2003 NISSAN ALTIMA Problems
Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2003 Nissan Altima. This model year has 883 NHTSA complaints — top issue: Engine Problems.
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This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about the specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer rollbacks, and open recalls.
Worst 2003 Nissan Altima Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Engine Problems
Structural Problems
Electrical Faults
Considering a 2003 Nissan Altima?
This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about this specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2003 Nissan Altima. A single complaint may appear in multiple categories.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine Problems | 567 | 8 | 7 | — | |
| Structural Problems | 126 | 1 | — | — | |
| Electrical Faults | 89 | 2 | 2 | — | |
| Fuel System | 35 | — | 1 | — | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 34 | 5 | — | — | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 33 | 9 | 2 | — | |
| Gasoline | 28 | — | 1 | — | |
| Airbag Malfunctions | 28 | 18 | 1 | — | |
| Uncategorized Issues | 25 | 2 | — | — | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 17 | 2 | 1 | — | |
| Equipment | 17 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 16 | 1 | — | — | |
| Suspension Failures | 15 | 1 | — | — | |
| Visibility | 14 | — | — | — | |
| Steering Defects | 13 | 1 | — | — | |
| Brake System | 12 | 2 | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 9 | 4 | — | — | |
| Hydraulic | 8 | 2 | — | — | |
| Other | 7 | — | — | — | |
| Seat-Related Issues | 6 | 1 | 1 | — | |
| Wheel Issues | 5 | 2 | — | — | |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 5 | — | — | — | |
| Tire Issues | 5 | — | — | — | |
| Door Lock Issues | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Equipment Adaptive/Mobility | 1 | — | — | — |
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Complaint counts may exceed total complaints because one report can span multiple categories.
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2003 Nissan Altima. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Showing 400 most recent complaints of 883 total. View all on NHTSA ↗
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Engine will not start. If I get the engine to start the car may act as if it wants to cut off in traffic. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Engine may stop …
Faulty crankshaft and camshaft sensors UNKOWN
The contact owns a 2003 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving 65-75 MPH, the sunroof detached from the vehicle. There were no reported injuries. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.…
The contact owns a 2003 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while her son was driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle suddenly stalled and lost motive power. The vehicle had to be pushed to the side of the road and jump-started. There were no warning lights illuminated. The …
The contact owns a 2003 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while the vehicle was being repaired at an independent mechanic, the mechanic informed the contact that there was rusting on the front driver’s side floor pan. The contact also noticed that the front driver’s side flo…
I NOTE SOME NISSAN ALTIMAS HAVR RECALLS ON CAMSENSOR AND SPEEDSENSONSOR. THIS VEHICLE HAS SAME PROBLEMS. VEHICLE SHUTS OFF ON THE ROAD CAM SENSOR WAS CHANGED BUT WAS GOOD FOR A COUPLE YEARS DOES THE SAME MECHANIC SAYS FAULTY PLASTIC CLIP. ALSO VEHICLE GETS STUCK IN LOW GEAR WHILE…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL ODOR COMING FROM THE EXHAUST. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE…
I BOUGHT THIS CAR LAST YEAR MAY 2019 AND WITHIN A MONTH THE ENGINE BLEW. I REPLACED THE ENGINE AND NOW IT HAS ISSUES WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. IT SAYS IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT VEERED TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROADWAY, WAITED FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES DUE TO THE STEERING WHEEL BEING DIFFIC…
MY EXHAUST SYSTEM IS TO LOW THAT IT HITS EVERY BUMP EVEN WHEN DRIVING SLOW ,WHEN THEY LIFTED THE CAR UNDERNEATH THE CAR THERE'S A YELLOW MARK FROM ALL THE SPEED BUMPS .ALSO THE DOOR HANDLES FROM THE DRIVERS N PASSENGER SNAP OFF WHEN I TRY TO ENTER MY VEHICLE .THE SHOCKS DON'T KN…
ENGINE OVERHEATS WHILE DRIVING.. WHEN HEATER IS ON CAR POWER FAILS WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH AND LOW SPEEDS. BATTERY DIES AND BATTERY DRAINS WHEN CAR IS OFF
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THE ECM (ENGINE CONTROL MODULE) NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE ENGINE SEIZED AND THE VEHICLE POWERED DOWN. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE MADE AN ABNORMAL WRAPPING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. THE CONTACT CALLED DARLING HO…
TAKATA RECALL WHILE SITTING IN IDLE THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF RANDOMLY. I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR BACK UP AFTER A FEW SECONDS, BUT IT'S BEEN HAPPENING TO OFTEN WHILE IN IDLE
NHTSA SHOWS 10 RECALLS FOR MY CAR, WENT TO NISSAN BRIDGEWATER AND THEY ONLY FOUND ONE RECALL TO REPROGRAM ECM AND PERFORM IDLE AIR VOLUMN LEARNING PROCEDURE, AFTER THIS 2 DAYS LATER SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WENT, NOW THEY WANT ME TO PAY 140 FOR DIAGNOSTIC TEST, THEY DIDN'T WANT TO SE…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LOST POWER INTERMITTENTLY AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART. FRED ANDERSON NISSAN OF ASHEVILLE (629 BREVARD RD, ASHEVILLE, NC 28806, (828) 348-6850) WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT TH…
AFTER ABOUT TWO MONTHS OF HAVING MY VEHICLE TO REPAIR RECALLS, MY SERVICE ADVISOR INFORMS ME THAT THE RECALLS WILL NOT BE COMPLETED DUE TO THE ABSENCE OF A SPECIFIC CODE. I WAS INFORMED OF THE RECALLS AND THE RISKS THEY CREATE WITHOUT REPAIR; HOWEVER, NISSAN IS STILL REFUSING TO …
EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION STARTING AT 94,000 MILES. NO LEAKS OR EXHAUST SMOKE. HAVE READ CATALYTIC CONVERTORS WERE POORLY DESIGNED RESULTING IN LOW OIL LEVEL AND ENGINE DAMAGE. CAR STILL RUNS WELL BUT CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY AND RELIABILITY. NISSAN FORUMS FULL OF SIMILAR COMMENTS …
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STARTED JERKING AND SPUTTERING UNTIL THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO NISSAN OF MOBILE (1015 EAST INTERSTATE 65 SERVICE RD S, MOBI…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TO DRIVE WITH THE HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS ACTIVATED TO REACH HER DESTINATION. THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE DEALER (NISSAN OF MOBILE…
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Real owner reports for the 2003 Nissan Altima.
Recalls for 2003 Nissan Altima
10 campaignsNHTSA recall campaigns for the 2003 Nissan Altima. Recalls are free to fix at any authorized dealer. Run a VIN check below to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.
2003 Nissan Altima — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2003 Nissan Altima reliable?▾
Severe Issues. The 2003 Nissan Altima has 883 NHTSA owner complaints, 41 crash-related, and 10 recall campaigns. The most reported issue is Engine Problems (567 complaints). Source: NHTSA via VinSpector AI.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Nissan Altima?▾
#1: Engine Problems (567 complaints). #2: Structural Problems (126 complaints). #3: Electrical Faults (89 complaints)
At what mileage do problems start on the 2003 Nissan Altima?▾
Mileage data is not available or insufficient for this model year.
How safe is the 2003 Nissan Altima?▾
The 2003 Nissan Altima has 41 crash-related complaints and 13 fire reports out of 883 total NHTSA complaints. 25 injuries were reported. For NCAP lab crash test star ratings, visit nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Does the 2003 Nissan Altima have any recalls?▾
Yes — 10 NHTSA recall campaigns affect the 2003 Nissan Altima. The largest issue: EXTERIOR LIGHTING. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.
Should I buy a 2003 Nissan Altima?▾
The 2003 Nissan Altima has severe issues — review the top problems before buying. Pay particular attention to Engine Problems issues. Always run a VIN check on the specific car you're considering to check for accident history, open recalls, and title brands.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinSpector AI.
Wider context: See the full Nissan Altima reliability report with year-by-year comparison.
Check Your Specific 2003 Nissan Altima
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99.