2003 Nissan Murano: hesitation when accelerating

Filed Jan 11, 2020 · Fuel system · 130,000 miles · AZ

During the hot summer months in the phoenix arizona area I've experienced hesitation (especially in traffic) when either moving slowly along or traffic picks up or turning and I have to mash harder on the accelerator, sometimes 2-4 times!!! This is frightening !! What is the problem as I've checked filters, gas, intake? And asked mechanic ???

Filed Apr 10, 2014 · Transmission · 93,300 miles · MI

I was hearing some really loud noises while accelerating in the last couple of days prior to the "stalling/no acceleration" issue that I experienced on april 9, 2014. I was driving on a busy expressway in rush hour traffic and the vehicle wouldn't accelerate or would hesitate for 5 seconds or so and then it would "kick" in, albeit slowly. The car is at the dealership right now.

Filed Apr 20, 2013 · Engine, Transmission · 115,245 miles · PA

Vehicle hesitates and does a bunny hop randomly during stop and go traffic. Vehicle won't move at all you can have it floored, than all of a sudden it takes off. Took it to nissan, they keep telling me its the transmission, which makes no sense since it only does it once in awhile. I finally decided to file a complaint because I was driving home the other day slowed down to get on interstate and car wouldn't go... Almost got side swiped by a tractor trailer and rear ended by the guy behind me who assumed I was going. I have done some research, it does not seem like anyone really knows the cause and I am very perplexed as to the number of people having this issue yet no recall... I guess someone will have to die for this issue to be taken seriously, usually how things get done in the us.

Filed Jul 19, 2012 · Transmission · 135,000 miles · NV

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan murano. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated to accelerate from stops. The vehicle rapidly jerked forward when it finally began to accelerate. The failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 135,000. The VIN was unavailable.

Filed Apr 19, 2012 · Acceleration · 170,000 miles · NC

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan murano. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the check engine light illuminated. The vehicle then jerked, hesitated, and stalled. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who ran a diagnostic test and informed the contact that the speed sensor failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified and stated that there were no recalls associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was 170,000.

Filed Mar 25, 2012 · Acceleration, Engine · 98,500 miles · GA

When you come to a complete stop and then press the accelerator down the car does not move initially. If you hold the accelerator down after a few seconds the car will start to move. This has happened 4 times in the last 8 months after driving the car for about 20 mins. I have called nissan dealership in warner robins, ga but no assistance because the warranty ran out...I just purchased this vehicle jan 2011, they had to put in a brand new transmission a week after I purchased it but I was told months later the warranty ran out so I would have to pay for diagnostic check and this particular murano was not under the recall for CVT. I find that hard to believe because all the posts I've read regarding this exact same problem received some form of mail regarding a recall of some sort. Today 3/25/12 my car hesitates to start.

Filed Oct 13, 2011 · Transmission · 115,000 miles · CA

After driving a while in stop & go traffic the vehicle hesitates and doesn't accelerate when you depress the gas pedal. Then after a few seconds the engine revs up and the vehicle lurches forward and sometimes stalls in traffic. Once the vehicle stalls, it takes a long time before you can restart the engine. This situation happens almost every time I'm in heavy traffic, which is especially dangerous on the freeways and when making left turns at intersections. I've worked with my local nissan dealership but they haven't come up with a solution, and it's becoming very expensive for me to have them research the problem and not find a fix.

Filed Sep 21, 2011 · Engine, Transmission · 85,000 miles · TX

After extended idle, the vehicle becomes unresponsive to fuel feed. When the gas pedal is depressed there is a hesitation (2-5 seconds) and then suddenly the vehicle will lurch forward. The problem temporarily goes away when the car is shut off for a few minutes.

Filed Sep 6, 2011 · Transmission · 90,000 miles · NY

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan murano. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated to accelerate from a stop. Once the vehicle began to accelerate, it accelerated at a very slow rate of speed. The vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop, where they were unable to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.

Filed Jul 23, 2011 · Acceleration · 64,000 miles · TX

Had had this vehicle little less than a month when noticed having accelaration hesitation problem once you slow down or stop to make turns or at traffic lights. Never involved in a collision but have had too many close calls especially when trying to make a left turn against on-coming traffic or with a car behind me; car just wont go and when it does, it is fast enough to knock your head off. Took it back to nissan dealerships multiple times over the next couple of years without a resolution; they say they cant find anything wrong. Did everything they asked including using a high grade gas consistently and still having problems to this day when the vehicle is no longer under warranty.

Filed Jul 11, 2011 · Transmission · AZ

I have a 2003 nissan murano w/ 88k miles. When driving my nissan murano, there seems to be quite an issue with the acceleration and that it hesitates when I I step on the acceleration. The murano does not move forward for a few seconds, after stepping almost fully on the gas pedal. Then all of a sudden it feels like the car catches back on and then the car jolts forward, letting the car finally move. This problem occurs sporadicly and actually on a left turn just yesterday, (7-10-11), the car just completely lost it's power. I am glad no accident occured, I was very lucky. I was able to turn to the side of the road and turn the car off and on. After I did that I was able to get the car into a parking lot so I could have my father pick me up. I have dealing with this reoccurring issue for a while. I took it to the dealer and they want to charge me $100 just to diagnose it in order to have nissan be involved. I have to go about this way I was told. After doing some in-depth research on the web for the 2003 nissan muranos, it shows that there are tons of thousands of other 2003 nissan murano owners having the completely same exact problem. It is also baffling to me & not fair that all the nissan dealerships are making so much money from a flaw they caused. I would like to file this issue to be investigated and recalled. This is a huge safety hazard on the road for all 2003 nissan murano owners, and it's not ethically right to leave hundreds of thousands of people in serious life or death situations.

Filed May 9, 2011 · Transmission · 120,000 miles · NJ

February 2010 I was driving my 2003 murano down the highway and all of a sudden as I was pushing the gas pedal and it wasn't responding properly began to hesitate but I was able to drive it to the nissan dealer for repair and I was told it was a sensor malfunction so it was replaced (at my expense $1100). Then in april 2010 driving down the street I heard a thump and as I pushed the gas and then the car began to drag and hesitate. I made it safely to a bank parking lot where I called a tow truck to tow it to the nissan dealer again. This time they say it was some sensor that dealt with the throttle and a case. Again at my expense ($3200). So in 2 months I spent $4500 and at that time I was told I should be ok. Well it is now april 2011 and I have the same problem again and this time it stopped while I was driving home from work. Now I had it towed to my house which iss were it sits because I was told sine I went more than 12k miles it is out of warranty. So I now have a car that is useless unless I spend another $4500 to fix it. Unexceptable!!!!!!! I am lucky I was not injured but this needs to be looked at soon or someone can be seriously injured.