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.
7.0
pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$500
Average Mileage:
82,550 miles
Total Complaints:
2 complaints
Most Common Solutions:
had entire front assembly replaced (strut/shock/spring) (1 reports)
I got in my car and put in reverse. Then heard a loud bang immediately after moving a few inches backwards. I can only assume years of bumps, potholes, salty roads during snowy days, etc. helped this, but I have never had a vehicle's spring break before!
The four vehicles I have owned needed shock absorbers to be replaced, but never the spring. I guess the company is using cheaper parts that have areas of structural inadequacy.
I am curious to see how many vehicles are affected by this, or is it just a handful?
2010 Nissan Altima with only 82,000 kms. Heard a bang in the front end and immediately had a look and felt the broken end of the coil spring on the passenger front side. Approx. 8" length. I since learned through Google search that this isn't as isolated as I might have thought and would hope that the Ministry of Transportation take notice and request Nissan recall this part as significant as it relates to the suspension of the front and could lead to loss of control. I've owned a number of vehicles of the years and have yet to have a coil spring break, I would hope my post leads others to do the same when this occurs because if not reported in numbers, nothing will put pressure on the manufacture to recall this significant issue.
- stmael3,
Uxbridge, ON, Canada
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
I got in my car and put in reverse. Then heard a loud bang immediately after moving a few inches backwards. I can only assume years of bumps, potholes, salty roads during snowy days, etc. helped this, but I have never had a vehicle's spring break before!
The four vehicles I have owned needed shock absorbers to be replaced, but never the spring. I guess the company is using cheaper parts that have areas of structural inadequacy.
I am curious to see how many vehicles are affected by this, or is it just a handful?
- Paul C., Boston, MA, US