1998 Nissan Altima Electrical System

AFTER ARRIVING HOME SAFELY FROM A LONG HIGHWAY DRIVE (7 HRS), OUR CAR SAT FOR ABOUT 5 HOURS. WHEN I STARTED THE CAR, I SMELLED SMOKE AND HEARD A UNUSUAL RUBBING NOISE UNDER THE HOOD. AFTER POPPING THE HOOD, I SAW SMOKE POURING OUT OF THE ALTERNATOR. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, WENT INSIDE TO GET A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. THE FIRE WAS STILL BURNING, BUT SEEMED TO BE INSIDE THE ALTERNATOR. I EXTINGUISHED IT AND HOPEFULLY SAVED SERIOUS ENGINE DAMAGE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND IS AWAITING SERVICE NOW.

THE CAR WAS IDLE AT A RED LIGHT WHEN IT SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY (ENGINE, RADIO, LIGHTS, ETC). IT WOULD NOT START AGAIN. I GOT A JUMP AND IT STARTED. THE NEXT DAY IT STARTED FINE. I LET IT IDLE FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES AND IT WAS OKAY. I DROVE IT FOR A FEW MINUTES AND IT DIED AGAIN. I HAD IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. NONE OF THE DIAGNOSTIC TESTS SHOWED ANYTHING WRONG (BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, ETC. WERE OKAY). THEY DROVE IT AND IT DID NOT DIE AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO A NISSAN DEALER AND THEY CANNOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS EITHER. *NM

WHILE APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

SEVERAL TIMES THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T START, I HAD TO HAVE IT JUMP STARTED. USUALLY HAPPENED AFTER IT HAD BEEN DRIVEN FOR A SHORT TIME, STOPPED AND THEN TRIED TO RESTART. ONE TIME IT WOULDN'T START EVEN WITH A JUMP. BATTERY WAS REPLACED AND IT CONTINUED TO HAPPEN. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ALL READINGS FOR BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR CAME BACK NORMAL.*JB

HORN IS SO LOW, IF ANOTHER DRIVER HAS WINDOW UP, CONSUMER WON'T BE ABLE TO HERE THE HORN. ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS.DEALER CONTACTED.*AK

AFTER STARTING VEHICLE BATTERY EXPLODED, CASING HAD CRACKED.*AK

BATTERY BLEW UP SOON AS CONSUMER TURNED ON VEHICLE. THERE WAS SOME DAMAGE TO VEHICLE ON HOOD AND AROUND THE AREA OF THE BATTERY. *AK

BATTERY EXPLODED UPON START OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE SHOOK WHEN BATTERY EXPLODED. ALSO, BATTERY ACID LEAKED. CONSUMER GOT SOME BATTERY ACID IN EYES. CONSUMER WAS BREATHING THE GAS FROM BATTERY. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED BATTERY WAS FAULTY.*AK BATTERY ACID SPRAYED ALL OVER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, FRONT BODY PANELS, FRONT BUMPER, AND THE HOOD WAS DENTED BECAUSE OF THE BATTERY FAILURE. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING COULD PRESS HORN TO ALERT OTHER DRIVERS, BUT HORN WAS NOT AS LOUD AS IT SHOULD BE. CONSUMER SAID HORN COULD NOT BE HEARD THAT MUCH.*AK

THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED AND SOMETIMES THE CAR WON'T START. I REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY, BUT IT STILL HAPPENS.

UPON STARTING THE ENGINE, THE CAR BATTERY EXPLODED. AS A RESULT, I HAD TO PURCHASE A NEW BATTERY. THE CAR ALSO SUFFERED HOOD DAMAGE. I NOTIFIED NISSANS CONSUMER AFFAIRS DEPT. AND THEY SAID THAT THEY WILL RESPOND WITHIN THREE WORKING DAYS.

THE IGNITION SWITCH FUSE FAILED, CAUSING ALL OPERATIONS TO MALFUNCTION. *YC

CAR SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING, RELAY SWITCH REPLACED BECAUSE