RecallMyCar

2003 Nissan Altima Recalls, Complaints & Specs

4 safety recalls list the 2003 Nissan Altima, and owners have filed 883 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

4
safety recalls
883
owner complaints to NHTSA
41 / 13
complaints citing a crash / fire
19–23
MPG combined (EPA)

4 safety recalls for the 2003 Nissan Altima

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Engine and engine cooling

    NHTSA 06V242000 Reported 294,166 vehicles potentially affected NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

    On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.5l engine, the crank angle sensor is affected by temperature variations. Under certain driving conditions, these variations in temperature can be large enough to cause a brief interruption in the signal output from the sensor.

    Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the ECM free of charge. The recall began on august 21, 2006. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

  2. Engine and engine cooling

    NHTSA 03V455000 Reported 630,000 vehicles potentially affected NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

    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.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the crank position sensors. Camshaft position sensor(s), and in some cases, the variable timing control sensor(s). Vehicles involved in a previous recall campaign, 01v357, are also included in this…

  3. Tank assembly (fuel system)

    NHTSA 03V251000 Reported 377,000 vehicles potentially affected NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

    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,…

    Remedy: Dealers will install a screen at the suction opening of the fuel pump to prevent ice crystals from blocking the opening. Owner notification began on august 18, 2003. Owners should contact nissan at 1-800-333-0829.

  4. Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe (engine and engine cooling)

    NHTSA 03V084000 Reported 338,000 vehicles potentially affected NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

    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.

    Remedy: Dealers will remove the protruding portion of the exhaust pipe hanger pin. In addition to the corrective action, in order to reduce the risk of fire in the event of poor or improper maintenance that could result in oil…

883 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2003 Nissan Altima have filed 883 complaints with NHTSA; 41 describe a crash and 13 describe a fire. Reports cite 25 injuries and 2 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 88,769 miles. Complaints peaked in 2008 with 98 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Engine will not start. If I get the engine to start the car may act as if it wants to cut off in traf”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 28, 2022 · Fuel/propulsion system

“Faulty crankshaft and camshaft sensors UNKOWN”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, March 23, 2022 · Vehicle speed control

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2003 Nissan Altima. Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined19–23 mpg
City / Highway17–20 / 24–27
FuelRegular
EPA classMidsize Cars
Engine4/6 cyl, 2.5/3.5 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd

Compare Nissan Altima model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Nissan Altima model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1993 Nissan Altima1122
1994 Nissan Altima2106
1995 Nissan Altima3180
1996 Nissan Altima092
1997 Nissan Altima1108
1998 Nissan Altima0123
1999 Nissan Altima087
2000 Nissan Altima1160
2001 Nissan Altima1159
2002 Nissan Altima51,047
2003 Nissan Altima4883
2004 Nissan Altima1276
2005 Nissan Altima11,091
2006 Nissan Altima3824
2007 Nissan Altima3471
2008 Nissan Altima41,030
2009 Nissan Altima41,547
2010 Nissan Altima3381
2011 Nissan Altima1241
2012 Nissan Altima4426
2013 Nissan Altima122,312
2014 Nissan Altima81,114
2015 Nissan Altima10954
2016 Nissan Altima4553
2017 Nissan Altima3391
2018 Nissan Altima2226
2019 Nissan Altima7232
2020 Nissan Altima6158
2021 Nissan Altima270
2022 Nissan Altima030
2023 Nissan Altima029
2024 Nissan Altima141
2025 Nissan Altima27
2026 Nissan Altima01

Checking a specific 2003 Nissan Altima

How do I know if my 2003 Nissan Altima has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 4 campaigns currently list the 2003 Nissan Altima; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Nissan dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 03V084000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Nissan models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.