2003 Nissan Altima

LIKE MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS, MY CAR STALLED ON HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH SPEED AND STALLS AT INTERSECTIONS AND LOW SPEEDS OR WILL NOT START. I CAN'T BELIEVE NISSAN OR NHTSA HAS NOT GOT SERIOUS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I CHECKED YOUR DATABASE AND FOUND FOLLOWING COMPLIANT NUMBERS WITH SAME ISSUE OF ALTIMAS STALLING DUE TO CRANK OR CAM SENSOR FAILURE. (ODI ID NUMBERS: 10416743, 10384742,10370526,10342438,10332467, 10318898, 10318045, 10314479, 10283487, 10278805, ..... AND MANY MORE). I AM LUCKY TO BE ALIVE. I AM SURE THERE ARE MY ACCIDENTS AND DEATHS THAT DID NOT GET REPORTED DUE TO THIS MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE AND DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT COULD LEAD TO MANY DEATHS. I HOPE NHTSA LOOKS INTO THIS AND GET IT FIXED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR BOARDS WERE ROTTING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A BODY REPAIR SHOP. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A BODY SHOP. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000. UPDATED 10/11/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS DUE TO BE REPAIRED ON SEPT 14, 2012. UPDATED 10/11/2012 *JS

MY VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING ON A HIGHWAY ALMOST CAUSING A SEVERE DEADLY CRASH. WHEN I HAD THE CAR LOOKED AT BY MY MECHANIC IT WAS DETERMINED IT WAS THE CRANK SHAFT SENSOR. MY MECHANIC REPLACED THE CRANK SHAFT SENSOR AND THE CAR IS NOW FINE. UPON INVESTIGATION I FOUND THAT THEIR WAS A RECALL ON 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA'S FOR THE SENSOR. I CONTACTED NISSAN AND WAS TOLD THAT MY VIN WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. OBVIOUSLY THEIR SELECTION CRITERIA IS INCORRECT SINCE MY CAR WAS IMPACTED BY THIS RECALL. I ASKED NISSAN TO INCLUDE MY VIN AND PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE SENSOR AND WAS TOLD NOT SINCE MY CAR WAS OVER 7 YEARS OLD AND HAD MORE THEN 100,000 MILES. I AM SURE THEIR ARE OTHER 2003 ALTIMAS WITH THIS ISSUE AND IT CAN BE FATAL. NISSAN NEEDS TO CORRECT THIS IN ALL 2003 ALTIMA'S. FURTHERMORE I WANT NISSAN TO REIMBURSE ME THE 200.00 DOLLARS I INCURRED FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CRANK SHAFT SENSOR. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE STREET AND ABOUT TO TURN THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED RUNNING WHILE DRIVING. SINCE I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION, ANOTHER DRIVER CAME TO HELP, HE ASKED WHAT HAPPENED, I SAID "I DON'T KNOW". HE GOT INTO MY CAR, SHIFTED TO PARK AND STARTED IT. WEIRD I SAID, AND FORGOT ABOUT THE INCIDENT UNTIL MONTHS LATER HAPPENED AGAIN, THEN MONTHS LATER AGAIN, THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT NEVER CAME ON SO EVEN I TOOK THE CAR FOR SERVICE AND ASKED ABOUT THE ISSUES, IT WAS NEVER DETECTED, BUT I KEPT COMPLAINING TO MY MECHANIC EVERY MONTH, REPLACED BATTERIES EACH YEAR THINKING I HAD A POWER PROBLEM. I LEARNED ABOUT THE REAL PROBLEM BECAUSE THIS LAST TIME IT HAPPENED ON 07/03/12, THE HELP CAME FROM SOMEONE WHO KNOWS ABOUT CARS AND HE TOLD ME ABOUT THE RECALL ON THE CRANK & CAM SENSORS. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE NEAREST NISSAN AND, YES, THAT IS EXACTLY THE PROBLEM WITH MY CAR!. BUT THEY SAID BECAUSE I DIDN'T SERVICE AND DIDN'T BUY THE CAR FROM AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND MY CAR ISN'T ON THE "LIST" THEY WON'T FIX IT. THE COST ISN'T THE PROBLEM I TOLD THEM, THE FACT THE CAR CAME OUT OF YOUR FACTORY DEFECTIVE SHOULD BE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CORRECT IT, NEVER THE LESS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO RECALL ALL UNITS WITH THE PROBLEM NOT JUST A FEW. I AM TAKING THE CAR TO THEM TO FIX THE PROBLEM RIGHT NOW AND PAY FOR THE REPAIR BECAUSE I HAVE A 4 MONTHS OLD BABY AND I DON'T WANT TO BE HIT BY ANOTHER CAR WHEN MY CAR STOPS RUNNING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET BUT I DO WANT HELP AND HAVE THEM BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REIMBURSING ME ON THE COST OF THE REPAIR AND RECALL ALL AND EVERY SINGLE UNIT INVOLVED WITH THIS ISSUE. NISSAN CORPORATE (YES, I CALLED THEM TOO) WILL NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY ON THE CASE EITHER. *TR

MY CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY AND MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED TO FLASH. I'VE BROUGHT IT INTO A SHOP 3X NOW AND THEY CAN'T SEEM TO FIND THE PROBLEM SO MY CAR HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY SINCE THE INCIDENT. MY OIL IS BURNING AT AN EXTREME RATE. I ONLY DRIVE MAX. MAYBE 20 MILES IN 2 DAYS AND KEEP HAVING TO PUT 2QTS. OF OIL IN MY CAR. IT'S SMOKING REALLY BAD TOO. I KEEP PAYING FOR LABOR WHEN THE PROBLEM HASN'T BEEN SOLVED. I FOUND THE FOLLOWING ON NISSANHELP.COM: NTB03-070C SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN -REVISED- 2002-2003 NISSAN ALTIMA, 2002-2004 SENTRA; VOLUNTARY RECALL CAMPAIGN ENGINE EXHAUST PIPE HANGER PIN AND PRE-CATALYST FOR 2002-2003 MODEL YEAR ALTIMAS AND 2002-2004 MODEL YEAR SENTRAS, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT CERTAIN ENGINE OPERATING CONDITIONS MAY CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE PRE-CATALYST. MATERIAL FROM INSIDE A DAMAGED PRE-CATALYST COULD ENTER THE ENGINE AND RESULT IN INCREASED OIL CONSUMPTION. IF THE ENGINE OIL LEVEL IS NOT CHECKED ON A PERIODIC BASIS AND DROPS BELOW THE LOW LEVEL, AND THE DRIVER CONTINUES TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE IGNORING NOTICEABLE ENGINE NOISE, ENGINE DAMAGE MAY OCCUR WHICH COULD RESULT IN A FIRE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I KEEP PAYING MONEY, BUT NO ONE SEEMS TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND I NEED A CAR. *TR

ONE DAY I WAS DRIVING AND I HEARD SOMETHING SCRAPING ON THE BOTTOM OF MY CAR, I PULLED OVER TO SEE THAT THE BOTTOM OF MY FLOOR BOARD WAS DRAGGING ON THE FLOOR. IT JUST COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT WITHOUT WARNING AND THERE IS A HUGE HOLE. I HAVE NO RUST ON ANY PART OF MY VEHICLE, IT RUNS GREAT , THE BODY IS IN GOOD CONDITION IT IS GARAGE KEPT, AND I HAVE A WHOLE ON MY PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR BOARD. THE ONLY RUST SPOT ON THE WHOLE CAR! AND HOW MANY COMPLAINTS DOES IT TAKE BEFORE NISSAN HAS TO RECALL THIS? I HAVE READ OVER 50 COMPLAINTS ON THIS..... UNACCEPTABLE. *TR

1. THE FLOOR UNDER THE FRONT PASSENGER HAS ROTTED OUT MAKING THIS CAR VERY UNSAFE. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE. THE OTHER ONES I LIST BECAUSE I AM DISAPPOINTED WITH THE LIFE OF THIS CAR AND BECAUSE I HAVE HEARD OF MULTIPLE STORIES OF THE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. 2. THE DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE AND ON THE PASSENGER REAR SIDE. 3. GAS CAP WILL NOT CLOSE/OPEN PROPERLY 4. TRUNK LATCH WILL NOT CLOSE. 5. MOON/SUN ROOF IS OFF ITS HINGE AND WILL NOT WORK PROPERLY. 5. PLASTIC PART OF THE KEY BROKE NOT ALLOWING IT TO ATTACH TO A KEY CHAIN. *TR

I TOOK MY CAR IN TO MIDAS, BURLINGTON, MA FOR BRAKE ASSISTANCE, AND WHILE UP ON THE LIFT THE TECHNICIAN POINTED OUT THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER FLOOR PANEL WAS VERY RUSTED. WARNED NOT TO USE THAT SPOT WHEN JACKING UP THE CAR WHEN CHANGING A TIRE, ETC. (MENTALLY ADD THIS TO $$ TO SPEND THIS YEAR...) HAD MY CAR AT NTB IN CAMBRIDGE, MA TO CHECK A FRONT END RATTLE AND THE MECHANIC SHOWED ME THE RUST AGAIN. HE IS ALSO A STATE SAFETY INSPECTOR AND WANTED TO LET ME KNOW SINCE IT WAS RUSTED THOUGH IT WOULD NOT PASS STATE INSPECTION (DUE IN AUGUST). NEXT STOP WAS A LOCAL BODY SHOP AND THE ESTIMATE WAS $2K. THEN SAW SO MANY COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM FOR THE ALTIMA. I FEEL THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT AND SHOULD BE PAID FOR BY NISSAN. MY CAR IS WELL CARE FOR AND MAINTAINED AND IS ROTTING!! *TR

BROUGHT VEHICLE TO NISSAN DEALER IN TEWKSBURY, MA FOR DIAGNOSTIC. (TAPPING NOISE WHEN I START THE CAR) THEY FOUND SOME REPAIRS NECESSARY BUT TOLD ME THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE TAPPING SOUND WAS. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND HE ADVISED THAT IT "SOUNDED" LIKE THE TIMING CHAIN. HE DID NOT WORK ON THE CAR AND TOLD ME TO BRING IT BACK TO THE DEALER, WHICH I DID. I CALLED NISSAN AND THEY TOLD ME I COULD BRING THE CAR TO ANOTHER DEALER AND HAVE ANOTHER DIAGNOSTIC DONE. AT A COST OF ANOTHER $110.00 TO BE PAID BY ME. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS LITTLE OIL IN THE ENGINE AND THIS IS WHY THE TIMING CHAIN "WENT". I HAVE PAID $2500.00 OUT OF POCKET TO GET MY CAR FIXED. I NEED THE CAR AND WAS TWO MONTHS WITHOUT IT. I DO NOT FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR. TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE TIMING CHAIN WENT NISSAN DID AN OIL CHANGE FOR ME ALONG WITH SOME OTHER REPAIRS. I TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF MY CAR AND DO NOT BELIEVE THAT OIL WAS THE PROBLEM I HAVE ALL MY DOCUMENTS REGARDING REPAIRS AND OIL CHANGES AND WOULD LIKE SOMEONE TO CHECK INTO THIS FOR ME.

PURSUANT TO A NON-RELATED INCIDENT, MY NISSAN CERTIFIED INSURANCE ADJUSTER WARNED ME OF THE UNUSUAL RUST FORMED HOLES ON THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS SIDE FLOOR BOARDS. ACCORDING TO HIM, THIS IS A VERY UNUSUAL RUST ISSUE THAT HE HAS ONLY NOTICED ON OLDER (2002-2003) NISSAN ALTIMA'S. I HAVE INITIATED MY OWN RESEARCH AND HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A WIDE-SPREAD PROBLEM WITH ALTIMA'S, IRRESPECTIVE OF MILEAGE, WHERE SOME HAVE REPORTED THE PROBLEM AT 50,000 AND OTHERS AT 160,000 MILES. DESPITE THE MANY COMPLAINTS, NISSAN HAS REFUSED TO ISSUE A SAFETY RECALL AND HAS DONE NOTHING TO HELP THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE RUST PROBLEM. MANY, WHO HAD THE PROBLEM, CONTINUED TO DRIVE WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE THEREOF, UNTIL A MECHANIC OR AUTO DEALER INFORMED THEM OF THE ISSUE, AS WAS THE CASE WITH MY ALTIMA. AS SUCH, I CAN IMAGINE THAT EVEN MORE ALTIMA DRIVERS ARE AFFECTED, YET NISSAN REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. THERE MUST BE A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO REACH A RESOLUTION. *JS