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:
2 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
70,167 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.
Electric steering wheel lock (ecsl), is well-known defect that is known across all 2009 Nissan Altima, maxima, and early 2010 350Z. I was filling up at a gas station when my car did not start. I was left stranded at a location that was unsafe location due to this defect. This lock would not allow me to start my vehicle nor go on accessory mode, thus I was not able to roll up my windows. I was not informed of this defect or extended warranty. My extended warranty expired last month. Nissan North America rejected my claim to repair this problem.
The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the keyless ignition failed to operate. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where the steering wheel lock was replaced. After the vehicle was serviced, the intelligent key failed to start the ignition. The vehicle was not repaired for the second time but the details were not available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 81,000. Updated 02/19/16 updated 5/20/18
The electronic steering wheel lock system didn't engage on my 2009 Altima. This would not allow the car to be started. Nissan extended the warranty on this part but mine expired in August of 2015. I feel this is a safety issue as you could be stranded at anytime anwhere with this issue and should have been a recall. There was a bad snow storm in denver on Sunday when this occurred and if it had happened up in the mountains cross country skiing I would have been stuck in a very unsafe situation. I contacted Nissan and they said they will not do anything for me as the extended warranty has expired. However they never contacted me stating it would be covered and had I know I would have taken the vehicle in before it left me stranded without a car for 4 days. I had to get the car towed to the dealership to get it worked on. This issue is so bad they had to order the part and won't get it in until 2 days after I had brought it in to get fixed. Someone needs to look into this before people start getting hurt or worse stranded and die somewhere.
The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start. A warning light illuminated and displayed a message. The contact was stranded for over an hour. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering lock control unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 74,000.
- Racine, WI, USA
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Vehicle was parked, stationary when I went to start it. Nothing happened when start button was pressed. The car was recognizing the key fob, due to the fact that when I didn't have it, it was saying no key. However would not start even when fob was present. Contacted Nissan service department, they said it was a common problem, after googling the issue I was surprised at how many sheer numbers of the same exact thing was happening. $1200 later, my car is fixed just because of a faulty steering column lock, which even the private mechanic stated was a big problem, adding that Nissan responded by changing the lock on the 2010 and up models, however not compensating any current owners. Mechanic also advised that the part is so faulty that it will go out again in time. Im taking car back to dealer the car had 50K on it when I purchased this should have been replaced under warrant I cant afford 1200 bucks if not fixed im not paying for a lemon car
We purchased this vehicle brand new in 2009. On 11/18/2015, my wife became stranded in a shopping center parking lot because the vehicle would not start. After research online, we discovered that the problem is the steering lock mechanism. When the mechanism fails, it generates a fault in the computer that disables the vehicle. Nissan has known of the problem for some time and extended the warranty, but did not notify owners. There are hundreds if not thousands of similar complaints online. The failed part is 48700-jf00A. Let me stress that Nissan has known of this part defectiveness for years, but has not been proactive to avoid owners from being stranded. The vehicle was obviously stationary when this problem was realized.
The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the push to start button failed to function. The contact had to make numerous attempts to maneuver the push button start and after multiple attempts, the vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the steering wheel lock mechanism failed and needed to be replaced. The VIN was not available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 72,000.
The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start. The failure occurred without warning. The electronic steering key light illuminated after the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000.
Escl locked up with no warning. Car would not attempt to start after getting gas because the system thought the escl was engaged. Stranded at a gas station pump for 3 hours until a tow could be done to a dealer.
The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Altima. While driving approximately 65 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact was able to push the vehicle over to the side of the road with other consumers who stopped to help the contact. The vehicle was unable to be restarted. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence due to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 103,000.
Car won't start at all. Tried two different key fobs with working batteries, and also tried plugging them into the key fob port, but no luck. After searching online I realized the "ignition steering wheel lock failure" is extremely common with 2009-2010 Nissan vehicles. I'm waiting for a tow truck at the office because I can drive home from work!
2009 Nissan Altima would not start. Dealer said that it was an issue with the steering lock mechanism being stuck. Went to Nissan usa's website and saw that a lot of people were having this issue, and it has been talked about all over the internet. So many complaints about this very issue that it looks like Nissan extended a warranty covering the cost to fix the problem if this happened to your vehicle. The caveat, they only extended this by 6 years. Took it to the dealer and they told me it was the steering lock. I called Nissan, and they told me that I missed the coverage by two months. If there are so many people having this very issue, why isn't there a recall. It's a clear product defect.
There was a malfunction with the electronic steering column lock. I went to start my car and it would not start. The electronic steering column lock needed to be replaced.
The electronic steering column lock issue is prevalent in Nissan Altima model year 2009-2010 and Nissan has failed to take responsibility for this known issue. I experienced the issue conveniently outside of Nissan's "extended warranty claim period" and as a result I am stuck with a $1000 repair that I have taken full financial burden from. This was a known issue that should have been fixed by Nissan under a recall as this is in fact a safety concern because nobody should be concerned about their car not starting especially if they are in an uncomfortable situation and need to get to safety quickly. This issue occurred while the vehicle was stationary and that by no means excuses it from being a safety concern, because it is very much a safety concern. www.nissanproblems.com/trends/steering-wheel-locks/
The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Altima. When the contact attempted to start the vehicle, the push to start feature failed to start the engine without warning. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.
The steering lock unit cause the car not to start. There is a defect with the unit. I have contacted Nissan and have open two case files(case#16923576 & case# 19538658) only to be told that there is a recall for this issue but not for my VIN#. last night I was stranded at work in a dark parking lot for 4 hours because my car would not start and it is still in the parking lot. I called Nissan only to be told the same thing that there is no recall for my VIN#. Nissan knows that there is a problem with this steering device and should be recalling all of the cars. To fix this problem is around $1200 which I do not have. I am the consumer who purchased the vechicle and it is the responsibilty of manufactor to fix and repair there defects. I google my issue on you tube and found several videos with people having this same issue. To get my car started I have to remove the dash under the steering wheel and beat on the steering lock unit until it unlocks so that the car will start.I am 63 year old female and this is something I should not have to do to start my car. What if this locks while I am driving, will someone have to die before this problem is fixed. Enough is enough I am afraid to stop and turn my car off for fear it will not start. This has been an on going problem that began 12/23/2014 and continues every day.
Car deesn't start, it is because of faulty steering lock system. Nissan extended warranty on this part but didn't do recall. It has happend to many people and yesterday I was stranded and my car wouldn't start. The repair is costly and Nissan is not paying for it.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Sacramento, CA, USA