2003 Nissan Altima

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.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE BUT IT WOULD NOT RESPOND. AFTER APPROXIMATELY TWENTY-SEVEN ATTEMPTS, THE VEHICLE STARTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 63,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PRE-CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED; THERE WAS DEBRIS IN THE ENGINE THAT CAUSED THE ENGINE TO FAIL WHICH OVERHEATED THE CATALYTIC SUBSTRATE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED RECALL 03V084000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING: EXHAUST SYSTEM: MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE) BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS AWAITING A RETURN CALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN TAKING HER VEHICLE IN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, THE MECHANIC ADVISED HER THAT THERE WAS A RECALL 03V084000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING: EXHAUST SYSTEM: MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE). ONCE THE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED, THEY NOTIFIED THE CONTACT AND ADVISED HER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INOPERABLE DUE TO METAL BEING JAMMED IN THE ENGINE. SINCE THE METAL WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT PRIOR TO THE MECHANIC ADVISING HER OF THE PROBLEM, SHE HAD NEVER BEEN INFORMED OF THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE ENGINE COMPONENTS BUT NOT FOR THE METAL. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 115,000. UPDATED 03/24/11*LJ UPDATED 05/02/11

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

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

THIS 2003 2.5S ALTIMA FAILED TO START ON FEBRUARY 6, 2011. UPON TAKING THE CAR TO MOSSY NISSAN IN SAN DIEGO, WHERE THE CAR WAS SOLD, THE MECHANIC WORKING ON THE CAR DIAGNOSED THE CAR AS HAVING A SCREW FROM THE POWER VALVE OVER THE 4 CYLINDER THAT CAME LOOSE AND DAMAGED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY MUST BE REPLACED. THE CAR ONLY HAS 41,000 MILES. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED EXTENSIVELY ON THE INTERNET, INCLUDING HERE: HTTP://WWW.NISSANCLUB.COM/FORUMS/2002-2006-NISSAN-ALTIMA-DISCUSSION-2-5-3-5/267734-BUTTERFLY-VALVE-POWER-VALVE-INTAKE-MANIFOLD-ISSUE.HTML. I BELIEVE THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE 2004 AND 2005 ALTIMA FOR THIS ISSUE. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE 2003 2.5S ALTIMA HAS THE SAME ENGINE, YET NO RECALL WAS MADE. AFTER CONTACTING NISSAN CUSTOMER RELATIONS, THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE WITH FIXING THE PROBLEM, DESPITE THE BLATANT DESIGN FLAW. OTHER DRIVERS THAT HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE WITH THEIR ALTIMAS HAVE BEEN PUT AT RISK OF DEATH, AS THE CARS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO STOP RUNNING ENTIRELY WHILE MOVING, BECAUSE OF DAMAGE DONE BY THE LOOSE POWER VALVE SCREWS TO THE ENGINE. I HOPE THAT THE NHTSA WILL TAKE THIS ISSUE SERIOUSLY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED AND COMPLETELY STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE CONTAINED NO OIL. THE OIL HAD BEEN CHANGED THREE MONTHS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO TOLD HIM TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000.