2003 Nissan Altima

I WAS SOLD MY CAR FROM A DEALERSHIP AND IT HAS HAD PROBLEM SINCE DAY ONE AND I KEEP UP WITH MY MAINTENANCE AND A MONTH AFTER I GOT THE VEHICLE I SPENT OVER 2500 IN REPAIRS NOW I AM HAVING A PROBLEM WITH CATALYST AND THE EXHAUST PIPE WHICH IS ON THE RECALL LIST FROM 7-30-2003 WHEN I START THE CAR IT DOESN'T WANT TO START AND IT IS A TAPPING SOUND THAT IS HEARD ALL THE TIME I HAVE TRIED TO GET IN TOUCH WHERE I GOT THE CAR FROM BUT THEY ARE OUT OF BUSINESS AND I AM STILL PAYING ON THIS CAR I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE STRUTS ,SHOCKS, BRAKES, AND AIR CONDITIONER JUST ALOT OF STUFF AND NOW THE TAPPING NOISE IS SO BAD ITS SCARING ME AND I HAVE FOUR CHILDREN THAT RIDES WITH ME IN THAT CAR. *TR

WE HAVE A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ONE DAY AND THEN IT WENT OFF. A FEW WEEKS LATER THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND WE HAD IT DIAGNOSED AND THE CODE INDICATED IT WAS ELECTRICAL, BATTERY, OR CRANK SHAFT SENSOR. SAME DAY WE GOT IT DIAGNOSED WE WENT TO START THE CAR IN THE PARKING LOT THE CAR WOULDN'T START. WE CALLED AAA TO HAVE CAR TOWED. WHILE WAITING FOR TOW TRUCK WE TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE AND IT STARTED. WE STARTED DRIVING CAR TO GET IT TO BE REPAIRED AND WHILE DRIVING THE CAR THE CAR STOPPED RUNNING AND MY DAUGHTER HAD NO CONTROL OF THE CAR. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND EVERYTHING. SHE PULLED INTO SOMEONE'S DRIVEWAY. WE CALLED AND HAD CAR TOWED TO LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY. I CHECKED THE INTERNET TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY RECALLS AND IT INDICATED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE CRANK SHAFT SENSOR. I CALLED THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP IN SALEM, NH AND SPOKE TO A GENTLEMAN IN SERVICE AND EXPLAINED ABOUT THE RECALL. HE ASKED FOR THE VIN NUMBER AND SAID THERE WAS NO RECALLS. I DISPUTED IT WITH HIM AND HE SAID THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO AND THAT IT WOULD COST APPROX $100 DOLLARS TO DIAGNOSE AND APPROX $125.00 PER HOUR TO REPLACE PLUS PARTS. I THEN CALL NISSAN CONSUMER SERVICE AND THEY ALSO SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL ON MY VEHICLE. I AGAIN DISPUTED AGAIN THEY SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT THE PROBLEM. I THEN HAD THE CAR REPAIRED AT A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR (THE RECALLED PART). WE PICKED UP THE CAR DROVE DOWN THE STREET AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO REPAIR SHOP AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE CAM SHAFT SENSOR. I CALLED NISSAN CUSTOMER RELATIONS AGAIN ABOUT THE RECALL AND THEY STATED THERE IS STILL NO RECALL FOR THE SENSOR ON MY VIN. SHE SAID THAT SHE COULD HELP US BY REFUNDING THE REPAIR COSTS. SHE ASKED WHERE I HAD IT REPAIRED AND I TOLD HER AT A LOCAL REPAIR CENTER. SHE SAID I CANT HELP YOU BECAUSE I DIDN'T GET IT REPAIRED AT A NISSAN DEALERSHIP. THEY SHOULD OF TOLD ME THIS. *TR

2003, NISSAN ALTIMA, 3.5L, 60,000 MILES. JANUARY 2009, TRAVELING IN SOUTH FLORIDA TRAFFIC, ALL DASH WARNING LIGHTS COME ON AND CAR STALLS. CAR RESTARTS, HARD, AND IS DRIVEN TO FT LAUDERDALE DEALERSHIP. $100 DIAGNOSTIC REVEALS CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR AND 2 CAM SENSORS NEED TO BE REPLACED. OUR SON, SERVICE WRITER FOR NISSAN IN TEXAS, TELLS US THE DEALERSHIP HAS DOUBLED THE ESTIMATE AND TO KEEP LOOKING FOR A MECHANIC (SINCE CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY). TELLS US THE MAXIMA FOR THIS YEAR HAS A RECALL FOR THIS BUT NOT THE ALTIMA WITH 3.5L. WE DRIVE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC,STALLING SEVERAL MORE TIMES, IN RUSH-HOUR TRAFFIC, HE ESTIMATES $600+/- AND WE LEAVE CAR FOR REPAIR WHILE I ENTER THE HOSPITAL FOR BREAST CANCER SURGERY. CAR IS REPAIRED WHEN I LEAVE HOSPITAL, HUGE BILL COMES OUT OF MY POCKET, AND NISSAN WILL NOT CONSIDER REIMBURSEMENT, ALTHOUGH MANY HUNDREDS OF THESE VEHICLES ARE EXPERIENCING IDENTICAL PROBLEMS! NO RECALL NOTICE WAS RECEIVED, NO NOTICE OF THE ECM RECALL WAS RECEIVED AND THE CAR IS NOW SLUGGISH ON ACCELERATION. CAR IS METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED, USES ONLY PREMIUM GAS AND OTHERWISE A GOOD VEHICLE TO OWN. NISSAN'S REFUSAL TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS AND DEALERSHIPS GOUGING CUSTOMERS MAKES THIS SITUATION EVEN MORE DISTASTEFUL! *TR

THE FAILURE OCCURRED FOR THE FIRST TIME FEBRUARY 17,2009. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE POWER TO MY 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA SE 3.5 COMPLETELY CUT OUT. I WAS STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WITH A SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT, THE BATTERY LIGHT, OIL LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT ALL ON. I TRIED TO RE-START MY CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START. I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET IT INTO NEUTRAL. AT FIRST THE ENGINE TURNED OVER LIKE IT WANTED TO START BUT IT DID NOT IMMEDIATELY START. AFTER THE 3RD ATTEMPT IT STARTED UP. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO MY DESTINATION 5 MINUTES DOWN THE ROAD BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE HAPPENED. I AM VERY LUCKY AND WAS NOT REAR ENDED. WHEN I PULLED INTO MY PARKING SPOT THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THIS TIME IT TOOK ABOUT 5 ATTEMPTS TO GET IT TO RESTART. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO OUR LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND I WAS TOLD IT IS A CRANK/CAM POSITION SENSOR. WE REPLACED THIS ITEM AT A COST OF $185.21. MY HUSBAND DID AN INTERNET SEARCH AND FOUND OUT NISSAN USA DID A RECALL ON 2002 AND EARLY 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA'S FOR THE CRANK/CAM POSITION SENSOR. I CONTACTED NISSAN TO FIND OUT IF MY CAR WAS INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL AND WAS INFORMED I WAS NOT. I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT THIS PROBLEM IS A HAZARD TO MOTORISTS AND IT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY NISSAN. I WAS GIVEN A FILE #6422418 AND THAT WAS ALL THEY COULD DO FOR ME. MEANWHILE I HAVE INVESTIGATED TO SEE IF OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND IT APPEARS TO BE WIDE SPREAD AMONG THE NISSAN ALTIMA'S AND SOME MAXIMAS. IT IS ALSO NOT JUST AN ISSUE WITH THE 2002-2003 MODELS BUT EXTENDS UP TO THE 2005 MODELS. MOST OF THE CONSUMERS HAVE EITHER MADE A COMPLAINT WITH NISSAN OR THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU-AUTOMOTIVE LINE. NISSAN DID MAKE A RECALL ON THE 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA FOR THE ECM WHICH JUST RESETS THE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" BUT STILL DOES NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF THE CRANK/CAM POSITION SENSOR. SOME OF THESE CONSUMERS HAVE SPENT UP TO $500.00 TO GET THIS SENSOR FIXED.*TR

I HAVE HAD THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT COME ON AND TWICE I HAVE HAD THE CRANK SHAFT SENSOR REPLACED IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS. PERIODICALLY MY CAR WILL STALL, SOMETIMES WHEN I AM MOVING, AND OTHER TIMES IT IS REALLY HARD TO START. I HAVE ONLY 42000 MILES ON MY CAR. I WROTE A LETTER TO NISSAN AND HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM THEM. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND ASKED HER ABOUT THE 2006 RECALL I FOUND ON LINE AND SHE TOLD ME MY VIN NUMBER DID NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL AND THE PROBLEMS I WAS EXPERIENCING WERE COINCIDENTAL. THAT DOESN'T EVEN BEGIN TO MAKE SENSE TO ME. WHAT CAN BE DONE TO HAVE THIS ONGOING PROBLEM RESOLVED? IT'S OBVIOUS IT IS HAPPENING TO NUMEROUS NISSAN ALTIMA OWNERS. *TR

I HAVE A NISSAN ALTIMA 2003 3.5 WITH 60,000 MILES AND IT JUST TURNED OFF ON ME AND WHEN I WAS ABLE TO TURN IT BACK ON IF WONT DRIVE MORE THAN 5 MILES LEFT IT UNUSED AND WHEN THE MECHANIC CAME HE TURNED THE CAR ON TOOK IT TO AUTO ZONE AND THEY SAID ITS THE THROTTLE CONTROL ACTUATOR THIS CAR DOES NOT HAVE THE MILES FOR THIS PART TO BE DAMAGED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL, RESTARTED THE ENGINE, AND DROVE TO HER RESIDENCE. SHE CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT BEING PROPERLY MAINTAINED. LATER THAT WEEK, THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE STATING THAT THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL CONTROL MODULE (ECM) NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPROGRAMMED THE ELECTRICAL CONTROL MODULE. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE REPAIR, THE VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN AND THE POWER STEERING BECAME INOPERABLE. SHE RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPROGRAMMED THE ECM FOR THE THIRD TIME DUE TO CONSISTENT STALLING. SIX MONTHS LATER, THE STALLING RECURRED. SHE CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE RECALL WAS SATISFIED AND THEY WERE NOT LIABLE FOR FURTHER REPAIRS. A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED AT A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP, WHICH REVEALED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT POSITIONING SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MECHANIC INFORMED HER THAT THE CRANK SHAFT POSITIONING SENSOR WAS SUPPOSED TO BE REPAIRED BEFORE REPROGRAMMING THE ECM. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS FOR THE CRANK SHAFT POSITIONING SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000. UPDATED 10-30-08 *BF UPDATED 11/03/08. *JB

2003 NISSAN ALTIMA STALLED AND WOULD NOT START IN TRAFFIC AT 40MPH. WOULD NOT START FOR APPROXIMATELY 15-20 MINUTES. SITUATION WAS DANGEROUS BUT NO ONE HIT US. COMPUTER CODES SAY CRANK POSITION SENSOR AND CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. IF CODES ARE CLEARED (AND AFTER VEHICLE COOLS) THEY REAPPEAR IMMEDIATELY AT THE STALL POINT. TIME TO STALL VARIES APPARENTLY WITH HEAT. 2003 NISSANS ARE UNDER VOLUNTARY RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. NISSAN SAYS THIS VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT SHOULD BE. THIS IS IDENTICAL TO THE PROBLEM DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL. *TR

CAR WILL NOT START AT TIMES, CAR WILL START AND NOT IDLE PAST 1500 RPM'S OR DRIVE OVER 5 MILES AN HOUR. SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT STAYS ON. FIRST I WAS TOLD THE ANTI THEFT IN THE CARS COMPUTER SYSTEM WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM, NEXT I WAS TOLD THE COMPUTER DID NOT RE-LEARN THE SETUP. NEXT I WAS TOLD IT IS A THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. TIRED OF THE SAME PROBLEM BEING BLAMED ON DIFFERENT THINGS AND THEN RE-OCCURRING. THIS PROBLEM DO TO THE SPEED OF THE CAR CAN CAUSE SERIOUS HAZARDS BY NOT HAVING THE POWER TO MAINTAIN THE SPEED LIMITS ! *TR