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.
I started my car as usual to run some errands. It started fine. I stopped at the gas station and shut off the car. It would not start again. It was freezing cold. My car was blocking the gas pump and it could not be moved. I ruled out the key fob because it still unlocked the doors. I inserted the key fob in the emergency socket that is supposed to start the car in case the battery in the key fob dies. Still nothing. I had my brother bring me a new battery for the key fob. Still nothing. He took me home. I had to leave the car there. After some internet research, many many others with Nissan were having the same issues. The culprit is the electronic steering lock module. It locks the steering wheel and you cannot start the car when it is locked. I went back to the car tore the panel apart and located the steering lock. The research I did said that sometimes you could get it to release the lock pin if you tap on it with hammer. So I stepped on the brake while holding in the start button and tapping on the steering lock module. After 20 minutes of banging on the module it disengaged enough to start the car. I drove it home and shut it off. It won't start again. Nissan says the warranty ran out Jan. 1st, 2016. This should be a recall. The dealership quoted me a price of $679.51 just for the part not including labor. That is ridiculous! what if I were somewhere remote and the car would not start? I could have froze to death. Please look into this issue as it seems to have happened to 1000S of people.
This is by far the worst vehicle I have ever purchased. I have replaced the transmission once....it still does not work properly and shifts so hard my passengers think I'm slamming on the brakes. And now the steering lock module has failed. After reading 100S of complaints from people with the same issue, I am appalled to find that this is not a recall. I will never purchase another Nissan nor will anyone that knows me as they've witnessed all issues occur with zero accountability on Nissan's account.
Out of nowhere, I parked my car and when I went to start it, the car would not start and the key light was on. I thought my key battery died and after trying different keys, etc, determined there was another issue. After research, I discovered that it is a well-known issue with the steering lock. After tapping the unit below the steering wheel, I was able to get it to lock and start the car. Then, 2 days later, it happens again. I was able to tap it to get it to work again but this could happen at any time in any place leaving you stranded.
2009 Nissan Altima car would not start. Left stranded at work. Had to have car towed to home and then towed to dealership. Cost of electronic box in steering $1100. This is wrong so many people are having this problem. This should be a recall.
The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The failure occurred without warning. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where the technician diagnosed that the electronic steering lock assembly needed to be replaced and reprogrammed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,122....updated 05/19/17
- Deer Park, NY, USA
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As I was leaving work on Friday night at about 11:35pm when I got to my car, I found myself stuck in a parking lot trying to turn on my ignition. The car didn't give me no warning as the dashboard gave me a symbol of the word "key" display with a key below it. I would push the brake and the start button and the car would not make a sound. I had to get my car towed to my house in order to remove it from the parking lot. As I was going through the manual I found out that it was the steering ignition lock that was causing this issue with the ignition. I'm a 24 year old pregnant woman and this is really unsafe. I was reading online and it said that Nissan gave a 6 year extended warranty for this issue but I never received a notice from the dealer while I was paying it off and now that the issue has popped out being 2017 the dealer is telling me that the warranty has expired in 2015 and it will cost me $1,200 to fix the issue.
My Nissan Altima 2.5 S coupe was functioning normally with no issues whatsoever until 3 mornings ago when I was at home and leaving for work. I opened my car door with the push-button key and turned on the headlights without issues. When I pushed the start/ignition button next to the steering wheel on my parked car, there was absolutely no response from the vehicle. The engine did not turnover or make any noise suggesting it was attempting to. I had driven this car 8 hours prior and saw no lights on the dashboard or abnormal noises indicating that there was an impending issue. After doing my own research on the problem and having the car evaluated at a Nissan dealership, I discovered that I was not alone in having this occur, as there had been other Nissan and infinitis from that year that have had the exact same issue with the escl (electronic steering column lock) unit. Numerous people have been in the same situation as me at different times of the day/night and locations. This poses a significant safety risk to people who operate this car. There is absolutely no warning that there is an issue with the steering column and can happen anywhere, at any time, and in any weather. Luckily I was in a safe area at the time when it happened to me, but I fear for anyone else that has this occur in an unsafe location or in unsafe weather conditions. I believe that Nissan should be held responsible for the problematic car part, regardless of when the car was purchased, that has obviously given several people issues and can leave people stranded somewhere without any warning.
Vehicle would not start. Keylight flashed. Car needed to be towed in heavy rain from my work in an unsafe area and towed to my house and dealership. Car has faulty electronic steering column lock. Nissan will not honor extended warranty even though this was a known issue to Nissan. I was told by Nissan Consumer Affairs that the extended warranty was never advertised to consumers and was not a recall but the extended repair warranty was available until April 25 2016. I find this unacceptable and I'm unsafe also putting my family at risk. Nissan Consumer Affairs have assigned a case number to me. Case number is [xxx]. please help me. Thank you. * information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
I was at a gas station in a unsafe area (high crime) and my car would not start back up. My car went into "lock mode", after research the steering lock can malfunction on the 2009 Nissan Altima. Looks like the warranty used to be 8 years and it was changed to 6 years. This would have been the 8th year for me. I was terrified being stuck with no ride. It took me an hour to find someone to pick me up. I had to leave the car overnight. If this is a common issue why was the warranty shortened" or why is there not a lifetime warranty on this part" being stranded for an issue that is the manufacturers fault is unacceptable. I have never been more scared in my life than I was last night. I sat in my car waiting for a tow. I am a female and I had multiple men approach my car. Terrified. Unsafe. This problem could have been much much worse but it needs to be addressed and under warranty.
Owner of a 09 Nissan Altima 2.5 S. my whole family got stuck with the car that didnt start at all, there's a key logo in the dash panel showing so I went to find some solutions online and found that im lost because it wont start again until fix by a dealer. No fun at all because I found that I might have to pay out of my pocket and this been a old problem that I never was mentioned by my service dealer. Nissan needs to do something about it.
Steering lock defective, known problem by Nissan since 2009, refused to recall the cars involved. I just spent $923 to fix my '09 with 91K miles on it. Car left me stranded in a safe spot, fortunately. After I parked, walked away for a few minutes, tried to restart, nothiing but the two key lights in the dash, horn, overhead lights and alarm. Steering wheel would not lock. This needs to be an active recall and owners reimbursed for the work involved!!!
The intelligent key system failed rendering the car completely inoperable. I drove the car which operated perfectly with no warning lights, turned it off and next time I got into the car to start it and drive away. The intelligent key (pushbutton start) did not recognize that the key was in the car so the car would not start. The steering wheel was locked so could not be steered, could not be pushed due to the car being locked in park. No accessories functioned inside the car. The remote functions on the key fob all worked, door locks, trunk release, panic button, but the ignition system was a complete fail. There is no bypass for the average consumer. While it is certainly inconvenient, it could also be dangerous if the car was to have been shut off in a remote area, in sever cold or beside a busy highway. The vehicle was stationary point of failure, parked on a side street. I was fortunate that I was at a relatives home as the temperature was -3 with a wind chill of -15. Nissan realized that the steering lock mechanism was faulty and originally offered a free replacement for this part which is estimated to cost between $500-$900, but from what I have read they have rescinded that offer as of January of 2016.
The steering lock mechanism failed suddenly. I drove to the grocery store and parked in the parking lot. When I got back in my car to leave, the car didn't start. It didn't recognize the key fob and did not allow me to use the override system. The steering lock warning light came on. I had it towed to the Nissan dealership service center. The Nissan dealership service team informed me the steering lock mechanism had failed. After doing research, I found this is an ongoing problem with this make and model. Nissan extended the warranty for this part but it had expired. This is an ongoing issue with this year, make and model and Nissan should be forced to recall this part and reimburse people who had to have it repaired after the extended warranty expired.
We have a defects in the electronic steering column lock (escl) which has disable the push-button ignition on Nissan Altima 2009 sl. It can happened anytime which put a persons life in danger if you get stuck on or to F the road. Based on my research I have read numerous cases where very same situation had caused by faulty electronic steering column lock (escl). The only option we have right now to get your car towed to deal ship and pay well over $1100. Even though this Nissan fault for choosing to use the faulty part. This is absolutely unfair on their part. Please advice us as what can we do to have Nissan to accept the responsibility and replace this faulty part replaced.
Nissan Altima 2009 has a defective steering lock system. Suddenly this evening after work when I get back to the car, it just did not start. This is a dangerous situation if it would have happened any remote place and I would have been stranded. I see there have been several people complained about this on the internet but Nissan has not recalled this car. Please investigate and take appropriate steps. They should either replace the defective part of just replace the car.
Takata recall, defect steering lock unit, unable to start engine! after parked Nissan 2009 Altima at a shopping mall, "nokey" light is on, car can be lock and unlock through remote control key, but no display information visible at the dash board, wheel is locked and unable to switch gear. Nothing can be done to the car!
Electronic steering column lock (escl); this was a covered warranty replacement until January of this year. I was not aware of any recall or that this might have even been an issue. I was parked out near a lake and had to call my friends to pick me up and have my car towed. This is not a small issue, if someone was unable to start their car in a freezing situation they could die. Or if I was needing to get a family member to the hospital I would be unable to.
Steering wheel lock /ignition, car not able to start using key fob, total steering and brake lock. Got off work and could not start car, was running fine prior to work 7am
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- South New Berlin, NY, USA