1996 Nissan Altima Problems

MY CAR CRASHED INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. I HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO STOP, BUT MY CAR JUST DIDN'T & MY AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. EVEN BEFORE THE CRASH, THE DASH LIGHTS FLICKER ON AND OFF, & I CAN BARELY SEE WITH MY HEADLIGHTS! ALSO, MY CAR MAKES LOUD CRANKING NOISES WHEN I TURN. EVERY CAR I SEE LIKE MINE, HAS A SMASHED UP FRONT END & HAS ALL THE SAME ISSUES. I CAN'T CURRENTLY AFFORD A NEW CAR, BUT I'M SCARED TO DEATH TO DRIVE MINE, BUT I HAVE NO CHOICE. HELP ME PLEASE! WHO CAN I CONTACT? I STRONGLY BELIEVE THESE CARS ARE NOT FIT FOR DRIVING. I NEED MY PROBLEMS SOLVED FAST BEFORE SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS HAPPENS! IF I WOULD HAVE KNOWN HOW DANGEROUS THESE CARS TRULY ARE, I WOULD HAVE BOUGHT SOMETHING ELSE TO KEEP MYSELF AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD SAFE. I DON'T HAVE THE MEANS AT THIS TIME IN MY LIFE TO BUY A SAFER AND MORE RELIABLE VEHICLE. I EVEN HAD TO TAKE TIME OFF FROM COLLEGE, BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION TO GET MYSELF THERE. IT'S VERY DEVASTATING. *TR

I HAVE A 1996 NISSAN ALTIMA GXE. THE AIR BAG SYSTEM DEVELOPED A PROBLEM, I.E. THE INDICATOR LIGHT WOULD NOT GO OUT - IT CONTINUED TO FLASH. UPON DIAGNOSIS BY THE NISSAN SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THEY DETERMINED THE PROBLEM TO BE A MALFUNCTIONING CONTROL MODULE. THIS WILL CAUSE THE UNIT TO NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. I HAVE LEARNED THROUGH THE NHTSA WEBSITE THAT NISSAN HAS HAD PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH THESE AIR BAG SYSTEMS, AND MY PROBLEM MAY BE A CONTINUATION OF THESE.*AK

MY CAR CRASHED INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. I HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO STOP, BUT MY CAR JUST DIDN'T & MY AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. EVEN BEFORE THE CRASH, THE DASH LIGHTS FLICKER ON AND OFF, & I CAN BARELY SEE WITH MY HEADLIGHTS! ALSO, MY CAR MAKES LOUD CRANKING NOISES WHEN I TURN. EVERY CAR I SEE LIKE MINE, HAS A SMASHED UP FRONT END & HAS ALL THE SAME ISSUES. I CAN'T CURRENTLY AFFORD A NEW CAR, BUT I'M SCARED TO DEATH TO DRIVE MINE, BUT I HAVE NO CHOICE. HELP ME PLEASE! WHO CAN I CONTACT? I STRONGLY BELIEVE THESE CARS ARE NOT FIT FOR DRIVING. I NEED MY PROBLEMS SOLVED FAST BEFORE SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS HAPPENS! IF I WOULD HAVE KNOWN HOW DANGEROUS THESE CARS TRULY ARE, I WOULD HAVE BOUGHT SOMETHING ELSE TO KEEP MYSELF AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD SAFE. I DON'T HAVE THE MEANS AT THIS TIME IN MY LIFE TO BUY A SAFER AND MORE RELIABLE VEHICLE. I EVEN HAD TO TAKE TIME OFF FROM COLLEGE, BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION TO GET MYSELF THERE. IT'S VERY DEVASTATING. *TR

MY ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE !!!!!! AND BURNED EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD INCLUDING THE HOOD NO PROBLEMS PRIOR TO THIS AT ALL WITH THE CAR NO GAS LEAKS, NOTHING TO INDICATE THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. *AK

RE: NISSAN ALTIMA 1996: THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS TOO NEW TO GO BAD AND THERE ARE TOO MANY BAD ONES SHOWING UP. I HAD TO REPLACE IT AT A VERY HIGH COST TO ME, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY 6 YEARS OLD. *AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN SLOWING DOWN THE ENGINE REV'S REALLY HIGH. CONSUMER STATES WHEN PULLING OFF VEHICLE WILL JERK LIKE ITS A MANUAL SHIFT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. NLM

WHEN CHANGING THE VEHICLES GEARS THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY GO FORWARD AND NOT REVERSE DUE TO A BURNED OUT CLUTCH. *NLM

THREE TIMES IN THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS VEHICLE HAS ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. NISSAN COULD NOT DUPLICATE THIS PROBLEM. *AK THE PROBLEM STARTED AFTER TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT, AND THE RADIATOR, AUTO TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY AND THROTTLE VALVE SWITCH WERE REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT SHIFTING FROM SECOND GEAR TO THIRD DUE TO CONTROL VALVE ASSEMBLY FAILURE. NEXT, THE GAS PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE IT. HOWEVER, THE DEALER REPLACED THE WIRING ASSEMBLY. THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *YH

FROM THE MOMENT I'VE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, I NOTICED THAT ONCE THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AT ANY SPEED, THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS FLICKER AND DO NOT LIGHT PROPERLY. ONE SIDE DOESN'T LIGHT WHILE THE OTHER SIDE DOES. THIS EVENT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON. THERE IS NO PROBLEM WHEN OPERATING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT HEADLIGHTS OR RUNNING LIGHTS ON. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AS I DRIVE FOR A LIVING AND NOTICE REPEATEDLY THAT THIS INCIDENT OCCURS WITH VIRTUALLY EVERY NISSAN ALTIMA THAT I OBSERVE ON THE ROADS. I AM CONCERNED THAT BECAUSE OF THE BRAKE LIGHT ISSUE THIS MIGHT CAUSE A FOLLOWING VEHICLE TO NOT SEE THE BRAKE LIGHTS PROPERLY AND STRIKE ME OR I MIGHT RECIEVE A SUMMONS OR POSSIBLY FAIL VEHICLE INSPECTION. DT

BRAKES HAVE ALWAYS SQUEAKED EXCESSIVELY WHETHER NEW OR WORN. FRONT DEFOGGER VENTS ON DASH SEPARATED FROM DASH AS DASH CONTINUES TO SWELL AND DEFORM OVER TIME IN A PREMATURE MANNER I HAVE ALSO OBSERVED THIS DEFECT ON MANY OTHER ALTIMAS

THREE TIMES IN THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS VEHICLE HAS ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. NISSAN COULD NOT DUPLICATE THIS PROBLEM. *AK THE PROBLEM STARTED AFTER TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT, AND THE RADIATOR, AUTO TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY AND THROTTLE VALVE SWITCH WERE REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT SHIFTING FROM SECOND GEAR TO THIRD DUE TO CONTROL VALVE ASSEMBLY FAILURE. NEXT, THE GAS PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE IT. HOWEVER, THE DEALER REPLACED THE WIRING ASSEMBLY. THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *YH

VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENLY ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP & WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED AFTER BEING TEST DRIVEN. THE PROBLEM WOULD HAPPEN AT LEAST 5 TIMES IN ONE DAY. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER & INFORMED HAD NOT HEARD OF THAT PROBLEM BEFORE. DID NOT OFFER ANY HELP. *AK

BRAKES HAVE ALWAYS SQUEAKED EXCESSIVELY WHETHER NEW OR WORN. FRONT DEFOGGER VENTS ON DASH SEPARATED FROM DASH AS DASH CONTINUES TO SWELL AND DEFORM OVER TIME IN A PREMATURE MANNER I HAVE ALSO OBSERVED THIS DEFECT ON MANY OTHER ALTIMAS

SUN ROOF FAILED. *MJS

MY CAR CRASHED INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. I HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO STOP, BUT MY CAR JUST DIDN'T & MY AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. EVEN BEFORE THE CRASH, THE DASH LIGHTS FLICKER ON AND OFF, & I CAN BARELY SEE WITH MY HEADLIGHTS! ALSO, MY CAR MAKES LOUD CRANKING NOISES WHEN I TURN. EVERY CAR I SEE LIKE MINE, HAS A SMASHED UP FRONT END & HAS ALL THE SAME ISSUES. I CAN'T CURRENTLY AFFORD A NEW CAR, BUT I'M SCARED TO DEATH TO DRIVE MINE, BUT I HAVE NO CHOICE. HELP ME PLEASE! WHO CAN I CONTACT? I STRONGLY BELIEVE THESE CARS ARE NOT FIT FOR DRIVING. I NEED MY PROBLEMS SOLVED FAST BEFORE SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS HAPPENS! IF I WOULD HAVE KNOWN HOW DANGEROUS THESE CARS TRULY ARE, I WOULD HAVE BOUGHT SOMETHING ELSE TO KEEP MYSELF AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD SAFE. I DON'T HAVE THE MEANS AT THIS TIME IN MY LIFE TO BUY A SAFER AND MORE RELIABLE VEHICLE. I EVEN HAD TO TAKE TIME OFF FROM COLLEGE, BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION TO GET MYSELF THERE. IT'S VERY DEVASTATING. *TR

COIL SPRINGS BROKE. *AK

WHEN VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED DEALER WAS QUESTIONED ABOUT BURN MARKS INSIDE THE TRUNK, DEALER CLAIMED THAT IT WAS GREASE. TWO DAYS AFTER PURCHASE OWNER OPENED TRUNK AND SAW CARPET BURNING AND MELTING. VEHICLE LOST POWER WHEN THIS OCCURRED.

WHEN TRUNK WAS RAISED, IT SMASHED THE REAR WINDOW. WHEN OWNER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, OWNER WAS TOLD THAT VEHICLE WAS OPERATING ACORDING TO SPECS. *SLC

CAR WAS DRIVING CRAZY AND TURNED OFF IN STREET.

MY DAUGHTER'S 1996 NISSAN ALTIMA DEVELOPED AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM THAT SOMETIMES LEFT HER STRANDED. WHEN I DISCOVERED WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, I WANTED OTHERS TO KNOW. THE PROBLEM TURNED OUT TO BE AN INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL CONNECTION INSIDE THE FUEL TANK. IT WAS BURNED AND HAD ACTUALLY MELTED THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK WHERE THE CONNECTORS WERE. IT WAS THE TWO WIRE CONNECTOR THAT CONNECTED DIRECTLY TO THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP. THE FUSE WAS A 15 AMP FUSE, BUT THE WIRES AND THE CONNECTORS LOOKED SMALL FOR THAT KIND OF CURRENT DRAW. THIS LOOKS TO ME LIKE A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. ALSO, I FOUND IT INTERESTING THAT THE WIRE "PIGTAIL" WAS NOT AVAILABLE FROM NISSAN AS A REPAIR PART. *NM

I WAS DRIVING ONTO THE INTERSTATE, AND I WAS JUST ABOUT OFF THE ON-RAMP AND I HIT A BUMP. MY CAR'S STEERING LOST CONTROL AND IT SPUN AROUND TWICE AND I NEARLY CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT ON THE INTERSTATE. THANK GOD I GAINED CONTROL. I CHANGED MY TIRES THE NEXT DAY AND THE STEERING STILL FEELS VERY LOOSE. EVERYTIME I HIT THE SMALLEST BUMP, THE CAR FEELS UNSTABLE. I ALIGNED THE WHELLS FOR $80 AND I AM STILL HAVING THE PROBLEM. MY MECHANIC SAYS EVERYTHING LOOKS FINE. PLEASE HELP. I NEVER KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN I DRIVE. IT ALL FEELS VERY LOOSE LIKE THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE STEERING AND THE FRONT WHEELS. IN THE RAIN I AM ESPECIALLY SCARED BECUSE IT MAKES IT 10 WORSE.

FAILURE OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN, WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT, CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE, DEALER DOES NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. *AK

INSIDE LATCH FOR TRUNK FAILED.

INTERIOR LIGHTS FAILED.

CAR WAS DRIVING CRAZY AND TURNED OFF IN STREET.

I BOUGHT MY PRE-OWNED 1996 NISSAN ALTIMA IN NOVEMBER OF 2000. I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY WITH MY TRUNK WHEN IT RAINS. THE RAIN WATER IS LEAKING INTO THE TRUNK THROUGH THE REAR LIGHTS. I HAD THE SEAL CHECKED AND THAT WAS OKAY. I WENT TO TRADE IN THE CAR, FOR AN UPGRADE, AND THEY HAD ASKED ME ABOUT THE REAR LIGHTS. THEY HAD SAID THAT THERE WAS A RECALL BECAUSE OF THE LEAKS. I WAS WONDERING IF THIS IS TRUE AND IF NOT, I WOULD LIKE TO PUT IN A COMPLAINT ABOUT THEM. *AK

THREE TIMES IN THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS VEHICLE HAS ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. NISSAN COULD NOT DUPLICATE THIS PROBLEM. *AK THE PROBLEM STARTED AFTER TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT, AND THE RADIATOR, AUTO TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY AND THROTTLE VALVE SWITCH WERE REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT SHIFTING FROM SECOND GEAR TO THIRD DUE TO CONTROL VALVE ASSEMBLY FAILURE. NEXT, THE GAS PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE IT. HOWEVER, THE DEALER REPLACED THE WIRING ASSEMBLY. THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *YH

1996 ALTIMA LEFT FRONT TIRE SEPARATED FROM VEHICLE. *TS *JB

1996 ALTIMA LEFT FRONT TIRE SEPARATED FROM VEHICLE. *TS *JB

CONSUMER INVOLVED IN RECALL 95V173000, TOOK VEHICLE FOR REPAIRS ON SPECIFIED DATE OF APPOINTMENT, REPAIRS WERE NOT DONE ON VEHICLE, DUE TO PERSONNEL SHORTAGE.