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:
0 / 3
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
29,635 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 have a cvt transmission is my car, and its terribly scary. It shifts if it want too I try to slow down on the highway hoping to help it shift it still dont I have to come almost to a complete stop. I get off the gas car lurches forward and or stalls and shakes and then takes off. Try to accelerate and the car literally goes no where than mins later it just takes off without foot being on gas pedal. Lots of hesistation shuddering lurching stalling its really scary to drive at night time and through busy places. You put it gears and it even jumps and or rocks back and forth
This car dashboard is completely melting and the chemicals thats being released are very smelly and eye burning. From the vents down to right before the gear shift has pieces missing control units dont even sit in original place because the entire dash is melting and wont hold together and chemicals are released onto the windshield making it almost impossible to see especially at night. Turn the ac debris comes out and eyes burn to the point every one has to get out of vehicle. Eyes burn reguardless of ac but when its on its 10X worse. Ive owned this car 2 years and its been an issue since I got it.
The dashboard is melted. The shiny surface that this melted area has created causes a terrible glare when driving during the day to the point where it is difficult to see the road or oncoming traffic well. The surface is extremely sticky to the touch. Melting has progressively been getting worse.
2010 Nissan altam the front strut insulators on both sides have really bad cracks on the upper insulators. It's a loud clunking noise going over bumps or just driving on flat surfaces. There's a recall on 09 and 10 maxima and altamas with the same issues but this one isn't showing up for a recall.
When parked letting the car warm up constant shaking kinda a rough ideal at times. From park to reverse it shifts hard the to drive its ok I guess then on the go it's like driving a boat on land loud knocking sounds seems like the tires are flat or about to explode off the car really nerve-wracking
- Richmond , KY, USA
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Today my 16 year old daughter drove my 2010 Nissan Altima. At 45 mph it started to jerk. She pulled over to check things out and saw nothing. She went to put it back in drive and the gear shifter wouldn-??t stay in proper drive position, but she started driving. It continued and began jerking, making a popping sound, and then started pouring smoke. She pulled over, got out and got my 10 year old daughter out when she saw a flame by the windshield and they ran away from the vehicle before it became engulfed in flames very quickly. The entire vehicle is ash except the frame in a short period of time.
I've owned my Ultima for approximately 9 years the dashboard is melting and cracking causing poor visibility, glares, melting dashboard with cracks causing wires to be exposed to hot heat and sun.
My name is [XXX] and I can be reached at [XXX]...The dashboard has many cracks on it and it looks like it's melting too by the sun rays. It's very sticky when you touch it too. Vehicle tends to slow down a lot when I am driving as if I am about to get transmission problems soon. I see many people who already complained this transmission issue. My car has about 130,646 miles on it. The passenger air bag is consistently on and I hope it won't deploy on its own. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
The problem is in the Transmission. It is very stressful to know that I can't go faster than 35mph and specially super important that I have to stay under 5mpr or I might blow the motor I'm guessing
My extremely shiny/melting dashboard is the problem yes it is available for inspection. Everyones safety was put @ risk because of the glare created by that dashboard onto the windshield. I can-??t afford to pay the dealership or anyone else to look at it. Not inspected by police insurance or manufacturer yet but I-??m sure it will be once I have a wreck Due to the fact that I can-??t see clearly out the windshield there were no warning lamps Or messages but here-??s the story : I bought this car Preowned in Oklahoma on April 16, 2023 since then on more than one occasion I have almost run over A pedestrian or into another vehicle because I couldn-??t see due to the excessive glare on my windshield One photo Shows how bad the Glare is when The Sun hits The windshield 4some reason it uploaded sideways Depending upon the placement of the sun the Reflection on the The windshield Will cover the entire lower half the rest of the photos were taken in my garage &even after dark with just the light from my garage you can clearly see how bad the glare is due to the reflection. I also included a photo of a quarter standing On its side. that is how sticky the dash is. You can also see in the photos how the shade I bought to keep the sun off of The dash leaves pieces on the dashboard because it keeps sticking to the dashboard Every day when I use it. You can also see if you look really closely how the stickiness that-??s on the shade rubs off onto the windshield and leaves a sticky mess on it. please do something about this my car is no longer under warranty but is it unsafe to drive at various times both day and night. There-??s no way I can afford to get a new dash.
My dashboard has been melting since I purchased the vehicle last year. Dealership went out of business. It-??s over $1,000 for dashboard to be replaced. I read the complaints on this website and y-??all are WELL INFORMED of this issue and the safety concerns associated with it. Ditto for Nissan! A recall was issued for the previous two year models so why in the world should we have to pay for this repair out of pocket and how many complaints does it take to get y-??all to do something"???" I-??m not sure what you-??re here for if not to address issues consumers are having with their products. DO YOUR JOB AND MAKE NISSAN PAY FOR THEIR MISTAKES!!!!
I have a melting dashboard that is becoming hazardous due to the extreme glare, tackiness and continuous deterioration. I noticed it in May 2021 and has become substantially worse-??s as it is now a hazard and concerned driving it until I can find a fix. I contacted Nissan consumer affairs and was advised no recall and due to age that they could not offer a good will fix and directed me to dealer. I will spoke to the dealer body shop who advised it will be approximately 2000 to replace. I will be bring it to the dealer in the next week for their inspection and assessment as this issue has been noted in the Auto Saftey letter to Nissan North American CEO in fall of 2021 requesting recall
The dash of the car has melted causing a glare on the windshield of the car making it hard to see out the windshield. Especially on very sunny days. The dash is sticky and car smells when entering it.
I have three issues with this car. The dash has melted, so much so I could not see out the windshield if the sun was out. The glare on the dash was blinding. I called Nissan and spoke to agent 'shelly', ID #7312915, case # 32725497 in September 2018. I took it to one Nissan dealership and they said not a manufacturing defect, but gave me a quote of $3500 to repair. Took to another Nissan dealership and they gave me another quote for a repair using a dash from the junk yard for 1/2 the price. I gave up and finally purchased a dash cover in August 2019 for around $300 from carparts.com and installed it myself. Very much a driving/safety concern! The sunroof leaks if more than a sprinkle. The back floor board stand in 3" of water. I have to take it to the dealership to have the headliner ripped out to clean the waterline from sunroof to outside (rear wheel well). I have taken it in 2-3 times at a cost of ~$150 each time. I need to go back now, but have currently duct taped the sunroof shut. The VDC and slip light, brake light and tire pressure lights are on. Have had them reset. Last time they told me to disregard the brake light. Just ignore it.
My 2010 Nissan Altima has a sticky dash. I am getting reflections in the windshield when I drive. I use a sun screen when my vehicle is parked. The sticky is getting on the bottom of my sunscreen. The sticky on the sun screen gets on the wind shield. I have called Nissan customer service. I was told my vehicle is out of warranty. Nissan can't do anything about the sticky dash. Nissan customer service did not offer a solution to the sticky dash problem. I think the sticky dash is a safety problem because it will probably get worse. Nissan knew about sticky dashes and could have recalled my vehicle.
concern: melting dashboard safety: visibility - the dashboard is very shiny and sticky, potential glare confirmation: Florida recalls have already been made against 2008 and 2009 Nissan vehicles, but nothing further. symptoms: no idea that the dashboard was melting; college student used vehicle corrective action taken: washing/cleaners do not improve or correct the issue. Also, the replacement cost and/or labor required to fix the issue is extremely limited for consumers to take on personally.
The right side motor mount is broken for starters and then on the left drivers side front struts are making a noise and sometimes my back up camera goes out also the transmission is starting to jerk a little or it may be the broken motor mount.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Hugo, OK, USA