2003 Nissan Altima

MY 02 ALTIMA HAS HAD FOUR RECALLS, INCLUDING THE LAST ONE IN QUESTION. I BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR LURCHING THIS SUMMER. IT ACTED AS IF IT WAS GOING TO DIE. IT EVEN BEGAN TO DIE ON ME ONCE OR TWICE AT IDLE SPEEDS. ON AUG 24TH, WHEN I PULLED OUT OF THE PARKING LOT, THE CAR DIED. IT DIED THREE TIMES WHILE I WAS TRYING TO TURN AROUND AND GET BACK TO THE PARKING LOT. I TOOK THE CAR TO A REPUTABLE, ASE CERTIFIED MECHANIC. MEANWHILE, I CHECKED THE WEB. NO ADDITIONAL RECALLS WERE LISTED.) THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT POSITIONING SENSOR NEEDED REPLACING. THE CAR CONTINUED TO LURCH AND ACT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO DIE WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THE TECHS RECOMMENDED I TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. THE NISSAN DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS KNOWN. NISSAN HAD ISSUED A RECALL, THE CAR NEEDED THE ECM REPROGRAMMED. AFTER THEY REPROGRAMMED THE ECM, NISSAN STATED THAT THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR STILL NEEDED REPLACING. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE MECHANIC THAT HAD ALREADY REPLACED THE SENSOR. THEY ALSO SAID IT NEEDED A NEW CAM SENSOR. THEY REPLACED BOTH SENSORS AT NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE. WITHIN A FEW DAYS, THE CAR EXHIBITED THE SAME, PREVIOUS SYMPTOMS. I TOOK IT BACK TO NISSAN. THE SERV DEPT INFORMED ME THAT THE ISSUE WAS THE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY. THE BAD NEWS - THE COST WAS $1000. THE PART WAS ESTIMATED AT $550 AND LABOR WAS AROUND $450. ESTIMATE TIME OF REPAIR = 1 1/2 HOUR. THE WARRANTY IS 5 YRS / 60K MILES. HE STATED IF THE MILEAGE WAS 60K MILES, THEN THE THROTTLE BODY WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY... BUT, SINCE THE MILEAGE READ 65K MILES, THEN IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED. THE SERVICE MANAGER APPLIED FOR A GOODWILL WARRANTY. THE REQUEST WAS DENIED. I CONTACTED NISSAN. AFTER FILING THE COMPLAINT AND WAITING FOR A RESPONSE, I FINALLY OPTED TO HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED AT MY OWN EXPENSE. TO DATE, NISSAN DECLINED TO PAY FOR ANY PART OF THE THROTTLE BODY REPAIR. HOWEVER, THEY HAVE PROMISED TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE OPERATED AT A REDUCED SPEED, AND THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AFTERWARDS, THE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND THE ENGINE WAS EASILY RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 03V455000, REGARDING THE ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.

RECALL ON 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5L - ELECTRICAL PROBLEM BETWEEN THE CRANK ANGLE SENSOR AND THE ECM. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON - I TOOK THE CAR TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP (CENTRAL CAROLINA NISSAN - SANFORD NC) AND THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE THE CRANK ANGLE AND MASS AIR FLOW SENSORS FREE OF CHARGE W/ THIS RECALL AND STATED THESE PARTS HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST TO ME OF APPRX. $600 BEFORE THEY COULD PERFORM THE UPGRADE. I REFUSED TO PAY THIS FEE AND TOOK THE CAR HOME AND THE NEXT DAY IT CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND WAS ABLE TO STEER IT OFF THE HIGHWAY W/OUT INCIDENT. I MANAGED TO GET THE CAR HOME AND CALLED: NCA DEPT. NISSAN N.A. INC. AND WAS PROMISED A CALL BACK BY MON. 9/25/6 - REF. # 5477581. NO ONE CALLED AND I'VE SPENT A COUPLE OF HOURS TODAY 9/26/6 TRYING TO GET RESOLUTION AND HAVE NOW BEEN PROMISED A CALL BACK BY THE END OF THE DAY 9/27/6 FROM THE REGIONAL OFFICE. I'M HOLDING MY BREATHE AND I'M STILL NOT ABLE TO DRIVE MY CAR. RICKEY COLLINS PHONE: (919)770-9670. *NM

I HAVE A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5 S. AS I HAVE RESEARCHED AND SEEN POSTED IN OTHER COMPLAINTS, MY CAR WOULDN'T START 2 MONTHS AGO AND BEFORE THEN FOR A FEW MONTHS IT WOULD CUT OFF IN TRAFFIC WHILE I WAS DRIVING, I HAVE TAKEN IT TO A NISSAN DEALERSHIP THINKING THAT IT WAS MY CRANK ANGULAR SENSOR (MOST RECENT RECALL). HOWEVER THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE NOTIFIED ME THAT IT IS MY "CRANK POSITION SENSOR" THAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. LIKE OTHERS, I NOTICED THAT THIS WAS A RECALL ON THE 2002 MODELS, BUT NOT ON 2003. LIKE ANOTHER COMPLAINT STATED, 2003 AND 2002 MODELS ARE NOT THAT MUCH DIFFERENT (IF AT ALL) AND IF NISSAN WAS HAVING THIS PROBLEM BEFORE, THEN THEY SHOULD MAKE THE RECALL ON THE 2003 MODELS AS WELL. NOW I AM BEING TOLD TO FIX THIS PROBLEM WILL COST $243. NISSAN SHOULD REALLY DO SOME FURTHER INVESTIGATION ON THEIR 2003 MODELS TO FIND OUT IF THIS REALLY NEEDS TO BE RECALLED, IN MY OPINION WITH SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM, IT SHOULD BE. *JB

DEAR NHTSA, RECENTLY I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA, MORE SPECIFICITY, THE ENGINE HAS STOPPED RUNNING WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED. I RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND FOUND A RECALL ON THE NISSAN WEBSITE FOR THE CRANK ANGLE SENSOR ON ALL 2002 ALTIMAS, BUT NOTHING FOR 2003 ALTIMAS. HOWEVER, WHILE RESEARCHING ON THE WEB I FOUND SEVERAL REPORTS, INCLUDING THE NHTSA WEBSITE (CAMPAIGN # 06V-242), INDICATING THAT A FEW 200,000 2003 ALTIMAS/SENTRAS (2.5 LITER) WERE BEING RECALLED FOR THE SAME CRANK ANGLE PROBLEM. I BROUGHT THIS ISSUE UP WITH THE NISSAN SERVICE DEPARTMENT (CERRITOS) AND WAS THOROUGHLY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE SUPPORT AND SERVICE FROM THE TECHNICIANS. FIRST, I WAS INFORMED THAT MY CAR WAS NOT UNDER THE RECALL. THEN, I WAS INFORMED THAT NOT ALL RECALLS ARE LISTED IN THE WEBSITE AND I WOULD HAVE TO GET MY CAR SERVICED FIRST AND ONLY AFTER COULD THEY DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT MY CAR IS UNDER THE WARRANTY. AND I WOULD NEED TO PAY FOR WHATEVER REPAIRS THAT WAS NEEDED TO BE DONE. I DO NOT HAVE AN ISSUE WITH PAYING FOR THE REPAIRS IF IT IS NOT A RECALL ISSUE; HOWEVER, SHOULDN'T THE NISSAN'S TECHNICIANS KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IS UNDER RECALL BY LOOKING INTO THE VIN NUMBER OR THE PARTS NUMBER? ALSO, THE RECALL IS NOT LISTED OR ANNOUNCED ON THE NISSAN WEBSITE BUT IS REPORTED IN SEVERAL ARTICLES. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN NISSAN'S RESPONSIBILITY TO INFORM THE PUBLIC OF THIS SAFETY ISSUE, EVEN IF IT IS ONLY A SMALL NUMBER OF VEHICLES. AND THE DEALERSHIPS RESPONSIBILITY TO CHECK INTO THE PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY SINCE THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER INSTANCES WITH THIS PARTICULAR CAR. I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE ANY CORRECTION FOR THIS ISSUE AND AM HOPING YOU WILL BE OF SOME ASSISTANCE TO ME WITH THIS PROBLEM SINCE I HAVE HAD NO LUCK WITH THE DEALERSHIP. CINDY LIN. *NM

PURCHASED NEW 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S IN JULY 2003. CAR TAKEN TO DEALER FOR ROUTINE CHECKS AND OIL CHANGES. AT 59K, DEALER ADVISED THAT RADIATOR HAD CORRODED AND NEEDED REPLACING. DEALER ATTRIBUTED PROBLEM TO BEING IN A "SALT" STATE. HOWEVER, NISSAN RECALLED OTHER PARTS BECAUSE I LIVE IN A SALT STATE, BUT NOT THIS ONE. AFTER SEVERAL PHONE CALLS, FILED COMPLAINT WITH NISSAN BECAUSE I FELT THIS WAS A PART THAT SHOULD BE REPLACED DUE TO TECHNICAL BULLETINS PUBLISHED REGARDING RADIATOR CAP REPLACEMENT AND WHY WOULD A RADIATOR NEED REPLACING AFTER ONLY 3 YEARS? NISSAN ADVISED TO TAKE TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP. SECOND DEALERSHIP PERFORMED PRESSURE TEST, FOUND A LEAK IN THE RADIATOR. CLAMPS ALSO CORRODED. THIS DEALERSHIP ADVISED THAT RADIATOR CAPS SHOULD BE REPLACED ON NISSANS EVERY 30K. NISSAN CUSTOMER SERVICE CLAIMS THAT THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE, THEY WILL NOT REPLACE AT THEIR COST. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN NISSAN CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEY DO NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. NISSAN CUSTOMER SERVICE ALSO BAD AT RETURNING CALLS, NOT FORWARDING YOUR CALLS AND HAVE TO REPEAT EVERY THING YOU SAY MULTIPLE TIMES, AND CONDESCENDING TOWARDS CUSTOMER. WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER NISSAN AGAIN AND WILL TELL EVERYONE I KNOW OF THE PROBLEMS. REPLACED RADIATOR WITH AFTER MARKET PART, COST $600 OUT OF POCKET. SHOP THAT REPLACED PART ADVISED THAT NISSAN RADIATORS ARE ON NATIONAL BACKORDER AND THAT HE GETS NUMEROUS CALLS TO REPLACE THIS PART ON NISSANS. EVERY SHOP THAT I CALL WAS SURPRISED THAT I WANTED TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR SINCE THE CAR WAS SO NEW. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE ENGINE CRANK SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHILE WAITING FOR AN ESTIMATE THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER #06V242000 REGARDING ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING. THE RECALL REMEDY WAS TO REPROGRAM THE ECM SENSOR HOWEVER AFTER THE ECM SENSOR WAS REPROGRAMMED THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. TO FIX THE PROBLEM THE DEALER RECOMMENDED THE CRANK SENSOR BE REPLACED WHICH WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL CHARGED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO ALERTED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE HAVE BEEN TOO MANY RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE AND EACH NEW RECALL WAS MORE SEVERE. CURRENTLY A NOTIFICATION FOR RECALL # 06V242000 WAS RECEIVED FOR THE ELECTRICAL CONTROL MODULE CRANK ANGLE SENSOR, THAT MAY CAUSE THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON WARNING TO ILLUMINATE AND RESULT IN THE ENGINE STOPPING WHILE DRIVING. THE FIRST RECALL WAS FOR A REPLACEMENT OF A SUB MEMBER WHICH MAY CAUSED A CRASH. THE NEXT RECALL WAS FOR THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE FOLLOWING RECALL FOR THE HEADLIGHTS WHICH HAD A DEFECTIVE GROUND. THE RECALL AFTER WAS REGARDING A STABILIZING BAR. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY BEEN THE THEIR POSSESSION FOR 3 YEARS AND THERE WERE 4 RECALLS ALREADY. THE TIRES WERE RECENTLY REPLACED WHERE THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT ALL FOUR STEEL WHEEL RIMS WERE EXCESSIVELY RUSTED WHICH WAS COMMON FOR VEHICLES OF THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. UPDATED 10/25/2006 - *NM

I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT READY TO TURN LEFT ONTO ANOTHER STREET WHEN SUDDENLY MY CAR STALLS OUT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION. IT TOOK ME A FEW TIMES TO GET MY CAR STARTED AGAIN AND WHEN IT FIRED UP AGAIN I STARTED DRIVING AWAY BUT MY CAR WOULD BE HAVING A HARD TIME GOING AS IF IT WAS STARTING TO BOG OUT. I LATER DID A DIAGNOSTICS TEST AND GOT THE CODE P0335 WHICH ENDED UP BEING THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. A FEW WEEKS BEFORE THIS HAPPENED, MY CAR HAD THE SAME SYMPTOMS BUT IT WASN'T AS BAD. IT WOULD JUST BOG DOWN LIKE ONCE IN 2 WEEKS BUT THIS WAS THE WORST CASE SCENARIO!. *JB