2003 Nissan Altima Lighting Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TO DRIVE WITH THE HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS ACTIVATED TO REACH HER DESTINATION. THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE DEALER (NISSAN OF MOBILE, 1015 EAST INTERSTATE 65, SERVICE RD S, MOBILE, AL 36606) STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09E012000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,286.

ON A VISIT TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP TO HAVE MY HEADLIGHT REPLACED, I WAS INFORMED THE FLOOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS ROTTED/ROTTING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I'VE NOT HAD IT REPAIRED AS OF YET B/C I'M COMPARISON SHOPPING BASED ON THE PRICE QUOTED BY THE DEALERSHIP. I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2006, HAD THE ENGINE REPLACED DUE TO FAILURE IN 2011, THE RADIATOR REPLACED IN 2013 AND NOW PREPARING TO REPLACE THE FLOOR PANELS. FOR A 10 YEAR OLD CAR, WHICH HAS BEEN MAINTAINED AND SERVICED REGULARLY AND GARAGED, ROTTING SEEMS HIGHLY UNUSUAL AND SHOULDN'T BE A NORMAL OCCURRENCE FOR A CAR. I'VE NEVER HAD A CAR REQUIRE THIS MANY COSTLY REPAIRS, AND ESPECIALLY NEVER AN ISSUE WITH THE ENGINE OR ROTTING. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. *TR

NISSAN ALTIMA 2003 EXTERIOR HEADLIGHTS STARTED TO MELT AROUND THE LOW BEAM BULB. DEALER GLENDALE NISSAN, GLENDALE HEIGHTS IL STATED THAT THEY CARRIED OUT A RECALL BY PUTTING GROUNDING PLATES IN 2006. NO GROUNDING PLATES WERE FOUND AND NO PHYSICAL MARK OF ANYTHING TOUCHING AND ABSORBING THE HEAT FROM THE BULB WAS FOUND. IT IS VERY LIKELY THAT THIS RECALL ITEM WAS INADVERTENTLY OMITTED WHEN THE CAR WENT TO THE DEALER FOR OTHER RECALL WORK ON SUSPENSION ETC. *TR

HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT SEALED LEADING TO THE FOGGING OF THE LENS WHICH MAKES IT HARD OR UNCLEAR FOR THE DRIVER TO SEE AT NIGHT WHILE DRIVING. *TR

MY LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS KEEP BURNING OUT EVERY 6 MONTHS OR SO. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS, BUT NISSAN REFUSES TO FIX THE ISSUE. THE TSB IN QUESTION IS: SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER : 05057. WHAT SHOULD I DO WHEN A DEALER REFUSES TO PERFORM SERVICE ON AN ISSUE THAT THE NHTSA HAS CLEARLY RECOGNIZED? *TR

2003 NISSAN ALTIMA HAS TWO DESIGN FLAWS. ONE FLAW IS THAT THE TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR IS TOO SHORT. THE SECOND DESIGN FLAW WAS WHEN THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WERE FULLY ILLUMINATED,THE HEADLIGHTS LOOKED AS IF THEY WERE ON WHEN THEY WERE NOT. *MR *SC

THE CONSUMER NOTICED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE PASSENGER SIDE HEAD LIGHT LENS MELTED OFF FROM THE LIGHT FIXTURE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC TO HAVE IT INSPECTED. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE PART WAS NOT ON A RECALL OR WARRANTY. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*JB

TOOK THE CAR TO BAKER JACKSON NISSAN IN HOUSTON TO REPLACE A BURNED OUT HEADLIGHT. SERVICE ADVISOR SAID THAT THE BULB HAD MELTED TO THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AND THE COMPLETE ASSEMBLY WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT $400 PLUS. AFTER SOME DISCUSSION DEALER AGREED TO REPLACE IT UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR $50 DEDUCTIBLE, BUT REFUSED TO RETURN THE MELTED HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY STATING THAT IT HAD TO BE RETURNED TO NISSAN FOR THE WARRANTY. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ENGINEERING DEFECT AND SAFETY HAZARD. BESIDES THE SAFETY ASPECT, THE ENGINEERING DEFECT COSTS CONSUMERS MORE THAN $400 TO REPLACE A HEADLAMP THAT SHOULD COST LESS THAN $20. *NM

DRIVERS SIDE HEADLAMP FAILED. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AT HIPPODROME, TONY BRYANT, THE FAILURE IS CAUSED BY THE HEADLAMP OVERHEATING AND IS A PROBLEM INHERENT IN THIS VEHICLE. THE REPAIR IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AT A COST OF $335 WITH NO ASSURANCE THAT THE LAMP WILL NOT FAIL AGAIN. THE HEADLAMP WAS REPLACED ON DECEMBER 19, 2003, AND DECEMBER 22, 2003. THE LAMP FAILED AGAIN ON JANUARY 26, 2004 AND THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED ON JANUARY 27, 2004. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INTELLIGENT POWER DISTRIBUTION MODULE (IPDM) FAILED SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONTACT ALSO EXPERIENCED FAILURES WITH THE HEAD LAMP HOUSING UNIT. THE MANUFACTURER DENIED ASSISTANCE WITH ANY REPAIRS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V517000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 129,556.