2003 Nissan Maxima Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2003 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. Additionally, while driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was later towed to the residence. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted regarding the failure. The failure mileage was 225,000.

NHTSA ID

11541463

Incident

Aug 1, 2023

Mileage

225,000 mi

Please fix your auto fill --- it just erased everything! Anyway, the engine cuts out while driving in traffic. The engine cuts out while waiting at a red light. The engine cuts out while turning. It's ALL random! The engine code shows P0340, Bank 1 and Bank2, and sometimes P0345. I have replaced the camshaft position sensors FIVE times!!!!! I have tried both Auto Zone and Hitachi, and neither of them solves the problem. I also paid to have the crankshaft sensor below replaced, and that didn't help. I am told that this problem has been posted online and it was recommended to only use OEM parts. This is very dangerous to lose power while in traffic, and then having to wait until the engine will restart, which eventually it does. This is an ongoing problem. PLEASE help!!!

NHTSA ID

11420324

Incident

Apr 1, 2019

AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE CAR JERKED AND FELT LIKE IT WAS LOSING ACCELERATION. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, TCS AND SLID LIGHT TURNED ON. I BEGAN TO FEEL SCARED I HAD MY CHILD, SISTER AND BROTHER IN THE VEHICLE. I PROCEED TO DRIVE HOME WITH CAUTION. ONCE I ARRIVED HOME, I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND TRIED TO RESTART IT. THE CAR WOULD NOT START.

NHTSA ID

11397617

Incident

Feb 23, 2021

Mileage

220,000 mi

WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE STREET IT JUST TURNED OFF. SAID IT WAS CRANK/ CAM POSITION SENSORS WELL CHANGED THEM AND PUT NEW THROTTLE BODY. AND NOW TO FIND THERE IS A RECALL HOWEVER MY VIN IS NOT PART OF IT. WELL IT SHOULD BE. AND BE FIXED. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIX FOR 9 MONTHS. BEEN SITTING LONGER. FIRST HAD TO FIGURE OUT WHERE TO START.

NHTSA ID

11363050

Incident

Oct 1, 2019

Mileage

170,000 mi

IT HAS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, WHEN THE CAR IS UP, IT TAKES TIME TO START AND WHEN IT IS DRIVING IT SOMETIMES TURNS OFF, BUT IF THEY TURN IT ON AGAIN IF IT STARTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

11330525

Incident

Jun 15, 2020

Mileage

188,000 mi

IT HAS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, IT TAKES TIME TO START AND WHEN IT IS DRIVING IT TURNS OFF (BUT IT TURNS ON).IT GOES OFF ON FLAT SURFACES, AND WHEN YOU ARE ON A RISE THAT'S WHERE IT TAKES TO CATCH ON. *TR

NHTSA ID

11330520

Incident

Jun 15, 2020

Mileage

188,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXCEED 3,000 RPM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IDLING, THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE CONTACT SHIFTED THE TRANSMISSION TO NEUTRAL AND THE VEHICLE REMAINED ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS SUBJECTED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V455000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 143,000.

NHTSA ID

11318829

Incident

Mar 1, 2020

Mileage

143,000 mi

THE VEHICLE HAS TWICE LOST POWER AND ENGINE DIED WHILE MOVING DOWN THE STREET. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AFTER THIS INCIDENT AND SHOWED CODE P0345: CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR A (BANK 2). THIS VEHICLE DOES NOT SHOW UP ON THE R3022 CRANKSHAFT/CAMSHAFT SENSOR RECALL. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED 06/2002 AND THE RECALL DATES INCLUDE FROM 02/2001 TO 07/2002. THIS VEHICLE HAS 91,694 MILES ON IT AND THUS SHOULD NOT BE EXHIBITING THIS PROBLEM FROM NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM AND COULD CAUSE A CRASH IN THE FUTURE.

NHTSA ID

11230501

Incident

Jul 8, 2019

Mileage

91,694 mi

CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR FAILED

NHTSA ID

11196151

Incident

Apr 14, 2019

Mileage

123,000 mi

CAR WON'T START. IT TURNS ON AND IT CRANKS BUT IT DOESN'T START

NHTSA ID

11150206

Incident

Nov 8, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED EVERY DAY FOR THE PAST SIX MONTHS. THE DEALER (INGRAM PARK NISSAN, 6990 NORTHWEST LOOP 410, SAN ANTONIO, TX 78238) WAS CONTACTED BY PHONE, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,432.

NHTSA ID

11123263

Incident

Aug 28, 2018

Mileage

124,432 mi

I HAVE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS CRANKING THE CAR, I PURCHASED A NEW BATTERY AND BATTERY TERMINALS. THIS APPEARED TO QUICK FIX IT BUT SOON AFTER THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. SOON AFTER FOLLOWED TCS CONTROL AND ABS LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND THE DIAGNOSIS INVOLVED A PROBLEM WITH THE CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSORS AND CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSORS. I PURCHASED A BOOK ABOUT THE CAR AND READ THAT MY MAKE AND MODEL HAD A RECALL. AFTER DOUBLE CHECKING ONLINE ABOUT THE RECALL I NOTICED IT APPEARED TO BE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. CONVINCED, I WENT TO MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THEM CHECK HOWEVER IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME THAT MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT RECALLED. I WANT TO HAVE MY VIN NUMBER PLACED ON THE NHTSA RECALL LIST SO THAT I MAY HAVE MY VEHICLE REPAIRED. IF THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE PLEASE ADVISE FURTHER. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID

11121539

Incident

Aug 1, 2018

Mileage

100,000 mi

THE CAR HEAVILY BURNS OIL, THIS CAR AS WELL AS MANY OTHER CARS IN THE NISSAN LINE-UP WERE GIVEN THE VQ35DE MOTOR WHICH IS WELL KNOWN FOR BURNING OIL. I AM REQUIRED TO CHANGE MY OIL EVERY 3000 MILES BECAUSE IT BURNS A LOT OF OIL. I FILL UP THE ENGINE 5 QUARTS WHICH IS ABOVE RECOMMENDED BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO RISK RUNNING MY ENGINE DRY OF OIL BECAUSE IT GETS BURNED. EVERY 3000 MILES I GET RID OF ABOUT 2.8 QUARTS WHEN I START OFF WITH 5 QUARTS EACH OIL CHANGE. I ONLY DO CITY DRIVING AND NOT LONG DISTANCE DRIVING. MANY OTHER NISSAN VEHICLES ARE ALSO PLAGUED WITH THIS OIL BURNING ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11052424

Incident

Nov 17, 2017

Mileage

95,846 mi

CAR "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" IS ON. THE CAR RANDOMLY CUTS OFF IN TRAFFIC AND AS DRIVING. WON'T START UP IMMEDIATELY. VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. THE ENGINE TO STOPPED RUNNING WITHOUT WARNING DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

NHTSA ID

11014705

Incident

Aug 11, 2017

Mileage

300,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH UP A HILL, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE SERVICE ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CAM SENSOR SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000.

NHTSA ID

11002572

Incident

Jun 30, 2017

Mileage

120,000 mi

EXCESSIVE ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION AT 150.000 MILES

NHTSA ID

10980940

Incident

Apr 1, 2016

Mileage

150,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 55 MPH CAR LOSES POWER WITHOUT ANY WARNING, THERE WAS NOT MUCH TRAFFIC SO I WAS ABLE PULL OFF THE ROAD. THE CAR REGAINED POWER WITHOUT HAVING TO START ENGINE AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE A LITTLE FURTHER AND IT HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AGAIN. THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT COMES ON AS THIS IS HAPPENING BUT DOESN'T STAY ON. (I CANNOT RUN TEST TO FIND OUT WHAT IS GOING ON AS "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT ONLY COMES ON AS THIS HAPPENING). THE ENGINE IS STILL ON/RUNNING BUT THERE IS NO POWER/ACCELERATION TO THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10955570

Incident

Feb 4, 2017

Mileage

109,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED AND STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V455000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

NHTSA ID

10937740

Incident

Dec 1, 2016

Mileage

97,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED TROUBLE STARTING AND THE ENGINE POWER WAS REDUCED. THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE CONTROL SENSOR, CRANK POSITION SENSOR, AND CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V455000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,171.

NHTSA ID

10905868

Incident

Sep 9, 2016

Mileage

60,171 mi

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2003 NISSAN MAXIMA THAT WAS MARYLAND STATE INSPECTED. I DROVE IT FOR ABOUT A WEEK WHEN I WAS DRIVING ALONG ON A BUSY ROAD AND THE CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROADWAY. LUCKILY, NOBODY WAS INJURED OR HIT THE STALLED CAR. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE NISSAN REPAIR SHOP. IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH TWO DEFECTIVE CAMSHAFT SENSORS. I FOUND OUT THAT THIS PART WAS RECALLED UNDER NISSAN'S RECALL PROGRAM, SO I CALLED THEM TO SEE IF THEY WOULD REPLACE THE PART. THEY REFUSED TO COVER THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PART EVEN THOUGH THEY REPLACED THESE PARTS BEFORE UNDER YOUR RECALL.

NHTSA ID

10885309

Incident

Jul 5, 2016

Mileage

101,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. ON SOME OCCASIONS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE AFTER THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V455000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 09/08/16*LJ UPDATED 09/29/16.8JB

NHTSA ID

10883669

Incident

Jul 8, 2016

OIL COOLER LEAK REPLACED O RING 5 TIMES REPLACED NOT FIXED YET.

NHTSA ID

10849724

Incident

Jan 4, 2012

VEHICLE STALLS AT RANDOM, ROUGH/NO START, LOSS OF POWER, ENGINE LIGHT/CODE SHAFT SENSOR. SAME SYMPTOMS AS RECALL FOR THIS YEAR OUR VIN WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE LIST OF RECALLED VEHICLES.

NHTSA ID

10826067

Incident

Jan 2, 2016

THIS IS REFERENCE TO TWO SITUATION CONCERNING NISSAN RECALLS. IN 2014 I TOOK MY CAR TO SANSONE NISSAN DEALER ON RT 1, NJ TO TAKE CARE OF THE AIRBAG RECALL ISSUE NHTSA REF#15V287000. MY AIRBAG LIGHT WAS NOT ON WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, AFTER I CAME HOME A WEEK LATER THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. I DON'T THINK THE DEALER TOOK CARE OF THE RECALL ISSUE, IF THEY DID MY AIRBAG LIGHT WOULD NOT BE ON. I WOULD LIKE NISSAN TO GIVE AUTHORIZATION TO THE DEALER TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. MY SECOND ISSUE WAS ON JAN 2016, I WAS DRIVING TO WORK, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR SHUT OFF ON ME, THE BRAKE LOCK UP AND ALL I COULD DO WAS STAIR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD..I WAS LUCKY THAT THERE WASN'T ANY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I HAD TO CALL THE TOW TRUCK TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED BUT BEFORE THE TOW TRUCK CAME I TRIED STARTING THE CAR AGAIN AND IT STARTED. I WAS A FEW MINUTES FROM HOME, SO I DROVE BACK HOME AND I HAD MY LOCAL MECHANIC PICKED IT UP AND DID A DIAGNOSIS ON IT. HE SAID IT WAS THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR, I PURCHASED IT AND HE INSTALLED IT. THE CAR STARTED WORKING A LITTLE BETTER BUT MY SERVICE ENGINE SOON WARNING LIGHT IS STILL ON. I DID A LITTLE INVESTIGATION AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING RECALL #03V455000. I READ IT AND FOUND THAT THE CONSEQUENCE ON THE RECALL IS THE EXACT SAME THING THAT HAPPEN TO ME. AGAIN SANSONE DEALER ON RT. 1 IN NJ IS CLAIMING THAT THEY TOOK CARE OF THIS ISSUE BUT I WAS NEVER TOLD THAT THIS WAS A RECALL BY NISSAN. I WANTED NISSAN TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM BASED ON THE FIX UNDER NHTSA REF# 03V455000. I'VE BEEN TAKING CAR OF ALL THE MAINTENANCE ON MY CAR SINCE I PURCHASED IT FROM NISSAN BUT I FEEL THAT NISSAN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE TWO ISSUE, SINCE IT WAS DEFECT IN DESIGN ON THEIR END.

NHTSA ID

10825049

Incident

Jan 4, 2016

Mileage

86,600 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V455000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000.

NHTSA ID

10824183

Incident

Feb 4, 2016

Mileage

147,000 mi