Annoying whining noise from passenger front side of car. Dealer says this is the new power steering electric motor, used now rather than the old belt system in order to get better gas mileage. The motor apparently builds up pressure and lets out a high pitched noise when the pressure is released. Nissan knows of the complaints and only repair is to put a dampening enclosure or padding on the motor, which does not help.

I noticed this noise 3 days after I bought used rental car from a non-Nissan dealership, who directed me to all repairs to Nissan since it was under warranty. Nissan knows of the problem, but since this is a new item for 2014, a sure fix has not been determined. Not all models do this, some are louder than others.

This is a 2014 Nissan Altima 2.5 SL. I wish I had read the internet before purchasing, but I did not. It appears this whinning/whistling issue has been going on for almost 2 years. I took it the dealer today and was told it was normal. The guy actually brought 3 Altimas over, including a 2015, and it has the same noise! BEWARE people if you are considering buying an Altima. So annoying. I will be writing every government agency about this, what BS. Nissan knows about it, yet it appears they cannot fix it.

My only satisfaction is I was going to buy a 2015 loaded Maxima when they came out, now it's back to Avalon. I noticed the noise as soon as I pulled it into the garage from the 50 mile ride from dealer. The car has just over 200 miles, 150 of them are back and forth to the dealer.

Crossroads Nissan of Wake Forest is where I purchased this vehicle.

Go with another brand of care. No wonder other foreign makers are starting to take control of the car market, Nissan is building substandard cars and not fixing the problems they created.

Update from Mar 6, 2015: This is the letter I sent to Munoz, what a waste of postage. Had a call from a clerk, saying "thanks"! They just don't care! Please feel free to flood this guy with mail!

February 19, 2015

José Muñoz Executive Vice President, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Chairman, Nissan North America, Inc. One Nissan Way Franklin, TN 37067

Dear Mr. Munoz,

In your position of Chairman, Nissan North America, Inc., I challenge you to drive my 2014 Altima, with the whistling going on from the power steering motor, and tell me it's normal, as two of your local dealers have told me. I called the dealer about the noise as soon as I brought the car home and heard the loud whistling noise. It would have been back the next day, however we were going away. This issue is all over the Internet. I also wonder if this is a safety concern, something that deals with the steering of a vehicle? What a mistake we made buying this car, and my only satisfaction is driving it with the sign in the rear windows that reads "Ask Me About My Whistling Power Steering Motor", with my phone number and E-mail address attached. I have explained it to 25 people in person that have asked, and allowed them to listen to the whistling as well. I also explained that Nissan says it's normal. Many have had the typical response I first had: I wanted to drive it through the showroom window! But we’re law-abiding citizens that know our only recourse is what I am doing. They walked away in dismay, convinced there was no way they were purchasing one of them. I have contacted your sham Facebook page, and am always asked to send a "Private Message " to “so and so” to discuss. They'll take a complaint. I'm done complaining. You do the math on the word I'm spreading, and if each of them explain it to ten more people, well, that's all I can do.

A little background on us; we left the Toyota family back in the 90's, because a salesman told us he didn't think we could afford a certain car, this after driving Toyotas for over 20 years. We went down the street and bought out first of 5 Maxima’s. Strangely enough, we were going to buy a Maxima in 2015 and just picked this whistler up to hold us over; lucky for us, we got to see the quality noise Nissan now puts out in their 2014 Altima’s. Maybe your company should be called Noise-san? Maybe a new bumper sticker for me, I like it. Needless to say, we're done with Nissan. Seeing the scam perpetuated by the two dealers saying the same thing, almost word for word, “the noise is normal”, can only come from one place, your office. The standard answer is “until Nissan issues a recall, you have to live with it. There is nothing we can do!” What garbage Nissan is producing. We're paying this car off in 2 years, and going back to Toyota, the Avalon to be exact. I guess we should have never left back then, maybe just went to a different dealer.
In closing I would like to say that the service writer at Michael Jordan Nissan (where we purchased a new 2008 Rogue SL, for cash, back in 2008) was much more sincere and concerned than the service writer, and the rude mechanic, where we purchased the car from, Crossroads Nissan. I often think back to what my drill sergeant said to us in boot camp; “Son, I don’t ever get mad, I get even!” I still practice the philosophy to this day. I can only try to get even here with dollars and cents, because Nissan doesn’t give a s_ _ t about the consumers. Documenting this issue could prove important down the road for someone; I hope it’s not me!

Sincerely,

Signed

Update from Apr 28, 2016: I heard this morning from a mechanic friend that Nissan has issued a recall (or is about to) for the "noise insulator motor for steering". I would say it's for a "lack" of insulation for it! Anyway, I have appointment tomorrow for SECOND recall of hood latch on this tank! I will ask them tomorrow and see what they say. I will update again tomorrow. Mine is so loud now I want to just drive it through the showroom door! POS! Here's hoping!

Update from Apr 29, 2016: So I went to dealer today, they know nothing about email I have showing how they should repair. They say they know nothing about the email. My friend said they are lying. He said absolutely the service manager knows, as a minimum. Get these NTSB service bulletins working on these crooks. That way if YOU GET KILLED IN THESE cars you have it documented. The "technician" that "checked" my car said no problem. He is lying. Then again, he is just doing what he is told to do, because their bosses are liars and cheats.

"NTB16-023 for customers concerns for a whining noise coming from power steering." Applicable Vehicles: 2013-2015 Altima, 2013-2015 Pathfinder, 2015 Murano. Whine from Power Steering Please install the power steering motor insulator per NTB16-023 for customers concerns for whining noise while turning the steering wheel if confirmed while sitting in the vehicle with all the windows up. In addition to the insulator, on: 2013 Altima NTB13-017 may also apply 2014 Altima NTB14-053 may also apply

Update from Jul 25, 2016: Here is Nissan's answer to the passenger airbag light coming on in the 2014 Altimas, maybe other years and models, when the SEAT IS OCCUPIED; now it's on ALL THE TIME if there is nobody in the seat! Can you believe these POS? Instead of doing the right thing and replacing the part, they backdoor the issue and re-program them. So think about this, thousands brought the cars in for the lights "coming on" when there are people in the seat. Now it is "on when there is nobody in the seat", and off when there is someone in it. Just what you need at night time driving this piece of crap, another light on! Jerks. They really suck. This is from some who has owned 5 fully loaded Maxima's! They don't car, they are now the GM of the 70-80-90's, and I am so glad I found this out before I bought the new Maxima. Ford Explorer loaded wins this battle. This, of course, is after fighting the battle of the "electric motor power steering". Bottom line, stay away from them, unless you want the whistling sound whenever it is RUNNING. Normal, and that's from dealer and the schmuck, José Muñoz, Executive Vice President, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Chairman, Nissan North America, Inc. Well, really from his flunky that called me. The only positive, for me, out of this that I have told many friends and relative about this garbage resulting in them not buying 13 Nissan products. I have told hundreds who I have no idea what they did. So I lose, they win, and Nissan loses big time. It's all you can do. If you tried to drive it through the showroom windows it would probably stall.

There is a high pitch whining noise coming from the power steering pump and heard very loud in the passenger area of the car. It is becoming unbearable. Noticed the noise about 2 days after purchasing the vehicle. Took it to the dealer after 6 days of ownership and service manager agreed that the noise is not normal. They kept the car for 10 days waiting for a new pump. The pump was replaced and the new one is making the same noise. Dealer contacted Nissan and he was told the noise is normal and to release the car to me. I opened a complaint with Nissan Consumer Affairs but since Nissan is stating the noise is normal there is nothing that can be done. Requested a buy back but not too confident that this will get approved. I love this car and it is a shame that Nissan has ruined it by building it with a horrific sounding power steering pump. If they can just fix this ear piercing noise coming into the cabin of the car I would want to keep it. From what I have been told the Maxima's have an electronic power steering pump that does not make this noise. Why can't they use this same pump for the Altimas? If Nissan does not step up on this one, I am done with them! Need to move on to Toyota or Honda.