing in 2010. The engine light continues to come on and it continues to stall. I do not feel safe in this vehicle.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. While driving approximately 55-60 MPH the vehicle stalled. He coasted the vehicle to the side of the road and waited a few minutes; however, when he restarted the vehicle it stalled again. The contact made several attempts before the vehicle started. The failure had occurred for approximately four months. The contact stated that the vehicle was rear ended because of the failure but there was no police report filed since the other driver paid for the damages. The vehicle was in the dealers possession when the complaint was filed. He referenced recall 06v242000, engine and engine cooling and stated that he was informed by the dealer that since he did not have the ECM reprogrammed that the failure occurred. The contact did not receive a recall notice in the mail. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 59,000 and the current mileage was 66,000.
Screw came off of manifold intake and went into piston causing the engine to fail in the middle of four railroad tracks. Spoke with dealership and nissan headquarter they said the 2003 nissan altima had no problems with that but 2002 2004 2005 certain models did but buy our VIN # there was not a problem. I myself took the manifold off and found the screw had fell off the butterfly and went in to the engine piston I was lucky enough to take a magnet and fish out the screw. After driving the car a few miles the engine light is on I have not a clue what that is about. We done fell safe driving the 2003 nissan altima anymore,thanks in advance for looking into this problem.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. While the contact was driving approximately 35 MPH, there was a loud noise outside of the vehicle and smoke emitted from the tailpipe. The vehicle unexpectedly stalled and was towed to the dealer. The crank shaft sensor was replaced. The failure continued three times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on six occasions for the identical failures. The repairs on the vehicle consisted of an engine tune up and replacement of the engine intake manifold. The vehicle was diagnosed by the dealer and independent mechanic in which they informed that the failure was contributed to internal defects within the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000. The VIN was unavailable.
My car has turned off several times while I am driving. Yesterday this happened while I was stopped at an intersection. I almost got rear ended by a school bus. The car will shut off when I am going at a slow rate of speed. The RPM needle goes back and forth then the car just runs out of power. I took it to the mechanic where he told me about the ECM recall. I went to the dealership and filed a claim with nissan. Now the dealership is saying that I need to replace the crank & cam shaft before they can reprogram it for the recall. And they want to charge me $317.00+tax. I don't see why nissan would not be held responsible for this defect.
2003 nissan altima severe engine problems with stalling while driving! Nissan dealer states "power valve screw failure" in which the screw became loose, shot out , went through the engine and went out the exhaust. This caused over $1200 worth of damage to my engine and hope that there is not further damage that has not even been identified yet. Nissan will not cover the cost of repair, my private extended warranty will not cover the cost of repair. Apparently , nissan has a "voluntary service campaign" for only for specific VIN# /years and will not cover the repair cost even though they are aware this is a known manufacturing defect ! This could have caused a serious injury/accident had my son been on the highway going 70 miles per hour when the car stalled in traffic!
2003 nissan smoking, burning oil, sputtering. Diagnosed (by $95.00 diagnostic I was required by nissan to get a nissan dealership) as catalytic converter has gone bad due to overheating, this has caused it to fall apart and go into the motor. Now needs new catalytic converter and motor. There was a recall on 2003 altimas for this very problem, a problem that could cause a car to catch on fire. According to nissan my VIN was not included in the recall therefore I never received any notice of it but now I have the very issues that the recall was to prevent but they refuse to cover the repair costs. This makes me question if they mistakenly left out some 2003 models that should have been included in the recall, and I have been riding around all this time with the chance my car could catch on fire, this is scary. There are tons of complaints online about this very issue and no one seems to be able to get nissan to respond, I feel like they need to go back and revisit that recall and maybe add more cars to it before someone gets seriously hurt. I filed a claim with nissan yesterday, in less than 24 hours they called back to say there was nothing they would do for me. Not sure how much they looked into this because I called it in around 3pm yesterday and they called me back before 10am this morning. This issues needs to be addressed or someone is going to get hurt due to their car catching on fire.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. The contact stated that the check engine light illuminated and the vehicle would suddenly stall; he noticed reduced power from the engine and it would eventually stop altogether. He was able to immediately restart the vehicle most of the time. The contact also stated that at times, the vehicle was also difficult to start. The failure was intermittent but becoming progressively worse. The contact called both the dealership and the manufacturer and was told that the vehicle was not included in recall 06v242000 (engine and engine cooling). The vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. The current mileage was 56,477. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, she noticed that the vehicle started losing power. She drove the vehicle to a repair shop where she was informed that the catalytic converter was replaced. A few days later, the mechanic noticed that the vehicle was becoming low on oil. The contact filled the oil reservoir and noticed that there was very little oil left. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership where the contact was told that she needed a new engine and the problem was widespread with the catalytic converter. The contact called the manufacturer who advised her to take the vehicle in for a diagnostic fee before they could escalate her case to a regional specialist. The contact took the vehicle into the dealership where it was confirmed that she needed a new engine; the manufacturer stated that there was nothing they could do to assist. The vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. The contact believed the failure to be related to recall 03v084000 (engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe) but the manufacturer refused to repair it since the mileage was too high. The current mileage was approximately 124,000. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000. Updated 12/02/10 *bf updated 12/08/10*jb updated 05/26/11 *bf updated 12/07/11 *bf updated 12/12/11 updated 12/30/11 *cn updated 06/27/12. *jb updated 01/29/14
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. When traveling at any speed the contact noticed that the vehicle would suddenly shut off without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was informed that the camshaft sensor needed to be replaced. There were no prior warnings. The vehicle was not repaired. The current and failure mileages were 143000. Updated 12/01/10. *lj the consumer stated the vehicle has since been repaired. The problem was the cam shaft sensor. Updated 12/13/10
I have a 2003 nissan altima 2.5 sl, in approximately 2008 february, my car stopped on me while driving on the freeway. It turns out that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. Had the work done at buena park nissan then I realized that the car had also starting burning excessive oil. I was told there was an oil pan leak, had that work done at another dealership. Approximately 9 months later, the car stopped again, had the car diagnosed at the nissan dealer ship in antioch, ca, was advised that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced, again. At this point, I was frustrated with the car and I contacted nissan of north american, and the dealership in buena park who both denied me any help. I was given a reference number of 6594593 when I called for a solution in 2009. Now, 8/2010, I am having acceleration issues again, my check engine light is on, my antifreeze is evaporation along with the engine oil every 300 miles. I called nissan north america again today and spoke with lisa byrne at extension 41661 who told me there was nothing nissan would do at this point because my previous claim had already been denied. I am replacing oil on a weekly basis as well as the antifreeze. I called nissan again today, ref # [xxx]. I asked her who could I contact other than the regional office and she stated no one and that there was nothing nissan was going to do to right my situation. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. The contact stated that the vehicle was rapidly consuming oil and overheating. The vehicle was previously repaired under the federal safety agency campaign id number: 03v084000 (engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: manifold/ header/ muffler/ tail pipe) yet the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to a local repair facility where the mechanic installed a pre-catalyst and oxygen sensor but did not remedy the failure. In addition, there was excessive black smoke coming from the exhaust pipe after a routine oil change and smoke coming from under the hood. The dealer advised having a diagnostic performed at the contact's expense. The contact declined. The manufacturer advised having the vehicle diagnosed before they would determine if they would assist with repairs. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 100,000 the current mileage was 142,000.
I was driving when I noticed my nissan altima oil light came on. I went to get it checked and there was no oil in the car. I got the oil and filter changed and a few days later it happened again. I took my car to my mechanic, who told me that I needed a new catalytic converter and new engine. The repairs cost is 3,000 that I don't have. I've been looking online and have noticed that their are a lot of people with the same problem. I had so much exhaust coming from my car that my mechanic told me it wasn't safe to drive.
I own a 2003 nissan altima 2.5sl and the engine stopped working while I was driving, and hit the curb and blew out my tire and damaged my rim. This cost me about $500 out of my pocket, which really was disappointing. There should be a recall for my vehicle!
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. The engine began to consume oil excessively. While driving, he noticed smoke underneath the hood. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who stated that the catalytic converter caused the engine to fail. The manufacturer filed report 6895246 and stated that the vehicle didn't have a recall and the vehicle should be taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The failure and current mileages were 86,000.
2003 nissan altima VIN# [xxx] . Loss of power and stalling at low speed. Obd codes show p0725 and p0335 which are engine speed sensor circuit malfunction and crankshaft position sensor circuit malfunction. Problem appears to be covered by previous recall rq06001 or 06v24200 however nissan denies that this vehicle is included in the recall notice.
The engine stalls when stopped or moving at slow speeds. This happens intermittently, between 1-15 times a month in normal driving. There is an outstanding recall (06v242000) that matches my problem but my VIN doesn't match those being recalled.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. While driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle began to overheat. There was then a loud, unusual noise followed by the vehicle attempting to stall. The contact shut off the vehicle and restarted. The failure did not persist. The dealer advised that the catalytic converter and engine would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 117,000 and the current mileage was 122,000. Updated 10/25/10 *bf the consumer stated the vehicle was consuming a large amount of oil every week. Updated 10/27/10
I am one of many who have had the same problem with my nissan altima 2003 2.5 engine. The nissan dealership kept telling me they were not sure what was wrong with my car when I would take it in for their diagnostic testing. Costing 91.00 each time you have that test done. I was told after many times of the car stalling and shutting off while driving it that it needed a coil #3 well that wasn't the problem the at all driving the car the day that we were going to replace the coil the engine completely shut down. So because I am at 89,000 mile and the warranty has run out I am basically out of luck is what they said and they aren't responsible. So here I am with a 2003 altima that needs a new engine cause the of the faulty catalytic converter. So why we were never told the many times we went in that this could be the problem is what I am so confused about. I am a single mom that still owes a year on this car at 400 a month and can not afford to replace the engine and the catalytic converter. This is crazy all the complaints of the same problem that I am having and nissan is not being accountable at all. And this problem could be very dangerous also if you were in traffic and your car just shut off.
I had trouble starting my 2003 nissan altima about 3-4 weeks ago after returning from shopping. It started a few hours later. Check engine light was on for a few weeks, then went off. On my way to work last week driving down highway at 65mph with the cruise control I lost all power and was unable to restart the vehicle and had it towed home. Check engine light back on. The air filter was clogged and changed. My car started and I drove to work 2 days later without a problem, but the car would not start after returning home that day. Code reader stated code p0340 camshaft position sensor malfunction. Car started he next day and we checked codes again with car running and received the same code. Called dealership and they advised no current recalls for my vehicle. Estimated $281 for diagnostic, labor and part replacement.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. The contact stated while driving at 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact restarted the engine and the vehicle resumed normal operation. The dealer advised that there were no recalls and any repairs would be at the contact's expense. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure persisted. The contact stated the vehicle was previously serviced under the federal safety agency campaign id number: 06v242000 (engine and engine cooling) which he believed to be associated with the failure. The failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 155,086.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. The contact stated while reversing from a parking space at speeds of 2-3 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact was able to restart the vehicle thirty minutes later and was taken to a local repair facility. The mechanic replaced the crankshaft sensor at the contact's expense. The contact inquired with the manufacturer about the federal safety agency campaign id number: 06v242000 (engine and engine cooling) however the manufacturer advised her VIN was not included in the recall. The approximate failure mileage was 62,330 and the current mileage was 62,500.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. While the contact was driving approximately 25 MPH the engine completely stalled without warning. The engine restarted and resumed normally for less than one mile. The failure occurred whenever the vehicle was in operation intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership where the vehicle was repaired under the federal safety agency campaign id number 06v242000 (engine and engine cooling). The vehicle exhibited a jerking motion with a decrease in engine power after the recall remedy repair was performed. The vehicle was in the process of being taken back to the authorized dealership for diagnosis. The failure mileage was 121,000. Updated 04/15/11*lj updated 05/02/11
I own a 2003 nissan altima 2.5s. The car has a low idle and suddenly dies without warning while at stop signs and red lights. I've taken great care of this car but can't seem to pinpoint the problem. Then I read here and all over the internet that this is a common problem. Could it be a bad sensor? I called nissan but they do not recognize this problem. Unbelievable.
2003 nissan altima-86,958 mi. Purchased new march 2003 rusted floor boards I, too, am a victim of rusted floor boards(front driver and passenger) that will not pass inspection. This was found during an oil change on 4/21/10. All my maintenance work is done through the dealership on a regular basis. Why wasn't this noticed 3/30/10 when I had a catalytic converter replaced or on 10/23/09 at another oil change and multi-point inspection or at any of the other many garage appointments? My auto-body technician found manufacturer's tape over the drain holes. They sent pictures to the nissan regional specialist. I was told by this person they handle things case-by-case, and they were not going to help me financially to get this repaired! The auto-body technician needs a section of floor. The hole is so bad patching with a piece of metal won't do the job. I have since been searching the web and found this is a common problem-nissan not taking responsibility for a flaw in their product. I have also found many people have had the rusted floor board problem and/or the catalytic converter problem. Neither are inexpensive repairs. I'm ready to complete all the consumer forms I need to and spread the word that nissan will not stand behind their product. As much as I love my nissan, from what I've been reading I need to get rid of it(if I can). I have to foot the bill for the rotten floor boards-$1756.73. I never filed a claim with nissan for the catalytic converter because I was told it was a rare problem. So, I paid the $865.10. From what I've read on catalytic converters one must figure out what caused the converter to go bad or it will happen again.
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