2009 Nissan Altima

2009 ALTIMA 2.5 SL. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENTERING NISSAN'S CONSUMER ARBITRATION PROCESS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER HAD THE VEHICLE ON NOVEMBER 15, AND 16, 2011 TO INSPECT AND REPAIR A CHRONIC MECHANICAL ISSUE THAT HAD BEEN GOING ON FOR THE PAST 16 MONTHS. THE VEHICLE WOULD MAKE A POPPING SOUND AFTER THE ENGINE WAS WARM, WHEN THE VEHICLE SAT IDLE OR TURNED OFF. WHILE REMOVING THE INITIAL HEAT SHIELD RIVETS AND REPLACING THEM WITH LARGER RIVETS, IT RESULTED IN A SLIGHTLY MUTED POPPING NOISE. THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT OVERTIME, THE EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION OF THE METAL SURFACES WILL WEAKEN AND POTENTIALLY FAIL. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SEPENTINE BELT, TENSIONER AND EXHAUST SYSTEM, BUT THE NOISE CONTINUED. *JB

I PURCHASED A 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA 2 YEARS AGO AND THE VEHICLE HAS BEING NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS SINCE THE BEGINNING, ON TOP OF THAT THE MAINTENANCE IS VERY COSTLY IF YOU TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. I TAKE MY CAR TO ASE CERTIFIED MECHANICS AT PEP-BOYS AND THE LABOR IS ALLOT CHEAPER THAN DEALER PRICING, MY CAR HAS ALWAYS BEING MAINTAINED BY THE SCHEDULE MAINTENANCE ACCORDING TO THE OWNERS MANUAL AND RECENTLY I HAD MY TRANSMISSION SERVICE BY THE PEP-BOYS AND THEY SELL BY MY STANDARDS BETTER QUALITY OIL LIKE VALVOLINE CVT OIL BEING THAT I SAVED SOME MONEY THROUGH PEP-BOYS THEY DID THE SERVICE AND EVERYTHING WENT WELL TILL RECENTLY MY TRANNY, WENT OUT AND HEY BLAMED THE OIL WASN'T THE RIGHT COLOR ACCORDING TO THE NISSAN TECH, NOW I WANT TO KNOW HOW CAN VALVOLINE SELL A CERTIFIED NISSAN PRODUCT TO MILLIONS OF CONSUMERS AND THEY SAY IT'S NOT COVERED UNDER THE MFG, WARRANTY. *TR

AFTER ABOUT 37000 MILES I STARTED TO HEAR A "WHIRRING" OR KIND OF "ROARING" NOISE WHILE DRIVING. I NOTICED THE NOISE SPED UP AND GOT A BIT LOUDER AS I ACCELERATED. I ASKED A MECHANIC TO CHECK THE BRAKES AND THOSE WERE FINE. AT THE NEXT OIL CHANGE, I ASKED THE MECHANIC TO RIDE IN THE CAR BECAUSE THE NOISE HAD GOTTEN LOUDER. THEY FOUND ONE OF THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS TO BE WORN OUT. I TOOK THE CAR TO A DEALER, BECAUSE THE WHEEL BEARINGS ARE COVERED UNDER THE POWER-TRAIN WARRANTY UNTIL 60000 MILES. THE DEALER FOUND BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS "COMPLETELY WORN OUT" (PER THEIR NOTES ON THE WORK ORDER). WHEEL BEARINGS SHOULD NOT BE WEARING OUT THIS EARLY. *TR

POPPING NOISE FROM UNDER CAR. TOOK IT IN AND DEALER FIRST TOLD ME IT WAS NORMAL THAT IT WAS THE EXHAUST SYSTEM COOLING OFF. I DID NOT ACCEPT HIS RESPONSE BECAUSE THE POPPING WAS MUST TOO LOUD AND I CONTACTED NISSAN AMERICA WHO GOT ENGINEERS INVOLVED. THEY FINALLY CONCLUDED THAT IT WAS THE HEAT SHIELD. THE DEALER WORKED ON IT AND IT SEEMINGLY GOT BETTER FOR A WHILE BUT IT HAS KEPT RECURRING SINCE THEN. I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK TO THE DEALER FOR REWORK SEVERAL TIMES AND IT HELPS FOR A WHILE BUT RETURNS. I HAVE CONTACTED NISSAN AMERICAN AND THEY ARE CURRENTLY GETTING ENGINEERING INVOLVED AGAIN. HOPEFULLY THEY WILL COME UP WITH A FIX. VERY LOUD AND ANNOYING. *TR

THE LOW BRAKE FLUID LIGHT CAME ON AND I FOUND OUT THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER LEAKS BRAKE FLUID INTO THE BRAKE BOOSTER. THERE ARE NO LEAKS AT THE CALIPERS, HOSES, OR ANY OTHER AREAS. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE 2007 AND 2008 AND THERE IS AN OPEN INVESTIGATION FOR THOSE YEARS NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE11020, BUT IT DOES NOT THE INCLUDE 2009. *KB

BRAKE LIGHT STARTED COMING ON AND OFF ON DASHBOARD. BRAKE OPERATION WAS NOT AFFECTED AT THE TIME. BRAKE FLUID LEVEL WAS LOW, NO VISIBLE LEAKS AND BRAKE PADS WERE NOT WORN OUT. DEALER DIAGNOSED A MASTER CYLINDER LEAKING INTERNALLY INTO BRAKE BOOSTER. THIS PREMATURE FAILURE SEEMS SIMILAR TO THE CURRENT INVESTIGATION FOR THE 07-08 ALTIMA. *TR

I WISH TO FILE A COMPLAINT ABOUT A BRAKE FLUID LEAK FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER INTO THE VACUUM BOOSTER. ON THIS DATE, THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT TURNED ON. I INSPECTED THE MASTER CYLINDER AND NOTICED THAT FLUID WAS AT THE MINIMUM LEVEL. I PURCHASED BRAKE FLUID AND FILLED THE RESERVOIR. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE TODAY (JANUARY 5, 2012, I TOLD THE DEALER WHAT I HAD DONE. THEY INSPECTED THE CAR AND FOUND THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING BRAKE FLUID INTO THE VACUUM BOOSTER DUE TO A FAULTY O-RING. THE WORK WAS COVERED BY MY WARRANTY. HOWEVER, BECAUSE IT IS UNUSUAL FOR A MASTER CYLINDER TO FAIL WITH SO FEW MILES ON THE CAR, I CHECKED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT A NUMBER OF OTHER ALTIMA OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM, AND I AM CONCERNED THAT THERE MAY BE A SAFETY ISSUE BREWING. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE NHTSA IN MAY 2011 WAS PLANNING TO INVESTIGATE SIMILAR PROBLEMS IN 2007-08 ALTIMAS. IT APPEARS THE PROBLEM MAY BE IN 2009 ATIMAS ALSO. *TR

I WAS TOLD THAT MY MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING BRAKE FLUID AT A SLOW RATE. MY CURRENT MILEAGE IS NEAR 45,000 MILES. I FIGURED IT WOULD COVERED BY NISSAN DUE TO IT BEING A SAFETY FACTOR. INSTEAD THIS DEALERSHIP WANTED TO CHARGE ME $450.00 FOR THIS PART, I OPTED NOT TO DO SO. ITS KIND OF DISGUSTING THAT A CAR WITH ONLY 45,000 MILES HAS ALL THESE PROBLEMS. THIS HAS NOT BEEN ON THE ONLY ISSUE WITH THIS CAR. THE DRIVE BELT WENT BAD AS WELL AS MY BATTERY. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE READ THAT NISSAN HAS A RECALL FOR THESE MASTER CYLINDERS ON THE NISSAN SENTRA. SHOULDN'T ALL THERE CARS HAVE THIS RECALL WHEN IT COMES TO SAFETY? ## VIN PASSED ## NISSAN ALTIMA 2009 SEDAN 2.5S ##. *TR

11/29/11 I PURCHASED THE CARE ON 12/9/11 AFTER A HEAVY DOWN POUR OF RAIN I WENT TO GET IN THE CAR UPON CLOSING THE DOOR I HEARD WATER MOVING AROUND AS I DROVE IT BECAME CLEAR IT WAS WATER. EACH STOP THERE WAS A SOUND OF WATER UPON REACHING WORK THE SOUND WAS FAINT AFTER THE WORK DAY ENDED THERE WAS A PUDDLE UNDER THE DRIVERS DOOR. IT HASN'T RAINED SINCE THANK GOD WOULD THIS BE PART OF A RECALL. *TR