Car was driving fine. Turned the car off and went into a Quick Stop, came back out and the car would not start. The dash indicates there is no key. Called a friend and went to get new batteries for the key fob. The dash still indicates no key and still won't start. I had to have it towed to the service station and they had to order a new lock steering sensor. The cost of that part was $628.39. Since then I've read the 2009 and 2010 Nissans have a major problem with this and Nissan won't do a recall.

Wow I really loved my car until today! I drove to a restaurant this morning and that's where my Altima still is, 9pm Sunday. symptoms sound like the many I read, I can lock/unlock the doors, I changed the battery and have a key symbol on screen. The car won't crank, the lights work but ...nothing. As its Sunday I am having the car towed to the dealer in the morning. I had never heard of this and it happens weeks after the extended warranty expired. since I haven't had it diagnosed I am going keep hoping and update tomorrow.

Update from Jan 8, 2015: update Thursday 1-8. towed the car to the dealership Monday 1-5, was told the warranty for this problem is extended until march 15th 2015. They are reimbursing my towing, gave me a rental and the service was excellent. I am home with my car! Of course this should be a recall, I was very fortunate as to where the car died, and was terribly inconvenienced for a day.

Many many thanks to this site and those who took the time to chime in. I would have been barking up the wrong tree if it weren't for you.

Also appear to be having the electronic steering column lock issue. Key fob works for trunk, door locks, panic button but car won't even turn on, let alone start. Just have blinking red key security light and the gold key light stays on solid. Tried disconnecting battery and reconnecting, but that didn't work. Tried moving the steering wheel every which way I could think of to no avail. Had to get a tow to the dealership. Find out the extended warranty is expired as of Oct. 28 2014.

Opened case with consumer affairs and am pushing my case to have this classified as a recall as I have read over a hundred cases of this happening to other people. Fortunately the dealership gave me a loaner which is just a step up from a Flintstone mobile but hey, it gets me from point A to point B so I'm not complaining too much. The only mystery that remains is how much I'm going to have to pay for this to get fixed. Hopefully Nissan consumer affairs is feeling generous this week so we'll see.

Left work today, my 2009 Nissan Altima 2.5 SL started without a problem. Stopped at the store, was in there for 10 minutes. Came out, my car wouldn't start. It would lock and unlock, lights worked, but wouldn't start. It was freezing out and I had a kid and little puppy in the car, extremely frustrating. Called the Lia Nissan dealership, they didn't know what was wrong, manager said it was probably my battery. Which it wasn't. Had my friend who is a mechanic for Volvo come look at it, he said it was the steering column. He had to bring me home and my car is sitting at Stop&Shop!

I drove to my girlfriends house to watch the playoff games,car started fine went to go home and car would not start at all. This has happened several times but not as bad as this time. Before when it would happen I could try it several times and mess with the key fob and eventually get it started. I just bought this car in July of 2014 because I am in the security and healthcare field and needed a vehicle that I could depend on. As peoples lives depend on me being able to respond quickly I see this as a major problem.

I have had several electrical problems with this vehicle and have been severely disappointed in the dependability of this vehicle. Nissan apparently knows about these problems and from what I am reading have not acknowledged this or done anything to address these issues. Consumers pay a lot of money for these vehicles and should not be getting the shaft.Our government can spend billions to save automotive companies that screw over consumers how about spending some of those tax dollars to protect the people that keep these companies in business. As far as Nissan goes I for one will not be purchasing another one of their products. And to think I could have bought a Ford.

Typical complaint, which is a total indictment of NISSAN'S GUILT AND FILTH on this particular problem.

Went inside a restaurant on Congress Ave in Austin, Texas to eat with friends. I had picked up a car full of compadre's to save everyone the hassle of individual commutes in a rare ice event. Finished meal, went outside to leave...and promptly encountered the electronic steering module defect fiasco. Car towage, lying and manipulative Nissan parts/repair dept. on display in all it's full glory. They made the now well-known song and dance routine regarding extended warranty" JUST running out. The level of dishonesty at the dealership was energy draining.

They parked the car outside the repair doors and told us to wait for a minute, someone would get our personal info and such. They took the key but never returned. We waited an hour, decided to ask "what up". Response..."SO sorry, we just forgot about you". Anyway, the porter went outside to do who knows what to the car but rolled down the windows in sleet and rain and then they wouldn't roll up. Manager, several employee's all came out to watch and had no idea what to do!

Luckily, the taxi service we had to call arrived and helped us, the customer, push it under an awning to get out of the weather. Nissan employees stood and watched. Total insanity, and the only solution offered was a $189 diagnostic test and then a $998 repair bill if it is the electronic steering lock. Awful, awful, awful experience.

I DROVE MY 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S TO WORK ON 12/04 AND IT STARTED UP JUST FINE AS USUAL. HOWEVER, WHEN I WENT TO LEAVE WORK FOR THE DAY THE CAR DID NOT START. THE KEYLESS REMOTE WILL ALLOW ME TO LOCK AND UNLOCK MY CAR, BUT WHEN I GO TO START THE CAR, IT WILL NOT REGISTER MY KEY FOB. AN ERROR CODE SHOWS THAT THE ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK (ESCL) MECHANISM WAS MALFUNCTIONING. ALSO, THERE IS A YELLOW KEY ICON ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DASH THAT INTERMITTENTLY FLASHES NO KEY. THE IGNITION IS INDICATING THAT THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED ALTHOUGH I CAN TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. HOWEVER, WHEN TRYING TO SHIFT GEARS THE BRAKE WOULD NOT SUPRESS. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNING LIGHTS INDICATING THAT THE PART WAS ABOUT TO FAIL ON THE DASH PANEL.

I WAS STRANDED FOR SOMETIME TRYING TO FIND A WAY HOME. DUE TO BEING IN A PARKING GARAGE I HAD TO LEAVE MY CAR THERE FOR SEVERAL DAYS SINCE TOW TRUCKS DID NOT HAVE THE CLEARANCE TO ENTER THE GARAGE. AFTER DOING FURTHER RESEARCH INTO THE ISSUE I HAVE COME TO SEE THAT MULTIPLE PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS SAME EXACT PROBLEM. A VERY DISTURBING FACTOR SINCE NISSAN IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM. HOWEVER, I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT MY CAR NOW FOR A MONTH AS I CANNOT AFFORD THE REPAIRS, AND AT WAR WITH NISSAN FROM DAY 1. THEY ARE STILL REFUSING TO REPAIR MY CAR INDICATING THAT IT FALLS OUTSIDE OF THE WARRANTY EXTENSION PERIOD. THIS IS VERY INTERESTING CONSIDERING THAT THERE IS A DETAILED LETTER EXPLAINING THE WARRANTY AND THE EXTENSION DATE. THE LETTER CLEARLY STATES THAT:

"Nissan has decided to extend the Nissan New Vehicle Limited Warranty, as it applies to the ESCL unit, from 3 years / 36,000 miles to 6 years / unlimited miles, whichever comes first."

DOING SOME BASIC MATH IT SHOWS THAT 6 YEARS FROM 2009 WOULD BE 2015 NOT 2014 SO I AM STILL NOT CERTAIN AS TO HOW I AM OUTSIDE OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD. SEEING AS HOW MY CLAIM WAS ORIGINALLY FILED IN 2014 THIS SHOULD MAKE ME ELIGIBLE FOR REPAIRS UNDER THE COVERED WARRANTY. I AM STILL GOING DOING BATTLE WITH NISSAN BUT HOPEFULLY THEY CORRECT THE ISSUE OR THE NEXT STEP IS COURT.

FOR ALL THOSE INTERESTED IN VIEWING THIS LETTER IN THE EVENT YOU FILED A COMPLAINT BEFORE THE 2015 TIME MARK PLEASE VISIT: http://www.nissanassist.com/web/ESCL_Warranty_Extension/ProgramDetails.php?menu=61

drove my car home from work, got home and went inside for half hour. I went back into my car to head out and it WOULD NOT START. I had to pay to tow my car to the dealer where i was told its $795 to replace my steering wheel lock unit. I am highly upset because I read all over the internet where people with the same 2009 nissan altima were having the same problem . some paid to have it fixed and others got the work done for free, After contacting nissan i was told my warranty ended in October...and this happened in December. i THINK THIS IS VERY MESSED UP OF THEM TO KNOW ABOUT CARS HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT IT. I will never purchase another Nissan car!!! NEVER!

I will also be writing a certified letter to the attorney general's office. i dont think i should be responsible for this

I went to work one morning and when I came out later that afternoon the car would not start. There was a key symbol on the dash and the push button would not work. I searched my phone for possible solutions and came up with Electronic Steering Column Lock (ESCL) as a known issue. Luckily I have a good friend who's a mechanic and he was able to come take a look at it and confirmed that was the problem.

When I called the dealer to see about what could be done to get it fixed, I was informed that it was a known issue with this make and model and that Nissan was aware of it BUT, the extended warranty had expired in August of this year. I called Nissan Customer Service line & was told the same thing and that there was nothing they could do. I searched the internet for Nissan North America Corporate leaders and emailed about 12 Presidents and VP's of various departments. The next day I received a call and was informed that they had received the email and had reviewed my situation. It was determined that there was nothing they could do to help, since the extended warranty had expired in August.

So the part was put in, because I have to work...& I need a car for that, at my expense of just over $700.00 and that was because my mechanic friend cut me a deal, the dealership quoted closer to $1,100.00. If this issue is as big of a problem as it appears to be online, I don't understand how Nissan can get away with not doing a recall. We've loved our Altima up until this point but just the fact that Nissan knew this was an issue and has done very little and they're lack of response to my complaints, I will NEVER own a Nissan again. As I said in my email to them, I owned a big white Nissan paperweight until the part was fixed, which I guess they're okay with!

Well - I had to tow the car to the dealer to find out that nissan knew about this, extended the warranty, but did not think being unable to start the cat worthy of a recall.

I could open the car and get in (key was working, and I tried even "in" the keyport just in case key battery may be low), I could turn on the lights (battery was working) but I had two warning lights on the board - red key in the car icon and the yellow key icon. Push the button and nothing happens.

The dealer was super nice and replaced the ESCL piece for free, but they could not pick me up and I had to call Geico to tow me and that will again raise my insurance premium. After this end of a work day when I just wanted to go home and after finding out that Nissan knew about this before me I don't think I will ever... lest I forget... well... let's just say I liked my Altima a lot. Let's see what Nissan knows that I did not find out yet, I saw some news about settling a lawsuit for defect brakes just now for a few millions... I think I got a letter from them, but thought it did not apply to me since it said I should not do anything.

How can this still happen? I was very fortunate about my circumstances, but I see now that others have not

I hope you are not in the same mood I was in, but just in case this is happening to you know... maybe you are lucky and not in the middle of nowhere or just before Xmas or in a rush to get anywhere, 'cause even if Nissan pays for the fix you still need a ride, a rental, a tow truck and/or and/or roadside assistance.

Check http://www.nissanassist.com/web/ESCL_Warranty_Extension/index.php?menu=69 for the whole way Nissan envisioned this unique moment in your life when your car does not start.

Went to leave work & the car won't start. Brake won't depress. Car doors will lock/unlock. Lights will come on. We removed the battery to reset any codes, that didn't work. Battery in the key FOB replaced, that didn't fix the issue. The dash blinks & knows there is a key in the car. Remote starter will start the car, but the ignition will not switch out of the LOCK position... It acts like ignition failure. It appears a lot of people are having the same issue... Why isn't there a recall?? Bang on the steer modular - what is that???

I went to my car last night after getting off work to find that although the doors opened fine with the key fob, I could not start my car. It was about 5 degrees out and dark. I looked in the owners manual for trouble shooting and then online and could find nothing official to try. Came back to work today with hubby. He tried jump starting it and fiddling with getting in and out, putting into neutral, etc. Nothing worked. He called the local dealership and they said to bring it in. Luckily, I had purchased the extended warranty and got a free tow service to the dealership and once they looked it over decided it was the electric steering lock control module. It was also covered by the extended warranty- thank goodness or it could have cost over $700 to fix. The part had to be ordered so I will be without my car for 2-5 days. Luckily again, my husband told me to call back to see if I could get a free loaner car while they worked on mine. Turns out it too is covered under the extended warrant. Who knew? Well, not me of course.

We have owned other Nissans without any problems- this is the only one I have had in the shop repeatedly for various electrical, transmission and drive train problems over the last three years I have owned it. I think it is the make and year or something because it seems like a true lemon of a car.

My 2009 Altima. When I first bought it I loved it. It had like pull once in a while, like it would not catch up. But then I had this no key problem, where the car would lock the brakes and shifter. It will not let me start the car because it would say no key. I don't know why. I replaced the battery in the key fob and also disconnected the battery from the vehicle to no avail.

I'm a single girl in collage, so this was so stressful and depressing. I would have to ask for rides and till now I can't get it fixed I have to walk everywhere. I don't have the money to take it to a dealer. I need to tow it to the Nissan dealership and I'm not going to so my car is in my driveway just dying lol I'm dying without it. I hate being a girl and not know how to fix stupid stuff like this