2003 Nissan Altima

THE FLOOR STRUCTURE UNDER THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE ARE RUSTED OUT. THIS ISSUE IS WELL KNOWN FOR MODELS 2002 - 2006 ALTIMAS. NISSAN AND DEALERSHIPS REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT. I INITIALLY COMPLAINED WHEN VEHICLE HAD 52,000 MILES ON IT AND THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING THAN NOW AT 120,000 IT TOTALLY RUSTED OUT AND WON'T PASS INSPECTION. PLEASE COMPLAIN. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMED, WHICH LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE CAMSHAFT SENSOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 03V455000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 147,655.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING INSPECTED BY THE DEALER, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT FLOOR BOARDS WERE CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 159,000. ...UPDATED 12/03/13 *BF UPDATED 12/05/2013 *JS

PURCHASED THIS CAR FROM A DEALER IN 2011. THREE WEEKS AGO WHILE PUTTING NEW BRAKES, RIMS AND TIRES NOTICED THE WHOLE UNDER CARRIAGE ON THE DRIVER SIDE IS RUSTED OUT AND FALLING A PART IN CHUNKS. TOOK IT TO A BODY SHOP TO GET A REPAIR ESTIMATE, IT WILL BE $2,700.00 TO FIX IT. THE DEALER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IS NOT MUCH HELP AND THE NISSAN SEEMS TO BE AWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT NOT WILLING TO HELP OR HAVE A RECALL. I LIVE IN MARYLAND WHERE A STATE MANDATED INSPECTION IS REQUIRED BEFORE I CAN SELL OR TRADE IN THIS CAR. THE CAR WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION WITHOUT THIS ISSUE RESOLVED. *TR

IN EARLY AUGUST 2013, I NOTICED A RUSTED PIECE OF METAL HANGING FROM THE UNDER CARRIAGE OF MY 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. DURING A RECENT OIL CHANGE, I ASKED THE MECHANIC TO LOOK AND SEE WHERE THE PIECE OF METAL WAS COMING FROM. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR'S FLOOR PANEL ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH LEAVING A GAPING HOLE THE SIZE OF A FOOTBALL IN FRONT OF WHERE THE PASSENGER SEAT IS LOCATED. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, I DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM COVERING 3 MODEL YEARS, 2003 THRU 2006 AND HAS AFFECTED THOUSANDS OF ALTIMAS. MY 2003 ALTIMA WAS A "CERTIFIED USED CAR" THAT WAS PURCHASED AT ARLINGTON NISSAN, ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL IN 2006. IT'S CURRENT MILEAGE IS 126,000. THERE IS NOT ONE SPOT OF RUST ON ANY OTHER PART OF THE CAR. IT HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT SINCE I PURCHASED IT. I CALLED ARLINGTON NISSAN ON 9-11-13, TO ASK IF THERE HAD BEEN SOME SORT OF RECALL ON THE VEHICLE ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT ALTHOUGH THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, NO RECALL HAD BEEN INITIATED BY NISSAN CORPORATE. THEY TOLD ME TO CONTACT NISSAN'S CONSUMER AFFAIRS DIVISION WHO THEN INSTRUCTED ME TO PROVIDE THEM WITH A DIAGNOSTIC REPORT COMPLETE WITH ESTIMATED REPAIR COSTS FROM ARLINGTON NISSAN. NISSAN'S CONSUMER AFFAIRS DIVISION WOULD THEN TURN THE CLAIM OVER TO THE REGIONAL OFFICE THAT OVERSEES ARLINGTON NISSAN. THAT OFFICE WOULD GET BACK TO ME WITH A DECISION ON REPAIRING THE DEFECT. THERE WAS NO PROMISE OF THEM FIXING THE PROBLEM AT NO COST OR REIMBURSING ME THE COSTS OF HAVING AN INDEPENDENT BODY SHOP DO THE REPAIR. NOW IT IS THE WAITING GAME. THE NHTSA SHOULD MANDATE A NATIONAL RECALL ON THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT AS IT POSES A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE FOR ANYONE DRIVING A 2003-2006 NISSAN ALTIMA. *TR

MY TRUNK LATCH WILL RANDOMLY POP OPEN. THE FIRST TIME WAS WHILE DRIVING IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. THE SECOND TIME, I CAME OUT OF A STORE TO FIND MY TRUNK OPEN. IT KEEPS POPPING OPEN EVERY TIME I DRIVE NOW. IT'S VERY DANGEROUS ON THE HIGHWAY TO SUDDENLY HAVE YOUR TRUNK FLY UP BLOCKING YOUR VIEW TO THE TRAFFIC BEHIND YOU. I HAVE JIMMY RIGGED IT WITH A BUNGEE CORD INSIDE SO THAT IT ONLY POPS UP ABOUT AN INCH OR TWO WHEN THE LATCH POPS. I WOULD JUST DUCT TAPE IT, BUT I NEED ACCESS TO MY DAUGHTER'S STROLLER. I ALSO UNPLUGGED THE INTERIOR TRUNK LIGHT SO THAT MY BATTERY WOULD NOT BE WORN OUT. THE WEIRD THING TOO IS THAT THE DOOR OPEN LIGHT DID NOT GO ON WHEN THE TRUNK OPENED. HOPING MY HUSBAND CAN FIX THIS DURING THE WEEKEND.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT ANY WARNINGS. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN CONSUMING OIL EXCESSIVELY BEFORE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V084000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING ). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 133,931.