2009 Nissan Altima Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WHEN ACTIVATING THE PUSH-TO-START BUTTON. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

DROVE MY CAR EARLY THIS AM WITH NO PROBLEM. WHEN I RETURNED ABOUT 3 HOURS LATER IT WOULD NOT START. THE BRAKE WAS VERY HARD. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WORKS, HORN, AND HEADLIGHTS. HOWEVER ONLY THE KEY FOB INDICATOR AND PUSH BRAKE INDICATOR LIGHTS IN DASH. DEALER SAID IT WAS A BAD FOB. I HAD IT TOWED TO NISSAN AND THE FOB WAS NOT BAD. NOW THEY SAY IT'S THE MAIN COMPUTER. THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO ANY MORE RESEARCH UNTIL MONDAY. I AM SEEING A LOT OF THIS SAME PROBLEM IN HERE. I AM VERY NERVOUS. *TR

THREE MONTHS AFTER INSTALLATION OF A NEW (DEALER PROVIDED) BATTERY, THE POSITIVE TERMINAL AND CABLE HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO HEAVY CORROSION. THE ORIGINAL CAR BATTERY FAILED BECAUSE OF HEAVY CORROSION AROUND THE POSITIVE TERMINAL AS WELL. THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THE HARNESS AND CABLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT THE TIME OF BATTERY REPLACEMENT AND DO NOT KNOW WHY THIS WASN'T RECOMMENDED. THEY STATED THAT THESE BATTERIES ROUTINELY VENT EXCESS GAS THAT SHOULD CONDENSE INTO THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT. THEY DID NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE THAT HEAVY CORROSION RE-ACCUMULATED IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME (SHORTER THAN RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE INTERVALS FOR THE CAR). FURTHER, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HEARD OF AN ALTIMA BATTERY ISSUE AS MY SISTER HAD TO REPLACE HER BATTERY TWICE AS WELL. I WOULD LIKE THE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE IF THIS IS A REPETITIVE ISSUE WITH THESE BATTERIES AS THIS COULD LEAD TO A SAFETY PROBLEM IF THE CAR WERE TO SPONTANEOUSLY SHUT DOWN DURING DRIVING DUE TO BATTERY MALFUNCTION. *TR

ON THE MORNING OF 2/19/14 6:00 AM PROCEEDED TO START CAR TO USE IN WALKING DISTANCE. BOTH REMOTE BATTERIES WERE CHANGED WITHIN 30 DAYS PREVIOUSLY BY DEALER. EVERY COMMAND ON REMOTE SEEM TO WORK EXCEPT THAT THE CAR DIDN'T RECOGNIZE THE REMOTE TO START THE CAR. THERE WERE "NO KEY" SYMBOLS ON THE DASH. THE CAR JUST RETURNED FROM A HUNDRED MILE TRIP. THANK GOD IT DIDN'T HAPPEN THEN. MISSING WORK, TOWING CHARGES, BIG INCONVENIENCE. NISSAN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS UNDER RECALL!!! *TR

WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE TWO ALARMS WERE GOING OF ON MY DASH BOARD. I HAD NO CLUE WHAT EITHER ONE MEANT BUT BOTH INCLUDE A KEY TYPE ALARM. I WAS AFRAID THAT MY CAR WOULD SHUT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD THINKING I WAS A BURGLAR. I PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WITH THE VEHICLE STILL RUNNING, AND CALLED A FRIEND TO DRIVE BEHIND ME WHILE WE BOTH HAD OUR HAZARDS ON. SINCE THEN I COULD ONLY START MY VEHICLE ONCE AND AT THAT TIME I TOOK IT TO A DEALERSHIP, WITH MY FRIEND SO I HAD A RIDE BACK, AND I TOLD THEM I WAS HAVING TROUBLE STARTING MY CAR. THEY KNEW EXACTLY THE PROBLEM AND WHAT TYPE OF NISSAN I WAS DRIVING, THEY HAD TWO OTHERS COME IN WITHIN THE LAST MONTH, BEFORE I COULD EXPLAIN ANYTHING AND PROCEEDED TO EXPLAIN TO ME THAT THE PART WAS ON BACK ORDER AND SAID THEY WOULD GIVE ME A CALL IF THEY COULD DO ANYTHING. DRIVING BACK HOME WITHOUT EVER TURNING OFF MY CAR WAS VERY STRESSFUL AND WHEN I DID RETURN I TURNED IT OFF AND IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO TURN BACK ON AND IT WOULD NOT START. *TR

REPLACED BATTERY IN FOD STILL WANT CRANK SAYS NO KEY. *TR

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE ON IT FAILED TO START DESPITE THE CONTACT ENGAGING THE PUSH TO START ENGINE BUTTON. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION OR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000.

WON'T START. WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS: 1) NISSAN INTELLIGENT KEY WARNING LIGHT; 2) SECURITY INDICATOR LIGHT. CAR WAS AT CHEVY DEALERSHIP WHEN FAULT OCCURRED. I PAID FOR TOWING TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP. BOTH DEALERSHIPS OWNED BY SAME OWNER. TOLD THAT THIS IS A COMMON KNOWN DEFECT IN THE 2009 ALTIMA AND PARTS ARE HARD TO GET DUE TO MANY CARS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT IT MAY TAKE A WEEK OR MORE TO GET A REPLACEMENT PART. I WAS TOLD THAT THE PART WOULD BE REPLACED UNDER A NISSAN "EXTENDED WARRANTY," NOT UNDER A RECALL. I HAVE READ OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS STATING THAT NISSAN DID NOT REIMBURSE FOR TOWING, SO I GUESS I AM OUT $90.00 FOR A KNOWN 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA DEFECT IN MANUFACTURE. *TR

CAR HAD BEEN SHOWING THE INTELLIGENT KEY WARNING LIGHT FOR A FEW DAYS, BUT JUST THOUGHT THE FOB NEEDED NEW BATTERY. ABOUT A WEEK LATER THE CAR WOULDN'T START AND LIT UP "LOCK" ABOVE THE PUSH START BUTTON. TRIED REPLACING THE BATTERY IN THE FOB, STUCK THE FOB INTO THE LITTLE PORT HOLE, AND NOTHING. LOOKED IN THE MANUAL AND IT SAID IT COULD BE A MALFUNCTION OF THE ELECTRICAL STEERING LOCK SYSTEM OR THE INTELLIGENT KEY SYSTEM. CALLED NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND TOLD ME TO TRY EVERYTHING I HAD ALREADY TRIED TO GET IT TO START. THEY SAID IT WAS THE ELECTRICAL STEERING LOCK SYSTEM (WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM) AND I NEEDED TO BRING IT IN. SAID THERE WAS A RECALL THEY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THIS PART AND THEY WOULD FIX IT FOR NO CHARGE (WHY DIDN'T I GET A LETTER OR SOMETHING ABOUT THIS "RECALL?"). THEY WOULD SEND A WRECKER TO COME GET IT FOR A FEE OF COURSE, SO INSTEAD BORROWED SOMEONE'S TRAILER AND HAULED IT UP TO THE DEALERSHIP (WHICH IS 50 MILES FROM WHERE I LIVE). (FYI:TO GET IT OUT OF PARK INTO NEUTRAL, THERE'S A THING YOU POP OFF NEXT TO THE SHIFTER AND YOU HAVE TO PUSH SOMETHING DOWN INTO THAT HOLE.) ONCE WE GOT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY HAD NO RAMPS WE COULD USE TO GET THE CAR OFF THE TRAILER SO WE HAD TO USE FLIMSY FOUR-WHEELER RAMPS WE HAD. THEY CALLED ME AFTER HAVING MY CAR THERE ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF JUST TO TELL ME THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO ORDER THE PART AND I WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE THE CAR THERE FOR UP TO A WEEK. THIS WAS ON TUESDAY AND I HAD CALLED THAT PREVIOUS FRIDAY, SO THEY KNEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND HAD MY VIN NUMBER. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY COULDN'T HAVE ORDERED THE PART AFTER I CALLED THAT FRIDAY. I ASKED IF THEY HAD A LOANER CAR I COULD DRIVE UNTIL I GOT MY CAR BACK, THEY SAID ALL THE LOANER CARS WERE OUT (WHICH MEANS THEY'RE WORKING ON A LOT OF VEHICLES). ALL IN ALL, I'M PRETTY TICKED OFF AT NISSAN. *TR

CAR WOULD NOT START. EQUIPPED WITH REMOTE ELECTRONIC KEY. EVIDENTLY NISSAN HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO COVER THIS, BUT I WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF IT. LOTS OF COMPLAINTS ON LINE FOR SAME PROBLEM. NEEDS TO HAVE A RECALL. DANGEROUS FROM SAFETY STANDPOINT BECAUSE WE ARE OLDER AND IT WAS COLD OUTSIDE, MIDDLE OF WINTER. HAD TO HAVE CAR TOWED. DEALER WAS NOT AWARE OF PROBLEM FIX OVER THE PHONE. *TR

MY KEYLESS REMOTE WILL ALLOW ME TO LOCK AND UNLOCK MY CAR BUT WHEN I GO TO START THE CAR, MY CAR WILL NOT REGISTER MY KEYLESS REMOTE. IT IS NOT THE BATTERY OF MY CAR OR THE REMOTE OR ANY BLOWN FUSES; THOSE WERE ALL CHECKED AS WELL. APPARENTLY MULTIPLE PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS SAME EXACT PROBLEM. NISSAN HAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT ONLY FOR SO LONG. THIS ISSUE HAS LEFT A LOT OF PEOPLE, INCLUDING MYSELF, WITHOUT A VEHICLE OR SOMETIMES STRANDED. *JS

I WENT TO THE SUPERMARKET YESTERDAY. WHEN I CAME OUT, I WAS ABLE TO UNLOCK MY DOORS AND POP THE TRUNK WITH THE REMOTE. MY CAR WOULD NOT START AND THE ELECTRICAL ICONS APPEARED ON MY DASHBOARD. I CALLED AAA AND THEY STATED THEY BELIEVE IT'S AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. MY CAR LIGHTS , HORN, WINDOWS AND DOORS WORK I JUST CANNOT START MY CAR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FOB FAILED TO START THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

MY HUSBAND WENT OUT TO START THE CARS IN THE MORNING BEFORE WORK. THE NISSAN ALTIMA WOULD NOT START. THE BRAKE WAS FIRMLY PUSHED AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON. WE HAVE REPLACED THE KEY FOB BATTERIES AND THE FUSE FOR THE ENGINE STARTER. THE KEY FOB LOCKS AND UNLOCKS THE VEHICLE, BUT THE CAR WILL NOT START. THE DESK SHOWS A SMALL YELLOW KEY SYMBOL IN THE TOP LEFT CORNER. WE HAVE CONTACTED A MECHANIC ABOUT HAVING THE CAR TOWED. IT SEEMS SEVERAL OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE AND NISSAN IS DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT. I WILL NEVER, EVER, EVER PURCHASE ANOTHER NISSAN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL ATTEMPTS TO START THE VEHICLE WITH THE INTELLIGENT KEY FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING LOCK MECHANISM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 16,501.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE INTELLIGENCE KEY MALFUNCTION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,320.

WHEN I GOT INTO THE CAR THERE WERE NO LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL EXCEPT FOR THE INTELLIGENT KEY AND SECURITY INDICATOR LIGHTS. I ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR BUT IT WOULD NOT EVEN START TO TURN OVER. I NOTICED ALL OF THE LOCKS AND HEADLIGHTS STILL WORKED SO I KNEW IT WAS NOT AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE MY 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA WOULD NOT START DUE TO KEY ERROR MESSAGE. AFTER MY RESEARCH COME TO FIND OUT THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING TO LOTS OF ALTIMA OWNERS. I GOT IN MY CAR AFTER A SHORT STOP AND THE KEY MESSAGE WAS ON AND NOTHING. IT WOULD NOT START. MY WINDOWS WERE DOWN AND THEY WOULD NOT GO UP. I TRIED EVERYTHING. DISCONNECTED MY BATTER, DID THE NEUTRAL THING. SHOOK STEERING WHEEL. ETC...OF COURSE IT HAPPENS ON A SUNDAY WHEN EVERYTHING IS CLOSED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM ENGAGED ERRONEOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING LOCK MECHANISM WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000. *TR

PARKED CAR TURNED IT OFF THEN WHEN I RETURNED THE CAR WOULD NO LONGER DO ANYTHING. IT IS A PUSH TO START AND IS NOT CONTROLLED WITH A KEY. SO THEREFORE WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE STORE AND RETURNED TO THE CAR IT NO LONGER WORKED. IT IS SAID THAT THIS HAPPENS FREQUENTLY TO '09 ALTIMA'S YET THEY CAN NOT FIND THE PARTS TO MY CAR. *TR

WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO START THE ENGINE THE CAR FAILED TO START. I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS AN INDICATOR IN MY DASH THAT I HAD NEVER SEEN. IT WAS A RED INDICATOR THAT I WOULD LATER FIND OUT SHOWED A PROBLEM WITH MY STEERING LOCK MECHANISM. THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE PAST THE "LOCK" STAGE AND I HAD TO PROMPTLY HAVE IT TOWED TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP. THIS REPAIR COST $800.00 BEFORE TAXES. I HAVE FOUND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MANY SIMILAR CLAIMS IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS. I WOULD JUST LIKE FOR MY CASE TO BE KNOWN WITH OTHERS THAT HAVE HAD A SIMILAR POSITION. I HOPE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THIS ISSUE AS ITS A OBVIOUSLY A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION AND NOT SOMETHING AN OWNER SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE FOR. *TR

WENT TO START MY CAR AFTER A DAY OF WORK ...IT HAS THE PUSH BUTTON START, PUSHED IT, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE THE CAR DID NOT START SO I PROCEEDED TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE MANUAL TO START THE CAR WHEN THEIR ARE ISSUES,STILL COULD NOT GET THE CAR STARTED SO I HAD IT TOWED TO A LOCAL NISSAN DEALER.THIS HAPPENED ON A SATURDAY THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO LOOK AT IT TILL MONDAY TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT THE STEERING LOCK CONTROL UNIT HAD GONE BAD $750.00 TO FIX IT.AFTER DOING SOME DIGGING ON THE INTERNET I SEE THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS AFFECTED THOUSANDS OF CONSUMERS ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT NISSAN MODELS WITH DIFFERENT MODEL YEARS.WITH VARYING MILES.I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A FAULTY PART THAT NISSAN HAS USED,SHOULDN'T THIS PART BE A RECALL AND THE CONSUMER NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR NISSANS BAD DESIGN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ENGAGED THE AUTOMATIC PUSH-TO-START BUTTON HOWEVER, THE ENGINE FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE STEERING KEY LOCK WOULD REQUIRE REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE KEY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

MY VEHICLE WAS STARTING AND DRIVING APPROPRIATELY ALL DAY UNTIL AROUND 5PM ON APRIL 24 2013, WHEN I ENTERED MY VEHICLE TO DRIVE IT WAS NOT RESPONSIVE. IT DID CYCLE FROM ACC TO ON BUT WOULD NOT START. ALL ELECTRICAL WAS WORKING WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS OF ANY KIND BEING DISPLAYED. I PURCHASED NEW BATTERIES AND REPLACED THEM IN BOTH OF THE KEY REMOTES, THIS DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS OF STARTING MY VEHICLE FINALLY STARTED. *TR