2003 Nissan Altima

WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL. IT HAD 105000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, IT IS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA WITH A 2.5L (4 CYLINDER ENGINE) SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE.. WE NOTICED A VERY FOUL SMELL COMING FROM THE EXHAUST AND INTO THE PASSENGER CABIN. ALSO THE ENGINE CONSUMED 1 QUART OF OIL PER 50 TO 60 MILES. NO EXAGGERATION ! I DISCOVERED A RECALL ON THE ALTIMA CONCERNING IT'S PRECAT/CATALYTIC CONVERTER COULD OVER HEAT, BREAK INTO PIECES AND SOME OF THE PIECES COULD BE SUCKED BACK INTO THE ENGINE, SCORING THE CYCLINDER WALLS AND CAUSING EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. I EMAILED NISSAN WITH MY CONCERNS. THEY ASSIGNED A CASE # TO MY CONCERN. THEY ASKED FOR A NISSAN DEALER TO EVALUATE THE PROBLEMS AND GIVE THEM A FORMAL DIAGNOSTIC OF THE ISSUES. THE ALTIMA HAD A NEW CATALYTIC CONVERTER INSTALLED IN 2007. A OIL CONSUMPTION TEST WAS DONE ON THE CAR AND THE OIL TOPPED OFF AND WE WERE TOLD TO COME BACK IN 250MILES SO THEY COULD CHECK THE OIL. IN 160MILES WE RETURNED AND THERE WAS NO OIL ON THE DIP STICK! ALSO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND A CODE FOR "CATALYST" PROBLEMS WAS IN THE COMPUTER. THIS WAS ALL SENT TO NISSAN VIA EMAIL. NOW INSTEAD OF A REP. HANDLING THE ISSUES.. THEY HAVE SENT IT TO A REGIONAL REP. AND WE ARE AWAITING THEIR "GOODWILL" DECISION. THAT YEAR ALTIMA AND ENGINE HAS REPEAT ISSUES EVEN AFTER RECALL REPAIR. TPART OF THE RECALL STATES THAT IF THE OWNER DOES NOT CHECK THE OIL OFTEN AND IGNORES ENGINE NOISES THAT IT COULD RESULT IN A FIRE! SUPPOSEDLY A EXHAUST HANGER CATCHS DEBRIS AND CAUSES THE FIRE??? LOL WHO ARE THEY KIDDING? *TR

I WAS DRIVING HOME WITH MY HUSBAND AND 3 GRANDCHILDREN AFTER HAVING DINNER NOTICED SMOKE AND EXITED THE ROAD WAY TO FIND THERE WAS A FIRE UNDER HOOD, THE INSIDE OF CAR FILLED UP WITH SMOKE BEFORE WE COULD EXIT, WE CALLED 911 AND THEY RESPONDED, THEY SAID IT WAS CAUSED FROM AN ELECTRICAL FIRE WAS ALL WE WERE TOLD, THEY TOWED THE CAR AWAY WITH OUT ANY INVESTIGATION, WAS WONDERING IF ANY RECALLS HAVE CAUSED THIS? THE CAR IS AT LAUZONS TOWING IN MALONE NY, ALL WE COULD THINK OF AT THE TIME WAS TO GET THE CHILDREN OUT OF THE COLD AND OFF THE HIGHWAY THEN TO SEEK WHAT HAD CAUSED THIS. IM WRITING IN HOPES TO MAYBE GET SOME ANSWERS AS TO WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS. HOPING TO HEAR BACK FROM SOMEONE SOON ON THIS MATTER. THANK YOU[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR OR CAM POSITION SENSOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 03V455000: (ENGINE, ENGINE COOLING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000. UPDATED 03/30/15*LJ UPDATED 6/22/2015*JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANK SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V455000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06V242000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT IS ON. DROVE TO A REPAIR SHOP TO GET A DIAGNOSTIC ANALYSIS ON THE ENGINE. I WAS TOLD THE REASON FOR THE INDICATOR LIGHT WAS BECAUSE I HAD A BAD CRANK SENSOR. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THAT SO, I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY RAN MY VIN NUMBER AND TOLD ME THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR MY CAR AND I EXPLAINED THE SITUATION TO HIM THEY STILL WASN'T GOING TO FIX IT. THEN I CALLED THE NISSAN RECALL PLACE AND SHE SAID THE SAME THING. SO NOW WHAT DO I SUPPOSE TO DO NOW. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT AND THE CONTACT HAD TO WAIT TO TRY AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION COILS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE CAMSHAFT SENSOR. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000.

THERE WAS AN INITIAL RIGHT PASSENGER DOOR IMPACT, AND FRONT BUMPER IMPACT BY A HIT AND RUN DRIVER. FOLLOWED BY A CEMENT BARRIER IMPACT ON THE DRIVERS DOOR AND FRONT LEFT BUMPER. THE FINAL IMPACT WAS VIA A PALM TREE PLACED AT 20 FEET BY CAL TRANS ON THE 101 FREEWAY SOUTH BOUND OXNARD, CA AT ROSE AVENUE EXIT. THE FINAL IMPACT OCCURRED ON THE FRONT LEFT BUMPER. FRONT LEFT QUARTER PANEL, AND LEFT FRONT DRIVERS DOOR. CHEMISTRY PROFESSOR [XXX]. WAS KILLED. THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CAR WAS WELL MAINTAINED WITH NO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT, NO ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, AND NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. THE TIRES AND BRAKES WERE NEW WITH WELL KNOWN BRAND NAMES. THE AIR BAGS FAILURE TO DEPLOY CONTRIBUTED TO MY HUSBANDS DEATH AS HE DIED OF A HEAD INJURY. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FLOOR PANELS ARE TOTALLY RUSTED OUT WITH SIGNIFICANT HOLES EXTENDING INTO THE VEHICLE. MY RESEARCH INDICATES THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM IS A DESIGN DEFECT. RUSTING BEGAN AROUND THE DRAINAGE HOLES BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT PROPERLY SEALED BY THE MANUFACTURER. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND IT HAS BEEN KEPT IN PRISTINE CONDITION. NISSAN IS FULLY AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AS THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE. THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION AS IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

HAD MY CAR INSPECTED,WAS TOLD IN WILL NEED FLOOR PANS,EXTREME RUST.NO RUST ANY WHERE ELSE ON CAR. CONFIRMED BY NISSAN DEALER.CONTACTED NISSAN NORTH AMERICA,WITH NO RESULTS.THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT THAT MANY ALTIMA'S HAVE.CAN ANYTHING BE DONE? [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR