2003 Nissan Murano: sudden unintended acceleration

Filed Jul 29, 2016 · Engine, Transmission · 90,000 miles · FL

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan murano. While driving in stop-and-go traffic, the vehicle did not pick up speed after a stop. Approximately ten seconds later, the vehicle accelerated without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The failure recurred frequently. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was advised to take the vehicle to a dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 09v169000 (engine and engine cooling). The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

Filed Jan 1, 2015 · Acceleration, Engine · 85,000 miles · OH

Coming off exit ramp, stopped and turned left, was going around 25 MPH when the car surged forward, accelerated, RPM shot up. I had to slam on the brakes and put the car into neutral. The car then slowed and began driving normally. A week later, my wife and I were on the interstate going around 60 MPH when the car slowed down as though it was put into a low gear. We could only get it to go no more that 35 MPH. We pulled off on the shoulder and parked. The car would not start again. Had to tow it. About a month later, I was on the interstate going around 65 when the same thing happened as before, it went into a lower gear, lowering my speed to around 30 MPH which caused me to almost get hit from behind. Had it been a large truck it most likely would have hit me. I put it in neutral and pulled off to the shoulder. When I pulled out again, it drove at a normal rate of speed. I've taken it to the nissan dealership and they claimed they couldn't find anything wrong. The internet is full of complaints from murano owners with the same problems and stating that local nissan dealerships cannot find the problem and if they do anything, they change out the transmission at a cost to the owner. I just purchased my murano a few months ago in september of 2014 from a small lot. This is very frustrating for me and my family. Twice we could have very easily been hit from behind. Since this is a problem that's been going on since the first 2003 muranos, I feel nissan should order a recall and fix this safety issue before someone is killed.

Filed Sep 27, 2011 · Acceleration · 38,000 miles · NY

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan murano. The contact was driving 65 MPH when the vehicle decelerated abnormally. While at a traffic stop, the vehicle would lunge forward without any warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who ran a diagnostic test but they could not duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was notified who offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 38,000 and the current mileage was 98,000.

Filed Sep 29, 2010 · Transmission · 160,000 miles · MS

2003 nissan murano hesitates in traffic an all of a sudden accelerates wildly in traffic...

Filed Jul 2, 2010 · Acceleration · 102,000 miles · MO

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan murano. The contact stated that when she engaged the gas pedal it didnt respond and within a few minutes it lunged forward. The dealer or the manufacturer were not notified. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were approximately 102,000.

Filed Jan 15, 2008 · Transmission · 138,000 miles · CA

Transmission failure started when the car would experience a loss in power in heavy traffic then will suddenly lunge forward. We lost the transmission last week, the murano couldn't even make it up to the driveway. We need to turn off the engine then turn it back on again in order to have the transmission working. The car is currently at the dealers waiting for a new transmission estimated at $4800. ~lb

Filed Oct 23, 2006 · Transmission · 28,000 miles · MA

After driving on a highway at 55+MPH, for more than a half hour, if you then get into stop and go or city traffic, and you are stopped, if you press on the accelerator, the car will not respond for 5-10 seconds, then will lunge forward. This is not only annoying, it is so dangerous. Now that I am aware of it, I try to leave lots of space between me and the car in front of me (not always possible in the city). It only seems to happen under the conditions described above. I noticed this happening a little over a year after purchasing my murano.

Filed Oct 17, 2006 · Acceleration, Transmission · CA

2003 nissan murano, at 2500 miles transmission seems to skip or disengage for a second at highway speeds. Dealer could not reproduce problem. At 12000 miles vehicle started to act up and same thing happen, this time vehicle seemed like it was in neutral gear. Vehicle recalled for alternator replacement, same week and I informed the dealer of the issue, they seemed not too concerned. At 35000 miles when driving in reverse, transmission clink noise. At 58000 took vehicle to dealer with a complaint that the transmission is acting up. Dealer installed a gas tank shied, and did not care to investigate the transmission issue and said all are ok. 64000 miles, after stopping at a traffic light, vehicle will not move forward, acceleration pedal pushed all the way. Vehicle will then suddenly pickup speed and lung forward. Vehicle RPM will kick up and down while driving at steady and cruising speeds giving the vehicle a feeling of sudden acceleration and deceleration. Situation is getting worse and no help from dealer since he recently went out of business.

Filed Jun 5, 2006 · Transmission · 78,000 miles · VA

2003 nissan murano awd would accelerate and skip gears. If you are in stop and go traffic and you take your foot off the gas the car will lunge forward and try to go into a higher gear then first. This started happening intermittently then it happened several times in one day the friday before memorial day 2006. On saturday when we started the car it made a horrible clunking noise. We drove the car to the dealer and several days later we were told we would need a brand new transmission at a cost of $4000. The car has 78,000 miles and is 32 months old. All the miles are highway miles. We do not have an extended warranty because we have always owned nissan cars and never had a problem. I have conducted research and found several consumers have experienced the transmission problems at various life cycles of the vehicle. Some had problems with in the first thousand miles. It is suspected that the problems are caused by the new CVT technology that nissan first introduced in the nissan murano in 2003. I think this is a serious problem.

Filed Aug 2, 2005 · Electrical · 53,800 miles · AL

April 2003 purchased a 2003 nissan murano. In july 2003, after having been stopped at a traffic light, I pressed the gas to go forward and the car would not accelerate for a few seconds, then it quickly surged forward. Luckily I was the first car at the light or I would have rammed the car in front of me. The dealer regal nissan said it was the alternator and replaced it. In june 2005 again, the car started stalling then quickly accelerating, we had moved so we took the car to a local nissan dealership crown nissan and they, again, replaced the alternator. July 29, 2005, on a trip to florida, the car acted up again at the red lights, it also would slow down, while driving, then accelerate quickly. I again took the car to the dealership kraft nissan of tallahassee and they stated it was a transmission issue and then advised I take to my hometown dealer, crown nissan.cown nissan was not able to diagnose or produce any problem. They did not call kraft nissan and seek advice or input from them. I am having trouble getting them to solve the problems. It is dangerous, because of the sudden acceleration, you could hit another car or a person. We are fortunate because there have been others who have stalled on the interstate or busy highways. Something is wrong when they continually replace the alternator and still have problems.

Filed May 5, 2004 · Acceleration · MA

While sitting at an intersection vehicle surged forward, then hesitated. This caused the vehicle to suddenly accelerate. Consumer's foot was on the brakes, was able to maintain control of the vehicle, and pulled over. Then, vehicle stalled. Consumer had the vehicle towed to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic could not duplicate the problem.