Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Nissan Altima submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 15 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
MY EXHAUST SYSTEM IS TO LOW THAT IT HITS EVERY BUMP EVEN WHEN DRIVING SLOW ,WHEN THEY LIFTED THE CAR UNDERNEATH THE CAR THERE'S A YELLOW MARK FROM ALL THE SPEED BUMPS .ALSO THE DOOR HANDLES FROM THE DRIVERS N PASSENGER SNAP OFF WHEN I TRY TO ENTER MY VEHICLE .THE SHOCKS DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS WHY THE CAR IS SO LOW .
RACK AND PINON MAKING NOISE HAD A MECHANIC CHECK IT
CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS - OXYGEN SENSOR - BRAKES AND ROUTER - SEATBELT
SERVICE ENGINE SOON LITE CAME ON , CAR RUNS SLUGGISH , STALLS WHILE RUNNING AT SLOW SPEED, PUT ON COMPUTER STATED CAM SHAFT IGNITORS/SENSORS. *TR
WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, MY CAR'S TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS)ASSEMBLY ON ONE TIRE FELL APART/RUSTED OUT, CAUSING MY TIRE TO DEFLATE RAPIDLY. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD TO A SAFE, FLAT AREA, AND ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE DAMAGED TIRE SO I COULD ATTACH THE SPARE AND BE ONE MY WAY. UNFORTUNATELY, I WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE STEEL WHEEL FROM THE HUB, AND ENDED UP CALLING MY AUTO CLUB FOR HELP. THE ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE PERSON SENT TO HELP ME ALSO ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE WHEEL AND ALSO FAILED. I CALLED MY AUTO CLUB AGAIN, AND THIS TIME THEY SENT OUT A TOW TRUCK. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER USED A PIECE OF METAL FROM HIS TOWING EQUIPMENT TO BEAT ON THE TIRE RIM UNTIL IT BROKE LOOSE. HE ATTACHED THE SPARE TIRE, AND WAS ON HIS WAY. MY INABILITY TO REMOVE THE WHEEL FROM THE HUB HAS COME UP TWICE BEFORE WITH DIFFERENT HUBS ON THIS VEHICLE. THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED, I CALLED MY LOCAL MAZDA DEALER FOR ADVICE, AND A GUY AT THE SERVICE DESK TOLD ME TO BEAT ON THE TIRE RIM WITH A SLEDGEHAMMER, SAYING "THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETIMES TO REMOVE A WHEEL." DOESN'T THIS ACTION JEOPARDIZE THE INTEGRITY OF THE RIM? AND WHAT HAPPENS IF I ACCIDENTLY HIT ANOTHER PART OF THE CAR WHILE DOING SO? SHOULDN'T MAZDA HAVE A BETTER REMEDY FOR THIS ISSUE? I ALSO HAD THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM ASSEMBLY RUST OUT ON A DIFFERENT TIRE FOR THIS CAR. THE OWNER'S MANUAL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE SECTION SAYS NOTHING ABOUT TPMS INSPECTION OR SERVICING. DETERIORATION AND ULTIMATE FAILURE OF THIS PART IS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE HUMAN FATALITY. I WANT TO KNOW IF MY EXPERIENCE IS JUST AN ISOLATED INCIDENT OR IF OTHERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES. IF IT'S WIDESPREAD, THEN MAZDA NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT BEFORE SOMETHING SERIOUS ACTUALLY HAPPENS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THE FLOOR BOARDS, FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION AND THE RIGHT AND LEFT STABILIZER LINKS WERE ALL COVERED WITH RUST. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRING THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 124,000.
I BOUGHT A NISSAN 2003 ALTIMA 2.5S FROM DRIVE TIME ON 10-09-2009 , AND AS SOON AS I BEGAN TO DRIVE THE CARS I STARTED TO FEEL AND HEAR A VIBRATION AND LOUD KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT LEFT TIRE. I TOOK THE CAR TO A MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE FRONT STRUT MOUNT KIT THAT IS RATTLING AND MAKE LOUD BANG WHICH MAKE THE FRONT LEFT TIER SHACK VIOLENTLY AS IF IT WAS GOING TO COME OFF THE CAR. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I DRIVE ON EVEN ROADS OR BUMPY ROADS. THE REMEDY IS TO REPLACE THE STRUT MOUNT KIT COMPLETELY THE COST WITH LABOR IS $360.00. I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM DRIVE TIME AND THEY REFUSE TO FIX THE PART. THEY SAY THAT IT'S NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT I AS THE DRIVE FEEL IT IS, WHEN THE TIRE FEEL LIKE IT'S ABOUT TO COME OF THE CAR. AS OF YET THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY ACCIDENTS, BUT I FEEL THAT IF NOT CORRECTED THIS MAY LEAD TO A CRASH AND OR A FATALITY. *TR
I WAS SOLD MY CAR FROM A DEALERSHIP AND IT HAS HAD PROBLEM SINCE DAY ONE AND I KEEP UP WITH MY MAINTENANCE AND A MONTH AFTER I GOT THE VEHICLE I SPENT OVER 2500 IN REPAIRS NOW I AM HAVING A PROBLEM WITH CATALYST AND THE EXHAUST PIPE WHICH IS ON THE RECALL LIST FROM 7-30-2003 WHEN I START THE CAR IT DOESN'T WANT TO START AND IT IS A TAPPING SOUND THAT IS HEARD ALL THE TIME I HAVE TRIED TO GET IN TOUCH WHERE I GOT THE CAR FROM BUT THEY ARE OUT OF BUSINESS AND I AM STILL PAYING ON THIS CAR I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE STRUTS ,SHOCKS, BRAKES, AND AIR CONDITIONER JUST ALOT OF STUFF AND NOW THE TAPPING NOISE IS SO BAD ITS SCARING ME AND I HAVE FOUR CHILDREN THAT RIDES WITH ME IN THAT CAR. *TR
MY 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA STALLS AT LIGHTS,GOING SLOW,DOES NOT RESTARTS SOMETIMES, SURGES FORWARD WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER TOLD ME THE CRANK SENSOR NEEDS IS FAULTY,COST 225 DOLLARS WITH LABOR. I SEE SOME 2003 ALTIMAS WITH A DIFFERENT ENGINE HAS A VOLUNTARY RECALL FROM NISSAN, BUT NOT MINE. ON THE NISSAN HELP.COM WEBSITE THERE ARE 40= PAGES OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE SAME THING ON MANY YEARS OF THESE VEHICLES WITH ALOT OF SAFETY CONCERNS. I THINK ALL THEIR SENSORS ARE BAD AND ALL THESE YEARS ALTIMA VEHICLES SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR
2003 NISSAN ALTIMA WITH A LONG LIST OF PROBLEMS CUSTOMER HAS LEARNED ABOUT SEVERAL RECALLS AND WANTS THIS MATTER TO BE REVIEWED**NAR**CC THREE MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE NEEDED NEW TIRES AND AN ALIGNMENT. THREE MONTHS LATER THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE VEHICLE BEGAN JERKING AND THE INDICATOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE RADIATOR WAS CRACKED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AGAIN. THE CONSUMER WAS NEVER TOLD THE ECM DEVICE HAD SOME RELATIONSHIP TO THE TEMPERATURE OF THE ENGINE/COOLANT AND MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE VEHICLE OVERHEATING. *JB
I HAVE BEEN HAVING NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR MOVING VERY SLOWLY,NOT STAYING IN THE ROAD, PULLING AWAY FROM ME. I HAVE TO DRIVE MY CAR WITH 2 HANDS TO KEEP IN THE ROAD. I HAVE TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME MANY DIFFERENT PROBLEMS THAT MIGHT BE WRONG WITH MY CAR. WHEN I FINALLY DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO ANOTHER MAINTENANCE SHOP JUST TO MAKE SURE I WAS BEING TOLD THE TRUTH. AFTER 30 MIN OF HAVING MY VEHICLE I WAS TOLD BY A GOODYEAR MANAGER THAT I HAVE 3X THE WRONG SIZE TIRES ON MY VEHICLE. HE TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD HAVE 205/65/16 TIRES ON MY CAR AND I HAVE 225/60/16 TIRES ON MY VEHICLE. I AM FURIOUS BECAUSE I PURCHASED THIS CAR FROM THE DEALERSHIP WITH THOSE TIRES ON MY CAR AND HAVE TAKEN MY CAR IN THERE SEVERAL TIMES TO BE MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE AND THEY KNEW THAT WAS THE PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. MY CAR IS NOT A STEADY VEHICLE I FEEL UNSAFE IN THIS CAR. I HAVE TO CONSTANTLY HOLD IT STILL IN THE ROAD. WHEN IT RAIN I FEEL LIKE I WRECK AT ANYTIME. I HAVE A SMALL CHILD AND IT HURTS ME TO KNOW THAT I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR IN THERE SEVERAL TIMES AND NOT ONE TIME HAVE THEY SAID ANYTHING ABOUT MY TIRES. I HAVE HAD THOSE TIRES ALIGNED AND BALANCE BUT THE TECH TOLD ME IT WOULD DO ME NO GOOD BECAUSE THE TIRES ARE 3 TIMES TO BIG. PLEASE HELP I THINK THEY SHOULD REPLACE MY TIRES WITH THE RIGHT SIZE. ALSO MY SEAT BELTS ON THE CAR WILL NOT EXTRACT I HAVE TAKEN THIS TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY WILL PULL THEM OUT BUT WHEN I LEAVE AFTER ABOUT 4 TO 5 DAYS MY BELTS WILL GET STUCK AGAIN I ALSO HAD MY SEAT BELTS CHECKED AND WAS TOLD IT IS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEMS AND NISSAN WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY TOLD ME FLAT OUT IT IS NOT THERE PROBLEM I CAN NOT PULL A SEAT BELT. I HAVE TO LET MY DAUGHTER RIDE IN THE BACK AT TIMES WITHOUT A SEAT BELT UNTIL I CAN FIND SOMEONE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE SEAT BELTS ARE GETTING HUNG FROM THE CORE OF THE ENTRANCE BUT THEY WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. **NM
MY HUSBAND'S 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA CRASHED HIM INTO A PARKED CAR WHEN THE FRONT SUSPENSION BAR CRACKED. IT BREAK OFF WAS A PERFECTLY STRAIGHT LINE. THE AXEL AND TIRE COUPLINGS WERE STILL INTACT. THANK GOD NO ONE WAS ELSE WAS HURT, IT HAPPENED ON A BUSY, NARROW VILLAGE STREET AND THE PARKED CAR STOPPED HIS CAR FROM GOING INTO A STORE FRONT OR A PASSERBY! *NM
1) THE CAR WOULD ALWAYS PULL TO THE RIGHT. I TOOK THE CAR IN NUMEROUS TIMES TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE ALIGNMENT CHECKED. I WAS ALWAYS TOLD THAT THE ALIGNMENT WAS PERFECT. I ALSO TOOK THE CAR IN NUMEROUS TIMES TO HAVE THE TIRES CHECKED TO SEE IF THEY WERE DEFECTIVE OR NEEDED TO BE ROTATED RELATED TO THIS ISSUE. THE TIRES WERE ROTATED AND INSPECTED AND NO ISSUES WERE FOUND, NOR WAS THE PROBLEM RESOLVED. 2) THE CAR STILL PULLS TO THE RIGHT. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT RIGHT STRUT HAS GIVEN OUT. THE CAR STILL DRIVES, HOWEVER THE RIDE IS EXTREMELY POOR, ESPECIALLY OVER VERY MINOR IMPERFECTIONS IN THE ROAD. I NEVER TAKE THE CAR OFF ROAD. IT IS USED ON THE FREEWAY BETWEEN CITIES, SO IT HAS SOMEWHAT HIGHER MILES FOR A 2003, BUT ASS THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THE STRUT SHOULD NOT HAVE GIVEN OUT THIS EARLY. IT IS SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS TO REPLACE. SEVERAL CERTIFIED PROFESSIONALS HAVE TOLD ME THAT I NEED TO REPLACE BOTH STRUTS AS A RESULT OF THIS ISSUE. 3) THE CAR IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED. I WILL UPDATE THIS COMPLAINT AS EVENTS WARRANT. (THE PARTS WILL BE SAVED). *NM
RIGHT FRONT STRUT ON MY 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA HAS FAILED 4 TIMES IN 18 MONTHS. MILEAGE IS HIGH ON MY ALTIMA, AT 40K DUE TO SEVERAL TRIPS FROM CALIFORNIA TO OREGON FOR FAMILY EMERGENCIES IN FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP. I AM BEING TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT I AM GETTING DEFECTIVE MCPHERSON STRUTS THAT ARE NOW MADE IN MEXICO. CAR HAS A VERY DISTINGUISHED PULL TO THE RIGHT EVERY SINCE FIRST FAILURE AT 6 MONTHS IN SERVICE. ALIGNMENTS AND NEW TIRES HAVE NOT HELPED THIS SITUATION. CAR IS CURRENTLY SITTING AT THE DEALER, I WILL NOT LET THEM REPLACE THE STRUT AGAIN BECAUSE THEY CANNOT ASSURE ME THAT I WILL NOT GET ANOTHER DEFECTIVE PART. CAR IS VERY HARD TO HANDLE ESPECIALLY GOING OVER UNEASY ROADS, WHICH THERE ARE PLENTY OF IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.*AK
I AM VERY UNHAPPY WITH MY 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. I PURCHASED IT USED IN AUG. 2002. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP NUMEROUS TIMES FOR SEVERAL THINGS. FAULTY SHOCKS, WHICH TOOK THREE VISITS AND TWO DIFFERENT SHOPS TO GET IT FIXED. AND THE LATEST PROBLEM, NOT STARTING. AND TO TOP IT OFF ON CHRISTMAS EVE STALLING IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. BAA HUM BUG, NO ONE WANTED TO HELP, THEY JUST WANTED TO HONK, LIKE I CHOSE TO "PARK" IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN, IN THE INTERSECTION. AFTER READING ALL THE COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE I AM UNCERTAIN THAT THEY FIXED THE CORRECT THING. THEY REPLACED THE STARER COIL. BUT WHEN I WENT TO PICK UP MY CAR THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON. SO NEXT THEY REPLACED A SENSOR THAT IS A NEW RECALL CAMPAIGN. I PURCHASED MY CAR WITH EXSISTING RECALLS THAT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED ABOUT. THE ONLY REASON I FOUND OUT WAS BECAUSE I CALL TO COMPLAIN TO THE FACTORY ABOUT THE TREATMENT I GOT FROM NORTH BAY NISSAN IN PETALUMA, CA. AND THE LADY I SPOKE WITH INFORMED ME OF 4 RECALLS! WHAT IS NISSANS STANDARDS FOR SELLING "CERTIFIED" USED VEHICLES??? I FEEL ROBBED. I HATE MY CAR, I DONT WANT IT, I DONT FEEL SAFE!
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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