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.
WENT TO NISSAN IN POLKEEPSIE THEY CHARGED ME $400 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND TOLD ME THE TRANSMISSION WAS THE PROBLEM AND REPLACED ALL THE TRANSMISSION FLUID IN THE CAR. SAID THERE WAS NO FILTER IN THE TRANS. TO CHANGE.. NEVER CHECKED THE THROTTLE BODY FOR CLOGGING WHICH I DID MY SELF AND IT WAS BAD.. TOLD ME THAT I PUT IN THE WRONG TRANS. FLUID FROM AUTOZONE(WHICH WAS NOT TRUE) SO IT COST ME $400 TO FIX NOTHING. CAR STILL STALLS AT LIGHTS SO NOTHING WAS FIXED.
Car died when stopped at stop sign. Would not crank back up. Towed by wrecker ($100). Was told by dealership that water was in gas tank...? Entire family buys gas at same station and never has had a problem. Oddly enough, still jerking and skipping....
Here we go again....as driving down the road, car starts skipping...then jerking...then dying. Cranks back up...starts shaking...dies again, etc...etc...Pushed car into parking lot at work...towed again to dealership. Water in gas tank - again? Really! Strange to me that my entire family has been buying gas from the same station for years and no one has ever had a problem, but let me buy a brand new $26,000 Nissan Altima and I get water in the gas tank twice in the last 4-5 months?? Bull! Don't believe it! Had a small FIT at the dealership-didn't have to pay the $464 this time. If I continue to have this problem, I'm going to take it to an independent auto repair shop and see what is REALLY going on!
- amberw,
Union Grove, AL, US
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WENT TO NISSAN IN POLKEEPSIE THEY CHARGED ME $400 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND TOLD ME THE TRANSMISSION WAS THE PROBLEM AND REPLACED ALL THE TRANSMISSION FLUID IN THE CAR. SAID THERE WAS NO FILTER IN THE TRANS. TO CHANGE.. NEVER CHECKED THE THROTTLE BODY FOR CLOGGING WHICH I DID MY SELF AND IT WAS BAD.. TOLD ME THAT I PUT IN THE WRONG TRANS. FLUID FROM AUTOZONE(WHICH WAS NOT TRUE) SO IT COST ME $400 TO FIX NOTHING. CAR STILL STALLS AT LIGHTS SO NOTHING WAS FIXED.
- Joseph K., Newburgh N.Y., ny, US