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:
4 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
70,282 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 steering problems

steering problem

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2009 Nissan Altima Owner Comments (Page 3 of 43)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #812

Jul 072020

Altima

  • 92,000 miles

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

Electronic steering column lock (escl) I was in a remote parking lot at night alone whern the car would not start at all. It was a poorly lit parking lot and I was a woman by myself at night and scared. I was in a parked state.

- Montebello, CA, USA

problem #811

Jul 222020

Altima

  • 70,000 miles
My 2009 Altima, while parked, will not start, and apparently, after investigating the problem, the electric steering column lock device is defective. I have seen many complaints online about this problem. I have heard there should be a recall on this device because of the frequency of its occurence.

- Hauppauge, NY, USA

problem #810

Jun 182020

Altima 4-cyl

  • miles
Lock steering module failed.

- Hempstead, NY, USA

problem #809

Feb 072020

Altima

  • 103,000 miles

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

My car was parked near my office and it refused to start on 2/7/2020 evening. After getting towed to nearest local service center it was detected it has problem with escl and it was fixed on 2/11/2020.due to urgent need I couldn't take to Nissan dealer. Later I discovered Nissan is running electronic steering column lock (escl) service campaign to replace the faulty escl in 2009 Nissan Altima and also there is option for reimbursement but it was rejected stating my VIN number is not qualified in service campaign. My car exactly same problem what was disclosed in https://static.NHTSA.gov/ODI/tsbs/2017/mc-10119195-9999.pdf. But Nissan refused accept the problem and the reimbursement charges of $775. I request you to check this and instruct Nissan to honor the reimbursement my car is excluded from campaign even though car has exact same problem. This will help so many people having this problem and getting refused by Nissan with un-satisfactory reasons. This is a serious concern if this happens when car is stopped in street and refuse to start. Nissan case #39570583

- Richardson, TX, USA

problem #808

Feb 082020

Altima

  • miles
The car was parked in the streets and wouldn't start. I tried jump starting, changing the keys battery, didn't work. Had to tow it to my mechanic the next day and he figured out was this steering lock part, and told me it is a recurring problem with Altima 2009. I searched if there was a recall and found out that although it has hundreds, maybe thousands of complaints, no recall was made for this issue.

- New Rochelle, NY, USA

problem #807

Feb 032020

Altima

  • 119,000 miles
My steering wheel is locked and won't stop locking every so often. Lots of Nissan 09 Altima have had recalls for that part but mine does not.

- Cincinnati, OH, USA

problem #806

Dec 122019

Altima

  • 98,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start and the anti-theft indicator and key icon illuminated. The vehicle was towed to mitchell Nissan (1640 E park ave, enterprise, al 36330, (334) 347-9567) where it was diagnosed that the steering lock malfunctioned. The contact was provided a cost estimate for the repairs. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 98,000.

- Ozark, AL, USA

problem #805

Nov 272019

Altima

  • 179,002 miles
I was trying to leave work after having no previous problems with my car starting and it would not recognize the key. I am the only one working in the home and it is approaching christmas. I now have no car to get back and forth to work due to the steering lock being faulty. It seems like this is a very common problem. I seen that several other Nissan models for 2009 were recalled for the exact same part number. How were all models that have this part not included in the recall"?"

- Clarksburg, WV, USA

problem #804

Nov 272019

Altima

  • 133,000 miles
On the day before thanksgiving, after walking out of target, I unlocked my car and found my car would not start with the key fob. My steering wheel was locked and my car would not start. I was a female stranded alone in a target parking lot. After about an hour of trying to get my car to start, a woman with literally a baby on her hip offered to use jumper cables. Then a man came to help when he saw her helping me. It was not a battery issue, so the jumper cables did not help. I went into the store and replaced my key fob battery just in case. It was not a key fob issue. Two hours later, my car had to be towed to a Nissan dealership. They ran a diagnostic and confirmed it was a steering lock issue. Meanwhile, I'm researching on the internet that this is a known and recurring issue with 2009 Nissan Altima. However, since my VIN number was not under the recall, it was not covered. It is the day before thanksgiving, my only family is out of town, and they want to charge over $400 for a known issue that is not being recalled or taken care of. I am forced to pay or I don't have a drivable car or a way to spend time with family for the holiday. I was put under immense financial and emotional stress due to this situation.

- Greenville, SC, USA

problem #803

Dec 042019

Altima

  • 75,000 miles
Leaving from work I got into my vehicle and noticed a yellow key indicator light. I proceeded to step on my brake to start my engine and my car did not start. Once doing research about the problem I began to see that this was a common occurrence with owners of the 2009 Nissan Altima. I then learned that my car wouldn't start due a faulty steering column locking the steering wheel. This stopped me from putting my car in the on position or controlling my gear shift. I am thankful that I was in a safe parking lot because this problem could've caused a huge inconvenience or put me in danger. Nissan refuses to recall this part and continues to put many Nissan owners in this unsafe situation.

- Bear, DE, USA

problem #802

Nov 252019

Altima 4-cyl

  • miles

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

The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the vehicle did not start and was towed to the rusty wallace Nissan (865-687-6111, located at 4515 clinton hwy, knoxville, tn 37912). The dealer diagnosed that the steering lock needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was aware of the failure and recall once before. The vehicle was repaired at the owner's expense. The contact stated that the same part was replaced in 2014 and again in 2019 by the same dealer. The failure mileage was unknown.

- Knoxville, TN, USA

problem #801

Nov 112019

Altima

  • 174,400 miles
I am having a steering wheel lock failure on my 2009 Nissan. There are many many complaints about the same issue. However, my vehicle VIN was not part of the recall for other 2009 Nissan ( not sure why) which makes no sense. The car did not start what so ever and stuck with a toddler is not acceptable and dangerous. This is obviously something Nissan made that was defective and should be taking care of.

- Lancaster, PA, USA

problem #800

Oct 092019

Altima

  • 86,500 miles
There's a loud crunching and cracking noise when turning the vehicle steering wheel left and right. I was backing out of my driveway when I heard this. I also found loose ball bearings on the driver's side under the wheel. In the past couple years the top rung of the spring has broken off on both sides. Upper front strut insulator recall 09 V 35800

- Keene, NH, USA

problem #799

Oct 072019

Altima

  • 147,000 miles
My car was driving perfectly the night before this happened. As soon as I woke up the following morning my car wouldn't start up and a yellow key light was lit up. I've changed my key fob batteries, my car battery, and other things I could do. However I couldn't get bypassed around my steering wheel lock which I believe could posibly be defective. Seeing how my car won't even enter accessory mode at all and none of the electrocial components work apart from the interior and exterior lights.

- Fishkill, NY, USA

problem #798

Apr 122017

Altima

  • 173,789 miles
Several things are wrong or gone bad. Nissan suppose to be awesome vehicles with good reputation but tell you if I had known or could have for seen all the trouble, wow. 1. have had problems with steering wheel locking, ok that was fixed it has done it again. Module is bad. 2. had to replace transmission very costly 3000, and was told that in a couple yrs would need it again. Push button start is part of the locking issue so why is this not fixed from what I have read it's an ongoing problem, actually the same issues with my 2009 Altima is exactly what thousands of others are going through, why is this not fixed why are we all still having these problems, my car is taken all the way to Nissan dealership in louisville ky. Oh about 45-to an hour away, for all regular maintaining, all the way down to the oil changes. Like I said Nissan suppose to be superior vehicles this has been a nightmare, I can't afford to pay the price of fixing the car every time I turn around. Trade in on it sucks, resale privately does too. Something needs done, how many hundreds of thousands of people have the same problems with their Altima

- Milton, KY, USA

problem #797

May 012019

Altima

  • 113,000 miles
Takata recall leak in the steering wheel fluid hose, steering wheel fluid leaks out of the rubber band in the steering hose causing the steering wheel to not be able to turn. Takata recall emergency brake is not connected or working. Takata recall suspension broken causing car to rattle and make loud noises while driving.

- Quincy, MA, USA

problem #796

May 092019

Altima

  • miles
My 2009 Nissan Altima coupe will not start and is blinking key on dash board, changed battery in remote control, still won't start. The electronic steering colum lock is defective car will not start after changing battery and fuses disconnecting battery and changing a relay fuse.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #795

Mar 052019

Altima

  • miles
The car will not start. I had the car towed and the dealership said that it will cost hundreds of dollars to fix it. The steering wheel control module needs to be replaced. It appears that many people have had this same problem. It is not safe. The car was parked and turned on, but would not start.

- Baltimore, MD, USA

problem #794

Feb 272019

Altima

  • miles
My car would not start at lunch today. I had it towed to the dealership. Faulty steering lock. The car won't start/drive at all due to this. It costs a small fortune to have replaced. There is no recall on this but there should be. Dealership sees this a lot.

- Elizabethtown, KY, USA

problem #793

Jan 212019

Altima

  • 96,000 miles
Had the electronic steering control lock replaced January of 2019 for the second time. Replace in 2013 also. Servuce campaign has been issued for this problem but told not my specific model Altima. All modes use the same part. Car wont start when it fails and can occur any time. Worried it will fail in a dangerous part of town. When part failed I was out of state and luckily in a parking lot. Why is tis part covered by a service campaign but only certain models that use the same part?

- Powell, OH, USA

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