10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 4 / 1
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 70,211 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
The electronic steering lock fails and locks the steering-wheel. The car fails to start again. I am worry this will lock while driving. Is unreliable. Repair cost goes up to thousand dollars.
- Baycity, TX, USA
Steering lock becomes stuck (will not allow car to be started). This happens for seemingly no reason. Many others have complained as well. Only option is to have the vehicle towed and have the steering lock replaced. Nissan issued a warranty extension of 3 years which expired in January 2016. However, there is no reason that this should happen and no reason that the fix should not be covered infinitely. Could have been stuck on the highway or a bad neighborhood or anywhere. Additionally, the fix is extremely expensive (>1,000 --- see attachment). This is no wear & tear issue. This is a faulty part. Nissan knew about it. They should have to make it right.
- Charlotte, NC, USA
Electronic steering control lock escl. When it fails, you instantaneously, with no warning cannot start your vehicle. The only remedy is to tow car to a dealer, which will charge you a large amount ($1000 or more) to replace it. This should be the subject of an immediate recall as this has long been a problem. Mine failed soon after the warranty extension expired. Why allow unlimited mileage, yet not unlimited time? the car has been unmoved for months now while payments are still being made on it.
- Berryton, KS, USA
Common problem from all Nissan 2009 owners.... steering wheel lock has failed. This is obviously a manufacture defect and the safety point is that it can go out at anytime and leave my wife stranded in places she should not have to worry
- Biloxi, MS, USA
Electronic steering lock sensor fail unable to start car or lock or start. Fortunately had just park vehicle.. on city street
- Thornton, CO, USA
Steering wheel lock causing the car to stall completely.
- Houston, TX, USA
2009 Nissan Altima will not start they said it was the steering lock control unit that needs replaced. $1,100. Nissan knew of the issue and extended the warranty only until 2015. If there was an issue why was I never told about it. I would have had them replace it a long time ago. We should have been told and they should cover the cost!
- Naperville, IL, USA
Takata recall my steering is locking and won't let me turn on the car it was stationary. Had to have it towed. Needs to be recalled again and fixed for everyone.
- Herriman, UT, USA
Car would not start at all and it was discovered that it was a failure of the steering lock mechanism. A part that Nissan has knowingly extended the warranty on multiple times.
- Caledonia, MS, USA
I went to start MY2009 Nissan Altima car that was parked in front of my door and it did not start, the doors would lock and unlock but it would not start it was in the lock position. I had my car towed to the dealership and was told that the electrical tech found that the steering lock failed. It is vey expensive to fix. It will cost me around a $1,000.oo to have it fix. I spoke with the custome service rep with the Nissan department and I was told that the extended warranty has expired and that I needed to take my my car to the dealeship and let them dignosed the problems and call back and they may be able to help. Called back with the ddiagnostic result and my claim was denied because the warranty has expired in September of 2015 and their was nothing they can do about it. I feel a recall should be call on this part. If there was an extended warranty to have this fix they should have informed buyer of this like it was a recall.
- Savannah, GA, USA
After work tried to start the car in the parking lot after, but it wont start. We towed it to the Nissan dealer who said it was an 'electronic steering lock column ' -escl failure. Just google it there are thousands of customer complains about this problem. It cost us about $1000 to fix it. Nissan corporate refused to pay for the repair. I need to be refunded because this is strictly the fault of Nissan.
- Romeoville, IL, USA
I have a defective steering lock which won't allow the car to start. There was no warning and for my general safety and use of my car, this problem needs to be resolved by Nissan motor Inc.
- Philadelphia, PA, USA
Nissan Altima 2009 had a defective steering lock that caused me to be struck alone late at night on at cvs store. My car was not at all starting. My car had to be towed to a dealer the next day. I found this issue as manufacture defect. This is a very dangerous if someone struck in isolated place in cold. I had no idea that this was going to happen. This is expensive. I paid 1200 which should be bare by Nissan but they have ignored it. This is a defective part in the 2009 Nissan Altima and there is no way to know if it will happen again and should be covered by a recall for the life of the car. Better to sell of 2009 model
- Louisville, KY, USA
Car won't start. Steering lock is defective causing ignition problem.
- Yorktown Heights, NY, USA
Steering lock malfunction!! got stranded in the Arizona heat because escl malfunctioned!!! Nissan Altima 2009 wouldn't start, had to get it towed to auto shop to be told it's a steering lock malfunction!! Nissan knows about this but hasn't done anything about it!!!! I'm dissatisfy with Nissan
- Tucson, AZ, USA
I was parked in the driveway at a relatives, had to move my vehicle from the driveway to the streets. When I came back out to start my vehicle to go home six hours later, it would not start. I contacted triple a, they wasn't successful getting my vehicle started, so I had the vehicle towed to pep boys which was unsuccessful, then I had the vehicle towed to the dealership.
- Avondale, AZ, USA
Went to start car to run an errand while at work on lunch break to get in the car and the car would not start. I'll have to get the car towed not to include the daycare late fees that I'm going to have to pay because I am unable to pick my child up from daycare because they close, needless to say it's $1 per minute that I'm late and it is due at the time of pick up. The cost for the part is $708.66 not including the labor, stress, and anxiety that this inconvenience has caused. I am infuriated. My other 2009 Nissan Altima had to have a new transmission replaced just 2 months ago. The Nissan quality is going down the drain!
- Randallstown, MD, USA
Steering lock on a 2009 Nissan Altima broke June 13,2016. 1100 dollars to fix at dealer.
- Gonzales, LA, USA
On 6/11/16 drove to gas station went home came out to my car and it wouldn't start all the lights were on saw a yellow key light googled it didn't have to finish it automatically came up Nissan power steering went the place I'm financing my car from says that my fob key had to be reprogrammed to my car so now the tow company comes get my car brings it to the Nissan dealer and tech calls and says its the power steering and it will cost me 700$ are U serious I don't have that kind of money I just made a car payment last week and paid my car insurance along with rent and bills this is crazy I have a extended warranty and of course its not listed for cover I lost work today and now have to find ways for the rest of the week if this was recalled last year and expired last year that's not right that we still have to pay for Nissan mistake
- Hoosick Falls, NY, USA
- Buffalo, NY, USA