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:
10 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
7 / 1
Average Mileage:
53,497 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 seat belts / air bags problems

seat belts / air bags problem

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2009 Nissan Altima Owner Comments (Page 5 of 5)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #2

Sep 282008

Altima

  • 100 miles

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

Passenger airbag turns on and off even when passenger is in seat. It occurs frequently and daily. So far Nissan has not issued any recalls, heard there was the same problems on the 2008. This was on a 2009 Nissan Altima coupe.

- Peoria, IL, USA

problem #1

Jan 012009

Altima

  • 338 miles
There is a problem with the 2009 Nissan Altima in which the passenger airbag turns off (indicated by a passenger airbag off light), while an adult passenger over 100 lbs is correctly seated on the passenger side, sitting square with seatbelts fastened. If an accident occurred while the airbag is turned off, the passenger is not protected in Nissan Altima. At the least, an override on or off is needed because the weight sensor doesn't work correctly on the Nissan Altima, based on the first month of driving on my 2009 Nissan Altima, with a 108 pound passenger. I purchased a 2009 Nissan Altima from mossy Nissan oceanside last month. Today on 2 separate occasions the passenger airbag turned off. The first time it turned off, I checked the manual which stated that the passenger needs to sit correctly for the airbag to turn on. We believe she was, however her feet were on the right side rather than the center of the floor. Later this evening, we made certain the passenger was sitting correctly when the passenger airbag off light turn on again. In both cases, within 10 minutes the airbag off light then turned off. If an accident occurs during the airbag failure period above, a fatality can easily occur.

- Carlsbad, CA, USA

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