Problems with 2009 Nissan Altima ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This past saturday 2/8/14 at approximately 9pm i ran to the store. after shopping when getting back into my car it would not crank; it's like the car did not recognize the key. steering wheel was locked, brake was stiff and red key light appeared on dashboard. i tried everything, nothing. i had to call my husband, to come get me. luckily i didn't go far!! we had the car towed monday morning to the dealership where it was purchased and were informed it was an issue with the sensor in the ignition recognizing the key fob and that it would be covered under extended warranty. the part to fix this problem is however on back order and they cannot give me a definite answer as to when it will be received? on wednesday 2/13 i was provided with a rental until our car is repaired so at least i have transportation for work. our car has less than 20,000k miles (i know i don't travel too far) and is paid for, so this is very disturbing. i suppose as long as it's fixed and is warrantied for any future issues for this same problem, i will have to deal with it - but this could be a very dangerous and inconvenient situation to place people in. if this is a known problem there needs to be a recall to alert customers to the situation. our dealership has been very pleasant to deal with, have been accommodating, just can't answer the "when the part will be here question"; which isn't their fault; i have no complaints with them they have been great. i would just like the problem to be acknowledged so that others don't have to suffer the same inconvenience and possible danger of having this happen to them. from previous posts this is not an issue that just happened to me! *tr

I went to run an errand and when i came back out to my car from the store, it wouldn't start. i found that the "no key" warning light was lit on the dash and the vehicle security warning light would turn on when i tried to start the vehicle. when i pushed the start button, nothing happened, it stayed in the "lock" setting. after trying everything i could think of (with no tools available), including using both keys, to get the car to start and reading the owner's manual i realized that my car was not going to start. i was able to get a ride home and researched the issue where i found hundreds of complaints on the nhtsa website, along with threads on forums describing the exact same issue. i had to get the car towed to the dealership, where it was replaced free of charge because nissan knows that this is a failed part and has extended the warranty. however, there should have been a recall on this as this failure renders the car incapable of starting and since there seems to be a lot of people affected by this failure. i have contacted nissan about paying for my towing bill since, if there was a recall, i could have driven my vehicle to the dealership while it was still working to have the part replaced proactively instead of having to be stranded and charged for a towing bill. *tr

Trying to start my 2009 nissan altima, it would not start!!! the brakes were almost stuck and the car simply would not start! the lights in the car turned on with out a problem so i know it wasn't the battery, plus i changed it 2 years ago. after reading many many reviews, 2009 nissan altima are having issues with the start button, now i have to pay tow company to take to dealer and pay so much money. please please nissan help replace this!! *tr

On wednesday, february 5th at approximately 7:00pm i tried to start my car (which was parked on my driveway) via push start and a lock and key symbol appeared and my vehicle would not start. i looked up the symbols in my manual and it stated that this was an electrical problem with the start. i called the nissan dealer in my area here in pa and explained what was happening to the car. they told me to have it towed in to be diagnosed. which i will be doing today 02/06/14. *tr

While i was driving my vehicle two alarms were going of on my dash board. i had no clue what either one meant but both include a key type alarm. i was afraid that my car would shut down in the middle of the road thinking i was a burglar. i pulled off to the side of the road, with the vehicle still running, and called a friend to drive behind me while we both had our hazards on. since then i could only start my vehicle once and at that time i took it to a dealership, with my friend so i had a ride back, and i told them i was having trouble starting my car. they knew exactly the problem and what type of nissan i was driving, they had two others come in within the last month, before i could explain anything and proceeded to explain to me that the part was on back order and said they would give me a call if they could do anything. driving back home without ever turning off my car was very stressful and when i did return i turned it off and immediately tried to turn back on and it would not start. *tr

2009 altima sedan would not recognize my key this morning and the steering wheel was locked up. the anti-theft immobilizer system was engaged and the car was rendered useless. after contact with the dealer, there are many people with similar issues, the part is on back order and "they will contact me the part becomes available and when nissan corporate determines how they are going to handle this problem". meanwhile the consumer is without a vehicle. i purchased this vehicle new and it has been excellent up until this point with no mechanical issues but this is something nissan should take care of immediately. huge inconvenience! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 nissan altima. the contact stated that the vehicle failed to start as the security warning light illuminated. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for inspection. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 61,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 nissan altima. the contact stated that the engine would not start. the contact had an independent mechanic inspect the vehicle but he was unable to diagnose the cause of failure. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 37,000.

My 2009 nissan altima coupe with 63,200 miles would not start last saturday, 2/1. the steering column was locked, the brakes were locked, and the push to start button would not light up or start the car. the red light for the key was flashing and the car could never be started. my vehicle was towed to leith nissan in cary, nc where service members there said this was a common problem and currently have two other vehicles in line for the same part. the electrical part for the start button is on serious backorder and the company has such a high demand for it that even nissan corporate is saying it will be a few weeks to get the part in. the service staff at leith nissan in cary, nc said this problem has been common and that nissan was not recalling this part though they have knowledge this a serious issue affecting many nissan car owners for a some time now. leith nissan told me to call corporate and anyone else i could to raise this concern and that maybe something would be done. hundreds of other nissan owners have posted this exact problem online and filed claims as well. nissan needs to recall the part and reimburse those affected for rental cars and other expenses. i called the nissan corporate office demanding reimbursement for rental car fees. the nhtsa needs to put a stop to this and enforce nissan to recall this part on all altima's. apparently this exact part has already been recalled on other nissan vehicles.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 nissan altima. while attempting to start the vehicle on it failed to start despite the contact engaging the push to start engine button. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for inspection or diagnostic testing. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the incident. the approximate failure mileage was 73,000.

Won't start. warning indicator lights: 1) nissan intelligent key warning light; 2) security indicator light. car was at chevy dealership when fault occurred. i paid for towing to nissan dealership. both dealerships owned by same owner. told that this is a common known defect in the 2009 altima and parts are hard to get due to many cars having the same problem. i was told that it may take a week or more to get a replacement part. i was told that the part would be replaced under a nissan "extended warranty," not under a recall. i have read other similar complaints stating that nissan did not reimburse for towing, so i guess i am out $90.00 for a known 2009 nissan altima defect in manufacture. *tr

Car would not start. equipped with remote electronic key. evidently nissan has extended the warranty to cover this, but i was not made aware of it. lots of complaints on line for same problem. needs to have a recall. dangerous from safety standpoint because we are older and it was cold outside, middle of winter. had to have car towed. dealer was not aware of problem fix over the phone. *tr

Car had been showing the intelligent key warning light for a few days, but just thought the fob needed new battery. about a week later the car wouldn't start and lit up "lock" above the push start button. tried replacing the battery in the fob, stuck the fob into the little port hole, and nothing. looked in the manual and it said it could be a malfunction of the electrical steering lock system or the intelligent key system. called nissan dealership and told me to try everything i had already tried to get it to start. they said it was the electrical steering lock system (which a lot of people have had the same problem) and i needed to bring it in. said there was a recall they extended the warranty on this part and they would fix it for no charge (why didn't i get a letter or something about this "recall?"). they would send a wrecker to come get it for a fee of course, so instead borrowed someone's trailer and hauled it up to the dealership (which is 50 miles from where i live). (fyi:to get it out of park into neutral, there's a thing you pop off next to the shifter and you have to push something down into that hole.) once we got it to the dealership, they had no ramps we could use to get the car off the trailer so we had to use flimsy four-wheeler ramps we had. they called me after having my car there about an hour and a half just to tell me that they would have to order the part and i would have to leave the car there for up to a week. this was on tuesday and i had called that previous friday, so they knew what the problem was and had my vin number. i don't understand why they couldn't have ordered the part after i called that friday. i asked if they had a loaner car i could drive until i got my car back, they said all the loaner cars were out (which means they're working on a lot of vehicles). all in all, i'm pretty ticked off at nissan. *tr

Car will not start. this model uses the intelligent key system with push button start. the key is actually detected by the vehicle and the steering wheel unlocks. but the start button is not enabled and the car does nothing when trying to start. lights, electrical and battery tested fine. towed car to dealership and they found the steering lock module had failed. this is a known problem with this part and was covered by warranty which was extended for unlimited miles for this part only. currently, the part is not available due to high level of failures across the us. part is susceptible to higher failure in extreme cold weather. eta for part delivery is unknown and dealership explained they would get back to me again in 2 weeks! nissan did provide a rental car due to the part shortage. my vehicle is a 2009 model year but this part has a problem also in the 2010 and 2011 model years for all nissan vehicles per the local dealership. *tr

Would not start, electronic locking mech malfunction....pregnant wife got stranded without warning in negative degree weather.....safety issue.....not to mention , tow bill, time lost from work, and making arrangements,obtaining,paying for alternate transportation, while the part is currently on back order for going on 2 weeks now......luckily wife was only 30 minutes from home or could have been worse but was still potentially very dangerous getting stranded in negative degree weather. *tr

Car would not start due to failure of the steering lock device. *tr

Attempted to start car, and received "steering wheel lock" light - despite trying with both fobs (it was not a faulty fob). after half hour of trying, still can not turn car on due to locked steering wheel. engine won't turn, electrical system will not turn on, and car is stuck. have yet to contact dealer. *tr

The car is equipped with a "smart" key-locking system as well as a "smart" ignition system. the key for the car is a wireless fob that when around the vehicle will allow the car to be unlocked and started. the key will allow the car to start, when the key is detected inside the vehicle. the issue that arose was due to a malfunctioning part, the part was an: electronic steering column lock. the part failed during a spell of cold days that affected my state. during the first few days before the part ultimately malfunctioned the car began showing error lights for many systems. the car indicated that doors were open, that the emergency brakes were applied (when they clearly were not), the interior lights in the car would randomly come on when driving (as if doors were opening) and finally the indicated that the smart key system was malfunctioning. the car ultimately failed on a cold night. i was able to enter the car, but that was it. the car did not recognize my key and the car was rendered useless. i was unable to turn the car on, or even switch it to any standby mode. because the car doesn't have a traditional key you are unable to unlock the steering wheel and push it in neutral. the steering wheel locks up, and depending on how the tires were locked initially determines the only direction that the car will move. when i contacted nissan about the issue i was told that they have issued a "warranty extension" on that specific part only. it is obvious that they know a problem exists. i would also like to note that i was also told by nissan that the part is on backorder and on restricted release. they have so many problems that they cannot keep up with the demand. this issue is very real and dangerous. people will be left stranded in their car. unless the part fails there is no indication that the part will go wrong. *tr

Drove my car early this am with no problem. when i returned about 3 hours later it would not start. the brake was very hard. the interior lights works, horn, and headlights. however only the key fob indicator and push brake indicator lights in dash. dealer said it was a bad fob. i had it towed to nissan and the fob was not bad. now they say it's the main computer. they will not be able to do any more research until monday. i am seeing a lot of this same problem in here. i am very nervous. *tr

Got home turned my car off went inside to get gift cards came back outside trying to start my car, but it wouldn't start, all i saw was a yellow key light. lights worked fine i tried moving the steering wheel and putting in neutral and trying to start but nothing. *tr

When i got into my car this morning, the steering column was locked up and breaks were hard to push. after trying a few times to start the vehicle, i noticed that the auto-theft must be on. i tried to put the fob in the manual ignition, but the fob got stuck and would not release. after several tries, the fob finally came out. the car still does not start and the auto-theft is still on. the battery is not bad because the car beeps when the door is open and the lights work. i am going to have to tow the vehicle in to get it repaired. there should be a recall on this problem. *tr

I went to the supermarket yesterday. when i came out, i was able to unlock my doors and pop the trunk with the remote. my car would not start and the electrical icons appeared on my dashboard. i called aaa and they stated they believe it's an electrical problem. my car lights , horn, windows and doors work i just cannot start my car. *tr

I was driving on the freeway and my car shutdown. i pulled over and tried to restart my car but it would not turn on. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 nissan altima. the contact stated that the key fob failed to start the vehicle. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted about the failure. the failure mileage was 55,000.

When i got into the car there were no lights illuminated on the instrument panel except for the intelligent key and security indicator lights. i attempted to start the car but it would not even start to turn over. i noticed all of the locks and headlights still worked so i knew it was not an electrical issue my 2009 nissan altima would not start due to key error message. after my research come to find out this has been happening to lots of altima owners. i got in my car after a short stop and the key message was on and nothing. it would not start. my windows were down and they would not go up. i tried everything. disconnected my batter, did the neutral thing. shook steering wheel. etc...of course it happens on a sunday when everything is closed. *tr

Engine with push button start would not turn over after 3hr stop and a long drive previous to stop. battery was totally dead, but after repeated attempts to jump start it did turn over. there was no unusual draw on battery during stop either. stopped at nissan dealer to check the starting system and everything checked out normal. service tech recalled this problem with my particular year and model, and said a brake switch and sub harness assembly should be replaced, but at $800+ cost i declined offer. purchased a new battery later and as of this date i have not had a problem, but every time i start it i cross my fingers.

When i tried to turn on my 2009 altima which is 4 years old and purchased by me new from the dealer, the car would not start. the vehicle starts by depressing the brake while pushing the start switch. after trying several times to start the car, i had the vehicle towed to the dealership. the vehicle was diagnosed with brake switch failure. according the serviced rep at nissan and the tow truck driver, this issue has been occurring more and more. the charge to repair the problem was $526.81. per the invoice from the dealership, the sub-harness, the switch assembly, and the band hose had to be replaced. *tr

Went to start my car after a day of work ...it has the push button start, pushed it, with my foot on the brake the car did not start so i proceeded to follow the instructions in the manual to start the car when their are issues,still could not get the car started so i had it towed to a local nissan dealer.this happened on a saturday they wouldn't be able to look at it till monday to make a long story short the steering lock control unit had gone bad $750.00 to fix it.after doing some digging on the internet i see that this is a problem that has affected thousands of consumers on several different nissan models with different model years.with varying miles.i believe that this is a faulty part that nissan has used,shouldn't this part be a recall and the consumer not have to pay for nissans bad design. *tr

The car failed to start; i see lots of complains where the steering wheel locks in place and so does the brake and the car fails to start. i had the same problem twice already and the dealer told me to replace the key less switch however, the problem continues and i see that the problem was not the key. as i can see others are having similar issues of the car locking in place and the problem is more than just the key problem.. this should be definitely recalled. *jb

The car didn't want to start. it was parked at my house and i tried to start it wouldn't. *tr

Nissan north america has sent me a letter informing me that our vehicle is equipped with a electronic steering column lock (escl) unit that locks the steering wheel when the vehicle is parked and the ignition is turned off to help prevent theft. on some vehicles, due to a (manufacturing irregularity) that has since been corrected, the escl may malfunction after the vehicle is locked and could prevent the engine from starting. the only thing that they are willing to do is they are extending the warranty from 3 years/ 36,000 to 6 years unlimited miles. they do not know which vehicles has this defective escl. my argument is that what if myself or both of us are on a trip and whether we are one mile or 500 from out home we are stranded this could become a very dangerous situation for us or if we have sold the vehicle to another party out in no where. we do not own a sell phone. since they cannot tell us if our vehicle is one that might have the defective escl they should be responsible for replacing the current escl in our nissan. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 nissan altima. the contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the anti-theft system engaged erroneously. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician diagnosed that the steering lock mechanism was defective and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the failure and current mileage was 90,000. *tr

My vehicle was starting and driving appropriately all day until around 5pm on april 24 2013, when i entered my vehicle to drive it was not responsive. it did cycle from acc to on but would not start. all electrical was working with no warning lights of any kind being displayed. i purchased new batteries and replaced them in both of the key remotes, this did not solve the problem. after repeated attempts of starting my vehicle finally started. *tr

After arriving home, i parked my car and went into the house. when i attempted to re-enter my car approximately 1 hour later, i pressed the brake and pushed the start button as i have done since purchasing my car approx. 4 months ago. the car would not start. the push brake sign was still illuminated and the steering wheel would not move. the brake was very hard. i left the car alone and said i would try again in the morning. i went to my vehicle at about 8:30am in the morning and problem occurred again; however, the engine finally started about 5 minutes later. i drove the car to the dealership and they diagnosed the issue to be a faulty break switch. since the car was no longer under warranty (36 months/ 36000 miles) i had to pay $173.00 to fix this issue which would have been more if i had not complained that the dealership was charging 2 hours labor and diagnosis for a 1 hour job. after researching the issue online i have found several other owners experiencing the same issue with their 2009 nissan altima. nissan needs to address this issue as i could have been stranded in a remote location or overnight. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 nissan altima. the contact stated while driving various speeds he pulled to the side of the road for personal health issues. the contact attempted to restart the push-button start but the engine failed to operate. the gear lever was shifted into neutral in order for the contact to coast to a safe location. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the problem and informed the contact that the vehicle was ineligible for service under a manufacturer's service warranty extension. the approximate failure mileage was 105,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 nissan altima. the contact stated that the push button ignition would not start the vehicle. the contact spoke with the dealer and was told that the intelligent key was locked and it would not allow the vehicle to start. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure and current mileages were 93,000. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 nissan altima. the contact stated that the electronic key light illuminated and the push to start button failed to function. the contact was unable to start the engine. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 36,000. updated 5/7/13 *cn updated 05/22/2013 *js

Include my 2009 altima 2.5sl to the growing list of steering column electrical short problems. i too had just turned off the car and 20 minutes later returned to find it would not start. brake felt depressed when i first put my foot on it. pushed the button and nothing happened. tried the key in the dash slot, and nothing. called dealer, he told me to try and jump start with cables and that didn't work. had to have it towed to dealer. was told it was the very common electrical steering column short, and the fix was 1100.00. luckily i had purchased a service contract when i bought the car in 2011. paid deductible of 100.00. this absolutely should be a nissan recall. dealer told me the problem is on the recall list for the 370z, but had not made it yet for altima. i did see through research and a friend who works for nissan, that they changed that wiring in the model years that followed. *tr

Drove my car to location, turned car off, returned to car 5 minutes later would not start. thought it was battery, fuse, or dead key fob battery. called dealership service manager stated other people have had same issue. he instructed me to turn steering wheel and push ignition button...didn't work. on my dash panel i noticed the key light symbol was lit up, when i tried to start car with the keyfob that didn't work either. had to have car towed and at dealership to change the steering lock. it malfunctioned and cannot be repaired needs to be replaced. part has been ordered and should be replaced on 03/21/2013. estimate is 914.00. *tr

On 3/13/2013 i drove my vehicle to work at approximately 8:55am and parked everything in car was fully operational and functioned properly. at 6:30pm i approached my vehicle unlocked the door using my key fob, entered the vehicle and proceeded to press the ignition button and nothing happens. after switching on the headlights and noticing no power issues i noticed a flashing indicator light in the dash that said no key present. after being the only car left in the dark secluded parking lot i started off on a journey to purchase a battery for the key fob and it did not solve the phenomenon. i had the vehicle towed to the nearest dealership which is about 60 miles away from my home. the dealer after investigating for a matter of minutes were quickly able to diagnose the problem which was a steering lock module that was very costly. upon further research, i found that there are a great number of altima's and other nissan vehicle that are infected with the same defective steering lock devices that causes you to randomly be stranded in secluded areas without prior notice. this i find highly unethical for nissan to be totally aware of such defective equipment and not have any concern for the welfare of it's customers nor their children. im hoping that the nhtsa can protect consumers from bullies like nissan and help us get the recall we deserve. all we want is a reliable product that can perform the way it was intended to perform. so let's do what is necessary to hold nissan up to the american standard of putting out quality reliable products and not ripping off consumers. *tr

Drove car to work. after work went out to vehicle and it would not start. after extensive research learned this has happen to many nissan altima owners. there is no warning. once the car is turned off the steering lock control unit has been failing leaving people stranded - i am one of them. the part can only be purchased at a nissan dealer. the cost is $1000.00. no warning. the safety issue is i live in mn. we have extremely cold winter. if i went ice fishing in the middle of no where and came back to my vehicle i would have been stranded with no source of heat. my only hope would be a cell phone, providing i have one. the second part is a local garage wouldn't even be able to repair the vehicle. it can only be repaired by nissan. i hope you recognize my concern. *tr

The electronic steering control lock malfunctioned and would not allow me to turn the vehicle off. a certified mechanic had to pull the fuel pump fuse to stop the engine. dangerous. could not start the vehicle after shut down. nearly $1000.00 in repairs. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 nissan altima. the contact stated that the steering lock failed and would not allow the contact tom move the steering wheel to start the vehicle. in addition, the anti-theft system engaged erroneously. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where the technician diagnosed that the steering lock unit malfunctioned and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not offer any assistance because the vehicle was not included in any recalls. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was 59,000 and the current mileage was 59,050. *tr

After i was finished working i got in my car to go home. i put my foot on the brake and pushed the start button. nothing happened. i saw an icon of a key in the upper left hand corner of the dash. i took out my owners manual to see what that meant. i read that the remote battery might need to be replaced. i went into the home depot where i work and bought new batteries. i replaced the battery but now i was getting a no key icon. i called the nissan dealer where i bought my car for some advice. they said maybe the remote lost its memory so i called my husband to bring me the extra key. he came.we tried again but it did not start. the no key came up again. after trying for two hours i called aaa for a tow to my mechanic. the next day i went to my nissan dealer.i told him what happened and he said it is the steering lock computer. it would cost about $850. he also said this is a problem with this car. this problem should be recalled by nissan. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 nissan altima. the contact stated that the vehicle failed to start and the ignition warning lamp illuminated. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the failure and current mileage was 50,000.

Parked can in front of store and attmpted to start it but it would not start. yellow "key missing" light comes on but it won't start. key battery is new, car battery is new, won't jump start. car is dead. turns out to be the steering lock mechanism. only 57, 000 miles and this is only one of many issues we have had with this car. new battery (2) new brake switch new alternator new a/c pump new front rotor. *tr

Car will not start and is illuminating the yellow key symbol. had to have it towed to the dealership and they diagnosed it as a failing electronic steering lock control board. they told me that the part is around $500 and with labor the total is $950. furthermore, the part is on back order and they do not know when the part will be available. they indicated possibly two weeks. was also told that this is an issue that is going on with this part and that i should call nissan to file a complaint with the consumer affairs department at 800-nissan1. it looks like there are tons of people having this issue, so if you are as well, please log your incident/complaint with nissan at the number above as well entering it on this website. *tr

Had stopped to get breakfast. locked my car and upon returning unlocked the car and tried to start vehicle with no success. there was no response from my car. when the tow truck arrived i then learned that the brakes were stiff and steering wheel did not want to turn. we had it towed to nissan dealer. after leaving it there i did some investigating online about potential problems. was shocked to see how many people had the same problem as me presently and past. apparently, several people found themselves in similar situations with getting no help from nissan of north america with replacement of the steering lock mechanism. i had yet to hear if this was my problem but was given the sad/expensive news a day later that indeed i would be included in the growing number of nissan owners who would have to pay to have this faulty part replaced. but the fun didn't stop there. the part is on backorder (because so many are needed) until further notice and there are recalls on my car that no one bothered to tell me about. i called nissan and left a message with a customer service rep who was going to forward my concern onto a regional concern specialist. when she called me back two days later she informed me that it is not nissans job to let their owners/drivers know about recalls but the dealers job. in addition, she's pretty sure that no help will be given to replace the part that will cost me 700 dollars. but she would ask and call me back three days later. she is supposed to call me tomorrow with the answer. shocked is the only word that comes to mind about my situation. i can't believe that this part has caused so many people so many problems but it is not on a recall list somewhere. is there nothing to be done for it? even the service tech at the dealer has told me that they have replaced several. my car was parked when it quit responding but someone could be driving. help! *tr

Electronic steering lock control board - car will not start and is illuminating the yellow key symbol. had to have it towed to the dealership and they diagnosed it as a failing electronic steering lock control board. they told me that the part is around $500 and with labor the total is $779. was told it has been happening a lot with this model and mileage. my car is less than 4 years old so i should not have to spend this much money to drive it. please insist on them recalling this issue and reimbursing the full amount to me. if not, this will be my last nissan. *tr

I purchased this used 2009 nissan altima from a dealer in my local town. when i bought the vehicle it had around 36-38,000 miles on it (can't remember at this time). had the vehicle for a little over a year, i do regular maintenance on it and have had no problems. i drive this vehicle approx 100 miles a week, and when i went to leave work the other day the vehicle wouldn't turn on. the intelligence key battery was charged, the battery for the car was charge, i unhooked the battery and reset it, still nothing. the vehicle was in park and i couldn't do anything to get it to turn on. i towed it to the local dealership who ran a diagnostic and said it was the, "steering lock control unit" which would cost $717 for part and labor along with a $70 diagnostic fee. i was lucky i wasn't stranded in a bad area or without a way to reach someone. they need to recall this part, too many incidents with this part in nissan vehicles. *tr