2005 Nissan Altima Electrical System

I PURCHASED MY 2005 ALTIMA BRAND NEW AND I HAVE ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY TWICE. THE FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED JUST PASSED THE 36,000 MILE MARK (LESS THEN TWO YEARS) SO I WAS STUCK PAYING OUT OF MY POCKET. THE SECOND INCIDENT JUST HAPPENED IN DEC. 17, 2007 WHERE THE CAR JUST TURNED OFF ON ME WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED (POSSIBLE CAUSE: CRANKSHAFT SENSOR), AND THEN THE CAR WOULD NOT START WHILE AT THE INTERSECTION. A QUICK JUMP START GOT ME UP AND RUNNING, BUT THE BATTERY TESTED BAD AT THE LOCAL AUTO PARTS STORE.*CN

CAR WILL JERK AND CUT OFF SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING, WHEN CAR IS IN MOTION AND WHEN SITTING STILL IDLING. MAKES DRIVING VERY HAZARDOUS. FOUND OUT A RECALL ON THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR SO CALLED LOCAL NISSAN DEALER AND TOOK IN FOR THE REPAIR. FOUND OUT NISSAN ONLY ALLOWS DEALER TO REPROGRAM THE SENSOR UNDER THE RECALL. THIS, ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, PROBABLY WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, AFTER 3 DAYS OF DRIVING WITH NO EVENT, IT STARTED AGAIN. I FOUND OUT THIS IS A MAJOR RECALL INVOLVING THOUSANDS OF ALTIMA'S. ALSO, SINCE THE 2005 MODEL, THE NISSAN CORP. HAS REDESIGNED THIS SENSOR BECAUSE OF ALL THE PAST PROBLEMS . THE LOCAL DEALER THAT REPROGRAMMED THE SENSOR SAID WE WILL HAVE TO PAY $194.00 TO REPLACE IT. WHEN NISSAN REDESIGNED THIS SENSOR DUE TO PROBLEMS IN THE PAST, THEY SHOULD STAND BY THE OWNERS OF THE STILL DEFECTIVE PARTS THAT REPROGRAMMING DOES NOT FIX, AND REPLACE THE SENSOR AS PART OF THE RECALL. THIS IS ABSURD TO PAY FOR A REPLACEMENT PART INVOLVED IN A RECALL. THE REPROGRAMMING DID NOT FIX THE SENSOR, THE DEALER SAID NUMEROUS TIMES IT HAS NOT. (WITH OTHER OWNERS) THIS PROBLEM WITH THE CAR SUDDENLY FAILING ALMOST CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY TO ME .IT HAS CUT OFF SUDDENLY NUMEROUS TIMES ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND I HAD TO NAVIGATE/COAST TO RIGHT SIDE,, PULL OF THE ROAD AND RESTART . ALSO, WHEN SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT, STOP SIGN, IT CUT OFF SUDDENLY,WHEN TAKING FOOT OFF BRAKE AND TRYING TO ACCELERATE, CAUSING THE CAR TO SLOWLY ROLL OUT IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC, NOT REALIZING ENGINE HAD FAILED. THIS PUTS ANYONE IN YOUR CAR IN SERIOUS DANGER. I FEAR IT IS GOING TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, I NEVER KNOW WHEN THE ENGINE IS TO FAIL.. IF GOING AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED IT WILL SOMETIMES JERK,, THEN CUT OFF, OR FAIL WITH NO WARNING. WHEN IDLING IT CONSISTENTLY FAILS. NO JERKING. BECAUSE THE SENSOR IS LINKED TO THE COMPUTER SYSTEM, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME . *TR

CAR SOMETIMES WON'T START AND CUT OFF IN TRAFFIC WHILE DRIVING. *TR

PERIODICALLY MY VEHICLE FAILS TO START ON THE FIRST TRY, IT JUST WON'T TURN OVER, BUT ON THE SECOND TRY IT IS FINE. YESTERDAY THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT TURN OVER AT ALL. IT IS NOT A BATTERY ISSUE AS THE WIPERS/LIGHTS COME ON. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY INDICATED THEY HAVE HAD A FEW COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE SAME ISSUE. THE VEHICLE IS ACTUALLY 'FLOODED'? I WENT OUT AN HOUR AFTER MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT STARTING THE CAR AND IT STILL DID NOT START. NOT SURE HOW A FUEL INJECTED VEHICLE THAT DOES NOT USE THE ACCELERATOR TO START, GETS FLOODED? THIS MAKES ME NERVOUS I'M GOING TO GET STRANDED SOMEWHERE WITH A VEHICLE THAT PERIODICALLY WILL FLOOD AND NOT START??? THE DEALER DID NOT FIX OR REPLACE ANYTHING. NOT VERY COMFORTING. *TR

I DROVE A 2005 ALTIMA 2.5S WHICH I PURCHASED NEW IN APRIL OF 2005. IT WAS MAINTAINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH NISSAN RECOMMENDATIONS. CURRENT MILEAGE APPROXIMATELY 21,000. NO ACCIDENTS ,AND WAS IN EXCELLENT TO GOOD CONDITION. WHILE DRIVING TO WORK I EXITED THE HIGHWAY AND APPROACHED A TRAFFIC LIGHT. AS I APPROACHED THE LIGHT, THE CAR BEGAN TO JERK AND STALLED. PRIOR TO THE STALL THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEM WITH THE CAR AND NO WARNING LIGHTS TO SIGNAL A PROBLEM. UPON STALLING THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN QUICKLY SHUT OFF AGAIN. I TRIED TO START THE CAR. THE CAR STARTED RIGHT AWAY AND BEGAN THE SAME JERKING MOTION. AS I CAME TO THE NEXT LIGHT I WAS ABLE TO TURN RIGHT AND PULL THE CAR OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD JUST AS THE CAR CAME TO A STALL A SECOND TIME. I CALLED NISSAN. WHILE ON THE PHONE, I NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE HOOD OF MY VEHICLE. IN A MATTER OF SECONDS THE SMOKE BECAME DARKER. I REALIZED THAT THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. I EXITED THE VEHICLE. WHILE ON THE PHONE WITH THE 911 OPERATOR,FLAMES CAME OUT OF THE HOOD. OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST THREE AND ONE-HALF WEEKS I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH NISSAN REGARDING THE CAR FIRE AND WARRANTY. NISSAN TOOK TWO WEEKS TO SEND AN ENGINEER TO LOOK AT THE CAR, AND IT HAS BEEN OVER A WEEK SINCE THE ENGINEER VISITED, AND I STILL HAVE NOT BEEN TOLD WHAT RECOURSE WAS AVAILABLE OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT I MAY HAVE TO GO TO ARBITRATION WITH NISSAN TO SEEK ANY DAMAGES. I HAVE SEEN NOTHING BUT A COMPLETE DISREGARD FOR PROFESSIONALISM AND SERVICE FROM A COMPANY WHICH TOUTED ITSELF AS A SERVICE-ORIENTED ORGANIZATION. I HOPE THIS COMPLAINT DREW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE NEED FOR A SERIOUS INQUIRY INTO POTENTIAL PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE 2005 ALTIMA. CAR FIRES WHICH OCCUR IN NEW VEHICLES WERE A DANGEROUS MATTER, AND I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT NISSAN HAS NOT DEALT WITH THIS ISSUE IN A MORE APPROPRIATE WAY. EVERYONE INVOLVED WAS FORTUNATE NO ONE WAS INJURED OR KILLED. *AK

I HAVE HAD MY CAR FOR 2 YEARS AND I PURCHASED IT AT THE BAKER JACKSON THAT I AM REFERRING TO. IN AUGUST I STARTED TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR SHUTTING DOWN WITH NO WARNINGS WHICH IS A SAFETY HAZARD CONSIDERING I DRIVE MOSTLY ON THE FREEWAY. I TOOK IT INTO THE SHOP AND THEY CLAIM THEY DID A DIAGNOSIS AND FOUND THAT MY BATTERY WAS ERODED SO THEY HAD TO CLEANED THE BATTERY AND FUEL INJECTION. WELL AFTER I PAID AND PICKED UP MY CAR THE SAME THING HAPPENED A DAY LATER. TO SUM IT UP MY CAR HAS BEEN TO THE SHOP ON THE FOLLOWING DATES 8/21/07,8/27/07,9/18/07 STAYED THERE FOR DAYS TO WEEKS AT A TIME AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL UNRESOLVED. I AM A TEACHER AND A RECENT GRADUATE STUDENT SO I REALLY DON'T HAVE MUCH MONEY TO BE IN AND OUT OF RENTAL CARS AND GET BACK A NON-FUNCTIONING CAR AFTER EVERY VISIT. THE STORY I GET WHEN I SPEAK TO THEM IS IT RUNS FINE WHEN THEY DRIVE IT AND THEY HAD IT FOR TWO WEEKS AT ONE TIME. I LOOKED UP MY CAR ONLINE AND MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I JUST WANT MY CAR FIXED SO THAT I CAN GO TO WORK AND COME HOME SAFELY WITH OUT ENDANGERING MY LIFE OR ANYONE ELSE. I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH ON ALTIMA?S 2004 ^ AND FOUND THAT MANY HAVE BEEN HAVING ENGINE PROBLEMS AND HAVE THE SAME SYMPTOMS THAT I AM EXPERIENCING. ?ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 2.5L ENGINE, A VARIATION IN TEMPERATURE OCCURS DUE TO THE UNIQUE LOCATION OF THE SENSOR IN THE ENGINE. UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS, THESE VARIATIONS IN TEMPERATURE CAN BE LARGE ENOUGH TO CAUSE A BRIEF INTERRUPTION IN THE SIGNAL OUTPUT FROM THE SENSOR. IF THE INTERRUPTION IN THE SIGNAL FROM THE SENSOR IS SO BRIEF THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) LOGIC DOES NOT HAVE TIME TO DIAGNOSE THE CONDITION, THE ENGINE MAY STOP RUNNING WITHOUT WARNING WHILE THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN AT A LOW SPEED INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.? COULD YOU PLEASE HELP ME INVESTIGATE THIS SO I CAN GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS? I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME OUT TO READ MY STORY. *JB

TL*- WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH THE 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONTACT SMELLED A BURNING ODOR, BUT WASN'T QUITE SURE WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM UNTIL A BYSTANDER INFORMED HER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE STARTED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE BY THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, CONTINUING TO BURN UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE INSURANCE COMPANY STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS. THE CONTACT COULD PROVIDE PICTURES OF VEHICLE IF NEEDED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE BOTH 18000.*AK

ALTERNATOR - I WAS TOLD THAT THE ALTERNATOR IS ON BACKORDER, I DON'T UNDERSTAND, I AM NUMBER 11 ON THE LIST. *NM

I HAVE A 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA WITH A FAULTY IGNITION. MY GRANDSON, WHO WAS A SALESMAN AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE IN 2005, TOOK THE CAR IN TO BE CHECKED BECAUSE MY KEY KEPT GETTING STUCK IN THE IGNITION . I WAS TOLD THAT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS CONTINUED TO OCCUR REPEATEDLY AND IS GETTING WORSE. MY KEY WAS STUCK IN THE IGNITION FOR 5 DAYS THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED. I WILL JUST USE THE LAST OCCURRENCE DATE AS THE 'INCIDENT DATE' BECAUSE IT TOOK THE LONGEST TIME TO GET THE KEY OUT. *NM

I PURCHASED A 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA ON 2005, SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR EVERY NOW A THEN, WHEN I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION IT WILL NOT TURN, I TRY TURN THE KEY IT TURN AND STARTED THE CAR. ON 10/18/06 I TRIED TO START THE CAR WHEN I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION IT DID NOT TURN, THE KEY GOES IN BUT THE WHEEL IS STOCK AND IT WILL NOT TURN. I SEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS FROM CUSTOMER WITH THE SAME PROBLEM IN THE INTERNET. I NEED MY CAR SO I HAVE TO TOW MY CAR TO THE DEALER AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. I THINK THAT THE IGNITION HAS A DEFECT AND THE COMPANY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY FIXING. *NM

NOW, WHEN I PICKED IT UP FROM THAT DEALER, MY CAR WOULD NOT START. I CRANKED IT 4 TIMES AND IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER. NISSAN TECH WHO WORKED ON MY CAR, RAISED HIS HANDS UP AND SAID "I JUST FIXED THE MOLDING". AND WALKED AWAY. MY CAR NEVER HAD THAT ISSUE BEFORE. JUST WHEN I PICKED IT UP THAT FROM THE DEALER. ANOTHER MORE HELPFUL TECH CAME AND IMMEDIATELY TOLD ME HE NEEDED TO REPROGRAM MY KEYS?!?! HE DID IT AND SAID BRING IN ALL THE REST NEXT WEEK AND I'LL REPROGRAM. I WENT HOME AND NONE OF MY KEYS WORKED. I HAD TO TOW IT INTO MY LOCAL DEALER "MY NISSAN" IN SALINAS CA AND THEY TOLD ME THEY COULD REPROGRAM ALL MY KEYS FOR ONLY $50. 2 HOURS LATER THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIGURE THE PROGRAM AS MY CAR WASN'T RECOGNIZING ANY CODES THEY WERE USING. SO 5 DAYS LATER, ITS' STILL AT THE DEALERS AND THEY HAD TO ORDER A NEW EOM AND INTERNAL ANTENNAE. FIRST THEY WANTED ME TO PAY FOR IT. I HAVE EXTENDED WARRANTY AND HAVE FOLLOWED ALL MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS SO I REFUSED. AFTER 3 DAYS, THEY AGREED TO COVER THE UNIT BUT NOT THE ANTENNAE AND FINALLY APPROVED FOR A RENTAL CAR. I HAVE YET TO HEAR FROM THEM ON MY CAR. THEY OFFER NO EXPLANATION ON HOW OR WHY IT HAPPENED. *NM

ON JUNE 7, 2006 MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HER 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA IN A ROAD CONSTRUCTION AREA OF I-10 IN VIDOR, TX. THERE WERE CONCRETE BARRIERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE INTERSTATE. SHE RAN OVER A PIECE OF TIRE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LANE AND THE CAR DIED. SHE WAS LEFT STRANDED ON THE INTERSTATE. THE CAR WOULD NOT IMMEDIATELY RESTART, BUT STARTED AFTER A FEW MINUTES. THE VIDOR POLICE DROVE IT OFF OF THE INTERSTATE BUT IT WAS STUCK IN A HIGHER GEAR. UPON INSPECTION THERE IS A ELECTRICAL CONNECTION ON THE BOTTOM OF THE TRANSMISSION THAT CAME UNDONE. THERE IS A HEAT SHIELD AROUND THE CONNECTION, BUT IT DOES NOT PROTECT THE CONNECTION FROM BEING STRUCK BY ROAD DEBRIS. IF THIS IS GOING TO KILL THE CAR ENGINE ALONG WITH THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES, THEN IT SHOULD BE BETTER PROTECTED. *NM

KEY STUCK IN IGNITION SWITCH. *AK

I BOUGHT A 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA BRAND NEW LAST YEAR. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE UP TO SIX TIMES. THE PAST TWO TIMES HAS ME CONCERNED. THE CAR DROPS TO 20 MPH WITH NO WARNING. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER WITH A 2YR OLD SON AND I COMPUTE 60 MILES ON WAY TO WORK ON 2 BUSY INTERSTATE EVERYDAY. THE DEALERSHIP IS REPLACING THE COMPUTER SYSTEM IN MY CAR THIS TIME BUT MAKES ME AWARE THAT THIS MAKE NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *NM

FORTH TIME IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR IGNITION AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. I PURCHASED A 2.5 SL IN JUNE 2005. THE AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD NOT TURN OFF IN THE PASSENGER SEAT 6/20/05, SENSOR REPLACED. CAR WOULD NOT START UNTIL TRYING 20 MINUTES LATER 7/4/05. SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME TO JIGGLE THE GEAR SHIFT FROM NOW ON. ON 7/28/05 CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN UNTIL AFTER 20 MINUTES, SERVICE DEPARTMENT INVOICED ME FOR REPROGRAMMING 33.83 AND 79.20 FOR NEW ELECTRONIC KEYS. NOW IN NOV. 2005 CAR IN SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS LISTED ABOVE. SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS TALKING TO NISSAN ENGINEERING, I AM DRIVING A RENTAL CAR FOR THE 2ND TIME. *NM

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY I NOTICED MY CAR WAS NOT ACCELERATING WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS. MY "SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT" ALSO WENT ON. THE CAR STALLED, AND HAD TO BE TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER. THIS HAPPENED ONE WEEK AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD IT BACK TO THE DEALER SIX TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE CAR IS A 2005 ALTIMA 2.5SL. AS I'M WRITING THIS MY CAR IS BACK AT THE DEALER....AGAIN TOWED IN!!!*AK

I PURCHASED A NEW 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA 3.5 SL ON APRIL 2005, THE CAR CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED IN MY GARAGE ON JULY 12, 2005 DUE TO A PINCHED WIRE STATED BY NISSAN. IT HAS NOW BEEN 6 WEEKS AND NISSAN IS STILL NOT DONE REPAIRING MY CAR. NISSAN REFUSES TO REPLACE THIS CAR WITH ANOTHER IDENTICAL CAR. NISSAN HAS NOT BEEN COOPERATIVE WITH ME ON THIS MATTER, THEY HAVE BEEN GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND ON THIS MATTER SINCE DAY ONE!!! NISSAN DID NOT OFFER TO GIVE ME A LOANER CAR, I HAD TO RENT A CAR MYSELF FOR 6 WEEKS STRAIGHT. NISSAN REFUSES TO PAY MY RENTAL EXPENSE AND THE DAMAGES DONE TO MY GARAGE DUE TO THIS FIRE. NISSAN ALSO REFUSES TO PAY FOR SMOKE DAMAGES TO MY HOUSE.

THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START ONCE THE KEY WAS TURNED. AFTER TRYING ABOUT 15-20 TIMES, IT WILL START AND DARK SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE DEALER STATED THAT ALL CODES WERE NORMAL AND SUGGESTED THE BATTERY BE REPLACED, HOWEVER THEY DID NOT REPLACE IT AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. *JB