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:
5 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
95,579 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.

2009 Nissan Altima drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2009 Nissan Altima Owner Comments (Page 5 of 5)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #10

Feb 072013

Altima

  • 35,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My 2009 Nissan Altima would not crank. It was fine when I drove it to work. When I went to go home, it would not crank and a yellow light with a key came on. I have to get my car towed tomorrow because the power steering lock went out. I've noticed this is common with this year make and model. This is ridiculous, there needs to be a recall. I've read over 50 incidents just like mine this month alone!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- Bay Saint Louis, MS, USA

problem #9

Dec 272012

Altima

  • 140,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Altima. The contact was driving approximately 70 mph when the transmission failed. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer for diagnosis where the contact was informed that the transmission required replacement. The vehicle was scheduled for repairs. The manufacturer was notified of the defect. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.

- Sears, MI, USA

problem #8

Nov 262012

Altima 4-cyl

  • 51,000 miles
I turn off my car to get gas and when I got back in my car it would not turn on I try to have a jump and that didn't work so I had my car tow to the dealership, I only had the car for 1 year. The dealer said I would need a new steering unit that will cost me $1300. This is not the first time for these Nissan to have this issue and I feel a recall is needed. I feel like I been rip off by Nissan and my dealership.

- Upper Marlboro, MD, USA

problem #7

Oct 262012

Altima 4-cyl

  • 77,320 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The transmission in my 2009 Altima began to make a whining noise. It began to shutter and made the whole vehicle respond erratically. When stopped, the vehicle would move forward. Nissan apparently knows there is a problem and extended the transmission warranty to 120,000 miles. The problem is Nissan is replacing the faulty cvt transmission with a "new" replacement faulty transmission. There is no recall on the vehicle. After searching the internet, there are many people having problems with the transmission. There are even videos on youtube documenting problems with the 2009 Altima transmissions. Even after an initial replacement, many vehicles are needing multiple replacement transmissions. To my knowledge, no attempt has been made by Nissan to solve the problem, they just replace transmissions. A recall needs to occur, and Nissan needs to fix the problem instead of replacing it. Once again, there is no recall.

- Vergennes, IL, USA

problem #6

Feb 112012

Altima 4-cyl

  • 82,239 miles
I purchased a 2009 Nissan Altima 2 years ago and the vehicle has being nothing but problems since the beginning, on top of that the maintenance is very costly if you take it to the dealer. I take my car to ase certified mechanics at pep-boys and the labor is allot cheaper than dealer pricing, my car has always being maintained by the schedule maintenance according to the owners manual and recently I had my transmission service by the pep-boys and they sell by my standards better quality oil like valvoline cvt oil being that I saved some money through pep-boys they did the service and everything went well till recently my tranny, went out and hey blamed the oil wasn't the right color according to the Nissan tech, now I want to know how can valvoline sell a certified Nissan product to millions of consumers and they say it's not covered under the mfg, warranty.

- Ontario, CA, USA

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problem #5

Sep 192011

Altima 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 30,000 miles
The automatic transmission seemed to be binding at all speeds. The dealership examined it and advised the transmission would need to be replaced under warranty. They stated a replacement transmission would be available in 3 days. As of this point the replacement transmission is still not available. The vehicle is "ok to drive" per the dealer. But given the potential for vehicle failure a 2 month wait for a replacement transmission is not acceptable.

- Galax, VA, USA

problem #4

Aug 052011

Altima

  • 41,550 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Altima. The contact was driving 88 mph when the vehicle exhibited an abnormal whining noise from under the hood. The vehicle then decelerated without warning and would not accelerate past 20 mph. The vehicle was taken to the dealer performed a diagnostic that located several failures, unknown to the contact. The dealer then test drove the vehicle and was able to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer advised the dealer that the specifications for the transmission had recently changed and there was an excess of transmission fluid in the vehicle. The dealer removed one half quart of the transmission fluid, but the failure continued to recur. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 41,550 and the current mileage was 42,800.

- Somerville, MA, USA

problem #3

Jul 012011

Altima 4-cyl

  • miles
S10 appropriate handling- copy of a letter to Nissan re acceleration problems with his 2009 Nissan Altima 2.5 sl the consumer stated when she merged onto a major highway, she applied the accelerator pedal, and soon discovered the vehicle was decreasing in speed, instead of increasing. The consumer stopped to a repair shop, but they were unable to find any problems. After approximately an hour and a half of driving at a constant speed of 60 mph, the acceleration problem returned. Going up hills, was extremely difficult and the top speed of going up a hill was 45 mph. The vehicle was towed to a dealer and the next day the consumer was informed they were unable to diagnose and fix the acceleration problem. The consumer continued to experience the same problems. The consumer took the vehicle to her local dealer, and they were unable to diagnose a problem as well.

- Glen Burnie, MD, USA

problem #2

Aug 152010

Altima

  • miles
Have a 2009 Nissan Altima. Been having problems with it for a year now. Car keeps on jerking and stalling and would stop working while waiting at a stop sign. Last incident was Aug 15,2010. I was waiting at a stop signal on a hill and the car completely shut off on me, the car started to roll back. I had to hurry and put the car in park and restart the car. Everytime I go to the dealership they can't find what's wrong or they will tell me nothings wrong. This car is very dangerous and Nissan needs to figure out the problem.

- Monroeville, PA, USA

problem #1

Nov 172008

Altima

  • miles
A traffic officer and investigated an incident where a vehicle owner was rum over by his vehicle. The vehicle does not have a physical key to operate the vehicle. There is an electronic "key" and a push button start/shut off switch. The driver parked the vehicle in a driveway with a steep grade. The vehicle was left in "drive" with the engine off. The driver exited and started to walk away from the vehicle. The vehicle started to roll backwards, down the driveway. The driver ran to the vehicle to try to stop it and was run over by the vehicle. It is possible to park the vehicle, shut the engine off and exit the vehicle with the transmission any gear selection and exit the vehicle. This is the second incident with this same model vehicle, but different years, that the engine was shut off, the transmission was left in drive and the vehicle ran over the driver. In both instances the vehicle was owned by the driver for a short time.

- Livingston, NJ, USA

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