2003 Nissan Altima

IN THE PAST 2.5 YEARS I'VE HAD TO REPLACE 2 COILS ON 2 DIFFERENT CYLINDERS, AND 2 DIFFERENT CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSORS AS WELL. EACH TIME IT'S COST ME UPWARDS OF $300 EACH INCIDENT. A REVIEW OF THE INTERNET WEBSITE FOR COMPLAINTS FROM NISSAN DRIVERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE MAKE/MODEL/YEAR INDICATES THAT OTHERS HAVE ALSO RUN INTO THESE ISSUES WITHOUT ANY RECOMPENSE. SOME EVEN HAD THEIR CARS STALLING OUT WHILE DRIVING, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY CONCERN. "LUCKILY" (AND NOTE THAT I USE THE TERM IN QUOTES), MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN THAT THE ENGINE STARTS RUNNING ROUGH, FEELING LIKE ON JUST 3 OF ITS 4 CYLINDERS, THEN THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT COMES ON. IT WAS THEN ALWAYS OBVIOUS SOMETHING WAS REALLY WRONG. Q: WHY WASN'T THIS A RECALL ITEM FOR THE NISSAN ENGINE? P.S. I HAVE LESS THAN 60K MILES ON MY CAR AND IT'S IN PRISTINE CONDITION AND ALWAYS GARAGED. *TR

2.5L ENGINE S MODEL NISSAN ALTIMA. 2002-2003 HAS WELL DOCUMENTED BLOGS AND COMPLAINTS OF EXCESSIVE OIL USE. CAUSES ARE ANY THING TO POOR DESIGN VALVE SEALS TO DUST KICK BACK FROM OVERHEATED CATALYTIC CONVERTOR INTO PISTON/CYLINDER AREA CAUSEING RING FAILURES AS WELL. THIS CURRENT VEHICLE HAS TO BEEN DIAGNOISISED BY A NISSAN DEALER. IT BURNS 2 QUARTS OF OIL PER 160MILES. THE DEALER RECOMMENDS A NEW ENGINE AND NEW CATALYTIC CONVERTOR. THE REGIONAL NISSAN MANAGER CHRIS STATES NISSAN WILL NOT ASSIST IN ANY WAY TO REPLACE/REPAIR THESE ITEMS BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT OWNED THE VEHICLE LONG ENOUGH. THE CAR IS WORTH $3800. THE ENGINE +CONVERTOR+ LABOR IS OVER THE VALUE OF THE CAR. SOME ONE HIGH UP SOMEWHERE DROPPED THE ROYAL BALL ON RECALLING THIS ENGINE. *TR

CAR STALLED TWO TIMES WITHIN 20 MINUTES WHEN SLOWING CAR DOWN TO MAKE A TURN. MEINEKE AND PAUL MILLER NISSAN OF FAIRFIELD, CT IDENTIFIED THAT PARTS 23731-AL61A (CRANKSHAFT/CAMSHAFT SENSOR) AND 23731-6J90B (CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR) NEED TO BE REPLACED. THESE SENSORS WERE PART A RECALL FOR THE SAME MAKE, YEAR AND MODEL OF CAR THAT I OWN. NISSAN N.A. CLAIMS THAT MY VIN WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL. 630,000+ VEHICLES WERE AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL BUT MY VEHICLE DOES NOT APPLY. ON LINE COMPLAINTS SUGGESTS THAT THE EXACT SAME COMPLAINT KEEPS RECURRING BUT NISSAN HAS NOT EXPANDED THERE VIN REGISTRY TO INCLUDE ALL CARS THAT ARE AFFECTED. SPOKE WITH NISSAN N.A. CASE EXPEDITER WHO STATED MY VEHICLE VIN WAS NOT ON THE AFFECTED LIST ALTHOUGH MY COMPLAINT WAS THE SAME AS THOSE VEHICLES ON THE LIST. NISSAN REPRESENTATIVE WOULD NOT TELL ME WHERE MY PART WAS MADE AND WHERE THE DEFECTIVE PARTS WERE IN FACT MADE. CLAIMED THAT THIS WAS INTERNAL NISSAN INFORMATION THAT THEY HAD NO OBLIGATION TO GIVE ME. *TR

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

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

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

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

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