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:
70,530 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 5 of 43)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #769

Dec 072017

Altima

  • 115,000 miles

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

I can't get my car to start because it won't recognize my key. Nissan has a campaign and extended the warranty to help some of the thousands of owners whose vehicle won't start due to a faulty electronic steering column locks. However, these recalls are VIN specific and even though my vehicle has the identical problem, they denied my claim. I appealed and they denied again. Now I get to pay $1,000 to pay for a part that Nissan has publicly admitted was due to shoddy manufacturing in thousands of 09 Altima, but somehow not in mine. Nissan, I know you're not Honda or Toyota, but, C'mon: Make an effort. (https://www.carcomplaints.com/news/2017/Nissan-Altima-maxima-steering-lock-problems.shtml)

- Bellevue, NE, USA

problem #768

Nov 052017

Altima

  • 116,000 miles
Electronic steering lock control has failed twice. Nissan has replaced at no charge once, and has a service campaign for all 2009. However, the 3 year old replacement failed with no warning and left me stranded and had to have car towed.

- Sacramento, CA, USA

problem #767

Nov 122017

Altima

  • 160,000 miles
Took vehichle hunting. When I returned to car found that vehicle would not start. No cell phone coverage. Had to flag down a car to find a ride back to where I could get cell coverage and call wife for a ride home. After much research I found that the steering colum lock was the culprit. Also found out that I was not alone with this problem. How could this be a secret, if that many people have been affected and Nissan did not do a full recall. Shame on them some needs to make this a full recall. What if this would have happened to my wife or kids "??"

- Deforest, WI, USA

problem #766

May 012014

Altima

  • 22,000 miles

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

My entire dashboard is melting and it's very sticky.. the glare is a major concern that could possibly cause an accident. It doesn't matter if it's day or night it's difficult to see out of the windshield.

- Galveston, TX, USA

problem #765

Oct 082017

Altima

  • 142,956 miles
Car will not start and key lock is on as well as the red light with the car flashing inside of the car. I looked the problem up and it stated something about it being a steering mechanism. I was parked in a restaurant got out to get my food and came back to the car and car wouldn't start.

- Tunica, MS, USA

problem #764

Sep 222017

Altima

  • 96,000 miles
Vehicle would not start after being shut down in parking lot. Dash display showed a key light but information console did not state the problem. Occupants in vehicle were mother and 3 year old daughter in 90+ degree heat. Could not operate air conditioning and had to have car towed to residence. Upon inspection, found steering wheel lock malfunctioned. Solution: Disable malfunctioning unit compromising security system with possibility of steering wheel lock activating while vehicle is in motion. Extremely dangerous as vehicle may be used on hiway or in less than optimal driving conditions. Nissan should recognize that this hazard was not completely communicated to all 2009 Nissan Altima owners when the initial recall was issued that ended in January of 2017. This is an ongoing issue and should be addressed to all current owners of 2009 Nissan Altima and corrected as soon as possible.

- Avon, IN, USA

problem #763

Sep 152017

Altima

  • 155,000 miles

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

The steering wheel lock mechanism. I was fixed once by dealership under extended warrenty they say. They told me recalled. Now only "certain 2009 Nissan Altima" are recalled again. Mine is broke again and cost is approx $900. They said I get no assistance even paying for it because of the miles on my car. It is still their mistake and faulty part. Car is nit driveable

- Mcdonald, OH, USA

problem #762

Aug 152017

Altima

  • 178,000 miles
My car left me stranded as I went to pick up my daughters from daycare. I had to pay to get my car towed to the dealership, my key fob would allow me to lock my doors and turn on the alarm but my car would not start. I have been looking in the complaints commentary and the majority of your complaints are for this same problem. Nissan should take responsibility for this failure. It is obvious that it has something to do with the way this model was built. The customer should not have to pay for manufacture mistakes.

- Sanger, CA, USA

problem #761

Aug 022017

Altima

  • 125,000 miles
I purchased a Nissan Altima 09 and haven't had any issues until 8/03/17. As I went to turn the car on a light came up on the dash board indicating that there was an issue with the steering lock. I figured it was a quick fix so I called my local dealership and they told me it's a faulty steering lock and asked for me to bring my car in. I had to call out of work to try and resolve this ongoing issue. I looked on online for possible solutions and couldn't find any but I did find that many Nissan Altima 09 owners were dealing with the same problem. I have no warranty on my car but there has to be a way to fix my car so I won't be stranded and won't have to pay 600$ for a small part...

- Bridgeport, CT, USA

problem #760

Jul 202017

Altima

  • miles
The won't start due to the steering wheel won't lock so the car won't start

- Miami, FL, USA

problem #759

Jul 132017

Altima

  • 125,000 miles

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

The car will not start. The dash lights and radio come on and the "on" indicator is lit where the push button is. However, the engine does not start.

- Austin, TX, USA

problem #758

Nov 032016

Altima

  • miles
I change my radiator 2 times - and they change the steering column lock and they charge me 1,200. I have change the pressure sensors couple times. This always happen when I was driving

- Aurora, IL, USA

problem #757

Jun 242017

Altima

  • miles
Steering wheel lock unit failure. My car was all of the sudden dead at home depot the other day and this was the second times it happened. First time it happened but I was abled to start my car the next day so I thought it was ok. Until couple days ago it happened again and this time I had to tow my car to the shop to have it check. The shop checked it and told me it was the steering wheel lock box problem. I have searching online and here are many people had this problem happening to their 2009 Nissan Altima. I would like to file complaint about this issue snd have Nissan to recall this problem.

- Anaheim, CA, USA

problem #756

Aug 292016

Altima

  • 130,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the steering wheel seized without warning. The vehicle was inspected and diagnosed by an independent mechanic who was further testing the vehicle to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed by a dealer. The manufacturer was notified. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.

- Brooklyn, NY, USA

problem #755

May 112017

Altima

  • 132,000 miles
"takata recall" on Thursday, May 11th, 2017, I left for an appointment. After the appointment, I tried starting the car and it would not start. I noticed the steering wheel was a bit stiff. I tried the battery, but no relief. I called my insurance company and they sent a tow truck to have it towed. After much reading, I realized this is an ongoing problem with Nissan.

- Leroy, NY, USA

problem #754

May 102017

Altima

  • 95,000 miles
Steering lock control unit has failed

- Coral Springs, FL, USA

problem #753

May 092017

Altima

  • 139,000 miles
Vehicle was stationary and the steering column went out. Vehicle will not start, seems there are thousands of people with this same problem, do not understand why a recall has not happened.

- Indianapolis, IN, USA

problem #752

Jan 102017

Altima

  • 135,000 miles
The steering locked up on the car and I couldnt get it unlocked. The dealership told me that it needed to get replaced so I did however I found out later this was a recall

- Clermont, FL, USA

problem #751

May 052017

Altima

  • 96,000 miles
After leaving the house for work my car wouldn't start. I paid to have some come out thinking it could possibly be battery or starter related. Com to find out Nissan has issued a escl service campaign on like vehicles. I was never notified of this issue and that it need to be fixed. Thank god I was at home when it happened otherwise their negligence could've left me in an unsafe situation. I now have to take my car to the dealership to get fixed but I'm now left wondering what else could they be hiding. My mother has the same car and she was never notified as well.

- Cincinnati, OH, USA

problem #750

May 042017

Altima

  • miles
Steering is lock and it does turn on and it never did this it work good

- Mercedes, TX, USA

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