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Nissan Altima Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • brandy06brandy06 Member Posts: 7
  • brandy06brandy06 Member Posts: 7
    I have a 06 2.5s Special Edition and I could not get my key into the ignition all the way today. I could here the ding noise from the car but it would not go all the way in. I took it out flipped the key over and the steering wheel was not locked. I put it in N and my foot on the brake and all that and nothing would happen. So I had to ask a guy for help, needless to say he was drunk and stunk. He literlly punched the key while to was in the ignition you heard a popping noise and it went in. Well then it started up. So I turned it off and did it and have no problem with the key now. But what i do have it that it takes the radio about 10-20 sec. before it comes on. Now also, you can hear a grinding noise when you put the key in.

    Has anyone had this??? :confuse:

    Thanks
  • altima2005altima2005 Member Posts: 1
    i have the same problem with my radio since i bought my 05 altima in august of 04.... ive had my struts replaced twice because of the porr suspension... with more than 2 people in my car...its horrible ride...
  • catamcatam Member Posts: 331
    I just bought a 97 Altima GXE with 2.4 L/ 5 spd man.
    I am wondering about timing belt change on this engine. I heard a rumor that this engine uses a timing chain not a belt. Is this true??? It seems highly unlikely to me in a DOHC engine.
    Also does anyone know if this in an interference or non-interference engine?? If its non-interference I won't mind waiting until there is some warmer weather to do the timing belt change, otherwise I want to do it ASAP. (the car has 101K mi. and I don't think it has ever been done. Thanks all for any info. Catam
  • angelb1angelb1 Member Posts: 3
    The problem is there are no dry days..the carpet is always wet or frozen. I thought that maybe there was some sort of plug that came out at one of my visits to the carwash that does the underbody wash. I'll know soon as the car goes in for service on Tuesday. I'll be sure to update here in case someone else has the same problem.
  • araiyearaiye Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2005 Altima. When I turn the heat on full-blast, the car will blow warm air from the driver's side, but cold air from the passenger's side vents. I have to close the passenger-side vents . . . it does not improve even as the car runs and warms up.

    Is this a problem anyone knows about? Will it be covered under warranty?
  • mikebowemikebowe Member Posts: 1
    I have the same problem with a 2000 altima I just bought. The instrument cluster turns off while driving. No speedometer, fuel, tach., or anything. It goes back to normal after a while or after the car is turned off.
  • meca2meca2 Member Posts: 284
    Hi catam: the 2.4L engine has a single steel chain to an idler gear and a double steel chain to both camshafts.
    The chains are good for the life of the engine. Sometimes the chain tighten er might have to be replaced if the chain gets noisy. Steve
  • bostonblackiebostonblackie Member Posts: 1
    The air bag light on my daughter's Nissan Altima has started flashing and the dealer wants a lot of $$$ just to look at it. Does anyone know what I can do to stop the flashing?
  • inertia1inertia1 Member Posts: 8
    Sad sad Nissan.... I will start from the beginning because at 82k my car is dead :(....
    At 78k was told need new engine, took it to an independent who said it was fine, later at 80k replaced the O2 sensor (400) , then cat (800) , then found out the engine was indeed bad, best deal i have been offered on a new engine is about 4k..... from a dealer, thinking about a rebuild engine? Or trading ?? would the next dealer notice (i might be niave but an independent shop did not notice the problem). i figure if i can get about 5k for the trade i would be better off? What do u guys think? ... i am very upset with this car considering that i am 21 yrs old and really cant afford to repair this issue.

    Wish me luck in trying to trade this OVERSIZED paper weight :sick: . Even though i know this is a 2002 only problem, TRUST ME... i WILL NEVER buy a Nissan again. I dont expect others not too (everyone has a right to choose) i myself am done with Nissan as a car company.

    BTW my nissan also needs a new left strut (565) and the heater is not blowing, we might try to get a used engine or just repair the blown gasket to see if that would remedy it? Anyone have any input on just trying to repair the gasket, or would the engine be to severely damaged already???

    Thanks in advance, and sorry for just a mis organized response.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    airbag repair really isn't a DIY operation. Maybe the sensor that measures deceleration is bad. You don't want to be messing with air bag circuitry unless you really know what you're doing.
  • littleturtlelittleturtle Member Posts: 1
    I have a 00altima with 130K. In the past 2 months because of SES warnings, I've replaced the water pump, knock sensor, and most recently a O2 sensor. The light came back on the same day after the O2 sensor was changed. Went back, autoplace checked, they said there's nothing wrong, turned off light, light came back on 1 day later. They said that the other sensors were working fine. Of course I failed the inspection last week and it showed the code P0420 TWC function. What does that mean and do you have any ideas what could be truly wrong with my car?
  • kmasonkmason Member Posts: 3
    re: water sound, there is air in a vacuum line----your dealer should be able to correct easily- i had the same problem
  • kmasonkmason Member Posts: 3
  • kmasonkmason Member Posts: 3
    periodically , i will put my 2004 altima in drive nad hit the gas, but nothing happens for about 5 seconds, then it will engage and start moving forward, or in reverse. could this be a transmission issue? my dealer cany find anything

    kmasoncpa@insightbb.com
  • jbrazjbraz Member Posts: 7
    I recently purchased a used '02 3.5 SE with the Bose stereo. It also had a buzz, only when the stereo was turned on. The dealer I bought the car from replaced the stereo. This fixed the problem.
  • abbie0831abbie0831 Member Posts: 1
    I recently bought a 1997 Nissan Altima and every time i stop for too at a red light or in line at a drive through, idling, my car goes dead, and it smells like its flooding,and takes forever to start back up,but, of course it doesn't do it for my mechanic,so if anyone has any suggestions i would be very happy to hear some.
  • catamcatam Member Posts: 331
    I recently bought a 97 Altima with manual tranny. The shifter is a bit balky especially when the engine is cold. It is very difficult at times to shift into first gear.
    I am planning on doing a full tune up and fluid change this spring, so I was wondering if anyone has changed their manual tranny fluid to synthetic, and if that helped with the balky shifter problem, which I gather is pretty common.
    Thanks, Catam.
  • there's a post on the fix to stop the flashing, done mine a couple of times. it is a ways back, you may be able to do a search for it.

    ken
  • wd74wd74 Member Posts: 1
    I own an 05' 2.5s and after while it started to make a chirping sound from the rear window when driving above 60mph. It sounds like a cricket lives inside. Has anyone had similar problems? If so, please advise.
  • winsanwinsan Member Posts: 36
    I have similar problem whenever the engine is cold. It seems that it started when I changed the original trans oil at 60K (as scheduled). The original oil weight is 75W90, but no one sells that kind of oil, and the dealer recommended 80W90.
  • catamcatam Member Posts: 331
    Thanks for the info. I will definitely look around for 75W-90. I guess I will probably use a synthetic as well as they are supposed to be a little slicker at low temps.
  • shekharshekhar Member Posts: 23
    I cannot open the front passenger door, the key does not work either. It turns fine but the door remains locked. Power door lock buttons (both on driver side and passenger side) operate the the other three doors but not the front passenger side. What could have gone wrong? Any suggestions would be welcome.
  • catamcatam Member Posts: 331
    My guess would be that the linkage that connects the lock to the operating mechanicals is broken. I have not been inside the door of my altima yet, so I don't know any specifics to this vehicle. But most cars have a mechanical linkage system that connects the key lock and the power locks to the actual door lock.
    You will have to pull off the interior door panel and look at the linkage. Hope this helps, good luck.
  • rayk872rayk872 Member Posts: 2
    I have a 97 Nissan Altima that stalled intermitently while driving. The cause was the Fuel Pump.
  • d1rtchaser1d1rtchaser1 Member Posts: 1
    my 04 altima has a loud tapping noise while accelerating to 55 when the engine is cold, dealers say it is normal, started at 15000 miles, now at 24000, it seems to be getting louder and lasting longer,but both dealers no problem, one said they all do it and one said it was just injector noise, souns like a rocker or wrist pin to me, also i only get 140 degrees from the heater and takes over 10 mile to get warm enough to turn blower down, dealers have adjusted the cold air door 4 times and bleed the system twice with no differance, has anyone had any of these troubles and what shoud i do when nissin said no problem1
  • annie11annie11 Member Posts: 5
    My daughter went to start her altima today and the steering column would not unlock. Hence the car would not start. I drove her car yesterday and nothing out of the ordinary and she drove it today with no problems until this afternoon. We have tried to rock the car but nothing moves. It seems like the car does not recognize the key. Any idea's on how to unlock the system so we can get the car started so we can get it into the nissan dealer for repair. Thanks in advance for any and all information or ideas Annie
  • edwinhiledwinhil Member Posts: 2
    Has anyone given you any good advice yet? I have a 2001 Altima that we bought new. It started doing exactly the same thing as yours at about 6 months. It has been to the dealerships (5 to be exact) repeatedly, they have kept it for up to two months at a time. Nissan USA even got involved, but the thing never acted up when they took it on their short drives. We never got a code from the computer that anything was wrong. Gauges would go wacky, drop to zero, sometimes the engine would run really slow, sometimes not. I only have two months left on the warranty, as if it mattered anyway. If they wanted to take care of the problem they would swap me cars and crush this one before someone gets seriously hurt.
  • shade3shade3 Member Posts: 3
    Ihave the same problem with my 96 altima. I am pretty sure it is a bad timing chain guide(s). I will fix it myself , but i must determine if the repair can be easiy done with the engine in the car. The fact that there is not a lot of room between the fron of the engine and the body and the possibility that the lower part of the crankcase(or is it the upper part of the oil pan?) may have to be removed, complicates the repair.
  • shade3shade3 Member Posts: 3
    I have a 96 altima that has a clicking noise at low rpms that I am sure is coming from the timing chain. I think it is due to worn chain guides. Does the engine have to be removed to install new timing chain guides? If not how difficult is it to get at the guides? There is very little room between the front of the engine and the body and it appears that the oil pan and the lower part of the crankcase would have to be removed
    .
  • edwinhiledwinhil Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2001 Altima that has a dieing instrument panel. Lights on the dash go out, temp gage goes to zero, speedometer and tach go to zero, gas gage goes over full. Lately the engine is really sluggish, sometimes just stops. We've had this problem since we bought the car, new. Numerous trips to the dealerships, they've had the car a total of about 6 months over the last 5 years. Noone can find the problem. Has anyone else had this problem, and if so, was it fixed?
  • rayk872rayk872 Member Posts: 2
    The thought my 97 altima had a bad distributor as well. It turned out to be the fuel pump
  • malinda468malinda468 Member Posts: 2
    my 93 altima worked fine, then when i went to start it after it being off for 5 minutes it would not turn over. it has power gas,etc. i can i tried to have it jumped did not do naything. i can not get the clicking noise when i turn the key. i tried staring it in nuetral alos.
  • crankrodmancrankrodman Member Posts: 3
    I also have a 95 Nissan Altima. I had a check engine light come on; the code was P1400 (EGR problem). I was able to clean the EGR valve and after erasing the code I have had no problems; car even runs better.
    The EGR valve is on top of the engine near the back. It is a round pear shaped can sitting on top of the intake manifold. It is held on by two 12mm nuts. After removing it, clean it with carb. cleaner to remove carbon deposists. The diaphram should move freely up and down.
  • malinda468malinda468 Member Posts: 2
    have u tried turning the wheel with the key in ignition & stepping on the brake. it happens to my car sometimes when i turned the wheel hard b4 parking.
  • annie11annie11 Member Posts: 5
    Just to let you know we finally got the steering wheel unlocked and started the Altima. We really had to work at moving the steering wheel and turn the key without breaking it. One would think that Nissan could make a car that would not lock up like this. When my husband went to the Nissan dealership repair shop no one knew what to do he finally found a salesperson who had been a mechanic and said this happened all the time and told him how to unlock the car. Thanks for your help. Annie
  • grumpfishgrumpfish Member Posts: 19
    Ive had my new Altima a few months now, after trading in my '02 Alty. So far the only downside to the car is their insistance to use Continental tires, they're horrible. The car is somewhat lighter and I think they raised the car off the ground a bit too, which allows more air to get under the suspension, this combination pushes the car around a bit. Don't expect power when you need it, the few times that I've floored it, I only to got a slight hesitation before any form of power kicks in. The inside is roomier but somewhat stiff and very ordinary. I wouldve held on to the '02 but it was a lease :(
  • shekharshekhar Member Posts: 23
    Thanks catam
    To make the matters worse, the windshield was cracked due to gravel flying out of the dump truck on I-77 :( Got pulled over for driving with cracked windshield :(:(:(
    The wind shield cannot be replaced unless the passenger door can be opened, so I had to pay $40 for the mechanic to get the Door dismantled. Now I know what the problem is, I will need an actuator ($101+) and the door locking pin ($81+) from the dealer and an extra $80 to have it installed. It will take 3+ days for it to arive, I will not be able to lock my car, so it is practically inoperable. What a week, and it is only Tuesday. Atleaset it does not snow in Columbia, otherwise I would be shoveling some more of the stuff. sorryt for the rant.
  • chaimchaim Member Posts: 2
    I purchased my altima 2006 in Sept.05 the first week the problem started. The car doesn't always start, we have to keep trying until it starts, other times it starts right up. The dealer had the car in service 4 times and couldn't figure it out. So I invoked the lemon law and last month they gave me another 2.5 altima 2006 loaded with navigation and all the extras just like the first one. Well the second altima has the same problem and the dealer doesn't know what to do. Please if anyone else is having this problem let me know. Nissan will not tell me if this is a wide spread probem. Thank you
  • grumpfishgrumpfish Member Posts: 19
    I too got my 06 in Sept. I experienced this problem this weekend where it wouldnt start. I had already driven around town earlier in the morning so it wasn't like the engine was cold.

    It sounded and felt as if the engine were flooded and wouldnt turn over even after I kept the peddle on the floor. Finally, after 6 or so tries it turned over and *so far* it hasn't happened again. :confuse:
  • chaimchaim Member Posts: 2
    Does your altima have the navigation ?
  • grumpfishgrumpfish Member Posts: 19
    nope. no navigation
  • whatsupwhatsup Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1993 nissan altima for the last two weeks the engine started making a rattle soound. When the car is idle it feels like it is about to cut off. The acceleration is sluggish please help me.
  • grumpfishgrumpfish Member Posts: 19
    not much of a mechanic but my 3 guesses are

    1 needs tune up
    2 spark plug is misfiring
    3 timing needs adjusting

    one or any or all of the above until you isolate it
  • broklynnbroklynn Member Posts: 1
    I have the same problem on my Altima, only mine is a 2005. The problem started about 6 weeks after I bought it. It will start fine sometimes then other times after it's been driven around it takes 2 -3 times just to get it started again. I took it to 3 different dealerships to have it looked at and they all said the same thing, they didn't know what it was and that they don't know of any problems with the Altima. I've had the car for 18 months and it still does it.
  • grumpfishgrumpfish Member Posts: 19
    thats sooo nice to know. *sarcasm* Great to hear what I have to look forward to. I think if we all contact Nissan Corporate then they will take this seriously. A dealer will just write it off as customer stupidity or paranoia and that's as far as it gets. But if it gets the attention of higher level they will really look into it and then issue a recall to fix it. ok maybe I'm dreaming but if that fails then there's also the Better Business Bureau

    best of luck to us all :surprise: :confuse:
  • lsnethlsneth Member Posts: 3
    Has anyone notice acceleration problems with their 2006 2.5 S Altima? We just purchased ours 2 weeks ago and took it on it's first long distance trip on the highway. It doesn't seem to change gears (it's an automatic) past 45 or 50 mph. It changes gears just fine until this point (maybe 3 times?), but once it goes over 50 the gears don't change again at all (I've gone up to 80 just to see). It feels as if I'm dragging something...like the engine is working way too hard. The rpm's never get above 3K, but this feels too high to me (sounds too high too). Is this something we're just going to have to live with, or is this a mechanical problem with the car? Trying to decide whether to take it in to the dealer, or if I'm just being paranoid. We did test drive it on a highway, but never really got much past 60...up until this point things still feel ok...it's mainly 65 mph and higher that seem to be problematic. Thanks for your input!
  • crankrodmancrankrodman Member Posts: 3
    It sounds like it is not shifting into Overdrive (4th gear) The new Altimas have a very clever way of shifting into Overdrive. The gearshift has a wide slot at the drive position. If the lever is slid over to the left side, it will stay in 3rd gear. Push the lever to the right side of the "Drive" slot and it will go into Overdrive. You will notice the difference at high speeds (rpms will be lower). Also on the instrument panel there is a display showing what gear you're in. When in 3rd gear, it says "3" when in Overdrive, it says "D" Hope this helps.
  • lsnethlsneth Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for the response! It's definitely in Overdrive, but we're still having trouble...I always make sure I've got it over to the right and see the "D" on the dash. Any thoughts on that?
  • grumpfishgrumpfish Member Posts: 19
    I've noticed this to from day 1. Somewhere around 35-45mph when the car is changing gears there's a momentary lag as if the tranny is slipping. Maybe this is what they are calling their new "CVT Continuous Variable Transmission" or maybe this applies to manual trannys, but either way it sucks. I will pay closer attention to the over 50mph issue, though so far I haven't noticed much other than the 35-45mph shortcomings, oh and the starting issue - or lack of once so far :(
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