Nissan website at https://nissanassist.wpengine.com/campaigns/electronic-steering-column-lock-escl-service-campaign/ stated that nissan is conducting a voluntary service campaign on specific my2009-10 nissan altima, altima coupe, altima hybrid, and maxima vehicles to replace the existing electronic steering column lock (escl) with an electronic steering column box (escb). My 2009 altima is having problem with this defective escl that caused the problem of locking up the steering wheel and can't start after parked. The nissan dealers in cerritos and signal hill california will charge me to fix it for more $1220 because my VIN is not on a recall list. I told the dealers that it is not a recall as it stated on the nissan website, and is a voluntary service campaign. So far, I couldn't start my car after parked for four times from mid october to this november 2018. The first two times, aaa tow truck drivers had to remove the panel under the steering wheel to get to escl and push a middle piece of metal inside the escl all the way down to the bottom of its box, then they could start the car. Now I have do the same things as aaa tow truck drivers did it. I was so scared two days ago in 7 eleven parking lot at around 11:30 pm, when one person approached me and talking to me, and another open my car's door at front passenger side and took my items that I just bought from walmart and both ran away. Now I am afraid to drive this car, and taking public buses to work in the day time and afraid not to go any where at night time. A defective electronic steering column lock (escl) for years, there have been widespread defects in the electronic steering column lock (escl) that disabled the push-button ignition in a wide range of nissan and infiniti vehicles.
2009 Nissan Altima steering complaints
Page 4 of 30: complaints 71 to 100 of 859, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Car will not start because of steering lock system will not come unlock no warning nothing
I was about to take my daughter (a 10 yr old child) suffering from an allergic reaction to the children's hospital, when the vehicle did not turn on. My nissan altima 2009 (sedan) had been used without issues just the day before and I had parked it at home. It was parked and when I tried turning it on, it did not read the key, the ignition did not even notice there was a key, the steering was locked. We were left stranded unable to turn on the vehicle and go to the hospital and get treated asap. I had to get a cab with the sick child and come back from the hospital the same way. The days that followed, I also had to see her doctor and the car still did not turn on. Finally, the vehicle was towed to the dealership and they told me it has a steering lock problem and they see this often in that model(!). I looked online and was amazed to find several similar complaints! I saw nissan is aware of this issue on this model and had a campaign but my VIN was not among the supposed vehicles under the coverage this is a major safety issue, being a woman (and even worse, a woman with a minor) I was unable to use a vehicle that is otherwise mechanically completely sound (it had just been serviced not even 2 weeks before!), this car has very few miles, it was the last thing I was expecting in a stressful situation that could have gone majorly wrong. Luckily my daughter's allergic reaction was tended to at the hospital in time because I took a car service and I don't live in a rural area, but I don't want to think about what could happen to other people or even to myself if I were to be in a remote location or in a perilous situation and not able to turn on my car and use it. I am now very wary and worried that (once corrected) this issue will again take place. This is a hazardous situation, though it does not happen while driving, it does put the owner's safety at plausible risk.
My wife and two young daughters were stranded for a time due to a sudden issue with the steering lock mechanism. This suddenly made the car inoperable and left them out in 102 texas summer heat. After much research this seems to be a fairly common and known issue. We bought our car from a dealership in 2014 and we not made aware of this issue or any potential warranty extension. This is a $500 part (excluding labor and towing fees) that can and has stranded people with little to no notice. How is this acceptable?
On or about april 4, 2015, l noticed that my vehicle would not start. The vehicle was subsequently towed to a nissan dealership where it was determined that the steering lock was defective and needed to be replaced. I contacted nissan on various occasions regarding the repair work that needed to be performed to my vehicle. Ln response, the representative from nissan advised they would open a claim and investigate the matter further. I was ultimately told that the repair work would not be covered by nissan because the vehicle was out of warranty as of september 2014. Ln fact, l was advised that the warranty had been extended for another year because of this particular issue. Unfortunately, to my detriment, the steering lock in my vehicle malfunctioned past the warranty date. The particular defect in my vehicle is a defect occurring in this particular model, for which the manufacturer's warranty had been extended. In fact, the steering lock has since been altered in future models to correct this defect, which demonstrates that nissan was well aware of the defect in this particular model, yet chose to do nothing to remedy the problem. Despite my amicable attempts to have nissan reimburse me for the repair work that was done to the steering lock, of which nissan should be responsible for, nissan has refused to reimburse me for said repairs amounting to $1,098.06. I recently contacted nissan again because nissan has now issued a recall concerning this same problem (steering lock malfunction). Again, nissan has ignored my requests.
Steering wheel lock. The only way to start my car at this point is to bang on it with a hammer to get started
Steering wheel lock won't allow me to turn car on.
Car will not start due to the steering column lock, it was stationary at the time.
Nissan was a car I really trust, but from now my opinion changed. I bought my new nissan in 2009 from a nissan dealer. After four years of use (2013) the nissan release an extended warranty for a en electronic piece that should never fail (the famous escl). My car stop working due to this issue, it couldn't turn on because was locked by the faulty electronic piece. I use the extended warranty to fix the problem, ok everybody happy, four years later 2017, same problem, same piece, same issue (faulty escl) cost: $1,100.00 called nissan, I submitted all the necessary documentation (insurance card, bill to replace the defective, ) I contacted nissan about this they don't to take any responsibility because piece has already been changed by another defective (that should never fail) escl piece that last 4 years. I really think very dissapointed how nissan treat its customers. This is my third car I buy through nissan, I am really reconsidering my next car to get a different car brand. Nissan faulty pieces should not be re-used to fix issues momentarily.
Steering lock mechainism. Car wont start
The car steering locks up and you can't start the car
My car wouldn't start. The escl box locked up for 3 days! Now I have to pay $150 to have it fixed per my warranty company. I haven't had the car 60 whole days, and it's been in the shop 4 times with very little success and a lot of frustration and time lost! Please call me. Will you pay for the $150 warranty fee? I had it towed to carmax norcross monday morning. It's wednesday. I've been without a car for 5 days now!!! [xxx] sincerely [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Steering wheel locked.
Won't start eslc steering wheel lock defective. Purchased car then stopped at gas station turned off car won't start again. Showed yellow key flashings light on dash.
I have a 2009 nissan altima that now sits in my garage. I went to leave to run errands and my car wouldn't start. My husband found the problem to be the escl - electronic steering column lock. After much research, I found quite a bit of information about the escl. For one, it's too expensive to have repaired.
The key fob for the 2009 nissan altima works to lock and unlock the car doors, but it the dashboard lights up with the key symbol indicating an error. I went to go start my vehicle maybe an hour after I had just used it to get home and the vehicle will not start at all. When the push to start button is pushed, nothing happens. It is essentially like the car does not sense the key. The problem has to do with the steering lock on the vehicles and is a costly repair that appears to be fairly common.
Escl has gone out twice now. First time nissan repair at their cost. This time they won't replace at their expense. This is very dangerous and nissan knows that this is a defect on their part. I had to pay towing charge and replace escl for the second time!! $1000 fix.
I can't get my car to start because it won't recognize my key. Nissan has a campaign and extended the warranty to help some of the thousands of owners whose vehicle won't start due to a faulty electronic steering column locks. However, these recalls are VIN specific and even though my vehicle has the identical problem, they denied my claim. I appealed and they denied again. Now I get to pay $1,000 to pay for a part that nissan has publicly admitted was due to shoddy manufacturing in thousands of 09 altimas, but somehow not in mine. Nissan, I know you're not honda or toyota, but, c'mon: make an effort. (https://www.carcomplaints.com/news/2017/nissan-altima-maxima-steering-lock-problems.shtml)
Electronic steering lock control has failed twice. Nissan has replaced at no charge once, and has a service campaign for all 2009. However, the 3 year old replacement failed with no warning and left me stranded and had to have car towed.
Took vehichle hunting. When I returned to car found that vehicle would not start. No cell phone coverage. Had to flag down a car to find a ride back to where I could get cell coverage and call wife for a ride home. After much research I found that the steering colum lock was the culprit. Also found out that I was not alone with this problem. How could this be a secret, if that many people have been affected and nissan did not do a full recall. Shame on them some needs to make this a full recall. What if this would have happened to my wife or kids ????
My entire dashboard is melting and it's very sticky.. The glare is a major concern that could possibly cause an accident. It doesn't matter if it's day or night it's difficult to see out of the windshield.
Car will not start and key lock is on as well as the red light with the car flashing inside of the car. I looked the problem up and it stated something about it being a steering mechanism. I was parked in a restaurant got out to get my food and came back to the car and car wouldn't start.
Vehicle would not start after being shut down in parking lot. Dash display showed a key light but information console did not state the problem. Occupants in vehicle were mother and 3 year old daughter in 90+ degree heat. Could not operate air conditioning and had to have car towed to residence. Upon inspection, found steering wheel lock malfunctioned. Solution: disable malfunctioning unit compromising security system with possibility of steering wheel lock activating while vehicle is in motion. Extremely dangerous as vehicle may be used on hiway or in less than optimal driving conditions. Nissan should recognize that this hazard was not completely communicated to all 2009 nissan altima owners when the initial recall was issued that ended in january of 2017. This is an ongoing issue and should be addressed to all current owners of 2009 nissan altimas and corrected as soon as possible.
The steering wheel lock mechanism. I was fixed once by dealership under extended warrenty they say. They told me recalled. Now only "certain 2009 nissan altima" are recalled again. Mine is broke again and cost is approx $900. They said I get no assistance even paying for it because of the miles on my car. It is still their mistake and faulty part. Car is nit driveable
My car left me stranded as I went to pick up my daughters from daycare. I had to pay to get my car towed to the dealership, my key fob would allow me to lock my doors and turn on the alarm but my car would not start. I have been looking in the complaints commentary and the majority of your complaints are for this same problem. Nissan should take responsibility for this failure. It is obvious that it has something to do with the way this model was built. The customer should not have to pay for manufacture mistakes.
I purchased a nissan altima 09 and haven't had any issues until 8/03/17. As I went to turn the car on a light came up on the dash board indicating that there was an issue with the steering lock. I figured it was a quick fix so I called my local dealership and they told me it's a faulty steering lock and asked for me to bring my car in. I had to call out of work to try and resolve this ongoing issue. I looked on online for possible solutions and couldn't find any but I did find that many nissan altima 09 owners were dealing with the same problem. I have no warranty on my car but there has to be a way to fix my car so I won't be stranded and won't have to pay 600$ for a small part...
The won't start due to the steering wheel won't lock so the car won't start
The car will not start. The dash lights and radio come on and the "on" indicator is lit where the push button is. However, the engine does not start.
I change my radiator 2 times - and they change the steering column lock and they charge me 1,200 . I have change the pressure sensors couple times . This always happen when I was driving
Steering wheel lock unit failure. My car was all of the sudden dead at home depot the other day and this was the second times it happened. First time it happened but I was abled to start my car the next day so I thought it was ok. Until couple days ago it happened again and this time I had to tow my car to the shop to have it check. The shop checked it and told me it was the steering wheel lock box problem. I have searching online and here are many people had this problem happening to their 2009 nissan altima. I would like to file complaint about this issue snd have nissan to recall this problem.
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