NHTSA Complaint #10287321 — 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA

I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE, 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA, AT A LOW SPEED, WHEN FOR NO APPARENT REASON, THE VEHICLE DIED. IT WAS DURING THE EVENING HOURS. I WAS LUCKY THE DRIVER BEHIND ME DIDN'T RUN INTO ME. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR, AND DRIVE OFF. THE CAR DIDN'T DO IT AGAIN, BUT A WEEK LATER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY TOLD ME THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS A CRANK ANGLE SENSOR. IT WAS FAULTY AND THAT'S WHY MY CAR DIED, WITHOUT ANY WARNING. I FOUND OUT THAT, NISSAN HAD A RECALL ON THIS ITEM. I CALLED NISSAN NORTH AMERICA INC AND SPOKE TO A PERSON NAME DAVID. DAVID CONFIRMED THAT THEY DID HAVE A RECALL ON THE SENSOR BUT IT WAS ONLY ON CERTAIN YEARS FOR THE ALTIMA. I TOLD DAVID THAT MAYBE ALL THE ALTIMA'S WITH THIS SENSOR SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPLACED. FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I FOUND A OWNER NOTIFICATION FROM NISSAN TELLING ME THAT MY ALTIMA, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE ENGINE MIGHT STOP RUNNING WHILE BEING DRIVEN DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM BETWEEN THE CRANK ANGLE SENSOR AND ECM. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AFTER RECEIVING THEIR NOTICE. THE DEALER REPROGRAM THE ECM UNIT, BUT NEVER REPLACED THE SENSOR. I TOLD DAVID AT NISSAN THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE REPLACED THE SENSOR AT THE TIME WHEN THEY REPROGRAM THE ECM. IT WAS VERY SCARY WHEN MY CAR JUST DIED SUDDENLY. I WAS VERY LUCKY I DIDN'T GET HURT. I AM LETTING YOU KNOW BECAUSE I FEEL NISSAN SHOULD RECALL ALL THEIR VEHICLE EQUIP WITH THIS SENSOR. I WAS VERY VERY LUCKY NOT TO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. I TOLD DAVID AT NISSAN THAT I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING MY CAR ANYMORE. *TR