2003 Nissan Altima

RECALL #06V242: CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON 6/21/09 TOOK TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED IT AS THE CRANK ANGLE SENSOR IN MY NISSAN 2003 ALTIMA NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS BEING AFFECTED BY TEMPERATURE VARIATIONS DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE SENSOR. CALLED DEALERSHIP THEY SAID IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MY VIN NUMBER. THEY SUGGESTED CALLING NISSAN OF NORTH AMERICA. THEY KEPT MY CAR FOR 4 DAYS BEFORE GETTING BACK TO ME SAYING THEY WOULD NOT COVER REPAIRS. DEALERSHIP IS CHARGING $150 TO GET CAR BACK FOR THE DIAGNOSES. ENGINE IS CUTTING OFF DURING LOW DRIVING CAUSING VERY HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS. IT HAS ALSO STALLED AFTER STARTING THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE ENGINE RESTATED AFTER THE FIRST ATTEMPT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESUME NORMAL OPERATION AND WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST, WHICH WAS NOT PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THE IDENTICAL FAILURE RECURRED ON FIFTY SEPARATE OCCASIONS. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. RECENTLY, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNABLE TO BE ENTERED INTO THE SYSTEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP, THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR AND CRANK POSITION SENSOR WERE NOT WORKING. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND ATTEMPTED TO SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH, THE CONTACT FOUND A RECALL FOR THE 2002 MODEL WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, WHICH GENERATED A RECALL BY NISSAN. HE FEELS THAT THIS IS A LIFE AND DEATH SITUATION AND SHOULD BE REIMBURSED AND THAT ALL THE VEHICLES NEED TO BE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 94,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,638. UPDATED 07/08/09. *LJ UPDATED 07/08/09.*JB

I'VE BEEN DRIVING THIS 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA SINCE MARCH 2009. SINCE APRIL THE CAR SHUTS OFF WHILE MOVING EVERY TIME I USE IT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, SO I BROUGHT IT TO MY LOCAL AUTO PARTS STORE TO HAVE THE ENGINE CODES READ, AND THEY SAID I HAVE A BAD CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR AND A BAD CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. AFTER HEARING OF THIS I RESEARCHED THE PARTS AND PROBLEMS I'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING AND CAME ACROSS THE RECALL. I THEN CALLED A NISSAN DEALER TO HAVE THE RECALL ADDRESSED, AND DROPPED THE CAR OFF TO HAVE ON 6/24/09. I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON 6/25/09 SAYING THEY CAN NOT PERFORM THE RECALL (ECM REPROGRAM) UNLESS I PAY $300 + TAX TO HAVE THE SENSORS REPLACED AND THEN THEY CAN PERFORM THE RECALL FIX. I INSISTED HE PERFORM THE REPROGRAM BEFORE THE SENSORS AND HE REFUSED. SO I SAID THANK YOU AND I'LL PICK MY CAR UP LATER ON IN THE DAY. NOW MY REAL COMPLAINT IS THE SENSORS ARE GOING BAD BECAUSE NISSAN HAS A FAULTY ECM PROGRAM. NISSAN NEEDS TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING THE ENTIRE PROBLEM NOT JUST A SIMPLE COMPUTER FIX. NISSAN IS MAKING MONEY OFF OF A BLATANT DEFECT CAUSED BY THEIR OWN MANUFACTURING AT THE COST OF SAFETY AND THEIR CUSTOMERS EXPENSE. THIS RECALL IS ONLY ADDRESSING THE INITIAL PROBLEM, NOT THE RESULTS OF THE INITIAL PROBLEM. NISSAN IS PERFORMING A SLAPSTICK RECALL CAMPAIGN AND THE CONSUMERS NEED TO HAVE RELIEF. FOR ME TO DRIVE A SAFE CAR I AND EVERYONE ELSE WILL HAVE TO PAY AN ADDITIONAL $300 FOR SOMEONE ELSE'S MISTAKE...NOT FAIR AND THIS SHOULD ADDRESSED ASAP. *TR

MY WIFE WAS UNABLE TO START HER CAR (A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA) FOR SEVERAL TRIES (AND WITH VERY WEAK POWER WHEN IT FINALLY DID START), SO WE TOOK IT TO A NEARBY MECHANIC WHO INFORMED US THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR. AFTER PAYING TO HAVE IT REPAIRED, WE ENCOUNTERED THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. THIS TIME, THE CAR WOULD NOT START AT ALL. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO ANOTHER LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO AGAIN INFORMED US OF A PROBLEM WITH THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR. HE REPAIRED IT USING A DEALER-SPECIFIED PART AND INFORMED US THAT THE CAR MIGHT STOP RUNNING WHILE DRIVING. HE ALSO GAVE US INFORMATION ABOUT A 2003 RECALL REGARDING THE CRANK SENSOR THAT STATES: "NISSAN HAS DETERMINED THAT SOME 2000-2003 MODEL YEAR NISSAN VEHICLES MAY HAVE A DEFECT WHICH RELATES TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY. THE ENGINE MIGHT STOP RUNNING WHILE BEING DRIVEN IF THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR OR CAM POSITION SENSOR FAILS. THIS MAY ALSO RESULT IN THE 'SERVICE ENGINE SOON' LIGHT COMING ON OR REDUCED ENGINE POWER. IF THE ENGINE STOPS RUNNING WHILE DRIVING, THIS COULD RESULT IN A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING." THIS PARTICULAR RECALL APPLIED TO THE 2003 SENTRA, MAXIMA, MURANO, AND 350Z, AS WELL AS THE 2002 ALTIMA, BUT NOT THE 2003 ALTIMA. UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE NOW ENCOUNTERING THE SAME PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL. SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE INDICATE THAT THEIR 2003 ALTIMAS HAVE STOPPED RUNNING WHILE DRIVING, INCLUDING SOME WHICH HAVE INDEED RESULTED IN CRASHES. ALTHOUGH MY FAMILY HAS NOT YET ENCOUNTERED THIS TRAGEDY, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME. TO ME THIS REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD NOT ONLY TO THE OWNER BUT TO OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD AS WELL, YET NISSAN INSISTS THAT THEY ARE "NOT LIABLE" FOR ANY REPAIRS BEYOND THE ORIGINAL RECALL. I HAVE ASKED THEM TO HONOR THE RECALL FOR OTHER CARS FROM THE SAME MODEL YEAR THAT ARE NOW ENCOUNTERING THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT THEY REFUSE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06V242000. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT AN ISSUE THAT WAS UNRELATED TO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. NO ADDITIONAL REPAIRS WERE MADE AT THAT TIME. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING OVER 60 MPH ON THE FREEWAY, THE VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN. THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 120,000.

WELL AS USUALLY I TOOK MY 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S INTO THE SHOP AND FOR REGULAR WORK. I HAVE PROOF THAT MY CAR IS UP TO DATE ON TUNEUP, COOLANT CHANGE, TRANSMISSION CHANGE, AND OIL CHANGE. TIRES ARE IN GOOD CONDITION. I TOOK A TRIP TO TEXAS AND THE CAR WAS FINE FOR THE 2 1/2 WEEKS I WAS DOWN THERE. THREE DAYS BEFORE LEAVING THE SES LIGHT COME ON, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS A MINOR ISSUE BEING THE FACT THAT THEY LOOK AT MY CAR WEEKEND BEFORE GOING ON MY TRIP. WHEN I HIT LOUISIANA I EXPERIENCED A JERKING BACK AND FORTH MOTION WHEN I WAS USING THE GAS. ONLY THINGS KEPT GETTING WORSE WHEN I START SEEING THE LOST OF GAS, LOST POWER IN MY CAR, AND HEARING METALLIC NOISES COMING FROM THE ENGINE. LUCKY, I MADE IT TO MY SISTER'S HOUSE IN AUGUSTA. I DIDN'T WANT TO CAUSE ANYMORE DAMAGE DRIVING IT BACK TO COLUMBIA, SC SO I HAD TOW TRUCK COME AND PICK IT UP 190.00. SO THEY LOOK AT THE CAR AND CALLED ME TELLING THAT ONE OF THE POWER VALVE SCREWS CAME LOOSE AND DAMAGE TWO SPARK PLUGS. NOW THEY WANT TO REPLACE THE MANIFOLD AND MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS CRACK AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACE. THE COST OF IT WOULD BE AROUND 1350.00. I KNOW THIS IS DEFECT ISSUE AND NISSAN SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS ISSUE. I HOPE ALL THE INFORMATION HELPS FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE NISSAN BUYERS. I WILL NEVER IN MY LIFE BUY ANOTHER NISSAN AGAIN. *TR

MY 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA STALLS AT LIGHTS,GOING SLOW,DOES NOT RESTARTS SOMETIMES, SURGES FORWARD WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER TOLD ME THE CRANK SENSOR NEEDS IS FAULTY,COST 225 DOLLARS WITH LABOR. I SEE SOME 2003 ALTIMAS WITH A DIFFERENT ENGINE HAS A VOLUNTARY RECALL FROM NISSAN, BUT NOT MINE. ON THE NISSAN HELP.COM WEBSITE THERE ARE 40= PAGES OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE SAME THING ON MANY YEARS OF THESE VEHICLES WITH ALOT OF SAFETY CONCERNS. I THINK ALL THEIR SENSORS ARE BAD AND ALL THESE YEARS ALTIMA VEHICLES SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR

I PURCHASED A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5L CAR IN JULY OF 2007. THE VEHICLE HAD APPROXIMATELY 51,000 MILES ON IT AND HAD NO ISSUES. APPROXIMATELY 3 WEEKS AGO I WAS DRIVING MY 13 YEAR OLD SON HOME FROM TAE KWON DO AND WAS CROSSING A FREEWAY TO A SIDE STREET WHEN MY CAR BUCKED AND STALLED. LUCKILY I HAD SOME SPEED AND WAS ABLE TO "BARELY" GET THROUGH THE INTERSECTION BEFORE 55+ MPH TRAFFIC SMASHED INTO ME. THE SES LIGHT CAME ON AND I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AND MAKE IT HOME AND THEN TO MY MECHANIC THE NEXT DAY. MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE CODE READ "CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR". HE REPLACED IT WITH A NISSAN PART, I PICKED UP THE CAR AND THE VEHICLE STALLED JUST BEFORE A VERY HIGH, NARROW, TWO-LANE BRIDGE IN SOLOMONS MARYLAND. I LIMPED BACK TO THE AUTO SHOP AND MY MECHANIC READ THE CODE AND IT SAID "CRANKSHAFT SENSOR" AGAIN. I CALLED NISSAN WHO INFORMED ME I HAD 3 RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO SHEEHY NISSAN IN WALDORF MD AT 0730. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THEM AT 1330 AND THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE DUE TO THE PRE-CATALYTIC CONVERTER SUBSTRATE DISINTEGRATING AND BEING INGESTED IN THE ENGINE. AFTER RESEARCHING MY VIN, I DISCOVERED THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS A RECALL THAT WAS COMPLETED ON MY CAR IN 2004. I CONTACTED NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS TO LODGE A COMPLAINT IN THAT A "KNOWN" DEFECTIVE PART FAILED "AFTER" A RECALL AND DAMAGED MY ENGINE AND CAME VERY CLOSE TO CAUSING A POSSIBLY SEVERE ACCIDENT. THEY DENIED MY CLAIM BECAUSE MY CAR WAS AT 82,000 MI. I WAS TOLD THAT IF IT HAPPENED BEFORE 80,000 MI., WHICH I FOUND OUT LATER WAS BECAUSE OF THE FEDERAL EMISSIONS WARRANTY ACT, THEY WOULD HAVE PROBABLY REPLACED THE ENGINE FOR FREE. IT IS MY CONTENTION THAT THE FAILURE OF A PART THAT HAS "NO MAINTENANCE" REQUIREMENTS, THAT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY RECALLED BECAUSE OF "KNOWN" DEFICIENCIES SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MANUFACTURER. I ALSO CONTEND THAT THIS DEFECT COULD CAUSE LOSS OF POWER AND CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN DEATH. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT HAS EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE FAILURES WITH THE VEHICLE SHUTTING OFF IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING AND BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND INSPECTED BY A TECHNICIAN, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $35. TWO DAYS AFTER THE REPAIR, THE VEHICLE FAILED AGAIN AND SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR WAS FAILING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE COMPENSATION BECAUSE THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,400.