NHTSA Complaint #10191819 — 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA

I OWN A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA WITH A 2.5 LITER ENGINE. I RECENTLY RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM NISSAN. THE NOTICE STATED THAT THERE IS "THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE ENGINE MIGHT STOP RUNNING WHILE BEING DRIVEN DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM BETWEEN THE CRANK ANGLE SENSOR AND THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE. THIS MAY ALSO RESULT IN THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT COMING ON. IF THE ENGINE STOPS RUNNING WHILE DRIVINE, THIS COULD RESULT IN A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING." THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT DID COME ON, AND THE CAR BEGAN HESITATING WHILE BEING DRIVEN. IT ALSO WAS DIFFICULT TO START AFTER DRIVING FOR A FEW MINUTES. AFTER CALLING THE NUMBER ON THE NOTICE, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHERE THE ECM WAS REPROGRAMMED. THE NEXT DAY THE PROBLEMS RE-OCCURRED. WHEN MY HUSBAND CALLED THE DEALER THEY SAID THE SENSOR MUST HAVE GONE OUT, AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $140.00. HE CALLED NISSAN, WHO SAID THAT THEY WOULD NOT AUTHORIZE THE REPAIR, EVEN THOUGH THE PART WAS OBVIOUSLY FAULTY. THE REPAIRS WERE DONE BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR $40 LESS THAN NISSAN QUOTED. I FEEL THAT NISSAN PLACED A FEW DOLLARS ABOVE THE WELL BEING OF THEIR CLIENTS. I DID NOT THINK TO ASK FOR THE OLD PART. *TR