2003 Nissan Murano Steering Problems

WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC THE ENGINE ON MY 2003 NISSAN MURANO STOPPED, THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER CAR TO SAFETY, ANOTHER TIME WAITING FOR TRAIN TO CROSS APPROXIMATELY WAITING 12 MINUTES IN DRIVE AND IDLING, ENGINE SHUT ITSELF OFF, WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH AND MAKING LEFT HAND TURN CAR STALLED AGAIN ALMOST RESULTING IN ANOTHER VEHICLE TO HIT MY VEHICLE- CALLED NISSAN AND THEY SAID THAT THE RECALLS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED FOR MY VEHICLE I THEN ASKED NISSAN IS IT DANGEROUS FOR ENGINE TO QUIT WHILE IN MOTION SHE EXPRESSED THAT SHE WAS SORRY FOR THAT TO HAVE HAPPENED- WHAT IF I WERE HIT WHOSE FAULT IS IT TO BE HIT IF YOUR CAR HAS DECIDED TO NOT RUN AT THAT MOMENT?THIS SAME OCCURRENCE HAS HAPPENED OVER AGAIN AND SINCE I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE IT HAS HAD NO HEAT- RESULTING AS TO BEING AN EXPENSIVE SUMMER ONLY VEHICLE REALLY STINKS HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE AND NO ONE HELPS- IS AT DEALER RIGHT NOW AND IS SAYING CAM SENSOR, HOW MUCH WILL IT COST ME TO FIX SOMETHING THAT HASN'T BEEN RIGHT SINCE PURCHASE OF THIS NISSAN 2003 MURANO? I WOULD LIKE THEM TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND FIX THE PROBLEM WITHOUT THE HIGHWAY ROBBERY CRUD! *TR

NHTSA ID

10611357

Incident

Oct 3, 2012

Mileage

98,000 mi

NISSAN MURANO HAS POOR POWER STEERING HIGH PRESSURE HOSE. THE LIQUID LEAKED IS HIGHLY FLAMMABLE AND DANGEROUS. AND IF THE LEAK GOES UNNOTICED, THE DRIVER'S SAFETY IS ALSO A BIG CONCERN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10409219

Incident

Jun 25, 2011

Mileage

90,000 mi

SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM NISSAN DEALERSHIP ITS BEEN ONE THING AFTER THE OTHER FIRST THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS ALREADY BROKE WHEN THE SOLD IT TO US THEY TURNED THE ENGINE LITE OFF PRIOR TO GOING FOR TEST DRIVE THE DAY WE BOUGHT N RODE HOME THE LITE CAME RIGHT BACK ON & HAS BEEN ON SINCE STILL IS DEALER SAID 1500$$ AN THEY WOULD FIX IT NICE... THE FRONT SEAT BROKE, GAS TANK LID WOULDN'T OPEN HAD TO FIX IT, AN NOW STEERING HAS WENT 640$$ TO FIX IT ?? *TR

NHTSA ID

10326998

Incident

Apr 22, 2010

STEERING RUNS OF BOOST (POWER ASSIST) WHEN TURNING QUICKLY. THIS IS NOTICEABLE WHEN PARALLEL PARKING, BUT ALSO NOTICEABLE WHEN EVASIVE MANEUVERS ARE REQUIRED. I CAN SEE A CRASH OCCURRING BECAUSE OF THIS. MINE HAS ACTED LIKE THIS SINCE NEW, AND I BELIEVE THIS UNRELATED TO A BURST HIGH PRESSURE STEERING HOSE THAT MY MURANO ENCOUNTERED AT 52,600 MILES. CONSUMER REPORTS NOTED THAT 2003-2004 MURANOS ALL EXHIBIT THE LOSS OF STEERING BOOST ISSUE, YET NISSAN WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I SEE SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS HERE ON NHTSA FOR THE SAME STEERING BOOST ASSIST ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10262823

Incident

Jun 16, 2003

Mileage

500 mi

HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE LEAKED AT ONLY 52,600 MILES AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE IS 5.5 YEARS OLD AND OUT OF WARRANTY - NISSAN WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIR DESPITE THE VEHICLE BEING LOW MILEAGE AND ME HAVING HAD THE POWER STEERING FLUID FLUSHED AT THE DEALERSHIP WHEN I HIT 30,000 MILES. THE HIGH PRESSURE HOSE AND TOTAL REPAIR COST $650. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR A CAR WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE AND REGULAR MAINTENANCE. DEALER ADVISED THAT DUE TO THE LEAK, VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE, REQUIRING ME TO PAY FOR A RENTAL UNTIL THEY COULD ORDER THE PART AND REPAIR THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10262820

Incident

Mar 23, 2009

Mileage

52,600 mi

CRASH WAS FATAL HEAD-ON COLLISION INVOLVING POWER STEERING PROBLEM IN 2003 AND 2004 MURANOS. MURANO DRIVER WAS ROUNDING SWEEPING RIGHT-HAND CURVE ON FAMILIAR ROAD AND ENDED UP IN ONCOMING LANE. DRIVER APPARENTLY TRIED TO STEER BACK INTO PROPER LANE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO, APPARENTLY BECAUSE STEERING UNEXPECTEDLY BECAME VERY STIFF AND HARD TO TURN WHEN TRYING TO TURN QUICKLY TO AVOID CRASH. CRASH KILLED MURANO DRIVER INSTANTLY, AND INJURED DRIVER AND OCCUPANTS OF ONCOMING PICK-UP TRUCK. EXTENSIVE RESEARCH IN PUBLIC SOURCES HAS FOUND THAT CIRCUMSTANCES OF THIS ACCIDENT MIRROR PROBLEMS WITH SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING-ASSIST EXPERIENCED BY NUMEROUS MURANO DRIVERS IN ACCIDENTS AND NEAR-ACCIDENTS AT NORMAL DRIVING SPEEDS, AS IN OTHER COMPLAINTS ON NHTSA WEBSITE AND NISSAN OWNER WEBSITES, AND AS FOUND BY CONSUMERS REPORTS ACCIDENT AVOIDANCE MANEUVER TESTING. THIS IS A DESIGN ISSUE,WITH STEERING PUMP BASED ON LIGHTER ALTIMA UNABLE TO KEEP UP WITH QUICK STEERING INPUTS. INTERPLAY OF CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION AND DRIVE-BY-WIRE THROTTLE MAY ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO PROBLEM BY CREATING POSSIBILITY OF RAPID DROP IN RPM WHEN DRIVER QUICKLY TAKES FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR, AS IN EMERGENCY. IT IS NOT CLEAR WHETHER OTHER PROBLEMS WITH CAR'S STEERING PERFORMANCE ALSO LED TO INITIAL CROSSING INTO ONCOMING LANE. NISSAN CHANGED STEERING PUMP IN 2005 AND LATER MODELS TO DEAL WITH PROBLEM. DRIVERS OF 2003 AND 2004 MODELS ARE STILL AT RISK FOR LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHEN THEY MOST NEED IT. WHEN LOSS OCCURS IN PARALLEL PARKING IT IS AN INCONVENIENCE; WHEN IT HAPPENS UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING, ESPECIALLY WHEN TRYING TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT, IT IS LIFE-THREATENING, AS IN THIS CASE. BECAUSE IT IS A DESIGN FEATURE, ALL 2003 AND 2004 MURANOS ARE SUBJECT TO THIS PROBLEM. MURANO OWNERS (AND DEALERS) SHOULD BE NOTIFIED IMMEDIATELY OF THIS DANGEROUS DESIGN DEFECT. THERE SHOULD BE SAFETY RECALL FOR REPLACEMENT OF INADEQUATE STEERING PUMP SYSTEM BEFORE THERE ARE MORE FATALITIES AND INJURIES.*NM

NHTSA ID

10171096

Incident

Dec 28, 2003

Mileage

1,914 mi

SUV PULLS TO THE SIDE WHEN STEERING WHEEL LIGHTLY RELEASED. BROUGHT TO DEALER 3X BUT CANNOT FIX, SAYS RUN FOR !K MILES AND SEE BUT STILL RECURS. DRIVER SIDE WINDOW MAKES SQUEAKY NOISE WHEN OPEN, DEALER CHANGED WINDOW RUNNER BUT STILL NOISY. ENGINE SEEMS TO CHOKE WHEN DRIVEN AFTER PARKING UPHILL, DEALER SAID REMOVED SOME AIR BUBBLES IN GAS TANK BUT STILL RECURS. RIGHT FRONT SHOCK FEELS DRIBBLING WHEN DRIVEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, DEALER CANT FIND ANY PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10125029

Incident

Mar 15, 2005

Mileage

14,000 mi

INTERMITTENTLY THE STEERING WOULD BECOME TIGHT WHEN MAKING A QUICK TURN. THIS CAUSED LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. THE CONSUMER ANTICIPATED A VEHICLE CRASH IF THIS CONDITION CONTINUED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED VIA PHONE. *AK THE STEERING WOULD ALSO TIGHTEN ON QUICK SLOW TURNS AND FASTER HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE OVERALL HANDLING ON THIS VEHICLE DID NOT SEEM SAFE ON HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE CONSUMER SUGGESTED THAT A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10117101

Incident

Jan 1, 2005

Mileage

12,000 mi

THE VEHCILE BECAME HARD TO STEER AT LOW SPEEDS. DEALER IS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK *NM

NHTSA ID

10113136

Incident

Oct 19, 2004

Mileage

32,000 mi

WHEN TURNING AT LOW SPEEDS THE STEERING INTERMITTENTLY BECOMES STIFF AND REQUIRES INCREASED FORCE TO MANEUVER THE REST OF THE TURN. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP ON 2 OCCASIONS, BOTH OF WHICH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND THEREFORE UNABLE TO FIX. *NM

NHTSA ID

10106379

Incident

Jan 10, 2005

Mileage

29,000 mi

LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHEN IN SHARP OR SUDDEN TURN ESPECIALLY NEAR THE END OF A TURN. CONDITION IS INTERMITTANT, BUT IS A MAJOR SAFETY RISK. ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE OWNERSHIP OF CAR.*AK

NHTSA ID

10100230

Incident

Nov 19, 2004

2003 MURANO. THE POWER STEERING FADES IN AND OUT WHILE TURNING AT SLOW SPEEDS . TURN THE STEERING ONE WAY TO ONE DIRECTION AND TRY TO QUICKLY TURN IT BACK TO THE OPPOSITE WAY WHILE SLIGHTLY ACCELERATING. ALL OF A SUDDEN, STEERING BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT AND REQUIRES MUSCLE POWER CAUSING A FEW NEAR COLLISIONS WHEN CHANGING LANE OR MANEUVERING OUT OF SUDDEN AVOIDANCE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10088084

Incident

Jul 16, 2004

Mileage

5,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING HOME ON A 4 LANE ROAD WITH A CENTER TURN LANE IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE WHEN THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME SUDDENLY STOPPED. I HIT THE BRAKES AND SWERVED INTO THE LEFT HAND LANE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. I WAS TRAVELING APROX. 25 TO 30 MPH. THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND THE CAR WAS CROSSING THROUGH THE TURN LANE HEADING FOR ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I JERKED THE WHEEL HARD TO THE RIGHT AND THE POWER STEERING CAME BACK AT THE LAST POSSIBLE MOMENT NARROWLY AVOIDING A HEAD ON COLLISION.*AK

NHTSA ID

10083039

Incident

Jul 30, 2004

Mileage

1,864 mi

EVENT IS REPRODUCIBLE WHEN TURNED STEERING WHEEL AT A FAST RATE WHICH RESULTS IN A SUDDEN BUT TEMPORARY LOSS OF STEERING. DUE TO THIS DESIGN, WHEN TRYING TO MANEUVER THE CAR QUICKLY AT LOW SPEEDS MAKE IS VERY DANGEROUS TO CONTROL THE CAR WHEN THE POWER STEERING IS LOST, EVEN LOST TEMPORARILY.*AK

NHTSA ID

10067946

Incident

Sep 1, 2003

Mileage

50 mi

2003 MURANO. THE POWER STEERING FADES IN AND OUT WHILE TURNING AT SLOW SPEEDS, ESPECIALLY WHEN PARKING OR DRIVING IN TRAFFIC JAMS. ALL OF A SUDDEN, STEERING BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT AND REQUIRES MUSCLE POWER CAUSING A FEW NEAR COLLISIONS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10058187

Incident

Oct 1, 2003

Mileage

5,000 mi

COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AT LOW RPM'S. POWER STEERING IS MINIMAL TO NON-EXISTANT WHEN YOU NEED IT MOST, LIKE IN PARKING LOT. 15,000 MILES.*AK

NHTSA ID

10056911

Incident

Feb 2, 2003

Mileage

15,000 mi

COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AT LOW RPM'S. WHILE SLOWING DOWN AND GOING AROUND A TURN, THE POWER STEERING WILL COMPLETELY FAIL. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED 6 ACCIDENTS IN THE LAST 4 MONTHS. ONLY HAPPENS AT LOW RPM'S.*AK

NHTSA ID

10048805

Incident

Nov 24, 2003

Mileage

6,500 mi