CarComplaints.com Notes: You don't want to get 2009 and 2010 Altima owners started about their cars. That is, unless, you know how to start their cars.
These vehicles can suddenly become impossible to start thanks to a faulty electronic steering column lock (ESCL). Nissan dealers will gladly replace it, but that will run you $1000.
More info & videos about the Nissan ESCL defect are available over at NissanProblems.com.
It's one of the many reasons this car was named CarTalk's Turd of the Week and given our Beware of this Clunker badge. Two dubious honors.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
47,959 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
My dashboard is melting. It is very sticky to the touch and nothing can be done to stop it. Although a visual defect, it is also a safety hazard because the melting portion is very shiny and provides a sharp glare on my windshield greatly reducing my visibility.
In February 2009 I purchased a new 2009 Nissan Altima. The purchase was made at maroone Nissan (now autonation) of pembroke pines, Florida. The vehicle was a gift to my teenage daughter. The dashboard is melting causing a dangerous glare, and making it hazardous to drive. The issue of the melting dashboard started in about September of 2012 while my daughter was away at college. The melting dashboard caused a shiny glare in the windshield making it difficult to see. She put a blanket on the dashboard so she could see out the windshield. In August 2013 when she was home from college she brought the melting dashboard to the attention of Nissan autonation in pembroke pines, Florida. The vehicle had 25,390 miles at that time. We have an invoice documenting this complaint. My daughter was told by the service manager to contact Nissan directly about the issue. Because she was uncertain what to do and was returning to college, the concern was not addressed. On January 18, 2014, after seeing how bad the dashboard was myself; I brought the vehicle back to autonation and spoke with the customer care manager. He indicated that our dashboard was the worst he had ever seen. He gave us the number to contact Nissan directly and initiate a case. I made contact with Nissan by calling 800-Nissan-1 number and initiated a case. Unfortunately, on January 22, 2014, I received an unfavorable response from Nissan, who denied the claim, without ever having seen the vehicle or asking for photos. I asked Nissan what appeal options might be available to me and the company indicated there were none. I find it challenging to believe that Nissan would not stand behind their vehicles, particularly when there is knowledge that a wide-spread safety hazard exists with a particular model. This specific Nissan Altima's dashboard started melting in less than four years.
Approximately a year ago I noticed shiny sticky spots on my dash. Someone told me that it was melting. I have lived in Florida all my life and have vehicles older than this one. I have never seen a dash melt and wasn't quite sure that was what was happening. I went to my dealership and they claimed that they have never heard of this. I was looking online and apparently it is a big problem with Nissan Altima's. I cannot clean the dash and the spots are getting bigger. They are very sticky and cause a bad glare on the windshield. I believe this to be a safety hazard! please let me know if there is a recall or any recourse to have Nissan fix this problem.
- Satellite Beach, FL, USA
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Dashboard is melting. Contacted Nissan and they offered to pay for the part if I paid the labor. Stated it was a known issue but would not give me a letter explaining same.
Last summer (2013), I noticed that my dashboard had started to have this sticky gluey substance on it. At first, I thought I had spilled something on the dashboard and so I started to clean it. I've used both car wipes and both a damp towel and the substance does not rub off. Rather, it collected the fibers from whatever I've used and it has gotten worse (due to the houston heat of the summer). I then concluded that the dashboard becomes sticky because it is melting. It's not so much the melting dashboard that gets me (even though it does diminish the value of the car, it's only a 2009), it is the glare that the melting dashboard reflects. The dashboard reflects a powerful glare in my front view window and it has become extremely difficult to drive. I constantly have to wear sunglasses in order to help with the glare that the dashboard reflects. Over the course of the year, the dashboard has gotten so bad that I have to ask a member of my family to drive me to where ever I need to go. This is an extreme problem. If the glare is this bad for me, I can only imagine how bad to must be for older generations that own this particular car. This spreading glare has the potential to be a big problem. It could be the onset of multiple accidents and even major harm. And so I ask you if you could please have Nissan fix this problem.
The dashboard of the vehicle, 2009 Nissan Altima, has been melting away for the past 2 years. This has caused a huge glare effect reflective on the windshield. It make driving difficult especially in the early morning sun when I drive East towards work. I currently have glaucoma in my eyes for which I am treating for the past 2 years, and it is getting worse. The glare from the deteriorating dashboard has significantly affected my eyes. I have heard news reports that a complaint has been filed on Lexus and other car models regarding the same melting dashboard phenomena here in South Florida.
My cars dash started looking shiny and felt sticky. It is all sticky as if it were melting its also cracking. The stickiness causes a glare that makes seeing the road almost impossible. Everything in the air sticks on the dash too. Even though the biggest and most important issue is the glare that reflects from the windshield. This can seriously cause an accident.
My 2009 Nissan Altima dash is melting. Dash has cracks as well near the front passenger air bags and near the instrument cluster. Read in forums that the car dealerships say that when the dash has cracks and is melting air bags could not deploy correctly. Nissan will not replace dash due to the car being out of warranty and expect me to buy a new one when this seems like a manufacturing issue not taken into account as part of the design.
Around 2012 the dashboard in this Altima is melting. It's turning into a glossy goo that is causing a extreme glare into the drivers side of the windshield. Nissan has not issued any recalls on this, so they wont fix it. I went to www.youtube.com and found that apparently this is a widespread problem with Nissan, Toyota, Mazda & Lexus.
My 2009 Nissan Altima coupe' dash is melting. A car dealership told me when the dashboard is melting the airbag on the passenger side will not deploy correctly in a crash. I also can not see out of the front windshield because the shiny sticky mess throws a blinding glare while driving. Nissan will not help me. This is a problem with the product used for the dashboard.
I notice a shine started to build up on my dashboard. I thought that the car wash place might have used too much product so I stopped going to the carwash. I decided I was going to clean it off myself and when I went to clean it off I realized there was a thick film of sticky residue. The residue is was so sticky that nothing could take it off and everything would get stuck to it. After a few months the film kept growing to the point where the shine became almost glassy and too reflective. I realized the substance had become a hazard to my safety and those of others, so I proceeded to try a number of products to try and remove the film. I was unsuccessful and proceeded to do some research online, where I discovered that this is not a maintenance problem, but rather a factory defect that is well documented now with both this Agency and Nissan itself. As far as I can tell there are at least 100 other cases. I would like Nissan to acknowledge and repair the problem before lives are lost.
My vehicle is 5 years old and the dash is completely melting. The glare from the mushy, sticky mess on the dashboard makes it very hard to see while driving. I have contacted Nissan and they refuse to admit this is poor craftmanship.
Well I have a black 09 Nissan Altima and I started to notice that my dashboard is very sticky and shiny and it looks like its melting. There is such a big glare that blocks your view when you're driving. I look online and saw that other people in Florida have the same problem I do. In Florida the weather is always hot. The cars in Florida should be made to withstand the hot weather and not start melting. This is such a safety hazard for drivers.
The dash on my Altima coupe is "melting". the dash has never been cleaned with any chemicals and is very tacky to the touch around the vents and seams. Due to the location of the melted components, it creates a very blinding glare that impairs my forward visibility through the windshield. I have contacted Nissan and they refuse to help me although this is a common issue with this model vehicle. Nissan has already had a replacement dash made with different materials which uses a different part # than the original dash. This is a very dangerous issue as I have almost gotten into accidents due to being blinded by the glare.
We have a 2009 Nissan Altima with less than 3500K miles. We use a sun shade and we try to limit sun exposure. The dashboard is melting and causes a major reflection in the windshield which makes it unsafe to drive since it blocks the view of vehicles and pedestrians. The windows keep filming up from the off-gassing produced which cannot be healthy.
Mildew in air condition. Terrible smell coming from vents. Burns your eyes and gives terrible migraines. Changed 3 cabin air filters and used multiple cans of mildew removal. Please help. Any recommendations?
Driving on street when moonroof shattered. No apparent cause determined, but was raining at the time of the failure. Break of moonroof sounded like a gun shot with glass fragments going both inside and outside of vehicle. Driver and front seat passenger covered in glass, but no injuries. However, roof and trunk had paint damage from broken glass.
Intelli key indicator light began illuminating two days ago. Last evening after dinner vehicle would not switch out of "lock" stranded in 15 degree temps waiting for tow for 2 hours. Nissan service advisor knew exactly what problem was. He called me later tonight to confirm electronic steering lock needed replacing. $800+. Nissan surely will recall "faulty" door handle springs at.50 cents a whack, but give me a break. It's time Nissan own up to the numerous 2009's that are having this part fail.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Lawrenceville, GA, USA