NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
1,547 reports18,893 miles · Dec 22, 2012
Electrical System
ENTERED VEHICLE, STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, YELLOW "STEP ON BRAKE PEDAL" LIT UP, PUSHED START BUTTON, THE "ACC" LIT, AND IT WENT TO "START" AND NOTHING HAPPENED! ALL THE DASH LIGHTS TURNED ON BUT NO STARTER ENGAGEMENT OR NOISE. I TRIED IT SEVERAL TIMES AND NOTHING HAPPENED. I CALLED AAA FOR A TOW. WHEN TOW TRUCK DRIVER CAME, I …
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ENTERED VEHICLE, STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, YELLOW "STEP ON BRAKE PEDAL" LIT UP, PUSHED START BUTTON, THE "ACC" LIT, AND IT WENT TO "START" AND NOTHING HAPPENED! ALL THE DASH LIGHTS TURNED ON BUT NO STARTER ENGAGEMENT OR NOISE. I TRIED IT SEVERAL TIMES AND NOTHING HAPPENED. I CALLED AAA FOR A TOW. WHEN TOW TRUCK DRIVER CAME, I GOT INTO THE CAR AND IT STARTED! I WENT TO THE DEALER AND A CRACKED BATTERY WAS FOUND AND REPLACED. IN THE LAST MONTH THE CAR HAS NOT STARTED SEVERAL TIMES. MY WIFE HAS GOTTEN IN AN OUT OF THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES AND IT WOULD FINALLY STARTED. TODAY,I WENT TO THE DEALER AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION AND ASKED IF THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN CONCERNING THIS ISSUE. THE SERVICE WRITER STATED THAT THERE WASN'T. HE DID SAY THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH (P/N 25320-AX00C) HAS BEEN A PROBLEM ON SOME VEHICLES. I HAD THEM CHECK IT AND IT WAS BAD. I HAD TO PAY $127.18! HAVING THIS PART FAILING IN UNDER 23,000 MILES IS VERY POOR. I HAVE HAD NISSAN VEHICLES WITH OVER 100,000 MILES AND NOT HAD A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILURE! THIS HAS LEFT MY WIFE STUCK SEVERAL TIMES AND VERY UPSET. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10489539
60,200 miles · Dec 21, 2012
Steering
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, IT FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE STEERING LOCK MODULE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT M…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, IT FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE STEERING LOCK MODULE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,200.
NHTSA ODI #10489502
47,500 miles · Dec 20, 2012
Steering
DROVE MY ALTIMA TO WORK, AS USUAL AND PARKED AT MY WORK PARKING LOT. ONCE IT WAS TIME TO LEAVE, GOT INTO MY CAR TO DRIVE HOME BUT CAR WOULDN'T START. BLINKING KEY LIGHT IN UPPER LEFT AND CORNER AND CAR/KEY LIGHT IN UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER. HAD TO GET VEHICLE TOWED TO A NISSAN DEALERSHIP BY WORK (30 MILES AWAY FROM HOME). NIS…
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DROVE MY ALTIMA TO WORK, AS USUAL AND PARKED AT MY WORK PARKING LOT. ONCE IT WAS TIME TO LEAVE, GOT INTO MY CAR TO DRIVE HOME BUT CAR WOULDN'T START. BLINKING KEY LIGHT IN UPPER LEFT AND CORNER AND CAR/KEY LIGHT IN UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER. HAD TO GET VEHICLE TOWED TO A NISSAN DEALERSHIP BY WORK (30 MILES AWAY FROM HOME). NISSAN HAS HAD MY CAR FOR TWO DAYS NOW AND JUST FIGURED OUT IT WAS THE FAULTY STEERING COLUMN ACTUATOR. QUOTE GIVEN OVER THE PHONE WAS $777 PLUS TOWING AND CAR RENTAL FEES! WHY THE HECK IS THIS NOT COVERED UNDER A WARRANTY IF MY CAR IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD AND NOT EVEN 48,000 MILES!!!! SO DISAPPOINTED WITH NISSAN. I'M SO THANKFUL THAT I WASN'T STRANDED BY MYSELF AT NIGHT IN A LARGE CITY WITH NO WHERE TO GO - WHICH IS WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED WHEN I WAS OUT OF TOWN JUST DAYS BEFORE. I HAVE FRIENDS WITH ALTIMA'S AND I SINCERELY HOPE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO THEM HOWEVER, BASED ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THIS HAS HAPPENED TOO, IT'S BASICALLY A GUARANTEE THAT IT WILL HAPPEN!!!! *TR
NHTSA ODI #10489427
50,400 miles · Dec 19, 2012
Steering
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE STEERING LOCK MECHANISM WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,400.
NHTSA ODI #10489230
58,000 miles · Dec 18, 2012
Electrical SystemSteering
ON A RECENT COLD MORNING I GOT INTO MY 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA, AT 7:00 AM AND DROVE SON TO SCHOOL. CAME HOME AND PARKED VEHICLE. GOT BACK IN CAR AT 3:00 PM AND CAR WOULD NOT START. THE CAR HAD BEEN FINE THAT MORNING. PUSH START WOULD NOT GET OUT OF "LOCK" POSITION. HEADLIGHTS, INSIDE LIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS ALL WORKED. STEERING WHEEL …
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ON A RECENT COLD MORNING I GOT INTO MY 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA, AT 7:00 AM AND DROVE SON TO SCHOOL. CAME HOME AND PARKED VEHICLE. GOT BACK IN CAR AT 3:00 PM AND CAR WOULD NOT START. THE CAR HAD BEEN FINE THAT MORNING. PUSH START WOULD NOT GET OUT OF "LOCK" POSITION. HEADLIGHTS, INSIDE LIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS ALL WORKED. STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT LOCKED. WOULD NOT GET OUT OF "PARK". BATTERY WAS TESTED AND NOT THE PROBLEM. FUSES WERE CHECKED AND BRAKE SWITCH CHECKED AND NOT THE PROBLEM. LOOKED ON INTERNET AND FOUND MULTIPLE INCIDENTS WHERE STEERING LOCK MECHANISM WAS FAULTY ON 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA, AND WAS NOT ENGAGING AND THEREFORE THE CAR WOULD NOT START AND WAS LOCKED BY IMMOBILIZER. THE ONLY OPTION IS A $500.00 PLUS PART FROM NISSAN AND ANOTHER $500-600.00 TO INSTALL. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AT COST OF $109.00 TO ME, AND THE ESTIMATE FROM THE DEALER TO FIX THE NOW DIAGNOSED STEERING LOCK MALFUNCTION WAS $1,100.00 MAKING THIS A TOTAL COST OF $1,209.00 ON A VEHICLE THAT HAS LESS THAN $60,000 MILES. I LOOKED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION BY ANOTHER DISSATISFIED CUSTOMER : 1. NISSAN DID A RECALL ON THEIR MORE EXPENSIVE MODEL NISSAN GTRS WAS RECALLED, PART NUMBER 48700-JF00A OR 48700-JF00B, BEING REPLACED BY 48700-JF00C AND CALLED CAMPAIGN ID P0309. 2. SAME PART NUMBER IS FAILING FOR NISSAN 370ZS AS WELL, SAME YEARS AND SAME PART NUMBER 48700-JF00A OR 48700-JF00B, YET THEY ARE NOT BEING RECALLED. 3. THIS PROBLEM IS ALSO OCCURRING IN NISSAN MAXIMAS AND NISSAN MURANOS HOWEVER I COULD NOT FIND THE PART NUMBER. 4. IN ALL MODELS OF NISSAN THIS PART WAS REMOVED IN MID 2010 DUE TO CONSISTENT FAILURE. THERE SHOULD BE A MAKE-WIDE RECALL FOR ALL MODELS FOR THIS PART, NOT JUST THE GTR BECAUSE IT'S THE MOST EXPENSIVE OF THEM. CALL 1-800-NISSAN 1 AND COMPLAIN, I AM... *TR
NHTSA ODI #10489188
103,000 miles · Dec 16, 2012
Electrical SystemEngineSteering
OUR ALTIMA HAS FAILED TO RECOGNIZE OUR INTELLIGENT KEYS AND WILL NOT START. THE DOORS WILL LOCK AND UNLOCK. THE ALARM WILL SOUND AND THE TRUNK WILL OPEN BUT THE CAR WILL NOT START. I'M BEING TOLD THIS IS DUE TO A FAULTY STEERING LOCK MECHANISM THAT HAS BEEN RECALLED IN SOME NISSAN MODELS BUT NOT THE ALTIMA. THE PART ITSELF IS $5…
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OUR ALTIMA HAS FAILED TO RECOGNIZE OUR INTELLIGENT KEYS AND WILL NOT START. THE DOORS WILL LOCK AND UNLOCK. THE ALARM WILL SOUND AND THE TRUNK WILL OPEN BUT THE CAR WILL NOT START. I'M BEING TOLD THIS IS DUE TO A FAULTY STEERING LOCK MECHANISM THAT HAS BEEN RECALLED IN SOME NISSAN MODELS BUT NOT THE ALTIMA. THE PART ITSELF IS $500 AND THE LABOR WILL TAKE IT TO ALMOST $1000 OR MORE. THIS IS COMPLETELY ABSURD. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THIS HAPPENED TO MY WIFE AND INFANT DAUGHTER ON THE WRONG SIDE OF TOWN. WHAT IF THIS PART HAD FAILED WHEN WE WERE IN THE MOUNTAINS OR OFF THE BEATEN PATH. IF A PART IS GOING TO BE RECALLED IN ONE MODEL, IT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED IN ALL MODELS. THIS IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE AND TO KNOW THAT NISSAN IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE IS UNACCEPTABLE. WE ALSO OWN A MURANO THAT USES AN ACTUAL KEY TO START --- I'M CONSIDERING REPLACING BOTH AFTER LEARNING ABOUT THIS. I HOPE SOMEONE WILL RESPOND TO THIS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10488922
90,000 miles · Dec 16, 2012
Electrical System
CAR WILL NOT START,TURN OVER,OR DO ANYTHING. IM A GIRL AND WAS 70 MILES FROM HOME STRANDED IN MIDDLE OF NO WHERE HAD NO CELL SERVICE AND WAS STUCK THERE FOR 2 HOURS. THANKFULLY I FLAGGED SOMEONE DOWN TO GET A RIDE INTO TOWN WHERE I WAS ABLE TO USE A PHONE AND GET CAR TOWED HOME. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10488918
53,000 miles · Dec 14, 2012
Steering
MY WIFE WENT OUT TO GO TO LUNCH AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THE ONLY THING ON THE DISPLAY WAS A YELLOW INDICATOR LIGHT THAT LOOKED LIKE A KEY. WE CALLED NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND AFTER EXPLAINING THE PROBLEM THEY SAID HAVE IT TOWED AS THE STEERING LOCK CONTROL MODULE IS BAD. WE HAD IT TOWED AND REPAIRED COST 667.00 PLUS TOWING. IF …
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MY WIFE WENT OUT TO GO TO LUNCH AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THE ONLY THING ON THE DISPLAY WAS A YELLOW INDICATOR LIGHT THAT LOOKED LIKE A KEY. WE CALLED NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND AFTER EXPLAINING THE PROBLEM THEY SAID HAVE IT TOWED AS THE STEERING LOCK CONTROL MODULE IS BAD. WE HAD IT TOWED AND REPAIRED COST 667.00 PLUS TOWING. IF NISSAN KNOWS THAT THIS IS A ISSUE POTENTIAL TO ALL 08 AND 09 ALTIMAS, THEY SHOULD DO A RECALL. IF THIS HAD BEEN AN EMERGENCY AND DRIVING THE CAR WHAT THEN OR IF YOU NEEDED TO IT FOR AN EMERGENCY DEPARTURE? WRONG WAY TO DO BUSINESS! *TR
NHTSA ODI #10488847
33,212 miles · Dec 13, 2012
Electrical SystemEngineSteering
AFTER OUR FIRST REAL FREEZE OF THE WINTER (LOW 20'S), THE CAR WAS LOCKED UP FOR NO REASON. PRESSING THE PUSH BUTTON IGNITION, INSERTING THE FOB INTO THE KEY HOLDER, NOTHING WILL START THE CAR. THE BRAKE PEDAL IS HEAVY, NO LIGHTS COMES UP ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE STEERING WHEEL IS TOTALLY LOCKED OUT. HAD TO GET THE ALTIMA …
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AFTER OUR FIRST REAL FREEZE OF THE WINTER (LOW 20'S), THE CAR WAS LOCKED UP FOR NO REASON. PRESSING THE PUSH BUTTON IGNITION, INSERTING THE FOB INTO THE KEY HOLDER, NOTHING WILL START THE CAR. THE BRAKE PEDAL IS HEAVY, NO LIGHTS COMES UP ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE STEERING WHEEL IS TOTALLY LOCKED OUT. HAD TO GET THE ALTIMA TOWED INTO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND COME TO FIND OUT IT'S A STEERING WHEEL LOCK OUT CONTROL UNIT THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. CAR JUST CAME OFF THE 36MONTH WARRANTY IN SEPTEMBER'12 AND I AM NOW TURNING IN THE 39MONTH LEASE AND NOW A $1K REPAIR. THANKS NISSAN... ALSO, HAD THE NISSAN ORIGINAL BATTERY REPLACED TWICE! ORIGINAL BATTERY ONLY HAS AN 18MONTH PRORATED WARRANTY! NOT SURE IF IT ALL RELATES SOMEHOW. THIS STEERING WHEEL LOCK CONTROL SHOULD BE A MANUFACTURER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP IT FOR THE LIFE OF THE CAR. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10488680
60,913 miles · Dec 12, 2012
Steering
STEERING LOCK THAT ENGAGES THE ENGINE MALFUNCTIONED WHEN I TRIED TO START THE CAR. THE CAR WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE THE INTELLIGENT KEY, AFTER WATCHING A UTUBE VIDEO I WIGGLED AROUND THE STEERING WHEEL NOT GENTLY AND THE INTELLIGENT KEY WAS THEN RECOGNIZED AND I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR. NOW WHILE DRIVING THE WARNING LIGHT FOR THE I…
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STEERING LOCK THAT ENGAGES THE ENGINE MALFUNCTIONED WHEN I TRIED TO START THE CAR. THE CAR WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE THE INTELLIGENT KEY, AFTER WATCHING A UTUBE VIDEO I WIGGLED AROUND THE STEERING WHEEL NOT GENTLY AND THE INTELLIGENT KEY WAS THEN RECOGNIZED AND I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR. NOW WHILE DRIVING THE WARNING LIGHT FOR THE INTELLIGENT KEY STAYS ON. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH NISSAN ALTIMAS 2007-2009 IS THERE A RECALL ON THIS? *TR
NHTSA ODI #10488074