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#BS-2003-NISALT-73F4

2003 Nissan AltimaProblems, Recalls & Reliability

Based on reports from 1,099 owners and 10 recalls for this exact model.

Data updated ·checked October 21, 2026 · NHTSA complaints through October 19, 2026

Complaints
1,099
Crashes
61
Fires
16
Recalls
10
TSBs
101
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 1,099 complaints, 61 crashes, 16 fires, and 10 recalls. Complaint rate is 4.9x the class average.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

engine burns oil

64 complaints • Severity 8.7/10

$X,XXX
2

cam and crank shaft sensor failure

23 complaints • Severity 7.4/10

$X,XXX
3

engine failure

22 complaints • Severity 9.7/10

$X,XXX
4

horrible shaking and check engine yellow light is on

12 complaints • Severity 7.8/10

$X,XXX
5

floor pan rusted through

8 complaints • Severity 8.2/10

$X,XXX

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the EngineHIGH

373 owners reported engine issues — failures commonly reported around 87K miles.

!Inspect the Engine And Engine Cooling:engineMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

62
0–30K
162
30–60K
249
60–90K
177
90–120K
143
120–150K
92
150K+

Peak failure range: 60–90K miles (249 reports) • Median: 87K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Engine (373 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Engine373 (34%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine106 (10%)
Structure:body94 (9%)
Electrical75 (7%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System40 (4%)
Fuel System39 (4%)
Other33 (3%)
Speed Control28 (3%)

2003 Nissan Altima: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 34% of all reports filed for the 2003 Nissan Altima, with 373 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 86,500 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 87K-mile mark.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine Issues

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 2003 Nissan Altima, with 106 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine and engine cooling:engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Structure:body Issues

Structure:body complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 2003 Nissan Altima, with 94 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to structure:body-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2003 Nissan Altima, with 75 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

29
03
37
04
47
05
106
06
112
07
112
08
99
09
108
10
70
11
80
12
65
13
45
14
78
15
44
16
29
17
13
18
3
19
11
20
6
21
5
22

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2003 Nissan Altima. Recent trend: stable.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (10 recalls)

03V084000Jul 2003

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 2.5 LITER ENGINE, THE EXHAUST PIPE HANGER PIN MAY CATCH DEBRIS FROM THE ROAD THAT COULD BE IGNITED BY CONTACT WITH THE MAIN CATALYST. ALSO ON 2002 ALTIMA AND SENTRA VEHICLES, CERTAIN ENGINE OPERATING CONDITIONS MAY CAUSE THE PRE-CATALYST TO OVERHEAT AND DAMAGE THE CATALYST SUBSTRATE.

03V251000Aug 2003

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ALASKA, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, IOWA, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, KANSAS, MASSACHUSETTS, MAINE, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NORTH DAKOTA, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, SOUTH DAKOTA, UTAH, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. AT EXTREMELY COLD TEMPERATURES, MOISTURE IN THE FUEL TANK COULD FREEZE AND FORM ICE CRYSTALS. THESE ICE CRYSTALS MAY OBSTRUCT THE SUCTION OPENING OF THE FUEL PUMP.

03V455000Dec 2003

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE CIRCUIT BOARD FOR THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR OR CAM POSITION SENSOR MAY HAVE AN IMPROPER SOLDER JOINT DUE TO SOLDER DEFORMATION CAUSED BY HEAT STRESS ACCELERATED BY THE EXISTENCE OF FLUX RESIDUE DURING THE SOLDERING PROCESS.

06E023000May 2006

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

CERTAIN ANZO COMBINATION HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS WHICH FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."

06E064000

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

CERTAIN TRADESONIC COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

+ 5 more recalls in the full report

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

Unlock

NHTSA Defect Investigations (1)

All closed. Investigations are how NHTSA decides whether a defect needs a recall.

RQ06001ClosedOpened Feb 2006 · closed Jul 2006

ENGINE STALL - CRANK POSITION SENSOR

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The worst model year for the Nissan Altima is the 2013 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

2003 Nissan Altima vs. Class Average (Midsize Cars)

This vehicle

1,099

Class avg

223

4.9x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical midsize cars vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 1,099 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 10 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Last updated (checked October 21, 2026). NHTSA complaints received through October 19, 2026.

Other Nissan Altima Model Years

202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993
View all Nissan Altima years →

2003 Nissan Altima: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2003 Nissan Altima?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2003 Nissan Altima is related to the engine, with 373 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2003 Nissan Altima reliable?
The 2003 Nissan Altima has 1,099 complaints, 61 crash reports, and 16 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 4.9x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.
How much does it cost to fix 2003 Nissan Altima problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2003 Nissan Altima have any recalls?
Yes, the 2003 Nissan Altima has 10 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Nissan Altima problems start?
Based on 885 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 86,500 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 60–90K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
When was the 2003 Nissan Altima data last updated?
BumperScan last checked this vehicle against NHTSA on October 21, 2026, covering owner complaints received through October 19, 2026 plus the latest recalls, investigations and technical service bulletins. Its numbers last changed on October 4, 2026.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 1,099 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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