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.

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

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

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 IT DIDN'T APPLY TO MY VIN. I SPOKE TO NISSAN HEADQUARTERS AND THEY AGAIN TOLD ME THEY WOULDN'T COVER THIS AS IT IS NOT PART OF A RECALL. THIS PART LOOKS LIKE IT IS PROBLEMATIC IN THIS MODEL YEAR AND MAKE AND ALSO FOR OTHER CARS ACROSS THE NISSAN LINEUP. I EXPLAINED THAT THIS WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND IT RESULTED IN SOME SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUES. EACH TIME I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BUT IF IT STALLED AND I WASN'T ABLE TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY, OR IT STALLED AT AN INTERSECTION OR PULLING INTO TRAFFIC SAY THE CONSEQUENCES COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY. I WAS ALSO LUCKY THAT THE STEERING WHEEL DIDN'T LOCK UP TURNING THE WHEEL WITH THE CAR OFF. OUR SYMPTOMS WITH THIS CAR WERE CLASSIC. I WAS VERY SURPRISED THAT THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THIS PROBLEM IN APRIL AS THE SYMPTOMS MATCH THEY HAVE FOR KNOWN RECALLS ON THIS AND OTHER CARS. I WOULD LIKE IT COVERED BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY I THINK THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO OTHER VEHICLES AND VINS TO SAVE LIVES. *TR

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

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

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.

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. 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.

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 PARTS OF THE FREEWAY THERE IS NO SHOULDER. I'VE TAKEN TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP 4 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND EVEN WHEN THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON, THEY CLAIM THE COMPUTER DOES NOT PRODUCE ANY CODES AND CANNOT RECREATE THE ISSUE. I SUGGESTED A RECALL ON THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR AND THEY CLAIMED IT WAS NOT FOR MY CAR OR ENGINE TYPE. I'VE HAD TUNE UPS, OIL CHANGES, AND THEY DID A REPAIR INVOLVING A CARBON BUILD UP AND NOTHING HAS SOLVED THE ISSUE. I PERSONALLY RAN THE DIAGNOSTICS TODAY AND THE COMPUTER ISSUE A TROUBLE CODE FOR P0335 CRANKSHAFT SENSOR MALFUNCTION CIRCUIT A. I'D SAY THE CAR HAS STALLED ABOUT 20-25 TIMES IN ALMOST A YEAR. *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 " 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. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE VEHICLE. HE CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V477000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULES). THEY FURTHER STATED THAT THE FAILURES WERE DUE TO A CRACK ON THE SURFACE COATING ON ONE OF THE RESISTORS INSIDE THE ECM. THE GAS COULD CAUSE CORROSION OF THE RESISTOR, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR TO ILLUMINATE. IN ADDITION, THE FAILURE COULD CAUSE POOR DRIVABILITY (IDLE INSTABILITY, POOR ACCELERATION) OR THE ENGINE COULD STOP RUNNING WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. UPDATED 12/16/08 *CN AT 32,000 MILES THE ODOMETER WAS REPLACED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF AND THE COAST FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS AND THE RETURN TO NORMAL. UPDATED 12/18/08. *JB *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 ON THE HIGHWAY THE TACHOMETER FELL TO ZERO AND THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE IN GEAR THUS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO DECREASE SPEED QUICKLY, THE ONLY WAY TO RESTART THE CAR WHILE IN MOTION IS TO BUMP START USING THE CLUTCH. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON AFTER THIS INCIDENT. AFTER THIS MANY MISFIRES OCCURRED WHILE DRIVE INCLUDING STALLS WHILE DRIVING WHICH IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WILL STOP QUICKLY. I RESEARCHED ONLINE TO FIND THAT OTHER NISSAN MODELS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM THE SENTRA/ALTIMA. I ALSO CHECK SOME RECALLS AND IT DOES SHOW SOME SENTRAS AND ALTIMAS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED. HOWEVER WHEN I CONTACT BOTH THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND NISSAN NORTH AMERICA THEY SAID THAT THE 2003 NISSAN SENTRA SE-R SPEC V WAS NOT AFFECTED, AND THAT IT WAS REGULAR MAINTENANCE. I WILL TAKE MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND HAVE ALMOST CRASH 3 TIMES. I SUGGEST ALL WHO HAVE THIS PROBLEM NOT TO DRIVE THEIR VEHICLE. *TR

VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING AT LOW SPEEDS AUTHORIZED NISSAN DEALER CONFIRMED FAILURE TO CRANK SENSOR DEALER REPLACED CRANK SENSOR AND COMPLETED ECM REFLASH I DO NOT HAVE THE OLD PART. HOWEVER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RUNNING FINE EVER SINCE THE REPAIR. NISSAN ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE SAME CONCERNS WHICH HAVE THE SAME REPAIR BUT STATES THAT ONLY 2002,2005,AND 2006 MODELS ARE AFFECTED. MY CAR IS A 2003 SENTRA SER AND WAS SUPPOSEDLY NOT AFFECTED. I DO NOT BUY INTO THAT RESPONSE. *TR

A FEW MONTHS AGO THE CARS RPM'S WOULD FLUCTUATE AND THE CAR WOULD BEGIN TO DIE. IF IT WAS STOPPED OR AT A SLOW SPEED IT WOULD DIE OUT. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN IN MANY ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THIS. I HAD THE PART REPLACED AND IT STILL DOES IT. NISSAN REFUSES TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY. IT HAPPENS MULTIPLE TIMES DURING THE DAY. *JB