NHTSA Complaint #10356523 — 2005 NISSAN ALTIMA

THE PROBLEM OCCURRED ON A NISSAN ALTIMA, WITH A 2.5 L ENGINE. THE VEHICLE, SURGES SPUTTERS AND LOSES POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEED. WHEN IT OCCURS IT RESULTS IN A FAULT CODE RELATING TO THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. THE VEHICLE WAS RECALLED TO REPROGRAM THE ELECTRONICS BECAUSE OF A SIMILAR PROBLEM, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, BUT I WAS TOLD BY A MECHANIC THE PROBLEM LIES WITH THE OLD STYLE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR, WHICH HAS SINCE BEEN "REDESIGNED." I UNDERSTAND A SIMILAR PROBLEM IS COMMON WITH THE CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR WHICH MALFUNCTION. THE CAR BUCKS, SURGES, SPUTTERS AND LOSES POWER, WHICH CAN RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT, AS IT MOST FREQUENTLY OCCURRED AT HIGH SPEED. I UNDERSTAND THE SAME PROBLEM CAN CAUSE THE CAR TO BE HARD TO START, WHICH HAS ALSO OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. I REPLACED THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT (YET) RECURRED. HOWEVER, THIS IS A $300 DEALER FIX. THEY WILL REPROGRAM, BUT NOT REPLACE THIS SENSORS FREE OF CHARGE. *TR