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2004 Nissan Murano problems

The most common problem on the 2004 Nissan Murano is transmission and drivetrain, typically around 85,000 miles. It has 5.0 times the complaints of a typical Murano model year.

Year to avoid5.0x the typical complaints
Year score
14/100
Owner complaints
678
Recalls
4
Service bulletins
92
Worst area
Transmission
Fuel economy
20mpg
Typical repair
$4,000

The worst 2004 Nissan Murano problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

Specific symptoms reported on the 2004 Nissan Murano

Stalling 56CVT failure 43Door locks 38Check engine light 27Loss of power 27Transmission failure 26Jerking 25Hesitation 13Won't start 12Grinding brakes 8Engine failure 8Fire or smoke 8Fuel leak 7Slipping 7Power steering loss 6ABS 5Overheating 5

Trouble codes owners of the 2004 Nissan Murano mention

P0868 2

Recalls 4

Engine and engine coolingReported May 19, 2009 · 362,891 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Nissan is recalling 362,891 my 2003-2007 murano vehicles. The intake air ducts, which are connected to the intermediate resonator in the air intake system of the engine, may separate from the resonator with engine movement. This separation occurs due to the premature aging of the material used in the intake air ducts which causes excessive shrinking.
Risk
Engine may stall increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace/repair the appropriate components free of charge. The recall began on september 24, 2009. Owners may contact nissan at 1‑800‑647‑7261.

Recall number 09V169000 · Recall details

Seat belts: rear/otherReported February 13, 2006 · 203,000 vehicles affected
What is wrong
On some sport utility vehicles, in certain high speed frontal crashes, the webbing of a rear outboard seat belt may contact the rear seat back hinge where it can be cut by the sharp edge of the metal portion of the hinge.
Risk
If the webbing is completely separated, it can increase the risk of injury to an occupant in a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will install protectors over the webbing of the rear seat belts. The recall began on march 20, 2006. Owners may contact nissan at 1‑800‑647‑7261.

Recall number 06V048000 · Recall details

Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assemblyReported January 10, 2006 · 205,000 vehicles affected
What is wrong
On certain sport utility vehicles, due to the location of the forward edge of the fuel tank, in the event that a vehicle front tire runs over a small, sharp object in the road, catches it and propels it towards the rear of the vehicle, it may strike and puncture the fuel tank.
Risk
A punctured tank could increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will install protectors in front of the tank free of charge. The recall began on march 20, 2006. Owners may contact nissan at 1‑800‑647‑7261.

Recall number 06V003000 · Recall details

Electrical system: alternator/generator/regulatorReported July 14, 2005 · 125,466 vehicles affected
What is wrong
On certain sport utility vehicles, there is a possibility that a wire breaking inside the alternator could stop the battery from charging.
Risk
If this happens, the charger warning and brake warning lamps will immediately come on and the battery will begin to discharge. After a short time, the engine will go into a "fall safe" condition which will limit vehicle speed. The engine will stop running which could result in a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the alternator with a new version which has been modified to prevent movement of the coil. The recall began on august 1, 2005. Owners may contact nissan at 1‑800‑647‑7261.

Recall number 05V319000 · Recall details

See all 4 recalls for the 2004 Nissan Murano

Defect investigations

Driver seat anchor failureOpened November 18, 2008, closed July 2, 2009

This investigation concerns structural failure of the anchor/bracket on the left rear side of the driver's seat.the concern is that such failures may alter the driver's seated position so as to reduce effectiveness of the occupant protection system or potentially compromise vehicle control.failure of the subject anchor bracket results from metal fatigue and causes rearward tilting of the driver's seat.these failures usually occur during driver ingress but may also occur while the vehicle is being operated.the safety related concerns during actual vehicle use were not validated by this investigation.while the number of complaints of this problem is relatively high, only three very minor, undocumented injuries were reported.the reported injuries occurred during driver ingress, not while the vehicle was in motion.investigation disclosed that the apparent risk of compromise to vehicle control has not been demonstrated.investigation also disclosed that the apparent risk of collapse of the driver's seat back has not been demonstrateda safety related defect trend was not identified and this investigation has been closed.

PE08065

Fuel tank punctures from road debrisOpened September 13, 2005, closed January 31, 2006

Odi opened a preliminary evaluation based on four vehicle owner questionnaires (voq's) indicating that the fuel tanks werepunctured by road debris under normal, non off-road driving conditions.as of november 30, 2005, the complaint total increased to 12.nissan supplied odi with 31 complaints of fuel tank punctures, including 26 not previously known to odi from the voq records. In a letter dated january 9, 2006, nissan north america, inc. Notified odi of its plan to recall approximately 209,000 model year 2003 - 2006 nissan murano vehicles built from april 24, 2002 (start of production of my 2003) through november 24, 2005 (including a portion of my 2006 vehicles) to correct a deficiency in fuel tank shielding from road debris.this recall has been designated the federal safety agency no. 06v‑003.recalled vehicles will be fitted with protective shielding for the frontal portion of the fuel tank to reduce the possibility of puncture by projectiles from the front wheels.accordingly, this investigation has been closed.

PE05050

Alternator failure / engine stallingOpened March 25, 2005, closed August 17, 2005

Odi received 14 reports of alleged engine stalling due to alternator failure on my 2003-2004 murano (subject) vehicles.all of the complaints reported that the vehicle could not be restarted after the stall occurred.based on these complaints, odi opened pe04-077 and later upgraded to ea05-006 for the subject vehicles.during ea05-006, additional failure data were identified as noted in the failure report summary above.on july 12, 2005, nissan notified the federal safety agency of a safety defect on my 2003-2005 murano vehicles produced from april 8, 2002 and september 24, 2004 (recall 05v‑319).the notification stated that an open circuit in the alternator can occur due to wire fatigue caused by movement of the rotor coil during rapid changes in engine speed in vehicles equipped with a continuously variable transmission (CVT).higher engine compartment temperature in the murano compared to other nissan models may also be a contributing factor to the wire fatigue.nissan also reported that when this happens, the charge warning and brake warning lamps will illuminate and the battery will begin to discharge.after a short time, the engine will then enter a fail safe mode that limits vehicle speed.very shortly after reaching this condition, the engine will stop.the federal safety agency's testing, however, showed that although the warning lamps illuminate, the vehicle speed is limited to only 4-7 MPH rather than what the federal safety agency considers a fail safe mode. Nissan will instruct owners to return their vehicles to any nissan dealer for an alternator inspection and replacement, if required.note:some vehicles may have had the newly designed alternator previously installed under warranty.consequently, this investigation is closed.odi will monitor the effectiveness of the remedy and take further action if warranted.

EA05006

Alternator failure/ engine stallingOpened November 19, 2004, closed March 25, 2005

Odi opened pe04-077 based on 14 reports of alleged engine stalling due to alternator failure.all of the complaints reported that the vehicle could not be restarted after the stall occurred.during pe04-077, additional failure data was identified as noted in the failure report summary above . During the investigation, nissan identified that there had been alternator warranty replacements due to an open circuit in the rotor coil caused by wire fatigue. Odi?s analysis shows failure rates that are of concern to odi and indicates that the alleged defect is continuing to occur in the subject vehicles.odi's analysis also shows that nearly all of the alternator warranty claims submitted resulted in engine stalls and at least 25% of the engine stalls resulted in a no restart condition.however, in 71% of the warranty data submitted, odi has not been able to determine if the consumer could restart the vehicle.this preliminary evaluation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis to further investigate this concern, to assess the potential safety-related consequences, and to determine the scope of the affected population.

PE04077

Technical service bulletins for the 2004 Nissan Murano 92

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 92 bulletins for the 2004 Nissan Murano

2004 Nissan Murano fuel economy

Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.

EngineDriveCityHighwayCombined
3.5L 6‑cylFWD182320
3.5L 6‑cyl4WD182320

What 2004 Nissan Murano owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Jul 18, 2025 · Brakes, Driver assistance · CA

Braking locked looses power then accelerates smell like gas is leaking

Filed Oct 24, 2024 · Seats · NC

Driver seat front left side has a rocking motion to it. I’ve read a lot of others have found this issue was supposed to be fixed from 2003-2004 and the parts have been updated to address the issue. I am worried my seat movement will create an unsafe driving condition.

Filed Aug 10, 2024 · Suspension · NJ

Rear subframe where it connects to shock mounts is completely rusted through at both sides of the car. Causes the tops of the wheels to bow in and is undrivable

Filed Jan 3, 2024 · Acceleration, Engine · 65,000 miles · IL

The contact owns a 2004 Nissan Murano. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The contact stated that the vehicle restarted on the first attempt occasionally; however, several attempts were needed to start the vehicle on other occasions. The contact stated that the failure also occurred while at a complete stop. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the accelerator pedal sensor had failed and needed to be replaced. An unknown dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the accelerator pedal had been discontinued. The contact stated that the independent mechanic replaced the accelerator pedal with a part purchased from a junkyard; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

Filed May 11, 2023 · NJ

I’ve changed the timing belt, brakes, batteries, fuel injectors and all and still after thirty minutes of me driving Nissan Murano 2004 I have to continuously push on the gas to get the car to move . My car always has a smell of burning rubber after a long period of time driving it . I then pull over for 20/25 minutes to let the car reset or cool down I guess and then when I turn it on it drives ok until the next 25/30 minutes go by. I’ve gotten two alternators brand new and I’m still having the same issues . When I slow down to come to a full stop it feels like my car is jerking on a chain slowly. When I put the car in neutral to come to a stop it doesn’t make the car tremble . I hope and pray I can get some answers or help to guide me in the right direction . I’ve spent over $2000 in labor to this car to still have the same problem.

Filed Dec 3, 2022 · Body, Suspension · MN

The rear k frame rusted out ,all of a sudden the vehicle started swaying out of control on gravel or wet roads, no rust on the vehicle except the rear k frame, I parked the vehicle because it's unsafe to drive , I understand that this is a problem that effects more than just mine and I hope it's recalled or something is done about it, thank you for looking into it

Filed Jun 20, 2022 · Body · WI

Rear subframe broke Confirmed by a mechanic

Filed Dec 22, 2021 · Electrical, Engine · CA

Alternator went out this is the third one. I looked up the recalls on my car and there happened to be one on the alternator and I’ve reached out to Nissan dealership of Bakersfield and havnt received a response

Filed Nov 13, 2021 · Electrical · AL

My alternator has failed and I see where there was a recall on 2004 nissan murano for alternator/generator but its not showing a recall when I put my Vin in but it's doing exactly what it describes.

Filed May 19, 2021 · Electrical · 132,000 miles · WA · fire

The contact owns a 2004 nissan murano. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, without warning the ABS and batteries warning light illuminated. The contact lost power the vehicle failed to accelerate forward. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was determined that the wires to the alternator had melted and the alternator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer was contacted however, there was no response from the technician. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was referred to the federal safety agency to file a complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 132,000

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Compare the 2004 Nissan Murano

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Other model years

200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026

Questions about the 2004 Nissan Murano

Is the 2004 Nissan Murano reliable?

Owners have filed 678 complaints about the 2004 Nissan Murano, 5.0 times a typical Murano model year. It is one of the years we flag to avoid.

What is the 2004 Nissan Murano year score?

The 2004 Nissan Murano scores 14 out of 100 (poor). The score compares it with the other model years of the Nissan Murano: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.

What is the most common problem with the 2004 Nissan Murano?

Transmission and drivetrain, with 143 complaints, typically around 85,000 miles. Next is visibility (133).

How many recalls does the 2004 Nissan Murano have?

4 recalls, covering engine and engine cooling, seat belts and fuel system, gasoline.

What year does the Nissan Murano have bad transmission?

The Nissan Murano model years with the most transmission complaints are 2003 (265 complaints), 2004 (143 complaints) and 2009 (69 complaints).

What gas mileage does the 2004 Nissan Murano get?

Official estimates for the 2004 Nissan Murano range from 20 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.5L 6-cyl, FWD) gets 18 city and 23 highway.

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