Problems with 2003 Nissan Altima ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

I have a 2003 nissan altima which was just handed down to my daughter as her first car for her 17th birthday in january. while on her way to school one morning in march the car just shut off at a stop light at a very busy intersection. she obviously had no idea what to do and it was pouring rain. someone behind her was kind enough to help a stranded teenager and she was able to call me. when i arrived to the intersection i hopped in her car, turned the ignition off and then back on, put the car in drive and it seemed fine. i noticed that the service engine soon light had come on. i immediately drove the car to a mechanic and he pulled up a recall for my exact vehicle and the exact situation. it reads: crank position sensor recall - this could cause the "service engine soon" warning light to come on and the engine to stop running without warning during vehicle operation, which could result in a crash. he referred me to see the dealership right away. i drove straight to the dealership and they claim that this recall was vin specific and my vehicle was not affected. i'm here to tell you that my vehicle is affected and that nissan does not stand behind the product they produce. furthermore, nissan apparently has no regard for the safety of their customers and the peace of mind that the car we bought is reliable. the nissan dealer said it will be no less than $350 to replace both the cam and crank position sensors with labor. the mechanic shop i went to quoted me $110 for parts and $50 labor totaling $160. again, i was very disappointed with nissan. i can tell you for sure that my family will never purchase another nissan vehicle. i will do my very best to encourage car shoppers to stay far away from nissan because of the simple fact that after the initial purchase you are on your own. i strongly encourage nissan to reconsider this particular recall and perform better business practices and customer satisfaction. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. the engine began to consume oil excessively. while driving, he noticed smoke underneath the hood. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who stated that the catalytic converter caused the engine to fail. the manufacturer filed report 6895246 and stated that the vehicle didn't have a recall and the vehicle should be taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the failure and current mileages were 86,000.

I was driving when i noticed my nissan altima oil light came on. i went to get it checked and there was no oil in the car. i got the oil and filter changed and a few days later it happened again. i took my car to my mechanic, who told me that i needed a new catalytic converter and new engine. the repairs cost is 3,000 that i don't have. i've been looking online and have noticed that their are a lot of people with the same problem. i had so much exhaust coming from my car that my mechanic told me it wasn't safe to drive. *tr

My 2003 nissan altima started making a knocking sound on the engine and runs rough. i tried using fuel system cleaner but it did not work. i also tried oil treatments and changing the oil but non worked. i took to a nissan certified mechanic and told me intake valve screws were loose and creating a knocking sound that the butterfly is half open causing the car to idle roughly. the mechanic also said the this happens alot with this cars, altimas and sentra and that there is a recall for 2004 and 2005 models but not 2003 even if it has the same engine. he also informed me that if i don't get it fixed the it will break my engine and could cause an accident. on the same car i also had to pay for a crank sensor the failed on me. nissan said the same thing, recall on the 2004 and 2005 but not 2003. it caused my car to stall and run roughly. took it to nissan and they said nothings wrong and take it back to them when the check engine light turns on. after a month it did turn on. luckily have warranty but they still charge me. please help, i'm not looking for someone to replace my car just to have nissan fix what they messed up on. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. while having the vehicle serviced by an independent mechanic for excessive oil consumption, the contact was informed that materials from the pre-catalyst were fracturing and entering the engine which was caused by the excessive oil consumption. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised that the vehicle was not included in the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 03v084000 (engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe). the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 100,000 and the current mileage was 118,000.

2003 nissan altima, car jerks violently while traveling 30 - 70 mph. car shuts off while slowing down to make a turn. it will operate correctly for weeks then shut off three times in 10 miles. taken to dealer two years ago and could not diagnose since check engine light did not come on and save a code. paid my $100 and drove away. told can't diagnose without a code so next time it stops tow it in if i survive. told there are 25 things that can cause this so which one do you want to pick and how much do you want to spend? *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. the contact stated that the check engine light illuminated and the vehicle would suddenly stall; he noticed reduced power from the engine and it would eventually stop altogether. he was able to immediately restart the vehicle most of the time. the contact also stated that at times, the vehicle was also difficult to start. the failure was intermittent but becoming progressively worse. the contact called both the dealership and the manufacturer and was told that the vehicle was not included in recall 06v242000 (engine and engine cooling). the vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. the current mileage was 56,477. the failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. the contact stated that the catalytic converter failed causing the engine to burn oil excessively. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the catalytic converter. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was informed that the engine would need replacing. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted but offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 134,147. updated 03/24/11*lj the consumer stated after the repair, the engine began to burn oil through the tail pipe excessively. updated 04/22/11*jb

My air conditioner has always been running even when the button has been off. i've asked the dealer many times over the years and they said it's fine. now about 2 years ago my airconditioner won't go on, it's intermittent but if it does go on it only works for 5 minutes. i finally paid the 129.00 to have it checked and was told the intelligan power distribution module has failed. this has been recalled in many other nissans but not the altima. during a search i found lots of other altima owners with the same problem. i tried contacting nissan but they don't care. *tr

I own a 2003 nissan altima 2.5sl and the engine stopped working while i was driving, and hit the curb and blew out my tire and damaged my rim. this cost me about $500 out of my pocket, which really was disappointing. there should be a recall for my vehicle! *tr

I own a 2003 nissan altima with a 2.5 l engine. i am having issues with the car dying and sputtering and sometimes not starting. i have done research to determine that nissan had a recall for the crank position sensor for my particular vehicle from 2002-2003 for the crank sensor. i called them and gave them my vin number and they said my particular car was not covered for the recall. i have had this plugged up to a computer and it confirms that it is the crank sensor. also i have already replaced one for about $600 in 2008 for my car. it seems nissan knows that there is a problem and recalled some of the cars and other people like me will have to keep taking their car to the dealership every year or two and spending lots of money to keep the car from getting them killed in a wreck or stranded. i have contacted nissan several times and they tell me there is nothing they can do other than charge me full price for the repair. i have done a lot of internet research and found out that many people have this same problem. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. the contact stated that the check engine warning lamp illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the timing chain was defective and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 117,000. updated 7/10/13 *cn the radiator, timing chain, power steering pump, power steering hose, water pump, valve cover gasket, engine insulator, crankshaft sensor and motor mount were all replaced. updated 07/18/13

Like many of you, i have also had the problem of the sensors going bad causing the engine to stop. i had the sensors replaced twice at my expense because nissan said that my 2003 altima vin# was not included in the recall. the second time the sensors were replaced, they looked different. hopefully the redesign will finally fix this ongoing problem. shame on you, nissan, for not covering this known problem in a recall. does it take a stall on a railroad track to get your attention? *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. while driving approximately 55 mph, the vehicle shut off. she was able to immediately re-start the vehicle . the warning lights did not illuminate during or after the engine shut off; however, on december 30, 2009, the check engine light came on. a local mechanic stated that the ecm was the cause of the failure and that recall 07v527000, engine and engine cooling was directly related. the dealer confirmed that she would have to pay for a diagnostic test and anything other than the recalled component that needed to be repaired as well. the vehicle has not been repaired. the manufacturer advised her that her vin was included in the ecm recall and if the ecm was the cause, the diagnostic fee should be refunded; however, the dealer refused to perform the recall repair. the current mileage was approximately 86,520. the failure mileage was approximately 86,300.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. immediately after the vehicle was started, the check engine light came on and the vehicle shut off. the vehicle had to be turned on and off in order to restart it. the dealer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was not included in the recall # 06v242000, engine and engine cooling. the nissan manufacturer was also called and confirmed that the vin was not included in the recall. the failure mileage was 124,584.

2003 nissan altima. consumer expresses concern that other 2003 nissan altima vehicles were not identified or included in campaigns related to the airbag/driver control module, airbag sensor and the crankshaft position sensor *tgw the consumer stated her vehicle was serviced at the dealer due to the continuous flashing of the air bag light. the dealer informed the consumer the air bag sensor was defective. as a result, the entire unit needed to be replaced. the consumer stated her vehicle was excluded from the air bag recall even though the vehicle was manufactured in 2002. on january 15, 2010 the vehicle began displaying problems such as difficulty cranking, sudden jerks while accelerating and loss of power. on january 16, 2010 the service engine light later illuminated. testing revealed a defective crankshaft sensor. also, the o2 sensor and catalytic converter had to be replaced.*jb

Nissan altima 2003 - excessive oil consumption. this issue is a known defective that thousands of nissan owners have experienced, as a result of a faulty pre-cat that shreds into small pieces and then gets stuck in the engine, damaging it. i have always taken care of my car, and am now forced to add oil once a week or else risk the engine blowing. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. the contact was driving approximately 45 mph on normal road conditions; the engine stalled without warning. the vehicle restarted and resumed operation. the failure occurred intermittent. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for inspection. the failure was contributed to the electronic control module (ecm). there was a recall under nhtsa campaign id number 07v527000 (engine and engine cooling). the vin was included in the recall defect. however, the authorized dealer stated a diagnostic testing was required at a charge of $80 before the remedy repair. the contact was displeased to know an additional cost will be incurred for required repairs associated with the recall remedy. the failure mileage was 86,300. the vin was unavailable and will be updated upon receipt of the complaint form.

The contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. the vehicle started to make noise in engine after oil change. two days after oil was topped off, oil level showed it burned 4 quarts with no leaks. since, it has consumed an excessive amount of oil. the low engine oil warning light illuminated on the instrument panel again. the contact placed more oil into the vehicle before it was taken to a repair shop. the mechanic verified the low oil level and vehicle was burning oil at an alarming rate. there was no evidence of oil leakage anywhere in the vehicle. the contact found over 700 complaints on the nhtsa web site for the same failure. the failure and current mileages were less than 88,000 miles. internet complaints show 4 cylinder altima engines had design flaw and pre-catalytic converter overheats and ash material enters engine and scores cylinder walls causing excessive oil use and engine failure. nhtsa had recall for this in 2003 (nhtsa recall #03v08400 .odi) nissan only inspected engines but did not repair. engine failures continued to occur to date as nhtsa closed recall and did not monitor nissan since. nhtsa is negligent in due diligence and follow up with nissan by allowing failures to continue. in last several years, the pre converter has continued to fail and destroy engines. original recall only delayed converter failure until warranty expired and $5000 engine replacement costs was pushed onto owner. nissan will not acknowledge design flaw still destroying engines. reinstate recall and payment by nissan. *"tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. while driving approximately 35 mph on normal road conditions; the engine stalled without warning. the vehicle restarted and resumed normal operation . the "engine service" warning light illuminated on the instrument panel intermittently. the failure recurred on two separate occasions and it was diagnosed by an independent mechanic. the technician stated that the failure was contributed to the crank position sensor and the motor mount. the vehicle was not repaired. nhtsa campaign id number 06v242000 (engine and engine cooling) is related to the failure. the vehicle was repaired; however, the recall remedy was insufficient and did not address the recall defect. the malfunction continued without warning. the contact had concerns of the safety risk involved. the failure and current mileages were 93,265. updated 11/18/09.*lj the valve cover gasket and camshaft position sensor was replaced. updated 11/19/09

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. while driving approximately 60 mph smoke was expelled from the air vents inside the vehicle. the driver pulled over to the side of the road and inspected the vehicle. there was light smoke underneath the hood. a certified mechanic inspected the vehicle. the failure was contributed to a clogged catalytic converter. his vehicle identification number was excluded from recall campaign id number 03v084000 (engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe). no repairs were made. the failure and current mileages were 115,000.

Engine dies and start back up. *tr

My car has turned off several times while i am driving. yesterday this happened while i was stopped at an intersection. i almost got rear ended by a school bus. the car will shut off when i am going at a slow rate of speed. the rpm needle goes back and forth then the car just runs out of power. i took it to the mechanic where he told me about the ecm recall. i went to the dealership and filed a claim with nissan. now the dealership is saying that i need to replace the crank & cam shaft before they can reprogram it for the recall. and they want to charge me $317.00+tax. i don't see why nissan would not be held responsible for this defect. *tr

My car shut of on me while driving at night which was hard to see because the headlamps didn't give much light and both airbags deployed and my seat belts don't work either...i own a 2003 nissan altima...the car would usually turn of on me like that but not a higher speeds...the car's engine has been making a loud noise it had 3 recalls for it( headlamp recall, engine exhaust recall, & engine cooling recall) before i had this done i had a service engine light on which came out as p0420, p0240, and had 3 p0335...after i had the "recall done"...a week later my car "blew a head gasket" and i had a code p0300...i immediately got it fixed for like $1300...after that...2 weeks later i got a service engine light on which came out as p0335, p0240, & p0420...i've also been in contact with nissan consumer affairs...i've been in touch with a regional specialist which can't really help me at all...nissan dealer like to take money for diagnosis and tells me the car is unsafe to drive...my car still shuts off and sometimes it doesn't even start...when the car start up it makes a loud engine noise...so right now my car shuts off at any speed rate now just low speeds, i don't have airbags in the car, engine makes a loud noise, sounds like there's something like a rock in the catalytic converter, and my car's seat belts don't work. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. the contact stated that intermittently the engine waring light will illuminate on the instrument control panel, and then the vehicle will stall. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, in which the technician concluded that she would have to pay $200.00 to replace the crankshaft position sensor. she contacted the manufacturer in reference to recall# 06v242000 (engine and engine cooling). upon contact a representative stated that because the vin number was excluded from the vin range, she was ineligible for a free remedy. no repairs were made. the failure and current mileages were 60,000. bl

2003 nissan altima i've had two different problems that are safety issues that i've noticed many other altima owners have experienced. first, i've had two ignition coils go bad. each time it occurred the engine would misfire and stalled out in the middle of intersections when traveling at low speeds. after the second ignition coil failed the mechanic recommended replacing of the remaining two original coils due to the likelihood of future failure. the second problem was the failure of the camshaft and crankshaft position sensors. this prevented the car from starting altogether and stranded my daughter and myself late at night. both sensors were replaced. fortunately this failure did not occur when i was driving the car on the highway. i've seen that other people have had this failure occur when driving. obviously an extreme safety hazard. these problems were readily and quickly diagnosed by the nissan mechanic, which led me to believe that he knew that my car was prone to these problems and that he has seen them many times before. *tr

I have a 2003 nissan altima 2.5 sl, in approximately 2008 february, my car stopped on me while driving on the freeway. it turns out that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. had the work done at buena park nissan then i realized that the car had also starting burning excessive oil. i was told there was an oil pan leak, had that work done at another dealership. approximately 9 months later, the car stopped again, had the car diagnosed at the nissan dealer ship in antioch, ca, was advised that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced, again. at this point, i was frustrated with the car and i contacted nissan of north american, and the dealership in buena park who both denied me any help. i was given a reference number of 6594593 when i called for a solution in 2009. now, 8/2010, i am having acceleration issues again, my check engine light is on, my antifreeze is evaporation along with the engine oil every 300 miles. i called nissan north america again today and spoke with lisa byrne at extension 41661 who told me there was nothing nissan would do at this point because my previous claim had already been denied. i am replacing oil on a weekly basis as well as the antifreeze. i called nissan again today, ref # [xxx]. i asked her who could i contact other than the regional office and she stated no one and that there was nothing nissan was going to do to right my situation. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

I own a 2003 nissan altima 2.5.the car shut down as i was on i-85 n without warning. it took about 5 minutes to start. the service engine came on and i took it to the shop. i was told it's the cam shaft positioning sensor. i did some research and this is a continuous problem. i contacted nissan they told me my car was not part of the recall. this issue started 9-1-09 and has stalled twice already. *tr

I bought a 2003 nissan altima in jan, 2008. it had 53,000 mi. at 78,000 mi the service engine soon light came on. i took it to my mechanic it was diagnosed that there was a blown head gasket. i had him replace the gasket. at about 79,000 mi. there was a burning smell coming from under the car. i thought it was on fire so i pulled over but there was no fire. when i went to accelerate there was no power. the ses light was on so i took it to the dealer in ontario, ca it was the catalytic converter(it was clogged) they replaced it free because of the federal emission warranty. then they told me that i was burning oil and that the probable cause was the converter, but told me that they would not replace the engine because someone else had worked on it. they said that if i had brought the car to them they would have replaced it. there was no notice about engine replacement when the gasket goes bad (which they said was also caused by the converter getting clogged up) some one needs to force nissan of north america to recall the 2003 altima and fix the engine and converter design. there could be a catastrophic engine failure that could cause an accident at high speeds. *tr

Hi! i have a problem with my nissan altima 2.3 2003. i need to change the motor because of the catalyst have enter some residue into the motor, so it take so oil like hell... i did not receive any recall and the nissan garage did never ask or tell me about that. they told me about the front light recall but never the catalyst. the yellow light in the dash light up to check engine but the damage was done. because a phone them to ask if it's ok to run the that light on, they say yes but come on the next appointment or if you can come to get to alarm code. so when i did it was catalyst alarm that a inside damage. i was about 140000 km on the car so told me that a need to change the complete motor.... i was in shock. i had a honda accord 1989 at 380000 and never lift the motor. and on a nissan 150000 km our car is out of order????? is that something that a could do with the nissan garage to make them change the motor on warranty? and more the remove the inside of the catalyst in there facilities ( repair garage). i think that they not alloy to do that? so can i have some help for that ? thank you! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. the contact stated that the vehicle was rapidly consuming oil and overheating. the vehicle was previously repaired under nhtsa campaign id number: 03v084000 (engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: manifold/ header/ muffler/ tail pipe) yet the failure recurred. the vehicle was taken to a local repair facility where the mechanic installed a pre-catalyst and oxygen sensor but did not remedy the failure. in addition, there was excessive black smoke coming from the exhaust pipe after a routine oil change and smoke coming from under the hood. the dealer advised having a diagnostic performed at the contact's expense. the contact declined. the manufacturer advised having the vehicle diagnosed before they would determine if they would assist with repairs. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 100,000 the current mileage was 142,000.

I took my car to a mechanic because i had an engine service light on and i felt that something was wrong with the way my car was behaving. after inspecting my car, the mechanic found that a catalytic converter has failed, which created potential for a fire. the mechanic told me that there was a recall for catalytic converters for altimas 2002/2003 and that my car should qualify for it based on its vin number ( i have a printout from my mechanic that includes eligibility of my car based on vin#). however, when i called nissan manufacture i was told that my car no longer has warranty and that there were no open recalls on my car at that time. i took my car to a nissan dealership and received the same information. my on-line research showed that there was a recall on catalytic converters in canada and usa and also a lot of people here in us had experienced the same problem as i did after the warranty expiration and nissan was not helpful. also, i found out that it is hard to diagnose this problem at the very beginning as engine service light can be on for a lot of reasons. my mechanic was able to diagnose this problem, as he was familiar with catalytic converters' failures in altimas because a lot of his customers who own altimas took their cars to him to be fixed. i did take my car to a nissan dealership, but i couldn't afford their prices, so i ended up going back to my mechanic. a representative from nissan manufacture asked me if i received any letter from them confirming my eligibility for a catalytic converter recall, but i am not the first owner of my car, so there was no way for me to receive it. perhaps i bought this car with a damaged converter and had no idea about it. *tr

The car started using oil around 30k. i noticed that i had to add some between oil changes this became worse over time and around 79k it became bad as in my wife called me about the engine oil warning light coming on when she was far away from home, we had to start checking the oil every day. the vehicle had always been well maintained and we got over 170k out of our last altima before we bought this one, that one never used oil? i did some research on-line and found that there was a problem with the pre-cat breaking down and being drawn in through the egr causing failure of the engine. we took the car to nissan and had it checked and sure enough that is what was wrong with ours also. we had exceeded the mileage for replacement by a few thousand miles. had we'd been notified of this possible problem years ago, that would have explained our oil consumption and we could have had the problem resolved by nissan. we fully intended to purchase another new altima in the near future that would have been our third. i rely on the vehicle my wife drives as she also transports our children and grandchildren and if she hadn't called and asked about the red light on the dash, i believe the engine would have seized and left her stranded with my family several hours away from home possibly putting them in danger. how many complaints, or worse, are needed to admit there is a problem?? is nissan hoping this will just go away??. if an emissions component failure is proven to cause premature engine failure isn't it the manufacturers responsibility to correct it other than reducing the time the egr is open to lessen the amount of defective catalyst drawn in the engine. in my opinion a way to delay failure of the engine until the fed 80k warranty expires for the cat, that?s all the previous recall did. also the tsb is deceptive it starts with the external converter shield then much later mentions internal cat failure, were they hiding it? sounds like two separate issues to me. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. the contact stated that the check engine light illuminated. a diagnostic test was performed, which produced two codes related to the engine. the codes were for the engine speed input circuit and the crankshaft position speed center. the failure was causing the vehicle to slow down and the engine to shut off. the manufacturer stated that nothing could be done to assist because the vehicle was not included in a recall. the failure mileage was 66,881.

Faulty crankshaft position sensor in nissan altimas.02 03 04 05. *tr

I own a 2003 nissan altima, on the morning of july 27, 2009 i had driven only a few miles when i was slowing down to stop at a red light at that time the car began severely hesitating and then without warning, shut down, after which the engine light came on. i was extremely lucky the car behind me was far enough away to avoid a crash. i tried to crank the engine and it would only turn over, however after a few tries it did start. i then drove approx. two miles to a repair shop where they used a code reader on the obd. the code reader indicated code p0335 crankshaft position sensor. i drove back home and checked the defects /recalls on safercar.gov where there are numerous recalls for this issue with various nissan vehicles including the altima. i called my local nissan dealer, where the car was purchased and told them about the situation. i was then informed that my car was not covered under any of the recalls for the crankshaft position sensor. so far, the car has not been driven or repaired since the day of the incident. i am very concerned about driving it on the road even for repair due to the unreliable and unpredictable operation of this car. *tr

2003 nissan altima's have a recall on the crank and cam shaft sensors. they are faulty and cause the car to shut off while driving. i had recently had the crank senor replaced by nissan and paid for it, and now the cam sensor is bad. i have called nissan consumer affairs, & they said it does not cover my particular vin# even though it has the same problem as all the other 2003's ??? they say they will not cover this. ??? am i the only one who does not get this??? help! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. while driving 65 mph, the vehicle stalled and completely shut off in the middle of the highway. there were no warning lights illuminated prior to the failure. the vehicle would not restart and had to be towed to a dealer for repair. the contact called the nissan dealer and manufacturer and was informed that there were no recalls. the contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing the same failures listed in nhtsa campaign id number 06v242000 (engine and engine cooling). the failure mileage was 74,059.

1. a bolt falls out of the middle of the engine. causes greater oil consumption and in time cause catastrophic engine failure. 2. how often? don't know,checking the internet it was easy to find. 3. replaced the engine, amazing for an engine with 55,000 miles. *tr

Crank shaft sensor failure. the service engine soon (ses) light came on at approx.69,300 miles on 7/9/09. on 7/11/09 after driving the vehicle locally during the day, had parked it for about 90 minutes. started the vehicle and all of the dashboard indicators remaied on. i shut off the car, and tried to restrat it. the car tried to start, but the engine would not run. it took about 5 times of turning the key and letting the car try to start for about 10 seconds each time before the engine kicked on. this time the dahboard display was normal. i drove the car straight home (1 mile). i did not try to start the car again until i took it to the shop on 7/13/09. on 7/15/09 i was advised that the ses code was the crank shaft sensor and the cost to replace is $250. the part was to come from a nissan dealership (not aftermarket). they checked the vin and although early 2003 altima's are covered by a recall mine is not. further internet searches have shown that this problem is rampent. nissan needs to cover this! i am fortunate that i did not continue to operate my vehicle and have it stall in traffic as many others have. this is a safety issue and nissan must expand their coverage of the repair. my car is properly maintained, and i have no problem paying for wear and tear. known defects such as this should be covered. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. the contact stated that the vehicle would not start. the dealer stated that the engine crank angle sensor failed. the vehicle was repaired at the cost of $297.25. upon further investigation, the contact discovered a recall for the failure she was experiencing with the vehicle. the manufacturer stated that her vin was excluded from the recall; therefore, no compensation would be provided. the failure mileage was 93,500 and current mileage was 93,533.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. the contact stated that there was a recall for the crankshaft position sensor for her vehicle. the vehicle was repaired according to the recall, but the failure recurred soon after and the check engine light was illuminated. the contact took the vehicle back to the dealer, but they stated that they would not repair it again. she filed a complaint with the manufacturer. the nhtsa campaign id number was unknown. the failure mileage was 68,000 and current mileage was 98,000.

In june 2009 i noticed that in my 2003 nissan altima the "service engine soon" light came on. i also noticed then that the car is out of oil. upon refilling with oil few days later i noticed again dry dipstick. i then took the car to colonial nissan and explained the problem. few days later i was told that the catalytic converter was clogged (code p0420) and that there is an engine damage caused by faulty catalytic converter. i contacted nissan of north america two times in writing and was denied any assistance with repairs. it appears as this is a common issue and nissan refuses to acknowledge the problem and declines to take any responsibility in this matter. *tr

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 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

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. while turning at 20 mph, the vehicle shut off without warning. the vehicle also shut off while driving 30 mph on the highway. the failure has been occurring for one month. the dealer stated that there was a recall for this vehicle, but the crank position and cam position sensor needed to be repaired first, and the ecm needed to be reprogrammed. the contact will be charged $500 for the repair because the vehicle is not included in nhtsa campaign id number 06v242000 (engine and engine cooling). the failure is due to the poor design of the engine. the vehicle is currently at the dealer waiting to be repaired. the failure mileage was 34,000 and current mileage was 35,024.

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 2003 nissan altima. the contact noticed the engine was consuming oil faster than normal. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who performed a diagnostic test that located the failure in the catalytic converter. the oil escaped into the catalytic converter causing the engine and the catalytic converter to fail. the dealer stated that the engine and the catalytic converter had to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer filed report 7135820 but would not assist with the repair because the warranty expired. the failure mileage was 85,000 and the current mileage was 14,000.

My 2003 nissan altima with 83,700 miles was driven to a local dealership where i bought it used a little over one year ago. but prior to leaving home i read at the nhtsa website about similar problems i was already having, hoping this dealership would also have similar, if not, identical results. to my dismay, they had neither. thereby no type of recall was showing on my model's history via the manufacturer, so i was told. my vehicle problems are as follows, per dealer diagnosis: tw catalyst sys-b1 (code p0420), engine over temp (code p0217), and cyl 1 misfire (code p0301). furthermore, my complain essentially was about the car over-heating and taking longer than usual periods to restart, usually up to 10 minutes. this dealer said it could cost upward from at least $400.00 to fix either one of the problems which may still not correct them all. but the most serious was the catalytic problem that involves hot gases and debris being drawn into the engine instead of going out the exhaust, resulting in engine damage. the problems began when the check engine light remained lit after about 6 months of ownership. but the problem with starting didn't show up until the one year point. just recently, i have purchased a tune-up as well as a new battery for my vehicle in order to remedy what i thought were owner service issues. sadly, this local dealer either does not know about your recall or somebody is hiding this from not just them but from owners like me as well. i plan to call nissan-1 tomorrow as they were closed after leaving the dealership. i hope no fire results from this or any serious problems relating to injuries as we try and resolve this issue. thank you for your service in advance. *tr

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