2009 Nissan Altima STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

GOT HOME TURNED MY CAR OFF WENT INSIDE TO GET GIFT CARDS CAME BACK OUTSIDE TRYING TO START MY CAR, BUT IT WOULDN'T START, ALL I SAW WAS A YELLOW KEY LIGHT. LIGHTS WORKED FINE I TRIED MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL AND PUTTING IN NEUTRAL AND TRYING TO START BUT NOTHING. *TR

WHEN RETURNING TO MY CAR AFTER WORK ON FEBRUARY 14TH, 2014 THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START USING THE AUTOMATIC START INTELLIGENT KEY SYSTEM IN MY 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA. UPON DOING RESEARCH, I FOUND THIS IS A HIGHLY COMMON ISSUE WITH THE 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA MODEL. THERE ARE ALSO VARIOUS INDEPENDENT PETITIONS AND CLASS ACTION SUITS BEING FILED BY INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE SAME PART MALFUNCTION. IN FACT, THE COMPLICATIONS INVOLVING THE ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK (ESCL) MECHANISM WAS SO COMMON THAT NISSAN DID NOT IMPLEMENT THIS PART INTO THE 2010 OR IN ANY FUTURE ALTIMA VEHICLES. IN ADDITION (AND IN EFFORT TO AVOID A RECALL SITUATION) NISSAN NORTH AMERICAN, INC ISSUED A WARRANTY EXTENSION - "AS IT APPLIES TO THE ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK UNIT TO 6 YEARS/UNLIMITED MILES." FURTHERMORE, NISSAN ALSO SENT A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TO ALL SERVICE SHOPS ON HOW TO HANDLE THIS PROBLEM CONCERNING 2009 ALTIMA'S. ULTIMATELY NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. DENIED MY REQUEST TO UTILIZE A BUY BACK PROGRAM TOWARD THEIR 2009 ALTIMA AND ALSO DENIED ME ANY FURTHER DETAILS AS TO HOW THEY REACHED THEIR DECISION. THE REGIONAL SPECIALIST SAID SHE COULD ONLY SAY 'ARBITRATION DECISION(S) ARE ALWAYS BASED ON THE SERVICE HISTORY OF VEHICLE. TOO CLOSE, IT IS IN MY OPINION NISSAN HAS MONOPOLISTIC CONTROLS ON CONSUMERS IN THIS SITUATION. ONLY A NISSAN DEALERSHIP/SERVICE SHOP CAN DIAGNOSE THE ESCL MALFUNCTION, AS IT REQUIRES A NISSAN PRODUCT SPECIFIC SCAN TOOL, AND IT IS THEIR COMPANY'S ARBITRATION DEPARTMENT WHO FACILITATES ALL LEGAL DECISIONS AT WHICH ARE TYPICALLY NOT IN FAVOR OF THE CONSUMER. I DO NOT BELIEVE A SERVICE HISTORY OF VEHICLE IS MATERIAL INFORMATION IN THIS SCENARIO. NISSAN SHOULD BE OBLIGATED TO BUY BACK ANY-AND-ALL 2009 NISSAN ALTIMAS WHEN ASKED TO DO SO BY THEIR CONSUMERS WHO PURCHASED THIS PRODUCT IN GOOD FAITH. UPDATED 04/07/14

WOULD NOT START, ELECTRONIC LOCKING MECH MALFUNCTION....PREGNANT WIFE GOT STRANDED WITHOUT WARNING IN NEGATIVE DEGREE WEATHER.....SAFETY ISSUE.....NOT TO MENTION , TOW BILL, TIME LOST FROM WORK, AND MAKING ARRANGEMENTS,OBTAINING,PAYING FOR ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION, WHILE THE PART IS CURRENTLY ON BACK ORDER FOR GOING ON 2 WEEKS NOW......LUCKILY WIFE WAS ONLY 30 MINUTES FROM HOME OR COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE BUT WAS STILL POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS GETTING STRANDED IN NEGATIVE DEGREE WEATHER. *TR

CAR WILL NOT START. THIS MODEL USES THE INTELLIGENT KEY SYSTEM WITH PUSH BUTTON START. THE KEY IS ACTUALLY DETECTED BY THE VEHICLE AND THE STEERING WHEEL UNLOCKS. BUT THE START BUTTON IS NOT ENABLED AND THE CAR DOES NOTHING WHEN TRYING TO START. LIGHTS, ELECTRICAL AND BATTERY TESTED FINE. TOWED CAR TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY FOUND THE STEERING LOCK MODULE HAD FAILED. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS PART AND WAS COVERED BY WARRANTY WHICH WAS EXTENDED FOR UNLIMITED MILES FOR THIS PART ONLY. CURRENTLY, THE PART IS NOT AVAILABLE DUE TO HIGH LEVEL OF FAILURES ACROSS THE US. PART IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO HIGHER FAILURE IN EXTREME COLD WEATHER. ETA FOR PART DELIVERY IS UNKNOWN AND DEALERSHIP EXPLAINED THEY WOULD GET BACK TO ME AGAIN IN 2 WEEKS! NISSAN DID PROVIDE A RENTAL CAR DUE TO THE PART SHORTAGE. MY VEHICLE IS A 2009 MODEL YEAR BUT THIS PART HAS A PROBLEM ALSO IN THE 2010 AND 2011 MODEL YEARS FOR ALL NISSAN VEHICLES PER THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. *TR

THE CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH A "SMART" KEY-LOCKING SYSTEM AS WELL AS A "SMART" IGNITION SYSTEM. THE KEY FOR THE CAR IS A WIRELESS FOB THAT WHEN AROUND THE VEHICLE WILL ALLOW THE CAR TO BE UNLOCKED AND STARTED. THE KEY WILL ALLOW THE CAR TO START, WHEN THE KEY IS DETECTED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE ISSUE THAT AROSE WAS DUE TO A MALFUNCTIONING PART, THE PART WAS AN: ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK. THE PART FAILED DURING A SPELL OF COLD DAYS THAT AFFECTED MY STATE. DURING THE FIRST FEW DAYS BEFORE THE PART ULTIMATELY MALFUNCTIONED THE CAR BEGAN SHOWING ERROR LIGHTS FOR MANY SYSTEMS. THE CAR INDICATED THAT DOORS WERE OPEN, THAT THE EMERGENCY BRAKES WERE APPLIED (WHEN THEY CLEARLY WERE NOT), THE INTERIOR LIGHTS IN THE CAR WOULD RANDOMLY COME ON WHEN DRIVING (AS IF DOORS WERE OPENING) AND FINALLY THE INDICATED THAT THE SMART KEY SYSTEM WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THE CAR ULTIMATELY FAILED ON A COLD NIGHT. I WAS ABLE TO ENTER THE CAR, BUT THAT WAS IT. THE CAR DID NOT RECOGNIZE MY KEY AND THE CAR WAS RENDERED USELESS. I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE CAR ON, OR EVEN SWITCH IT TO ANY STANDBY MODE. BECAUSE THE CAR DOESN'T HAVE A TRADITIONAL KEY YOU ARE UNABLE TO UNLOCK THE STEERING WHEEL AND PUSH IT IN NEUTRAL. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP, AND DEPENDING ON HOW THE TIRES WERE LOCKED INITIALLY DETERMINES THE ONLY DIRECTION THAT THE CAR WILL MOVE. WHEN I CONTACTED NISSAN ABOUT THE ISSUE I WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAVE ISSUED A "WARRANTY EXTENSION" ON THAT SPECIFIC PART ONLY. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THEY KNOW A PROBLEM EXISTS. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO NOTE THAT I WAS ALSO TOLD BY NISSAN THAT THE PART IS ON BACKORDER AND ON RESTRICTED RELEASE. THEY HAVE SO MANY PROBLEMS THAT THEY CANNOT KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND. THIS ISSUE IS VERY REAL AND DANGEROUS. PEOPLE WILL BE LEFT STRANDED IN THEIR CAR. UNLESS THE PART FAILS THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT THE PART WILL GO WRONG. *TR

ATTEMPTED TO START CAR, AND RECEIVED "STEERING WHEEL LOCK" LIGHT - DESPITE TRYING WITH BOTH FOBS (IT WAS NOT A FAULTY FOB). AFTER HALF HOUR OF TRYING, STILL CAN NOT TURN CAR ON DUE TO LOCKED STEERING WHEEL. ENGINE WON'T TURN, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WILL NOT TURN ON, AND CAR IS STUCK. HAVE YET TO CONTACT DEALER. *TR

DROVE CAR TO WORK. AFTER WORK WENT OUT TO VEHICLE AND IT WOULD NOT START. AFTER EXTENSIVE RESEARCH LEARNED THIS HAS HAPPEN TO MANY NISSAN ALTIMA OWNERS. THERE IS NO WARNING. ONCE THE CAR IS TURNED OFF THE STEERING LOCK CONTROL UNIT HAS BEEN FAILING LEAVING PEOPLE STRANDED - I AM ONE OF THEM. THE PART CAN ONLY BE PURCHASED AT A NISSAN DEALER. THE COST IS $1000.00. NO WARNING. THE SAFETY ISSUE IS I LIVE IN MN. WE HAVE EXTREMELY COLD WINTER. IF I WENT ICE FISHING IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE AND CAME BACK TO MY VEHICLE I WOULD HAVE BEEN STRANDED WITH NO SOURCE OF HEAT. MY ONLY HOPE WOULD BE A CELL PHONE, PROVIDING I HAVE ONE. THE SECOND PART IS A LOCAL GARAGE WOULDN'T EVEN BE ABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. IT CAN ONLY BE REPAIRED BY NISSAN. I HOPE YOU RECOGNIZE MY CONCERN. *TR

ON SATURDAY MORNING, MY WIFE TOOK MY SON TO THE LIBRARY, THE CAR STARTED WITH NO ISSUES, WHEN THEY LEFT THE LIBRARY SHE COULD NOT START THE CAR. SHE CALLED ME TO COME HELP HER, WE CHANGED THE BATTERIES IN THE KEY FOB, I TRIED TO JUMP-START THE CAR, I CHECKED THE FUSES, BUT IT WOULD NOT START. I MADE SURE THE FOB WAS STILL COMMUNICATING WITH THE CAR BY PRESSING THE BUTTONS AND EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE WORKING FINE. FINALLY, AFTER TRYING EVERYTHING I COULD, WE CALLED THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP, AND THEY HAD US TOW THE CAR TO THEM, AND SAID THEY WOULD NOT GET TO IT UNTIL MONDAY. WELL MONDAY MORNING COMES AND THEY CALLED MY WIFE TO TELL HER THE STEERING LOCK UNIT FAILED, AND IT WOULD COST ~$1000 TO REPLACE. OF COURSE I AM TICKED SO I DECIDE TO RESEARCH THIS ISSUE AND REALIZE IT IS VERY COMMON IN THE 2009 ALTIMA?S, WHICH MAKES ME EVEN MORE TICKED, BECAUSE NISSAN DOESN'T SEEM TO CARE IF THEY LEAVE MY WIFE AND SON STRANDED BECAUSE THEY BUILT THEIR CAR USING GARBAGE PARTS. AND YES THEY KNOW BECAUSE, MORE TIMES THAN NOT, THIS PART IS OUT OF STOCK AND THE NEWER CARS DON'T USE IT. SO THIS SOUNDS LIKE A VERY NASTY SCAM BY NISSAN. I HAVE SENT LETTERS TO MY STATE'S ATTORNEY GENERAL, NISSAN MOTOR COMPANY, AND THIS DATABASE...WE NEED A RECALL. STAND BEHIND YOUR PRODUCT! *TR

THE ELECTRONIC STEERING CONTROL LOCK MALFUNCTIONED AND WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. A CERTIFIED MECHANIC HAD TO PULL THE FUEL PUMP FUSE TO STOP THE ENGINE. DANGEROUS. COULD NOT START THE VEHICLE AFTER SHUT DOWN. NEARLY $1000.00 IN REPAIRS. *TR

WIFE'S 2009 ALTIMA WOULD NOT START. AS OTHERS HAVE STATED, THE LITTLE KEY LIGHT ON THE DASH LIT UP. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO OUR DEALER, AND THEY TOLD US THE STEERING LOCK CONTROL HAD FAILED. HAVING NO CHOICE, WE THEN ORDERED THE PART, ONLY THEN TO FIND OUT THAT IT WAS ON BACK ORDER AND THEY COULD NOT ESTIMATE WHEN THE PART WOULD BE AVAILABLE. THE ESTIMATED REPAIR BILL WAS GOING TO BE ABOUT $750. WHEN I GOT HOME THAT EVENING, I SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND WAS AMAZED AT HOW MANY CASES EXACTLY LIKE OURS ARE OCCURRING. THE NEXT MORNING, I FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH NISSAN OF NORTH AMERICA. THEY HAVE PUT ALL OWNERS OF 2009'S IN JEOPARDY AND OBVIOUSLY KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM AS THE PART WAS CHANGED OUT IN LATE YEAR 2010 CARS BUILT. OUR FINAL RESULTS ARE BETTER THAN MOST OF THE OTHERS WE HAVE READ ABOUT. BETWEEN NISSAN AND OUR DEALER, THEY COVERED THE REPAIR WHICH WAS DONE AS THE PART DID ARRIVE, AS WELL AS OUR CAR RENTAL WHILE THE DEALER HAD THE VEHICLE. MY ADVISE IS TO FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT LIKE WE DID AND TO BE PERSISTENT. AN ATTORNEY I KNOW SAID WE SHOULD CONTACT THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND/OR THE LOCAL TV STATIONS TROUBLE SHOOTERS, BECAUSE PUBLICITY AND LEGAL ACTION ARE EXACTLY WHAT NISSAN DOESN'T WANT. *TR

THE VEHICLE HAD NO PROBLEMS DRIVING INTO WORK IN THE MORNING. END OF WORK DAY, RETURN TO THE CAR TO FIND OUT THAT IT WOULDN'T START. THE AMBER LIGHT WITH "INTELLIGENT KEY" LOGO HAD TURNED ON AND THE VEHICLE WAS IMMOBILIZED. CHECKED THE BATTERY OF THE INTELLIGENT KEY AND IT WAS PERFECTLY OPERATIONAL. CHECK BATTER OF THE CAR, AND IT WAS WORKING FINE AS WELL. SINCE THE CAR WOULDN'T START, NO OTHER OPTION BUT TO CALL FOR TOWING SERVICE. SPENT HOURS IN THE COLD WAITING FOR THE TRUCK. THE FOLLOWING DAY NISSAN SERVICE RAN A DIAGNOSTIC AND DETERMINED THERE WAS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT TRIGGERED THE VEHICLE IMMOBILIZER AND NEEDED STEERING LOCK UNIT REPLACEMENT. PARTS AND LABOR AND TOW COST OVER $900. THE NISSAN MECHANIC HINTED AT THE PROBLEM BEING A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, BUT REFUSED TO SAY IT DIRECTLY AS IT PUTS NISSAN LIABLE. PART IS STRATEGICALLY NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. FOUND OUT FROM THE NISSAN FOLKS THAT NUMEROUS CARS CAME IN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. GOT ONTO THE INTERNET AND FOUND SO MANY MORE NISSAN ALTIMA OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. CLEARLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND NISSAN NEEDS TO RECALL THE PART AND FIX IT FOR ALL AFFECTED USERS OF THE CAR. I AM HAPPY THAT THIS HAPPENED WHILE MY VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. I THINK THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IF IT WERE TO HAPPENING WHILE DRIVING. I REQUEST NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM ASAP AND HELP TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR SEVERAL HUNDREDS (MAYBE THOUSANDS) OF USER AFFECTED. NOBODY WANTS TO LOSE THEIR HARD EARNED MONEY FOR NO FAULT OF THEIRS. *TR

VEH WAS DRIVEN FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN STOPPED TO GET GAS. VEH WOULD NOT START AGAIN. A YELLOW KEY INDICATOR CAME ON THE DASH AND VEHICLE STILL WOULD NOT START. HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER AND DIAGNOSED AS THE STEERING LOCK MODULE. *TR

DROVE THE CAR INTO WORK JUST FINE. SEVEN HOURS LATER WHEN I WAS LEAVING TO GO HOME CAR WOULD NOT START. KEY LIGHT WAS ON IN DASHBOARD BUT NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN. JUMPED THE BATTERY, RESET THE BATTER, EVEN TOOK OUT THE BATTERY TO GET IT TESTED. STILL NOTHING. FINALLY PAID $70 TO GET IT TOWED TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP (LESS THAN 3 MILES) AND IT IS THE STEERING LOCK CONTROL UNIT, WHICH COST $978 TO REPLACE. APPARENTLY THIS HAPPENS WHEN IT IS COLD OUT. NISSAN NEEDS TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND REIMBURSE EVERYONE WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR ISSUES. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER NISSAN AND YOU BET I'M GOING TO TELL EVERYONE I KNOW!! *TR

I WOULD LIKE TO ADD MY 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA TO THE GROWING LIST OF OWNERS WHO'VE EXPERIENCED THE ILLUMINATED KEY OF DEATH. I'VE HAD THE CAR FOR 4 1/2 MONTHS AND THE VEHICLE HAD 34,900 MILES ON IT. NOTICED THE ILLUMINATED KEY ON FRIDAY, RESEARCHED IT AND SAW IT SAID CALL THE DEALER IN THE MANUAL. SATURDAY THE LIGHT WAS OFF SO I FIGURED I WAS GOOD. HAD A MAJOR SNOWSTORM SATURDAY. SUNDAY, WENT TO THE SHOPPING CENTER, PARKED AND WENT INSIDE. CAME OUT AN IT WAS DEAD. I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS FROM READING THE HUNDREDS OF REPORTS ON IT. HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER ON MONDAY. HE HAD THE PARTS AND BACK ON THE ROAD LATER THAT EVENING. ONLY $950 POORER AND AGGRAVATED THAT I ONLY PURCHASED THIS "RELIABLE" VEHICLE 4 MONTHS EARLIER. THIS IS DEFINITELY MY FIRST AND LAST NISSAN. WHEN YOU SEE THAT KEY, OR EVEN IF YOU DON'T, ITS NOT A MATTER OF IF YOU'LL BREAK DOWN, BUT WHEN AND WHERE. NISSAN, YOU SUCK! STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND AT THE VERY LEAST, COVER THE REPAIRS AND TOWING. I KNOW YOU DON'T GIVE A RAT'S [XXX] ABOUT YOUR CUSTOMERS BUT DO THE RIGHT THING. A NISSAN WILL NEVER BE IN MY DRIVEWAY. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I HAD DRIVEN THE CAR FROM HOME TO THE GAS STATION APPROX. 5 MILES FROM HOME. I TURNED THE CAR OFF, FILLED THE CAR WITH GAS AND UPON STARTING THE CAR TO LEAVE THE CAR WOULDN'T START. A RED KEY LIGHT CAME ON IN DASH.CAR USED TO BE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. IT WAS THERE THAT IT WAS FOUND TO BE A STEERING LOCK MALFUNCTION. THAT COST ME A TOTAL OF 1000.61. 402.50 IN LABOR AND 538.81 IN PARTS PLUS TAX AND MISC. THE PATS WAS ON BACK ORDER. I JUST GOT MY CAR BACK AFTER A WEEK BECAUSE THE PART WAS OVERNIGHTED. OTHERWISE THEY ESTIMATED ME GETTING MY CAR BACK AFTER THE 8TH OF FEB. WHEN ASKED ABOUT A RECALL I WAS TOLD IT WAS UNKNOWN BUT ALSO THAT THIS PART WAS UNUSUAL FOR BACKORDER. *TR

WENT TO GO START MY CAR AND THE INTELLIGENT KEY INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. COULDN'T START IN NEUTRAL. HAD TO GET IT TOWED TO THE DEALER. DEALER WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR IN THE MORNING. THEY WERE ABLE TO REPLICATE THE ISSUE BY STOPPING AND STARTING NUMEROUS TIMES. IT APPEARS THAT THE STEERING LOCK UNIT WAS FAILING. AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE DETERMINED THIS IS A COMMON AND COSTLY PROBLEM, BUT THERE IS NO RE RECALL FOR IT. VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

NISSAN NORTH AMERICA HAS SENT ME A LETTER INFORMING ME THAT OUR VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK (ESCL) UNIT THAT LOCKS THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED AND THE IGNITION IS TURNED OFF TO HELP PREVENT THEFT. ON SOME VEHICLES, DUE TO A (MANUFACTURING IRREGULARITY) THAT HAS SINCE BEEN CORRECTED, THE ESCL MAY MALFUNCTION AFTER THE VEHICLE IS LOCKED AND COULD PREVENT THE ENGINE FROM STARTING. THE ONLY THING THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO DO IS THEY ARE EXTENDING THE WARRANTY FROM 3 YEARS/ 36,000 TO 6 YEARS UNLIMITED MILES. THEY DO NOT KNOW WHICH VEHICLES HAS THIS DEFECTIVE ESCL. MY ARGUMENT IS THAT WHAT IF MYSELF OR BOTH OF US ARE ON A TRIP AND WHETHER WE ARE ONE MILE OR 500 FROM OUT HOME WE ARE STRANDED THIS COULD BECOME A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR US OR IF WE HAVE SOLD THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER PARTY OUT IN NO WHERE. WE DO NOT OWN A SELL PHONE. SINCE THEY CANNOT TELL US IF OUR VEHICLE IS ONE THAT MIGHT HAVE THE DEFECTIVE ESCL THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING THE CURRENT ESCL IN OUR NISSAN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING LOCK FAILED AND WOULD NOT ALLOW THE CONTACT TOM MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL TO START THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM ENGAGED ERRONEOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING LOCK UNIT MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 59,050. *TR

CAR WAS FOUND TO NOT START. BATTERY HAD POWER, NO OTHER OBVIOUS ISSUES. CAR WAS INOPERABLE FOR THE WEEKEND. TOWED VEHICLE TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP. BATTERY TESTED LOW AND WAS LATER REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE STEERING LOCK WAS FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. BATTERY REPLACEMENT IS UNDERSTANDABLE BEING THAT THE CAR IS MORE THAN 3 YEARS OLD. LOCK STEERING MECHANISM HOWEVER RESULTED IN THE CAR BEING INOPERABLE. PARTS FOR THE LOCK STEERING MECHANISM TOTALED $534.19 PLUS LABOR WHICH TOTALED $282.88. TOTAL BILL WITH NEW BATTERY WAS $1,037.64. CONSIDERING ALL FAILURES LISTED ON THIS PAGE OF THIS SAME PART, A RECALL SHOULD BE CONSIDERED. NISSAN APPARENTLY HAS RECALLED OTHER STEERING LOCKS SIMILAR TO THIS ON GTR MODELS. *TR

9:30AM - STARTED CAR. PROCEEDED TO DRIVE 35 MINUTES. STOPPED CAR, WENT IN THE HOUSE FOR 20 MINUTES. CAME OUT, GOT IN CAR. WILL NOT START. THE FOLLOWING WAS OBSERVED: 1. INTELLIGENT KEY WILL UNLOCK AND LOCK THE DOORS, TRUNK, SOUND ALARM. 2. SMALL "KEY", YELLOW IN COLOR SYMBOL ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. 3. START BUTTON DOES NOTHING, WILL NOT MOVE FROM THE "LOCK" POSITION. FAILURE: STEERING LOCK CONTROL MODULE (342.99 + TAX CND). TOOK IT APART, RESET THE GEARS, BACK IN ACTION (FOR NOW). CANADIAN CUSTOMER. *TR

INCLUDE MY 2009 ALTIMA 2.5SL TO THE GROWING LIST OF STEERING COLUMN ELECTRICAL SHORT PROBLEMS. I TOO HAD JUST TURNED OFF THE CAR AND 20 MINUTES LATER RETURNED TO FIND IT WOULD NOT START. BRAKE FELT DEPRESSED WHEN I FIRST PUT MY FOOT ON IT. PUSHED THE BUTTON AND NOTHING HAPPENED. TRIED THE KEY IN THE DASH SLOT, AND NOTHING. CALLED DEALER, HE TOLD ME TO TRY AND JUMP START WITH CABLES AND THAT DIDN'T WORK. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO DEALER. WAS TOLD IT WAS THE VERY COMMON ELECTRICAL STEERING COLUMN SHORT, AND THE FIX WAS 1100.00. LUCKILY I HAD PURCHASED A SERVICE CONTRACT WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2011. PAID DEDUCTIBLE OF 100.00. THIS ABSOLUTELY SHOULD BE A NISSAN RECALL. DEALER TOLD ME THE PROBLEM IS ON THE RECALL LIST FOR THE 370Z, BUT HAD NOT MADE IT YET FOR ALTIMA. I DID SEE THROUGH RESEARCH AND A FRIEND WHO WORKS FOR NISSAN, THAT THEY CHANGED THAT WIRING IN THE MODEL YEARS THAT FOLLOWED. *TR

I LEFT WORK ON FEBRUARY 6TH AND WENT TO DRIVE HOME, BUT MY CAR WOULD NOT START. MY CAR IS PUSH BUTTON START AND IT DID DETECT MY KEY AS I WAS ABLE TO UNLOCK MY CAR. WHEN I PUSHED DOWN ON THE BRAKE TO START MY CAR IT WAS VERY HARD TO PUSH. MY CAR WOULD NOT START AND A KEY WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. THE LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIP CAME TO MY WORK AND HAD TO DISENGAGE THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK CONTROL UNIT IN ORDER TO DRIVE IT BACK TO THEIR SHOP. THEY SAID THAT THE CAR WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE, EXCEPT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY DETERMINED THAT IT WAS A FAILED STEERING LOCK. THIS IS AN ANTI THEFT COMPONENT OF THE CAR. MY ESTIMATE WAS $662.00. THE PART WAS ON BACK ORDER AT THAT TIME AND THEY DID NOT KNOW WHEN IT WOULD BE IN. NISSAN DID NOT OFFER ME A RENTAL CAR AND I WAS WITHOUT A CAR FOR A WEEK. THE PART CAME IN A WEEK LATER AND THE CAR WAS FIXED THAT DAY. MY BILL WAS $662.03. THIS STEERING WHEEL LOCK DEFECT IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING THE CAR. THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN EITHER. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I FOUND THAT NISSAN CHANGED THIS PART OF THE ALTIMA WHEN MAKING THE 2010 MODELS. I NOTICED A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE AFTER RESEARCHING. THIS MALFUNCTION SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO FURTHER BY NISSAN AND IN MY OPINION IT NEEDS TO BE A RECALL. IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE WHEN NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR ISSUES HAPPEN TO YOUR CAR, BUT AN ISSUE LIKE THIS IS A DEFECT AND NEEDS TO BE PAID FOR BY NISSAN. MY CAR IS OF COURSE OUT OF WARRANTY AT THIS TIME. BELOW IS A WEBSITE THAT I CAME ACROSS WHEN DOING RESEARCH AND FOUND A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE: HTTP://WWW.ARFC.ORG/COMPLAINTS/2009/NISSAN/ALTIMA/STEERING/PROBLEM.ASPX. *TR

DROVE MY CAR TO LOCATION, TURNED CAR OFF, RETURNED TO CAR 5 MINUTES LATER WOULD NOT START. THOUGHT IT WAS BATTERY, FUSE, OR DEAD KEY FOB BATTERY. CALLED DEALERSHIP SERVICE MANAGER STATED OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD SAME ISSUE. HE INSTRUCTED ME TO TURN STEERING WHEEL AND PUSH IGNITION BUTTON...DIDN'T WORK. ON MY DASH PANEL I NOTICED THE KEY LIGHT SYMBOL WAS LIT UP, WHEN I TRIED TO START CAR WITH THE KEYFOB THAT DIDN'T WORK EITHER. HAD TO HAVE CAR TOWED AND AT DEALERSHIP TO CHANGE THE STEERING LOCK. IT MALFUNCTIONED AND CANNOT BE REPAIRED NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. PART HAS BEEN ORDERED AND SHOULD BE REPLACED ON 03/21/2013. ESTIMATE IS 914.00. *TR

AS WITH DOZENS OF OTHER COMPLAINTS ONLINE, WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO START MY 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA (WHICH HAD BEEN SITTING WITH ITS ENGINE OFF FOR NO MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES), THE KEY ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD, THE STEERING AND BRAKES FELT UNRESPONSIVE, AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. LATE, COLD, AND RAINY THE NIGHT OF THE INCIDENT, THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT MORNING. THE DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAILED STEERING LOCK UNIT--A RESULT THAT IS UNSURPRISING TO ANYONE WHO TYPES THOSE SYMPTOMS INTO A GOOGLE SEARCH. FOR THE SMALL FEE OF $900, MY CAR WAS BACK ON THE ROAD TWO DAYS AFTER THE INCIDENT. GIVEN THE FREQUENCY WITH WHICH THIS APPEARS TO BE HAPPENING TO OTHER OWNERS, THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT THAT THIS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT PRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF INJURY SHOULD THE CAR NOT START IN A REMOTE AREA OR IN THE PATH OF TRAFFIC. *TR

IT WAS THE FIRST CHILL IN CHICAGO AND THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE STREET. WHEN I TRIED TO START THE CAR IT WOULD ONLY LIGHT UP THE INTELLIGENT KEY WARNING LIGHT IN THE DASH INDICATING AN ISSUE WITH THE INTELLIGENT KEY-LESS SYSTEM. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH (A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH "NISSAN ALTIMA INTELLIGENT KEY WARNING LIGHT ISSUES") INDICATED THAT IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH ALTIMAS AND IS RELATED TO THE "STEERING LOCK" MECHANISM. I HAD TO TOW THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND A QUICK CALL TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT QUICKLY CONFIRMED THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THEY SERVICE FREQUENTLY. THE DEALER HIMSELF INDICATED THAT THE LAST PART IN THEIR INVENTORY WAS JUST FITTED IN ANOTHER CAR. THIS IS USED CERTIFIED NISSAN ALTIMA AND THE EXTENDED WARRANTY DID NOT COVER THE REPAIR. THE TOTAL COST OF THE REPAIR WAS $1299.30. *TR