2003 Nissan Altima

THREE TIMES MY 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S HAS CHOKED DOWN AND TRIED TO DIE WHILE DRIVING. I NEVER GET A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR ANY CODES SHOWING, BUT AFTER RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM, I FEEL ASSURED THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. THERE WAS A RECALL DONE ON THIS ISSUE, BUT ONLY FOR 2002 MODELS. A LOT OF PEOPLE I KNOW HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM ON THEIR 2003'S. *JB

ON MY WAY TO WORK ON 5/3/06 I WAS DRIVING MY '03 NISSAN ALTIMA ON THE HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 65-70 MPH AND MY CAR JERKED. IT WAS AS IF THE CAR COULDN'T DECIDED WHAT GEAR TO BE IN. IT DID THE SAME THING FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS. THE NEXT DAY WAS SATURDAY AND I TOOK THE CAR TO "CONRADS" TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC ANALYSIS PERFORMED. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CRANK SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CAR HAD 43K MILES ON IT AND I KNEW IT WAS OVER WARRANTY. THE PART IS A NISSAN ONLY PART SO "CONRADS" ORDERED IT AND IT WAS SCHEDULED TO BE REPLACED THE FOLLOWING SATURDAY. FOUR DAYS LATER ON 5/10/06, MY CAR STALLED ON THE WAY TO WORK. IT WOULDN'T START OR ANYTHING. IT STALLED IN A PRETTY BAD NEIGHBORHOOD SO I CALLED THE POLICE. I HAD IT TOWED TO A DIFFERENT PLACE. ANOTHER DIAGNOSTIC ANALYSIS WAS PERFORMED. AGAIN I WAS TOLD THAT CRANK SENSOR AND THE CAM SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SINCE I COULDN'T EVEN DRIVE THE CAR ANYWHERE AND I DIDN'T WANT TO PAY FOR A TOW TRUCK AGAIN, I TOLD THEM TO ORDER THE PART AND REPLACE THE SENSORS. AFTERWARDS I DID SOME RESEARCH AND DISCOVERED THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM-AS NOTED ON THIS WEBSITE AND OTHERS. I CALLED NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS IN AN EFFORT TO GET REIMBURSED FOR THE COST. I READ THE WARRANTY AND I ASSUMED IT WOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE IT FELL UNDER THE FEDERAL EMISSIONS LIMITED WARRANTY AND WAS NOT COVERED. I THOUGHT THIS WAS ABSURD BECAUSE THE 2002 ALTIMAS HAD A RECALL ON THIS SENSOR. SINCE THE 2002 BODY STYLE WAS THE SAME IN 2003, IT IS WELL-KNOWN THAT THE MECHANICS OF THE VEHICLES STAY THE SAME. ALL I WANT IS TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPLACEMENT. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT OTHER 2003 ALTIMA OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED. NISSAN NEEDS TO HAVE A RECALL OR REIMBURSE EVERYONE WHO HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE SENSORS. *NM

RADIATOR LEAK WAS DISCOVERED BY TECHNICIAN WHILE PERFORMING A DIAGNOSTIC INSPECTION ON MY ALTIMA FOR SOME ENGINE PROBLEMS I WAS EXPERIENCING. AT THAT TIME MY CAR HAD 43K MILES. I WAS INFORMED THAT I HAD A RADIATOR LEAK AND THE COOLANT RESERVOIR WAS EMPTY. THEY FILLED IT WITH COOLANT, BUT I DID NOT REPLACE THE RADIATOR. FOUR DAYS LATER, MY CAR STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY AND HAD TO GET IT TOWED. I TOWED IT TO A DIFFERENT PLACE THAN WHERE I HAD BEEN 4 DAYS AGO. I WAS INFORMED A SECOND TIME THAT MY RADIATOR WAS LEAKING AND THAT IT WAS ABOUT 1/2 EMPTY. HE FILLED UP THE RESERVOIR. JUST TO NOTE, MY VEHICLE STALLED BECAUSE OF 2 SENSORS THAT HAD GONE BAD. DURING SECOND DIAGNOSTIC INSPECTION I WAS INFORMED OF THE RADIATOR AGAIN. ON MAY 17TH I TOOK MY CAR TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP IN AN EFFORT TO GET MY RADIATOR REPLACED BY GOODWILL THAT DEALERSHIPS EXTEND. NISSAN CHECKED THE RADIATOR AND CONFIRMED IT WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED VERY SOON, BUT WOULD NOT USE THE GOODWILL TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT. I HAVE NOT REPLACED THE RADIATOR TO DATE. I'VE BEEN FILLING IT WITH COOLANT AS THE RESERVOIR GETS LOW. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO WORK WITH NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS TO HAVE THIS REPLACED AT NO COST. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS PART OF NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, BUT I ABSOLUTELY DON'T AGREE. FOUR OTHER PEOPLE I KNOW THAT HAVE THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR HAD TO GET THEIR RADIATORS REPLACED WHILE UNDER THE 36K MILE WARRANTY. I BELIEVE THAT IS ENOUGH PROOF TO SHOW THAT THE RADIATORS NISSAN IS INSTALLING IN ITS NEW ALTIMAS ARE LOW QUALITY. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED A RECALL WAS FOUND ON THE WEBSITE, ALTHOUGH NO PROBLEMS HAVE OCCURRED WITH THE VEHICLE, THERE IS A CONCERN IT MIGHT HAPPEN. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE RECALL # 03V455000, CONCERNING THE ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING. UPDATED 7/11/2006 - THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED AUG 2002. THE RECALL IS FOR THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR OR CAM POSITION SENSOR. *NM

EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. I HAVE A NISSAN ALTIMA WITH THE 3.5 V6, THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER THAT WHEN ON THE 03 ALTIMAS THE ENGINE WOULD LEAK OIL PAST THE RINGS AND DAMAGE THE CAT THAT WOULD DESTROY THE CAT AND THEN LET THE MATERIAL GO BACK INTO THE MOTOR AND CAUSE OIL CONSUMPTION. MY CAR AFTER TELLING THE DEALER LAST YEAR, STILL USES A QUART EVERY WEEK (ROUGHLY EVERY 600 MILES). THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT NISSAN CONSIDER THIS NORMAL USAGE. I HAVE TRIED OVER SEVERAL TIMES TO GET THIS MATTER RESOLVED. ALL DEALERS AND NISSAN WOULD SAY, YOU ARE PASS YOUR POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. NOW I SEE NISSAN HAS A CAMPAIGN OUT ABOUT THE 06 ALIMTAS. WHY NOT EXTEND THE WARRANTY ON ALL ALTIMA. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED A QUART OF OIL NEEDED TO BE ADDED TO THE ENGINE EVERY WEEK. ONCE THE OIL RUNS LOW THERE IS A SHAKING NOISE UNTIL MORE IS ADDED. UPON INSPECTION THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO LEAK, THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE OVER-HAULED BECAUSE IT BURNS EXCESSIVE OIL. UPDATED 7/3/2006 - ALTHOUGH IT WAS CLEAR THAT EH VEHICLE USED EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL THE DEALER REFUSED TO OVERHAUL THE ENGINE FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. *NM

ONE YEAR INTO THE OWNERSHIP OF THE VEHICLE, WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR WOULD SIMPLE SHUT OFF. IF YOU WERE MOVING AT THE TIME IT WOULD EVENTUALLY COME BACK ON TO THE RUNNING POSITION. IF YOU HAPPENED TO BE AT A STOP SIGN OR A LIGHT AND THE "STUTTER" WOULD HAPPEN IT WOULD COMPLETELY SHUT OFF THEN YOU WOULD HAVE TO TRY AND START THE CAR AGAIN. IT WOULD TURN OVER BUT SOMETIMES IT WOULD TAKE SEVERAL TRIES TO START THE CAR AGAIN. THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED IN 2003 AS A NEW CAR. BECAUSE OF THESE INSTANCES OF THE CAR SHUTTING OFF THERE HAVE BEEN TWO DIFFERENT ACCIDENTS. THANK THE LORD NONE WITH ANY PERSONAL INJURIES. THESE OCCASIONS OF THE CAR SHUTTING OFF BECAME MORE AND MORE PREVALENT, HAPPENING EVERYDAY ALMOST ALL THE TIME TOWARDS THE END OF THE LIFE OF THE CAR. THE CAR IS NOW NOT DRIVABLE BECAUSE IT LITERALLY CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING IT. IT WAS TOWED HOME AND THERE IT SITS. WE ARE STILL PAYING ON THE VEHICLE AND HAVE TO HAVE FULL COVERAGE ON IT. *NM

I HAVE 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5SE . IT STALLS AT IDLE AND LOSES POWER DURING DRIVING. IT ALSO DOES NOT WANT TO START AT TIMES JUST DOING SOUND AND AFTER TRYING ABOUT 5 MIN IT'S STARTING( THIS PROBLEM WAS FROM TIME WHEN I BOUGHT THIS BRAND NEW CAR IN 2003). DEALER COULD NOT FIND AND FIX THIS PROBLEM IN 2003 WHEN I HAD WARRANTY. THEY TOLD ME IF CAR STARTS THEY CAN'T READ A CODE , BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE A "CHECK ENGINE" MESSAGE. DEALER CHARGED ME $300 FOR TUNE UP. NOW WHEN MY CAR START TO STALLS I WENT AGAIN AND STILL DOES NOT HAVE "CHECK ENGINE" MESSAGE, BUT THEY REPLACED "CRANKSHAFT SENSOR" AND LOOKS LIKE IT WORKS. ANOTHER $300. I CHECK AT NISSANCLUB.COM FORUM AND REALIZE THAT IT'S COMMON PROBLEM FOR NISSAN ALTIMA. BUT MY MODEL 2003 DOES NOT HAVE ANY RECALL. NISSAN SUPPOSED FIX THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE IT CAN HURT SOME ONE. *JB

1) NO EVENT LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE. I ENJOYED NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. 2) ON 5-18-2006 AT APPROXIMATELY 10:00 PM MY CAR STALLED. THE STEERING AND THE BRAKES LOCKED UP. THE CAR WAS TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OF 75 MPH IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. AFTER THE CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF BUSY TRAFFIC. I WAS AGAIN ABLE TO GET IT STARTED. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE NISSAN SERVICE DEPARTMENT THE NEXT DAY TO BE INSPECTED. THE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS NOW ON" THE LIGHT HAD NOT BEEN ON PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT OCCURRING. 3) THE NISSAN SERVICE CENTER STATED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAD BROKEN APART INSIDE THE ENGINE AND WAS DESTROYED. THE CONVERTER BEING DESTROYED ALSO DAMAGED THE O2 SENSOR. THE ENGINE STALLING AND THE BRAKES AND STEERING ALMOST LOCKING UP CAUSED A NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE IN THE MIDST OF HEAVY TRAFFIC WITH SEVERELY LIMITED ABILITY TO STEER AND BRAKE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THE CAR HAS CAUSED THIS ISSUE. THE PREVIOUS ISSUE WAS WHEN THE CAR'S POWER VALVE SCREWS (ALSO CALLED BUTTERFLY VALVE SCREWS) CAME LOOSE AND DAMAGED THE ENGINE AND CAUSED THE CAR TO STALL IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. THAT INCIDENT TOO ALMOST RESULTED IN A FATAL ACCIDENT) THE SERVICING NISSAN SERVICE CENTER FOR MY AUTOMOBILE CAN ATTEST TO BOTH OF THESE INCIDENTS AND THERE ARE PICTURES AND CAR PARTS TO PROVE BOTH INCIDENTS. *JB

1. CAR STALLED AND ONCE I HELD THE GAS PEDAL DOWN AND WAS ABLE TO HOLD THE KEY OVER AND CRANK THE ENGINE A HUGE PUFF OF BLACK SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE CAR AND IT SEEMED TO RUN FINE, ALTHOUGH THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. IT EVENTUALLY WENT AWAY AFTER A WEEK OR SO. 2) A WEEK OR SO LATER I STARTED THE CAR, IT TURNED OVER FINE BUT HAD NO POWER, IT SIMPLY WOULD NOT GO. IT DID NOT EVEN REALIZE I WAS PUSHING ON THE ACCELERATOR. 3) I REMOVED THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION IN FRUSTRATION AND THEN TRIED AGAIN. THE SECOND TIME THE CAR WORKED FINE. IT REVVED WHEN I PUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL AND THEN TOOK OFF JUST FINE. 4) THIS BEGAN TO BE A MORE COMMON OCCURRENCE AND IF I TOOK THE KEY OUT OR WAITED A FEW MINUTES IT WOULD STRAIGHTEN UP. 5) NOT NOW! THE CAR WON'T MOVE FORWARD. AND NOW IT IS EVEN STARTING TO STALL OUT AND FLOOD. 6) NOW THE BATTERY EVEN SEEMS TO BE RUNNING DOWN. THIS HAS ALL TAKEN PLACE IN THE MATTER OF ABOUT THE PAST 5 WEEKS AND NOW IT WON'T MOVE FORWARD OR RUN AT ALL. *NM