Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||||
| NTB-12-057 | 07/06/2012 | 10044570 | Nissan: if continuously variable transmission (cvt) fluid temperature rises above a certain threshold, it will go into fluid protection logic mode (fail safe mode), as designed. *pe | 07/13/2012 | |
| NTB:09-044 | 06/11/2009 | 10030088 | Nissan: affected vehicles has cvt fluid and that is discolored and/or has unusual odor. mil is on with dtcs p0840 and/or p0845 stored in consult iii/engine and /or transmission. the mil is on and p0710 is stored in consult iii/engine and/or | 07/31/2009 | |
| PB-085 | 08/09/2008 | 10025884 | Nissan: voluntary service campaign; 2008 altima sedan (l32) cvt cooler hose clamp. coupe and hybrid not included. csc was received. *pe | 09/12/2008 | |
| NTB08-049 | 04/28/2008 | 10024689 | Nissan; special automatic transmission fluid requirement. 2004 to current nissan vehicles. *nj | 05/06/2008 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - CONTROL MODULE (TCM, PCM) | |||||
| NTB12-035 | 04/10/2012 | 10043950 | Nissan: ecm replacement procedures with consult iii plus. applies to all 2004 and later (does not apply to leaf/ev) vehicles. *js | 05/02/2012 | |
| POWER TRAIN - MANUAL TRANSMISSION | |||||
| NTB:09-044 | 06/11/2009 | 10030088 | Nissan: affected vehicles has cvt fluid and that is discolored and/or has unusual odor. mil is on with dtcs p0840 and/or p0845 stored in consult iii/engine and /or transmission. the mil is on and p0710 is stored in consult iii/engine and/or | 07/31/2009 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | |||
| 09/30/2012 | 71000 | 1 | |
| My daughter and i were about 30 minutes north of san antonio on our way home to dallas. in an instance my car stopped accelerating and the mph declined. i checked to make sure the car was still in drive and it was. i pulled over as to not cause an accident and turned off my car. it took a few times to start it back as it would start and die. about the 3rd try it started and i revved the gas - it sounded normal so i drove to an autozone - it was the closest. i asked if they would check the computer to see what it said and they said it wouldn't read w/o a code. i took the car 10/1/12 to bankston nissan in dallas (the car drove fine all the way home) and they said it may be too much cvt fluid. took it in and they couldn't duplicate the issue and the fluid was fine - did not need to be changed or anything. the tech said when it happens again to pull over and have it towed to a nissan - he thinks maybe since i restarted it may have cleared the codes. i asked if he thought it would happen again and he said yes. looking online i see this same description and issue over and over again. i even called nissan consumer affairs and received a call back... this did not happen before when i had a master cylinder issue that was recalled 6 months later. nissan at that time just said sorry. this time i got a call back inquiring, but then still get a sorry. i think something is up. they all seem to know the issue but w/o a code they wont replace the transmission under warranty. what if there is never a code??!!! *tr | |||
| 09/30/2012 | 71000 | ||
| My daughter and i were about 30 minutes north of san antonio on our way home to dallas. in an instance my car stopped accelarating and the mph declined. i checked to make sure the car was still in drive and it was. i pulled over as to not cause an accident and turned off my car. it took a few times to start it back as it would start and die. about the 3rd try it started and i reved the gas - it sounded normal so i drove to an autozone - it was the closest. i asked if they would check the computer to see what it said and they said it wouldn't read w/o a code. i took the car 10/1/12 to bankston nissan in dallas (the car drove fine all the way home) and they said it may be too much cvt fluid. took it in and they couldnt duplicate the issue and the fluid was fine - did not need to be changed or anything. the tech said when it happens again to pull over and have it towed to a nissan - he thinks maybe since i restarted it may have cleared the codes. i asked if he thought it would happen again and he said yes. looking online i see this same description and issue over and over again. i even called nissan consumer affairs and received a call back... this did not happen before when i had a master cylinder issue that was recalled 6 months later. nissan at that time just said sorry. this time i got a call back inquiring, but then still get a sorry. i think something is up. they all seem to know the issue but w/o a code they wont replace the transmission under warranty. what if there is never a code??!!! | |||
| 07/02/2012 | 53000 | 1 | |
| I have 2008 nissan altima 2.5 s which has push button start. i.e. person has to push button and press brake at same time to start the engine. there is a switch / sensor near brake pedal which sends signal that brake has been pressed (and also turns on rear brake lights). one day, all of sudden, when i tried to start car it didn't start. it keep saying press brake (accessories / radio etc all turn on). so the cycle of accessories - on- off kept on happening. i thought battery is weak and even tried jump start. so, after trying pushing brake + button for 30minutes , car finally started. this happened 2-3 times and i got very frustrated....finally i started reading online about this problem. many people have posted same complain / issue. they suggested to check whether rear brake lights turn on when i press brake or not.. if not then the switch is bad .. i saw many people were able to fix problem by replacing switch ($50 expense). i did the same and car has been working fine since then (2-3 months). dealer tries to charge $150 only for switch and then $500 for other stuff to eliminate root cause of issue.. as many people are effected by this issue, i firmly believe that nissan should recall and fix this issue at their cost. dealers are making tons of money off 2007-2008 altima owners. *tr | |||
| 07/02/2012 | 53000 | ||
| I have 2008 nissan altima 2.5 s which has push button start. i.e. person has to push button and press brake at same time to start the engine. there is a switch / sensor near brake paddle which sends signal that brake has been pressed (and also turns on rear brake lights). one day, all of sudden, when i tried to start car it din't start. it keep saying press brake (accessories / radio etc all turn on). so the cycle of accessories - on- off kept on happening. i thought battery is weak and even tried jump start. so, after trying pushing brake + button for 30minutes , car finally started. this happened 2-3 times and i got very frustrated....finally i started reading online about this problem. many people have posted same complain / issue. they suggested to check whether rear brake lights turn on when i press brake or not.. if not then the switch is bad .. i saw many people were able to fix problem by replacing switch ($50 expense). i did the same and car has been working fine since then (2-3 months). dealer tries to charge $150 only for switch and then $500 for other stuff to eliminate root cause of issue.. as many people are effected by this issue, i firmly believe that nissan should recall and fix this issue at their cost. dealers are making tons of money off 2007-2008 altima owners. | |||
| 08/31/2012 | 64500 | 1 | |
| Vehicle was driving along with other normal traffic when it suddenly lost power and stalled on an incline. driver carefully steered vehicle to a safe place downhill and called a towing company to tow vehicle to driver's residence. upon visual inspection of engine compartment, a rubber seal on the ecm wiring harness was found buckled up. on trying to remove and re-insert the harness, it was found that ecm terminals had corroded and some pin contact had actually fallen off. upon doing some research, this was found to be an issue covered under federal emissions warranty. driver/owner called the local nissan dealership who immediately, presumably at their own expense, towed the car to their facility, checked and found the ecm to be faulty but blamed the faulty wiring harness for the failure. and further, the dealer claimed since the harness carries a 3 year warranty and was the cause of the ecm failure, this was no longer covered under federal emissions warranty resulting in a bill of $2,000+ for replacing the faulty - corroded - wiring harness and the faulty ecm. attempts to have the dealer do more research or contact nissan usa for advise fell on deaf ears. if the car had stalled on high speed and caused fatalities on the highway, would these repairs then have been part of federal emissions warranty coverage for publicity purposes? it is out of sheer luck that 1. the car stalled while going downhill and, 2. the car was traveling at 40 miles per hour. i desperately need advise on this while i await for delivery of a special order for the ecm and harness. in the meantime, my rental car expenses are piling up and are not covered by any warranty. *tr | |||
| 08/31/2012 | 64500 | ||
| Vehicle was driving along with other normal traffic when it suddenly lost power and stalled on an incline. driver carefully steered vehicle to a safe place downhill and called a towing company to tow vehicle to driver's residence. upon visual inspection of engine compartment, a rubber seal on the ecm wiring harness was found buckled up. on trying to remove and re-insert the harness, it was found that ecm terminals had corroded and some pin contact had actually fallen off. upon doing some research, this was found to be an issue covered under federal emissions warranty. driver/owner called the local nissan dealership who immediately, presumably at their own expense, towed the car to their facility, checked and found the ecm to be faulty but blamed the faulty wiring harness for the failure. and further, the dealer claimed since the harness carries a 3 year warranty and was the cause of the ecm failure, this was no longer covered under federal emissions warranty resulting in a bill of $2,000+ for replacing the faulty - corroded - wiring harness and the faulty ecm. attempts to have the dealer do more research or contact nissan usa for advise fell on deaf ears. if the car had stalled on high speed and caused fatalities on the highway, would these repairs then have been part of federal emissions warranty coverage for publicity purposes? it is out of sheer luck that 1. the car stalled while going downhill and, 2. the car was travelling at 40 miles per hour. i desperately need advise on this while i await for delivery of a special order for the ecm and harness. in the meantime, my rental car expenses are piling up and are not covered by any warranty. | |||
| 12/07/2011 | |||
| I have 2008 nissan altima with a manual transmission. about three weeks ago i noticed that the vehicle has been dragging in first and second gear. i have not noticed any problem with the clutch. the gears shift as normal but there is a squeaking noise. even in 3-6 gears the vehicle will not pick up speed as it should. i took it to the dealership and they tell me it is the clutch that is worn out. there is no check engine light or any warning sign showing. normally a clutch burns out and the pedal will fall flat to the floor. in this case none of that has happened. i bought the vehicle from the dealership in 2009 with 11000 miles on. i have been driving a jetta with manual transmission since january 2005 with no such problems. my research on internet indicate other people have similar problem with nissan manual transmissions. | |||
| 11/01/2009 | 15000 | ||
| Car has developed a terrible wobble or shimmy between 30 and 40 mph..nissan maintains it is in the cvt transmission .. i have had the car into dealer many, many times..no solution..but all agree the car wobbles and shimmys at 30-40mph..have had nissan engineers drive car...same result..nothing...have written to nissan corporate offices..no solution...told by nissan that my driving style may be too conservative for car...told by nissan execs to drive car harder and faster and avoid speeds between 30 and 40 mph...how absurd...nissan says there is no solution so live with it....this car is a danger ... what will happen on snow and ice | |||
| 01/03/2011 | 41023 | ||
| My nissan shakes and flutters when i take off., i think that there is a major defect in these new transmissions. the nissan dealership assured me that this was a normal operation. i've been around long enough to know that a car shouldnt hesitate from 20-55 mph. | |||
| 10/10/2008 | 3000 | 1 | |
| Purchased a 2008 nissan altima, drove the car for 3,000 miles. cvt transmission started making strange noises. turned out to be defective. they replaced it, but did not put it back together properly. been having problems with it ever since. nov 30, 2009 took vehicle in for scheduled maintenance, had them examine transmission again for a grinding noise. they did not see anything wrong with it but acknowledged transmission could be defective. car is going in for more tests. nissan extended the warranty to 10 years 120,000 miles for cvt's, however i don't feel safe driving the vehicle. *tr | |||
| 11/12/2009 | 23400 | 1 | |
| Brakes were making a noise for a 2nd time; already replaced once when i told abc nissan phoenix, az (where purchased) that at speed less then 25 mph my brakes were making a noise. the other day went to brake at 14 mph in very heavy traffic on the freeway during rush hour and brakes locked up and had to use the emergency brake to avoid a collision (mind you i was one car length behind the car in front of me). i am afraid to drive my nissan altima now!! this is ridiculous. *tr | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||
| 07/22/2011 | 72345 | ||
| I was driving my 2008 nissan altima from los angeles to las vegas. when i was about to cross the california line into nevada, my car started sounding like an electric vehicle. we lost speed and and i tried shifting my cvt transmission into manual mode. the speeds would not change. after making an emergency stop. i put the car on reverse and then shifted to drive again. the car would move, bu the speed would not change. as soon as i arrive to vegas, my car lost all speed and it wouldn't move in direct or reverse. smoke started coming out of the car. i parked the car and turned it off. when i came back the next day to tow the car to the nearest nissan dealer, the car would turn on, the engine was working, but the dashboard would not turn on and the car would not move either in direct or reverse. i bought the nissan altima brand new from the the buena park nissan dealer in california. the car has had all scheduled maintenance and i even took the car to get the transmission serviced at 48,000 miles. my car currently has 72,345 miles in it. when i took my car to the dealer in vegas, another person came in with the exact same issue under the same circumstances. her vehicle had 75,000 miles and it had been serviced at the vegas dealer day prior to the transmission failing. | |||
| 06/18/2011 | 42000 | ||
| From a complete stop, placed foot on brake pedal, put transmission into forward, released foot from brake pedal, vehicle accelerated into reverse without touching the accelerator pedal causing an accident into a parked car. ten days later, from a complete stop, placed foot on brake pedal, put transmission into reverse, released foot from brake pedal, vehicle accelerated forward without touching the accelerator pedal causing an accident into a tree. each incident occurred with different drivers. transmission is faulty at 42k miles. car is unreliable and unsafe to drive. | |||
| 04/26/2010 | 29708 | ||
| Cvt transmission is warmed up after approximately thirty minutes of driving. once warm, from a complete stop, i lightly accelerate to 20mph. the rpms drop slightly and more acceleration is necessary to drive faster than 20mph. i press the acellerator pedal to about half way down and the vehicle shudders/surges three to five times then accelerates rapidly. this causes your neck to snap back and the vehicle to loose control. no accident yet but it could easily happen. taken to nissan dealer in california who called it a normal operating condition and sent me home. still fighting with nissan customer service. | |||
| 10/03/2009 | 8900 | 1 | |
| While driving my 2008 nissan altima i came to a sudden stop going uphill to avoid hitting another vehicle. as i tried to proceed the transmission will not crank into gear even though it was in drive position. after shutting the engine off and restarting it i was able to proceed forward. *tr | |||