Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2018 Nissan Altima submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 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
While I was driving my power steering went out completely on the interstate right when I went to turn almost causing an accident where I could have been severely injured or injured others around me. Prior to the failure my front vehicle obstruction light has been coming on and off multiple times while driving but other than that no warning signs of power steering going out.
SEVERAL TIMES WHILE NORMAL DRIVING AND NOTHING IN ROADWAY THE DISPLAY WILL SAY UNAUTHORIZED OBJECT IN VIEW AND THERE'S NOTHING THERE HAPPENS SEVERAL TIMES A DAY SCARES ME AT FIRST CAUSE I THINK SOMETHING WRONG AND TAKES 10 MINUTES FOR DISPLAY WARNING LIGHT TO TURN OFF
WHILE DRIVING HOME AND JUST ENTERING MY NEIGHBORHOOD, I NOTICED A LOW TIRE WARNING ON MY DASHBOARD. I LOOKED AT THE PRESSURE AND THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 26 POUNDS STILL IN THE TIRE AND THE CLOSEST PLACE TO FILL UP WAS AT MY HOUSE. WHILE APPROACHING A RIGHT TURN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND BECAUSE OF THE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS OF SNOW AND ICE ON THE ROAD, I SLOWED DOWN TO A CRAWL AND APPLIED MY BRAKE PRIOR TO AND WHILE TURNING. WHILE IN THE BEGINNING OF MY TURN, I INSTANTLY REALIZED THAT I HAD NO CONTROL OF MY CAR AND I SLID INTO A SNOW BANK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT I WAS GOING TOO SLOW FOR MY CAR TO SLIDE. I WAS RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD FROM MY HOME SO I CONTINUED HOME THINKING I COULD NOT HAVE HAD SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE; HOWEVER, AS I WAS DRIVING, MY RIDE DID NOT FEEL NORMAL EVEN THOUGH I WAS TRAVELING AT A VERY SLOW PACE. WHEN I GOT INTO MY GARAGE, I FOUND MY TIRE WAS COMPLETELY FLAT AND THE DAMAGE WAS SIGNIFICANT TO MY FRONT DRIVER SIDE BUMPER. THE NEXT MORNING I REMOVED MY TIRE TO SEE WHERE THE PUNCTURE WAS AND IF IT WAS REPAIRABLE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION AND WHILE FILLING THE TIRE WITH AIR, I REALIZED THERE WAS NO HOLE IN THE TIRE BUT THERE WAS A FAST AIR LEAK AT THE RIM. ON MONDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 15, 2021 I BROUGHT MY TIRE IN FOR REPAIR. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT A DEFECT EXIST IN MY TIRE AND WHEN I LOOKED TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL, I REALIZED THAT THE SAME TIRE I HAVE ON MY VEHICLE IS SHOWN ON THE RECALL LIST BUT IT IS FOR 2019 TIRES AND NOT 2018. PLEASE LOOK INTO MY COMPLAINT AND CONCERN. IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY, I COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN KILLED. I HAD NO CONTROL OVER MY VEHICLE WHEN THE AIR WENT OUT AT THE RIM. MY TIRE IS A CONTINENTAL CONTIPROCONTACT P215/60R16 94T ALL SEASON DOT 6YX8 3YD 2018. THE TIRE SAYS MADE IN SLOVAKIA. OTHER NUMBERS ON THE TIRE WERE 3-979 84579 230385 E4 0231843.
DISPLAY ON MY VEHICLE KEEPS SAYING FRONT RADAR OBSTRUCTION ALTHOUGH NOTHING IS EITHER ON THE ROAD NOR IN FRONT OF MY VEHICLE. THIS DOES THIS WITHOUT WARNING AT LEAST 5-6 TIMES WHILE I'M DRIVING ON CITY STREETS, HIGHWAY OR JUST TURNING. AT RANDOM THE WARNING WILL SHOW AND THE LIGHTS WILL COME UP ON MY DRIVER PANEL THEN A FEW MINS LATER IT GOES OFF.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING, THERE WAS AN ABNORMALLY ANNOYING SOUND COMING FROM THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE UNITED NISSAN DEALER LOCATED AT 3025 E SAHARA AVE, LAS VEGAS, NV 89104, WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE SOUND WAS NORMAL AND NO FAILURE WAS FOUND. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.
WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE I DID NOTICE THAT THE STEERING WHEEL FELT LOOSE BUT THEN I FIGURED, IT'S A NEW VEHICLE THAT I HAVE TO GET A CUSTOM TO. THIS WAS IN FEBRUARY 2020, IT IS AUGUST AND I HAD TWO WHEEL BALANCES DONE ON THE VEHICLE ASSUMING THAT WAS THE ISSUE, HOWEVER, THE STEERING WHEEL CONTINUED TO WORSEN AND WAS OUT OF CONTROL AS I DROVE ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAD TO LITERALLY GUIDE THE STEERING WHEEL, HOLDING IT TIGHTLY, ESPECIALLY IN TURNS. NOW THE STEERING WHEEL GOES ALL AROUND AND IS COMPLETELY LOOSE.I CANNOT DRIVE IN THE HIGHWAY IT BECOMES WORSE FOR SOME REASON. ALSO WHEN I PRESS THE ACCELERATOR, IT SEEMS AS THE CAR GOES AHEAD OF ME AND I ROCK BACK A BIT AND THE SPEED CONTROL ARROW MOVES UP AND DOWN IN CONSISTENTLY. I ALSO HAD TO CHANGE THE BRAKES ABOUT A MONTH AGO. THIS IS A 2018 NISSAN ALTIMA. I RECEIVED THE VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 39000 MILES. THE CAR FEELS LOPSIDED TOO.
WHILE I WAS DRIVING AROUND MY CITY (SAN JOSE,CA), THE STEERING WHEN I TURN LEFT IT RIGHT STARTING SHAKING.... IT'S NOT NORMAL BECAUSE THE CAR WAS GOOD. AND NOW I CAN'T GO TOO FAR WITH THAT ISSUE.
WHEN I FIRST PICKED UP MY CAR THE STEERING WHEEL WAS VERY STIFF SO I ASKED THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT IT THE SAME DAY- I WAS TOLD IT WAS PROBABLY THE ALIGNMENT AND TO NOT BRING IT BACK. AND IF I DID, THEY MAY CHARGE ME TO LOOK AT. ABOUT 2 MONTHS LATER I HAD BEEN NOTICING MY CAR WOULD MAKE AN ODD NOISE AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES OF DRIVING AND WHEN I WOULD BRAKE. THE DEALERSHIP DIDN?T HAVE TIME TO LOOK AT MY CAR SO I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC TO CHECK IF THERE WAS SOMETHING IN BRAKES THAT WAS MAKING THE NOISE. THEY ADVISED ME TO GO TO THE DEALERSHIP AS THE NOISE WAS NOT COMING FROM MY BRAKES BUT AROUND MY TRANSMISSION- WHICH WARRANTY WOULD COVER. I FINALLY GOT AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD I WOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THEM TO CHECK IT ***IF NOTHING WAS WRONG***. MID DAY AFTER DROPPING THE CAR OFF THE NIGHT BEFORE- I WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULDN'T HEAR ANY NOISE AND TO EITHER LEAVE IT WITH THEM OR TAKE IT HOME AND IF IT?S MAKES THE NOISE TO BRING IT BACK. SO I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT MORNING AND I WAS GIVEN THAT OPTION AGAIN. THE MECHANIC WALKED BACK TO PULL THE CAR AROUND AND NOT EVEN 5 MINUTES LATER HE RETURNS TO SAY AS SOON AS HE STARTED THE CAR- HE HEARD IT. AND IT WAS LOUD ENOUGH TO HEAR THROUGH MUSIC (WHICH IT WASN'T REALLY AT THE TIME) AND TO LEAVE IT FOR IT TO BE CHECKED AGAIN. I WAS THEN TOLD A DAY LATER THAT MY POWER STEERING PUMP WOULD NEED TO REPLACED AND THAT IT WOULD WELL OVER 1K. THEY DIDN'T NOT OFFER AN APOLOGY OR HELP. INSTEAD THEY CHARGED ME WHEN I WENT TO PICK UP THE CAR AND WERE RUDE. I HAD ASKED FOR MY PAPERWORK AS WELL AS THEY DIDN'T PROVIDE IT TO ME WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR, I WAS MET WITH INCREDIBLE RUDENESS AND BADGERING. I DID REACH OUT TO NISSAN CORPORATE FOR MONTHS WITH NO RESOLUTION. THE LAST I HEARD WAS FROM AN AGENT THAT HE ASKED THEM TO PROVIDE ME WITH THE PAPERWORK, BUT HE COULDN'T GUARANTEE THEY WOULD. I WAS OFFERED NO FURTHER HELP. *TR
SECOND ISSUE WITH MY 2018 NISSAN ALTIMA. WAS IN THE SHOP IN OCTOBER FOR THE FRONT COLLISION SENSOR MALFUNCTIONING. SENSOR WAS DETECTING OBSTRUCTIONS WHEN NOTHING WAS THERE. LOCAL DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE SENSOR IN OCTOBER. LESS THAN ONE MONTH OUT OF THE SHOP (THIS WEEK), THE SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN. STATED FEB: UNAVAILABLE FRONT RADAR OBSTRUCTION AND WAS STEADILY BLINKING AGAIN.AGAIN, NOTHING IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE THAT WOULD HAVE TRIGGERED THE SENSOR. CONTACTED NISSAN CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN FOR REPAIR. DROPPED VEHICLE TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD LOOK AT THE SENSOR AND CHANGE OUT THE BRACKET THE SENSOR SITS IN TO SEE IF THAT CORRECTS THE ISSUE. VERY FRUSTRATED WITH THIS ISSUE. .
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING AROUND A CURVE AT 25 MPH, THE STEERING MALFUNCTIONED AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED WITHOUT WARNING, LOUD SQUEAKING NOISES WERE HEARD, AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JACKSON NISSAN (2400 SEYMOUR RD, JACKSON, MI 49201, (517) 788-8300) AT LEAST TEN TIMES SINCE IT WAS FIRST LEASED IN MAY OF 2018. THE DEALER RECENTLY REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS AND POWER STEERING PUMP. THE FAILURES RECURRED AND THE CONTACT WAS RELUCTANT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER SENT THE CONTACT A SETTLEMENT RELEASE AND OFFERED TO PAY $2,000. BY SIGNING THE RELEASE, THE CONTACT WOULD RELIEVE THE MANUFACTURER OF ALL LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY IF SOMETHING WENT WRONG. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100.
TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2018 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, BETWEEN A GUARD RAIL AND A TRACTOR TRAILER, THE VEHICLE BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. HERTZ RENTAL CAR (LOCATED AT 2200 RENTAL CAR CENTER PKWY, ATLANTA, GA 30337, (404) 530-2925) WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,876. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT PURCHASED A LEMON (2017 NISSAN VEHICLE) AND SWAPPED IT OUT FOR A 2018 ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL IN THE 2018 ALTIMA MADE CLICKING AND POPPING NOISES WHEN TURNED, WHICH POSSIBLY WERE CAUSED BY THE LINKAGE IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SEVERAL UNKNOWN NISSAN DEALERS, BUT THEY CLAIMED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING TO REPAIR. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE ORIGINAL DEALER (DON DAVIS NISSAN, 1320 I-20 FRONTAGE ROAD, ARLINGTON, TX 76018, (877) 415-3218) WAS CONDUCTING UNETHICAL BUSINESS PRACTICES WITH HER VEHICLE TRANSACTIONS. THE CONTACT HAD BEEN IN TOUCH WITH SEVERAL AGENCIES, INCLUDING THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU, TO PLEAD HER CASE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,400.
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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