2003 NISSAN SENTRA Electrical System Problems

The car quits as I’m driving it , The headlights and the dome lights go dim and radio light flickers then it goes completely out and when I’m driving the car it has a rough idle and in order to keep the car running when I get to a stop light or stop sign is to put the car in park .

PCM ECM ECU ENGINEERING FLAW. ENGINE KICKS INTO SAFE MODE WHILE IN OPERATION OR COMPLETELY STALLS, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, WHEN RESTARTS WILL MISFIRE. DIAGNOSED WITH FAULTY CONTROL MODULE (THE SECOND ONE IN THIS VEHICLE SINCE I HAVE OWNED IT)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V4770000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ECM BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN SENTRA. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 10 MPH, A LOUD POPPING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE ENGINE. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES AND WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT DID NOT OFFER TO ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000. UPDATED 09/10/15*LJ UPDATED 10/05/15*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE MULTIPLE PROBLEM CODES THAT APPEARED ON THE DIAGNOSTIC SCANNERS. UPDATED 02/09/16*JB

I BOUGHT MY CAR AND THE DASHBOARD DOESN'T WORK ALL THE TIME. IT SUDDENLY STOPS AND GIVE 0 INFORMATION ABOUT SPEED, GAS, AND HEAT. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME 1000$ WHICH I CAN'T AFFORD. I THINK THIS IS A CAR PROBLEM NOT MY PROBLEM AND I WANT THEM TO FIX IT. CAN YOU HELP FOR MY SAFETY? *TR

WE BOUGHT THIS LOW MILEAGE CAR FROM A FAMILY MEMBER BUT AFTER BUYING THIS CAR IT STARTED GETTING PLAGUED WITH THE CAR SUDDENLY AND MYSTERIOUSLY SHUTTING OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. ENGINE DIED UNANNOUNCED CAR CUTS OFF AND THE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES STOP WORKING. IT WOULD HAPPEN UP TO 5 TO 7 TIMES A WEEK INTERMITTENTLY. WE HAD TAKEN IT NISSAN TWO DIFFERENT TIMES IN APRIL TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE SITUATION THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR SOLVE THE PROBLEM FOR US OR REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM DURING TEST DRIVES. IN AUGUST TOOK THIS CAR BACK IN AFTER IT WOULDN'T RUN AT ALL AND THEY FINALLY TOLD ME IT WAS A CAMSHAFT POSITIONING SENSOR. AFTER REPLACING THIS PART IT RUNS FINE NOW. AFTER LOOKING ONLINE ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE IT SEEMS THIS PART IS PART OF A RECALL FOR THIS MAKE AND MODEL YEAR HOWEVER I WAS TOLD...

WHILE DRIVING INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PANEL SHUTS OFF THEN COMES BACK ON REPEATEDLY, SPEEDOMETER, OIL GAUGE, RPMS, WATER TEMP., ETC. CAR STAYS RUNNING BUT YOU CAN'T TELL WHAT YOUR SPEED OR RPMS ARE. BROUGHT TO NUMEROUS SHOPS AND DEALERS KNOW ONE CAN FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. *TR

I WAS PULLING THROUGH A SHOPPING CENTER, WHEN MY SENTRA STARTED STALLING. I PARKED THE VEHICLE AND IT WOULD NO LONGER START. I BOUGHT A CODE READER AND IT STATED A FEW CODES SUCH AS ECM, CAM SHAFT POSITION SENSOR, AND ACCELERATOR POSITION SENSOR. I HAD IT TOWED TO HUDSON NISSAN AND THEY STATED THAT THE ECU/ECM HAS SHORTED AND SHORTED THE THROTTLE BODY SENSOR. WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IF I WERE TRAVELING AT A HIGHER SPEED, OR IN TRAFFIC. *TR

MY CAR HAS STALLED 3 TIMES OVER THE PAST YEAR. ONE MINUTE I AM DRIVING, THE NEXT I AM COASTING. THANKFULLY, I WAS ALWAYS DRIVING SLOWLY WITH NO ONE BEHIND ME. IT STARTS RIGHT UP. NO "CODE" SHOWING UP FOR DIAGNOSTICS. I CALLED NISSAN RE: MULTIPLE RECALLS FOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS THAT CAN CAUSE STALLING, BUT THEY SAID MY CAR WASN'T PART OF THE RECALLS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN SENTRA GXE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WOULD REPEATEDLY STALL ONCE RESTARTED. IN ADDITION, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BACK LIGHT WOULD FAIL ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED WITH ONLY THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO ADVISED THAT THE CENTRAL COMPUTER WOULD NEED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. *TR

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER STARTING CAR AFTER OIL CHANGE AT LOCAL SHOP. MECHANIC CHECKED CODE, PROBLEM WITH CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. PART REPLACED. PROBLEM SOLVED, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAY OFF. AFTER 1 WEEK, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND AGAIN, CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR NEEDS REPLACED. CAR TIMING CLEARLY OFF - WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE CAR JOLTS AND SHUDDERS HARD ENOUGH TO SLAM DRIVER INTO SEATBELT. WHEN VEHICLE WARMED ALL THE WAY UP PROBLEM NONEXISTENT. CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR CHANGED AGAIN, PROBLEM REOOCURS WITHIN A WEEK OR TWO. DURING FALL/WINTER WHEN COLD WEATHER OCCURS ENGINE MUST BE COMPLETELY WARM TO AVOID BEING SHAKEN AND JOLTED AROUND WHILE ACCELERATING. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINS ON. DEALER STATES "TIMING CHAIN IS OUT OF TIME" AND MUST BE REPLACED. NISSAN NORTH AMERICA STATES CAR NOT ON RECALL LIST, ALTHOUGH RECALLS LISTED HERE SEEM TO APPLY TO MY VEHICLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN SENTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE THERMOSTAT AND THE IGNITION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. AFTER THE REPAIR THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED A RECALL PERTAINING TO THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V477000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE) BUT WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALER THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS HESITANT TO START. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE WHILE DRIVING AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PERSONAL MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS THEN INFORMED OF A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V477000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE) HOWEVER AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 97,000.

VEHICLE FAILED THE MIL/CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DUE TO OBD COMMUNICATIONS FAILURE. NISSAN DEALERSHIP CODE READER ALSO UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH ECM. POSSIBLE FAULTY ECM. *TR

2003 NISSAN SENTRA HAD A RECALL ON A SENSOR, TOOK TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID IT WAS FINE THEY DIDN'T REPLACE IT. THREE WEEKS LATER THE CAR STOP RUNNING WHILE MY SON WAS DRIVING IT, WE HAD IT TAKEN TO THE SHOP AND THE SENSOR WAS THE PROBLEM IT COST ME 340.00. TWO YRS LATER THE SENSOR IS ACTING UP AGAIN SO I'M GOING TO HAVE TO FIX IT AGAIN IT WILL COST ANOTHER 340.00. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN MAKING BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT TURNS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING ALSO, ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS ALREADY STARTED AND WARMED UP, SHE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART IT AGAIN, WITHOUT CONSTANTLY DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS WHICH WAS SIMILAR TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 03V477000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE). THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH HER VEHICLE AND THAT THE ECU NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT HER VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 72,000. UPDATED 02/09/11*LJ UPDATED 05/09/11

WHILE DRIVING IN ROUTINE TRAFFIC, I FELT A JOLT, THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON AND THE RPMS DROPPED RESULTING IN THE ENGINE STALLING. THE FIRST TIME THIS OCCURRED I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER ON THE FREEWAY TO THE SHOULDER. THE 2ND TIME THIS OCCURRED, I DIDN'T PULL OVER IN TIME AND THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WENT OUT MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE CAR TO TURN OFF. I AM USUALLY ABLE TO TURN THE CAR ON AFTER A MOMENT WITHOUT ISSUE. AT FIRST IT OCCURRED ONCE A WEEK AND NISSAN DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DIAGNOSE OR "RECREATE" THE ISSUE. THEN IT DIDN'T HAPPEN FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, AND NOW IT'S BEEN HAPPENING EXTREMELY FREQUENTLY AND SOMETIMES VERY DIFFICULT TO START THE CAR UP. MY SAFETY IS AT RISK BECAUSE THE ENGINE WILL JUST STOP, AND I'VE FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO GET OVER TO A SHOULDER, AND ON SOME...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN SENTRA. THE " CHECK ENGINE" WARNING LIGHT BECAME ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM BE RESET. THE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED THAT THE COMPUTER SYSTEM BE REPAIRED AT AN EXPENSE OF$1,000.00. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 31,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN SENTRA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. ONCE THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE, IT DID NOT RESTART UNTIL THE FOLLOWING DAY. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE TACHOMETER WAS NOT WORKING. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 86,000.

2003 NISSAN SENTRA, FIRST NOTICE THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT COME ON. THEN, THE CAR WOULD FEEL LIKE IT WAS LOSING POWER WHILE DRIVING. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT BUT THEY SAID IT MIGHT BE THE BATTERY OR ALTERNATOR. SO, THEY GAVE ME A NEW ALTERNATOR AND A NEW BATTERY. THEN, SHORT TIME AFTER THE CAR STARTED LOSING POWER AND JUST STALLING COMPLETELY. POWER STEERING GOES AS WELL. AS TIME GOES ON THE OCCURRENCES ARE BECOMING MORE FREQUENT. SEVERAL TIMES THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED I HAVE ALMOST CRASHED INTO SOMEONE WHETHER I WAS TRYING TO MAKE A TURN OR MY CAR SHUT DOWN AND SOMEONE ALMOST HITS ME. SO, I LOOKED UP THE RECALLS DONE ON MY MODE, MAKE, AND YEAR CAR AND FOUND THAT THERE WERE RECALL ON PARTS THAT ARE CAUSING THE SAME PROBLEM FOR ME. SO, I CALLED UP NISSAN...

I HAVE A 2003 NISSAN SENTRA GXE 1.8 L. MY CAR HAS CUT OFF OR WILL NOT STOP PROPERLY SINCE THE INCIDENT DATE. I TOOK THE CAR TO AUTOZONE AND THE ERROR THAT CAME UP WHERE P0462 AND P0335. I CHECKED THE WITH THE HAYNES BOOK AND TO CORRECT THE P0462 PROBLEM I HAVE TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP AND P0335 IS THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. I HAVE NOTICED THAT MANY OF THE COMPLAINTS OF THE WEBSITE ARE THE FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS I AM HAVING. I ALSO CALLED NISSAN CONSUMER HOTLINE WAS TOLD MY VIN DOES NOT FALL WITHIN THE RECALL AND I HAVE SAME SIZE ENGINE FOR THE RECALL. I FEEL BECAUSE MY SENTRA IS CHEAPEST MODEL OF THE SENTRA'S THAT IS REASON IT IS NOT APART OF THE RECALL. *TR

I HAVE RECEIVED LETTERS OF "IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL NOTICE" STATING THAT MY VEHICLE HAS A DEFECT WHICH RELATES TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY. MY VEHICLE HAS STOPPED MORE THAN TWICE AND HAS COST ME MORE THAN $300.00 TO FIX. I HAD TAKEN IT TO THE MILLER NISSAN IN VAN NUYS CITY (818-787-8400) AND THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED BUT THEN THE "CHECK ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON AND CAUSED MY VEHICLE TO STOP IN THE FREEWAY ON MY WAY TO WORK. MY VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE SHOP FOR THE SAME REASON IT STOPPED ABOUT A YEAR AGO. I RECENTLY TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE MILE'S NISSAN IN VAN NUYS CITY BUT NOW THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME FOR A DEFECT ON THE CAR THEY SOLD TO ME. I AM CONSULTING WITH MY LAWYER TO TAKE FURTHER ACTIONS. *TR

WHILE DRIVING THE LIGHT, HORN AND HAZARD LIGHTS FAILED. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *NLM

JUMPS FORWARD SOMETIMES WITHOUT FOOT ON ACCLERATOR, ESPECIALLY WHEN MAKING TURN FROM STOPPED POSITION. DEALERSHIP CAN NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. FALSE ALLIGNMENT AT TIME OF PURCHASE. DEALERSHIP STATES STEERING COLUMN WAS PUT IN OFF CENTER. THIS PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED. CREAK AND POPS IN DASH ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES. HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP ON TWO OCCASIONS TO FIX PROBLEMS. NO LUCK YET.

ONCE APPROACHING A STOP (CROSSWALK), THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT TOUCHING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE ALMOST HIT A PEDESTRIAN. ANOTHER TIME, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MOVE OUT OF PARKING SPACE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS THE VEHICLE AS OF 01-28-2003 WITH CAUSE NOT IDENTIFIED YET. THE OWNER IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE AND REPAIR OF VEHICLE AND THE SAFETY OF THOSE AROUND IF FAILURE OCCURS AGAIN. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TS