2005 Nissan Altima

TL-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS; PROCEEDING TO A COMPLETE STOP. THERE WAS PRESSURE APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. FOLLOWED BY AN ENGINE STALL. THE ENGINE RESTARTED AFTER WAITING A FEW MOMENTS. THE DRIVER RESUMED OPERATION WITH CAUTION. THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE CRANK SENSOR. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V527000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED THE IDENTICAL FAILURES MENTIONED IN THE RECALL. HOWEVER, THE VIN NUMBER WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL DEFECT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR SERVICE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD CONCERN OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 39,000. THE VIN NUMBER WAS REJECTED FROM THE SYSTEM WHICH WILL BE UPDATED UPON RECEIPT OF THE SAFETY COMPLAINT FORM. JS UPDATED 10/5/09 *CN UPDATED 10/07/09

CAR: 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA SE-R 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION 3.5L V6. PROBLEM: CLUTCH PEDAL FELL TO FLOOR DURING NORMAL USE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME. I HAD THE FIRST INCIDENT INVESTIGATED BY THE DEALERSHIP WITH NO RESULTS. I HAVE REPORTED THAT INCIDENT TO NHTSA SEPARATELY. I HAD BEEN USING MY CAR FOR A 1500 MILE FAMILY TRIP. I WAS NEARLY HALFWAY THROUGH MY 12 HOUR ONE DAY RETURN TRIP. I GOT HUNG UP IN STOPPED TRAFFIC IN NY FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR FIFTEEN MINUTES. WE PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY TO A REST STOP AND HAD DINNER FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES. I RETURNED TO THE CAR, SPENT ANOTHER FIVE MINUTES IN TRAFFIC AND WAS MOVING ALONG AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AGAIN. THE CAR WAS LOADED WITH 2 ADULTS AND 3 CHILDREN AND ABOUT 125 POUNDS OF VACATION STUFF. UPON APPROACHING A TOLL BOOTH ON THE NY "EXPRESSWAY" I DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH TO BEGIN DOWNSHIFTING AND DECELERATING FROM ROUGHLY 60 MPH. THE CLUTCH PEDAL FELL TO THE FLOOR. SINCE THIS HAD HAPPENED BEFORE I WAS NOT CAUGHT COMPLETELY BY SURPRISE. I PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AND BEGAN PUMPING THE CLUTCH AS THE CAR COASTED IN TOWARDS THE TOLL BOOTH. I WAS ABLE TO PUMP THE CLUTCH BECAUSE IT DID HAVE SOME SMALL DEGREE OF RETURN, BUT IT DID NOT REACH THE HEIGHT OF THE TYPICAL PICKUP POINT WHICH I ESTIMATE TO BE 6-8 INCHES OFF THE FLOORBOARD. PUMPING THE PEDAL HAD NO EFFECT. I PLACED MY FOOT UNDER THE PEDAL AND LIFTED IT ALL THE WAY UP. PRESSING AGAIN HAD THE SAME RESULT. VERY LITTLE FRICTION. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TOLL WAS DEAD STOPPED TRAFFIC. THERE WAS ENOUGH FRICTION IN THE PEDAL TO ENGAGE THE CLUTCH PLATES AND TO SHIFT BETWEEN GEARS. THE TRAFFIC SPEED INCREASED AND AFTER A FEW HUNDRED YARDS THE CLUTCH RECUPERATED ON ITS OWN. I ALWAYS DOUBLE DECLUTCH AND HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE CLUTCH PLATES IN MY CARS. SEE THIS LINK FOR MANY SIMILAR CONSUMER STORIES:HTTP://WWW.NISSANCLUB.COM/FORUMS/2005-2006-NISSAN-ALTIMA-SE-R-DISCUSSION/229124-CLASS-ACTION-LAWSUIT-CLUTCH-PROBLEM.HTM. *TR

CAR: 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA SE-R W/ 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND 3.5L V6. THE PROBLEM IS THAT MY CLUTCH PEDAL BOTTOMS OUT TO THE FLOOR BOARD. THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED OVER AND OVER IN THE NISSAN FORUM. UNFORTUNATELY, ONLY A FEW PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED TO NHTSA. I USED MY CAR ON A SUNDAY MORNING FOR A SHORT RUN TO THE GROCERY STORE (APPROXIMATELY 8 MILES ROUND TRIP). I LEFT THE CAR IN THE DIRECT SUNLIGHT ON MY BLACKTOP DRIVEWAY ALL DAY (ABOUT 85 DEGREE F). IN THE LATE AFTERNOON I STARTED MY CAR TO PUT IT IN THE GARAGE. BEFORE I TURNED THE IGNITION I DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH AND IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THAT THERE WAS NO PICKUP POINT. THE PEDAL WAS EASILY DEPRESSED TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THE TYPICAL RESISTANCE IN THE PEDAL THROW WAS NONEXISTENT. THE CAR WAS ALREADY IN GEAR AND WHEN I LET THE CLUTCH OUT THERE WAS BARELY ENOUGH RESISTANCE TO ENGAGE THE CLUTCH PLATES AND PULL THE CAR INTO THE GARAGE. THE PICKUP POINT WAS JUST A COUPLE OF INCHES OFF THE FLOORBOARD, WHEREAS THE USUAL PICKUP POINT IS ANYWHERE FROM 6-8 INCHES. I LEFT THE CAR IN THE GARAGE AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT ON MONDAY. WHEN I STARTED MY CAR ON TUESDAY TO BRING IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP, THERE WAS NO ISSUE AT ALL. I PAID MY $46.50 TO GET THIS ON RECORD WITH THE DEALER. THEY OF COURSE COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE ERROR (AS WITH NEARLY EVERY OTHER PERSON THAT HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM) AND SAW NO CLEAR DEFECTS UNDER THE HOOD. I HAVE THE COMPLETE PAPERWORK FROM THE DEALERSHIP IF THE NHTSA ODI INVESTIGATOR WOULD LIKE TO CONTACT ME FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. FOR A HISTORY OF THE MANY INCIDENTS PLEASE SEE THIS PAGE: HTTP://WWW.NISSANCLUB.COM/FORUMS/2005-2006-NISSAN-ALTIMA-SE-R-DISCUSSION/229124-CLASS-ACTION-LAWSUIT-CLUTCH-PROBLEM.HTML. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, SHE NOTICED THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. AS A CONSEQUENCE HER RISK FOR SERIOUS INJURY AND CRASH WERE INCREASED. APPROXIMATELY 3 TO 5 MINUTES LATER, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. SHE NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER OF RECALL# 07V527000(ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) IN WHICH A REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT HER VIN NUMBER WAS EXCLUDED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000. UPDATED 11/10/09 *BF THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE CAMSAHFT SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL REPAIR AND WAS TOLD THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 11/16/09.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR FAILED. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 TO 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS PRESENT PRIOR TO THE VEHICLE SHUTTING OFF. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE WITHIN THREE MINUTES. AN AUTO ZONE TECHNICIAN'S DIAGNOSTIC TEST INDICATED THAT THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR FAILED. THE DEALER INFORMED HER THAT SHE HAD TO REPLACE THE COMPUTER SENSOR IN HER VEHICLE AND THAT THERE WAS NO RELATED RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

MY COMPLAINT IS SIMILAR TO MANY OTHERS I HAVE SEEN. I OWN A 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5 SL. IT HAS APPROXIMATELY 47,000 MILES. ON A RECENT TRIP I NOTICED DIFFICULTY CRANKING AND SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON. I WAS 5 HOURS FROM MY HOME WITH MY FAMILY IN THE CAR. IT WAS A WEEKEND, SO NO NISSAN DEALER WAS OPEN OR EVEN IN THE VICINITY OF MY LOCATION. AFTER CROSSING ALL FINGERS AND NURSING THE CAR HOME, I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO MY NORMAL DEALER ON MONDAY MORNING. I WAS TOLD THE "TECH FOUND A CODE FOR A FAILED CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR". THE SERVICE MANAGER CHECKED MY VIN FOR ANY BULLETINS OR RECALLS AND FOUND NONE. I WAS CHARGED $230 TO REPLACE THE FAILED PART. I CALLED NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS ASKING FOR REIMBURSEMENT BASED ON THE FAILURE FREQUENCY RATE OF THIS SENSOR. AFTER MANY PHONE CALLS AND VOICEMAILS I WAS TOLD THAT NISSAN WOULD NOT REIMBURSE THE CHARGES. I ASKED IF THE FAILURE RATE OF THE SENSOR WAS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION IN THEIR DECISION - THE ANSWER WAS NO. I ASKED WHAT THE FAILURE RATE WAS FOR THE SENSOR - MY REP, THE REGIONAL SPECIALIST, DID NOT HAVE THAT INFORMATION. BASED ON MY RESEARCH, IT APPEARS THERE IS A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT RATE OF FAILURE FOR THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR ALONG WITH SEVERAL REDESIGNS OF THE OEM PART. NISSAN DOES NOT SEEM TO BE TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. I AM DISAPPOINTED AS, UP UNTIL NOW, I HAD BEEN VERY PLEASED WITH THE VEHICLE AND WITH NISSAN OVERALL. *TR

THE MOTORIST AND LAWFUL OWNER OF NISSAN ALTIMA 2005 (29K MILES) WAS DRIVING ON CLOUDY BUT DRY JULY 21 '09, AT 9:50AM, 4.5 MILES FROM HOME TO THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK. MOTORIST PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT ADJACENT TO THE STUDENT CENTER, AND DROVE AROUND LOOKING FOR SUITABLE PARKING SPOT. AFTER ONE LAP AT CREEPING SPEED OF 5 MPH, MOTORIST FOUND AN UNOCCUPIED PARKING SPOT FACING THE WOODS. MOTORIST PULLED INTO AVAILABLE PARKING SPOT, NOSE FIRST, AND SLOWED DOWN. WHEN AFOREMENTIONED VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STILL STAND, MOTORIST THEN INTENDED TO SHIFT THE GEARSHIFT FROM THE 'D' INTO THE 'P' POSITION, GOING THROUGH 'N, R'. WITH RIGHT FOOT ON BREAK PEDAL, MOTORIST SHIFTED GEARSHIFT FORWARDS, WHEN THE GEARSHIFT SUDDENLY GOT STUCK IN THE 'N' POSITION. THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE, HOWEVER, UNEXPECTEDLY REVVED LOUDLY. THE VEHICLE SIMULTANEOUSLY ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY FORWARDS, RUNNING OVER A 4-FOOT LONG, 8-INCH TALL CONCRETE STOPPER BLOCK, THEN GOING OVER THE 6-INCH HIGH SIDEWALK, AND INEVITABLY MOVING INTO THE WOODS, WHERE VEHICLE HIT A TREE AND FINALLY CAME TO A COMPLETE HALT, WITH GEARSHIFT STILL BEING IN 'N' POSITION. SHAKEN BY THIS STARTLING EXPERIENCE AND BY DRIVER'S AIRBAG, MOTORIST INSTANTANEOUSLY TURNED CAR'S ENGINE OFF BY TURNING THE IGNITION KEYS COUNTERCLOCKWISE. THE TRAUMATIZED AND BRUISED MOTORIST NOTICED SMOKE EMANATING FROM STEERING WHEEL, THUS DECIDED TO STEP OUT OF VEHICLE. AT 1ST GLANCE, THE COLLISION DAMAGED RIGHT FENDER, BOTTOM METAL FRAME, HOOD, RIGHT HEADLIGHT AS WELL AS BUMPER. WITNESSES ASSISTED MOTORIST IN ARRANGING TOW-TRUCK TO PICK-UP INCAPACITATED VEHICLE. IT APPEARS THAT THE CAUSE OF THIS ACCIDENT LIES IN MECHANICAL FAILURE: A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. IT'S UNSAFE TO DRIVE A VEHICLE WITH AN UNDEPENDABLE TRANSMISSION. LUCKILY, NO PEDESTRIANS WERE IN THE WAY OF THE UNCONTROLLABLE VEHICLE. A THOROUGH INSPECTION OF THE CAUSE OF THIS ACCIDENT, AND A REPLACEMENT OF ALL FAULTY PARTS OR VEHICLE, IS HIGHLY ADVISABLE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY CAR DOWN THE ROAD, THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND PUT THE CAR INTO PARK. I ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR BACK UP, AND WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. I THEN HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED, AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR CRANKED AGAIN. THE NEXT DAY, I WENT INTO TOWN, AND THE CAR DID THE SAME THING. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART IT AFTER A FEW TRIES, BUT IT THEN DROVE FUNNY THE REST OF THE WAY HOME. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THE CAR, BUT I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF ANY RECALL. I FOUND IT AFTER SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET WHEN I GOT HOME. I WILL BE CONTACTING THE DEALERSHIP TOMORROW. APPARENTLY THE RECALL IS FOR THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THESE CARS. I AM UPSET BECAUSE I HAVE NEVER HEARD ABOUT THIS RECALL, AND I AM THE ONLY OWNER OF THIS CAR. I BOUGHT IT NEW. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, AND COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR AT ALL NOW, WHICH MEANS I HAVE NO MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. *TR