2009 Nissan Altima Brakes Problems

NHTSA SAYS THE UPGRADED INVESTIGATION WILL NOT ONLY FOCUS ON 2009 MURANOS, BUT SAFETY REGULATORS WANT TO KNOW IF OTHER NISSAN MODELS MAY BE AFFECTED. HOW ABOUT THE NISSAN ALTIMA HYBRID 2009...FRONT RIGHT AND REAR LEFT BRAKES LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY. I TOOK THE CAR TO MAVIS WHO HAD JUST REPLACED BRAKES, ROTORS, AND CALIPERS. I WAS TOLD "ABS PUMP AND MODULE ARE NO GOOD, ONLY STOPPING ON 2 WHEELS..REC...NOT TO DRIVE." I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM IS RELATED AND READ THAT CERTAIN TOYOTA'S SAME YEAR HAVE AN IDENTICAL PROBLEM AND THAT NISSAN USED TOYOTA PARTS THAT YEAR.

MY CAR WOULD NOT START LEAVING ME AND MY CHILD STRANDED. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE OVER NIGHT. WHEN I WAS READY TO LEAVE FOR WORK IN THE MORNING IT WOULD NOT START. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY BUT IT WASNT. I HAD IT CHECKED AT A NEAR BY AUTO STORE. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE MECHANIC. WHO CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THE FAULTY BREAK SWITCH. THIS IS UNSAFE FOR ME AND MY FAMILY LEAVING ME SCARED TO DRIVE THINKING IT CAN HAPPEN AGAIN AND LEAVE US STRANDED AGAIN OR A SCARY ACCIDENT. PLEASE RECALL THE FAULTY BREAK SWITCH IN 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA AND REIMBURSE ME MY MONEY FOR REPAIRS. I AM A SINGLE PARENT. THANK YOU.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION SHOP. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000.

BRAKE WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING. SOME LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID WITH NO APPARENT LEAKS. SUSPECT MASTER CYLINDER LEAKING INTO VACUUM BOOSTER, JUST AS MANY OTHER ALTIMA OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING. VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY NOW, AND I DON'T WANT TO BUY ANOTHER MASTER CYLINDER OUT-OF-POCKET FROM NISSAN SINCE I HAVE READ ON THE NET WHERE OTHERS HAVE HAD REPLACEMENT UNIT FAILURES (SUCH AS NHTSA ACTION NUMBER PE11020). WHAT AM I TO DO? NISSAN SHOULD PAY FOR A PERMANENT REPAIR FOR THIS OBVIOUS PRODUCT DEFECT! *TR

ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS THE DASHBOARD BRAKE WARNING LIGHT IS TURNING ON. THIS USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN GETTING OFF THE FREEWAY. I CHECKED THE MASTER CYLINDER AND THE FLUID LEVEL WAS IOW SO I ADDED DOT 4 BRAKE FLUID. THIS CAR IS REGULARLY SERVICED EVERY 5000 MILES AND THE DEALER AT MOSSY NISSAN OCEANSIDE, CA, DID NOT MENTION THE ISSUE AT 55000 MILES. I HAVE INFORMED THE DEALER VIA APPOINTMENT YESTERDAY, NO REPLY AS OF THIS MORNING. *TR

I WENT BY THE MALL ON SUNDAY EVENING WITH MY 9 MONTH OLD AND 27 MONTH OLD IN OUR 2 MONTH OLD NISSAN ALTIMA 2009 WHICH ONLY HAD ABOUT 21,000 MILES ON IT WHEN WE GOT, BUT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENCE, IT HAD 28,000 MILES ON IT. BY THE TIME WE CAME OUT OF THE MALL AND DECIDED TO GO HOME, THE CAR WOULD NOT START BECAUSE THE BREAKS WOULD NOT DEPRESS. I CALLED EVERYBODY I COULD CALL TO GET A RIDE WITH MY LITTLE ONES HOME BUT THAT TOOK A WHILE. IT GOT DARK ON US BUT WE EVENTUALLY GOT HOME. I CALLED NISSAN MANUFACTURER THE NEXT DAY AND REPORTED THE ISSUE (FAULTY BRAKE SWITCH HARNESS) WHICH I FOUND OUT THAT A LOT OF 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA'S HAD AND THEY ADVISED I TOWED THE CAR TO A NISSAN DEALERSHIP WHICH WAS 3 MILES AWAY. NISSAN DEALERSHIP TOWED THE CAR FOR $84.50 AND THE FIXING TOTALED $552.34. THIS IS MONEY I DON'T HAVE (NURSING STUDENT, VERY BROKE, AND LITTLE KIDS), SO I CALLED NISSAN MANUFACTURER FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WITH FIXING THE CAR BUT AFTER GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH THEM FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS, THEY FINALLY CALLED SAYING THAT THEY COULD NOT HELP. *TR

BRAKE LIGHT STARTED COMING ON AND OFF ON DASHBOARD. BRAKE OPERATION WAS NOT AFFECTED AT THE TIME. BRAKE FLUID LEVEL WAS LOW, NO VISIBLE LEAKS AND BRAKE PADS WERE NOT WORN OUT. DEALER DIAGNOSED A MASTER CYLINDER LEAKING INTERNALLY INTO BRAKE BOOSTER. THIS PREMATURE FAILURE SEEMS SIMILAR TO THE CURRENT INVESTIGATION FOR THE 07-08 ALTIMA. *TR

I WAS TOLD THAT MY MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING BRAKE FLUID AT A SLOW RATE. MY CURRENT MILEAGE IS NEAR 45,000 MILES. I FIGURED IT WOULD COVERED BY NISSAN DUE TO IT BEING A SAFETY FACTOR. INSTEAD THIS DEALERSHIP WANTED TO CHARGE ME $450.00 FOR THIS PART, I OPTED NOT TO DO SO. ITS KIND OF DISGUSTING THAT A CAR WITH ONLY 45,000 MILES HAS ALL THESE PROBLEMS. THIS HAS NOT BEEN ON THE ONLY ISSUE WITH THIS CAR. THE DRIVE BELT WENT BAD AS WELL AS MY BATTERY. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE READ THAT NISSAN HAS A RECALL FOR THESE MASTER CYLINDERS ON THE NISSAN SENTRA. SHOULDN'T ALL THERE CARS HAVE THIS RECALL WHEN IT COMES TO SAFETY? ## VIN PASSED ## NISSAN ALTIMA 2009 SEDAN 2.5S ##. *TR

THE LOW BRAKE FLUID LIGHT CAME ON AND I FOUND OUT THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER LEAKS BRAKE FLUID INTO THE BRAKE BOOSTER. THERE ARE NO LEAKS AT THE CALIPERS, HOSES, OR ANY OTHER AREAS. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE 2007 AND 2008 AND THERE IS AN OPEN INVESTIGATION FOR THOSE YEARS NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE11020, BUT IT DOES NOT THE INCLUDE 2009. *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, SHE APPLIED THE BRAKE AND THE PEDAL DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD AND CAUSED HER TO CRASH INTO A TREE AND A METAL POLE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD SEND AN INSPECTOR TO EXAMINE THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000. UPDATED 11/29/11 *CN UPDATED 12/07/11

I WISH TO FILE A COMPLAINT ABOUT A BRAKE FLUID LEAK FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER INTO THE VACUUM BOOSTER. ON THIS DATE, THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT TURNED ON. I INSPECTED THE MASTER CYLINDER AND NOTICED THAT FLUID WAS AT THE MINIMUM LEVEL. I PURCHASED BRAKE FLUID AND FILLED THE RESERVOIR. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE TODAY (JANUARY 5, 2012, I TOLD THE DEALER WHAT I HAD DONE. THEY INSPECTED THE CAR AND FOUND THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING BRAKE FLUID INTO THE VACUUM BOOSTER DUE TO A FAULTY O-RING. THE WORK WAS COVERED BY MY WARRANTY. HOWEVER, BECAUSE IT IS UNUSUAL FOR A MASTER CYLINDER TO FAIL WITH SO FEW MILES ON THE CAR, I CHECKED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT A NUMBER OF OTHER ALTIMA OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM, AND I AM CONCERNED THAT THERE MAY BE A SAFETY ISSUE BREWING. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE NHTSA IN MAY 2011 WAS PLANNING TO INVESTIGATE SIMILAR PROBLEMS IN 2007-08 ALTIMAS. IT APPEARS THE PROBLEM MAY BE IN 2009 ATIMAS ALSO. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING FLUID ABNORMALLY. THE SAFETY WARNING LIGHT STARTED TO ILLUMINATE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. AFTER INSPECTING THE FAILURE, THEY REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER UNDER WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,165. UPDATED 07/08/11*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED EACH TIME HE WENT TO THE DEALER, BRAKE FLUID HAD TO BE ADDED. THE MASTERY CYLINDER WAS LEAKING. UPDATED 07/20/11

ON JULY 27,2010 MY VEHICLE WAS APPROACHING A CORNER AND TRYING TO COME TO A STOP. A TRUCK WAS APPROACHING PERPENDICULAR HEADING NORTH. I MOTIONED FOR THE TRUCK TO TAKE THE RIGHT OF WAY BEFORE MAKING MY TURN. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP, RESULTING IN THE TRUCK HITTING MY VEHICLE IN THE LEFT FRONT SIDE, CAUSING CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE. IN ADDITION THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE IS NOW IN THE BODY SHOP. NISSAN NA HAS BEEN CONTACTED , AND PLANNING TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM CONCERNING THE BRAKES AND AIRBAGS. INSURANCE IS ESTIMATING BODY DAMAGE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE ENTERING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE RUBBER PADDING HAD FRACTURED FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 9,000. UPDATED 08/11/10. *LJ UPDATED 08/17/10 THE CONSUMER STATED THE RUBBER BRAKE PAD FELL OFF AGAIN AS HE WAS PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. UPDATED 12/03/10*JB

AT REGULAR DRIVING, BRAKES FAILED AT 7500 MILES (WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 47 MPH ON THE 5 FREEWAY SOUTHBOUND). TUSTIN NISSAN DEALERSHIP FOUND ALL 4 ROTORS WARPED AND BRAKES DEFECTIVE. REPLACED ALL ROTORS AND ALL BRAKES. ALSO DEFECTIVE: DRIVER'S SIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR (REPLACED AT 8000 MILES), PAINT TRIM PEELING (UPON NEW VEHICLE DELIVERY). *TR

I'VE GOTTEN INTO A CAR ACCIDENT INVOLVING 2 OTHER CARS, AND COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. ON OCTOBER 8, 2009, I WAS DRIVING BY CARSON BEACH, LOCATED IN SOUTH BOSTON, MA, TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING TO EAT WITH A FRIEND. I HAVE SEEN THAT I WAS GOING ONLY 28 MPH'S WITH NO CARS AHEAD OF ME. HOWEVER, I KNEW THE AREA WAS NEAR THE SOUTH BOSTON STATE POLICE HEADQUARTERS, AND I DID NOT WANT ANY RELATIONS WITH A SPEEDING TICKET. I KNEW THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT WAS 30MPH BUT MY INTENT WAS TO GO AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH. THIS IS MY SAFETY MARGIN INCASE THE SPEEDOMETER GOES UP. AT THIS POINT, THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK. WHEN I STEPPED ON IT ONCE, AND NUMEROUS TIMES TO COME, I REMEMBER THE CLUNKING NOISES AS IF SOMEONE WAS PUTTING THEIR FEET TO THE GROUND, FOLLOWING A MUSICAL BEAT. SO I LOOK UP AND SEE HOW MUCH SPACE I GOT IN FRONT OF ME AND NOTICED THERE WAS AT LEAST ANOTHER 1/4 MILE WITH NO CAR IN SIGHT. I THEN LOOK DOWN TO DEFINITELY MAKE SURE I WAS TOUCHING THE BRAKE AND THAT IT WOULD STOP. I LOOKED DOWN AND KEPT STEPPING ON THE BRAKE, AND END UP STRETCHING FORWARD MY RIGHT FOOT TO PUSH THE BRAKES. THAT DID NOT WORK. FOR FIRST THOUGHT, I WAS THINKING I SHOULD IF TURN OFF THE CAR BUT I DOUBT THAT WOULD'VE WORK; IT WOULD'VE LOCKED MY STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKING WOULD BE HARDER. I PANICKED WHEN I SAW THE TRAFFIC LIGHT SITTING AT RED, WITH 2 CARS ON THE LEFT LANE, AND ONE ON THE RIGHT. I THOUGHT ABOUT HAVING TO SWERVE TO THE RIGHT LANE, BUT THERE WAS ANOTHER CAR RIGHT BEHIND MY BLINDSIDE, SO I DID NOT GO INTO THE OTHER LANE. SITTING IN A BRAND NEW CAR, WITH BRAKE FAILURES, MY FRIEND AND I WERE HOPELESS AND RESULTED IN REAR-ENDING 2 COMPLETELY STOPPED VEHICLES INNOCENTLY WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO TURN GREEN. MY CAR'S AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, BUT WE DIDN'T GET HURT. HOWEVER, THE PASS. DOOR WAS KEEPING MY FRIEND FROM GETTING OUT UNTIL SOMEONE OUTSIDE RIPPED THROUGH AND YANKED THE DOOR OPEN FOR HIM. AT A CRUISING RATE ~29 MPH, I CRASHED INTO THE OTHER CARS WHO WERE ALREADY STOPPED. *TR

MY BRAKE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON ONLY A FEW MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR. I TOOK IT IN AND THEY SAID THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER BECAUSE IT WAS LEAKING. ABOUT A YEAR LATER I STARTED HEARING SCREECHING WHEN I BRAKED, MOSTLY AT NIGHT OR IN COOL WEATHER. I HAD THE BRAKE PADS LOOKED AT AND THEY WERE FINE. NOW THE BRAKE LIGHT IS COMING ON AGAIN, BUT I DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR ANOTHER REPLACEMENT MASTER CYLINDER SINCE MY WARRANTY IS EXPIRED. NISSAN KNOWS ABOUT THESE DEFECTIVE BRAKE CYLINDERS AND SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE AND MADE TO RECALL CARS UP TO 2009 OR 2010! *TR

BRAKES FAILED AT 7500 MILES WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 47MPH ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. NISSAN DEALERSHIP FOUND ALL 4 ROTORS WARPED AND ALL 4 BRAKES DEFECTIVE. ALL WERE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. 2 DAYS AFTER DEALERSHIP REPAIRS, A VERY LOUD "CLUNKING" NOISE WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING ON ANOTHER FREEWAY AND BRAKES FAILED ONCE AGAIN AT 50 MPH. ANOTHER NISSAN DEALERSHIP STATED THERE WAS A "BRAKE ROTOR RUN-OUT EXCESSIVE MEASURE" AND RESURFACED ROTORS. *TR