The light started appearing on the dash and before you know it didn’t start, looked it up and it shows the Anti-Lock Steering Lock control is a defect that is happening in all 2009 Nissan Altima’s. I called Avondale Nissan in Avondale, AZ and they informed me this is not a recall issue and will have to pay out of pocket.

The cost for everything came close to $1,000 its ridiculous that Nissan is not taking responsibility for a part they are surely aware is a malfunction and not recalling vehicles to get this taken care of, they said since it was not a safety issue it will not be recalled and expect their customers to dish out money for their incompetence. My next car will definitely not be a NISSAN!

Started up fine in the morning and drove to a buddy's house. I was there for a couple hours. Go to my car to leave tried to start my car and nothing!! Check battery fuses all good. Car will lock and unlock but nothing else. I noticed a yellow flashing key on the left in the cluster. I Googled the problem to see if there was a quick fix. NO!! I called the Nissan dealer in Ontario Ca. He said there is no way you are going to get that car started! That I needed it towed to the dealer.

So called a tow truck and was towed 60+ miles from Hemet to Ontario. Found out that this is a major problem with the 2009 Altima great!! So much of a problem Nissan extended the warranty. Just so happened my warranty expired 3 months to the day on February 22!!! I called 1-800 nissan1 and filed a claim. It so happened to be on memorial weekend and I would not hear anything from Nissan until Tuesday the 26 th. So this guy Richard calls me and leaves a message. Said that he was handling my claim and he would contact me on Friday the 29th. Are you frikin kidding me???? Richard from Nissan told me to call him if I had any question. I called him right back and left a message with my claim number and phone number. Never called me back. Called him many many times could not even return my call..

I'm pissed. Still waiting with no car in limbo waiting on Richard!! I'm really disappointed in Nissan at this point. I really feel this is a Nissan issue and Nissan needs to step up to the plate and take care of the customer!! There is nothing I could have done to prevent this from happening. COME ON NISSAN. Own up to your malfunctions and take care of business!!! I have a headache!!!!!

On May 1st 2015, I tried to start my car but was unsuccessful. I had to have it towed to a registered Nissan dealer who diagnosed the problem as a faulty steering column mechanism. Nissan recognized the part was faulty and extended the warranty on the part. I filed a claim for reimbursement and was notified that my claim would not be covered because it was out of the warranty time.....by 1 week!!

I reviewed this information on line and filed a claim - www.nissanassist.com.

If you are not currently experiencing this condition, you should do nothing. No repair needs to be performed on your vehicle if you are not currently experiencing this condition. However, if you are experiencing this condition, simply contact your local Nissan dealer and schedule an appointment. The warranty extension assures that should the condition occur during this extended period, the replacement will be covered by Nissan at no cost to you for parts and labor. Again, if you are not experiencing this condition, no action is required.

On line, I found a lot of unhappy people about this issue. That doesn't even include the people who wouldn't complain on line.

I was hoping Nissan would stand by your product, especially when you know it was faulty. I have received superior quality and service up to this point and would rather not continue down this path. However, with the financial strain they put me through with the repair cost I find it only right to inflict the same to them by diminishing Nissan's credibility by way of social media, complaint links, Better Business Bureau and word of mouth with family and friends. I asked them to please re-evaluate my claim and do what's right so we can end this here. They would not honor my claim!

My vehicle will randomly not start. New battery and yes the battery cables are clean. I researched this issue online and viola, huge number of people have the dreaded steering wheel lock issue. Sure, Nissan extended the warranty to 6 years but with so many people having this problem, why the heck are they not recalling affected vehicles to get that $1200 part/labor replaced free of charge? It's obviously a defective part that will leave you stranded sooner or later. This has permanently ticked me off to the point where I, along with all of my family members will never buy another new Nissan again.

Plano Texas, 8/12/15 105 degrees, left the gym and my car wouldn't start!!! The brake wouldn't depress all the way and when I hit the push start button, the lights would come on, fans, dash lights would start but the engine wouldn't come on.

I called Auto nation Dallas(Formerly Bankston Nissan) 4707 Lyndon B Johnson FWY and told Matt about it, he thought it might be my battery - it wasn't. I replaced it this year and it has since been tested and found to be perfect). He asked me to bring the car in, had to call AAA to tow it in to the shop.

It took a full hour for diagnostics to be done after which he said it was the brake switch. My brakes had been just fine, also I had taken my car in for an oil change on 7/30/2015 and I had all green on my multi-point inspection. While I waited for my car's diagnostic my brother sent me a link to forums talking about the Warranty extension for the Electronic Steering Column Lock, when I asked the service guy about it, I was quickly passed on to a manager and then to Director Jeff all so they could tell me that the warranty expired 7/24/2015 and they would charge me $700 dollars if I wanted this fixed.

I did not receive a notice from Nissan and since I have been a customer at automation Nissan, they have my records and they don't show ever addressing the ESCL. They did fix the brake switch. They would not address the ESCL issue because the extension expired 20 Days ago!

ON AUGUST 8TH 2015 MY FAMILY AND I WERE OUT TO HAVE A FUN EVENING WENT INTO STARBUCKS CAME OUT AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR IS NOT TURNING ON. AUTOMATICALLY I THINK THE BATTERY BUT SURE ENOUGH IT WAS NOT WE HAD THE STEERING LOCK ISSUE THAT SEEMS TO BE COMMON FOR NISSAN 09 CARS. NOTICE THEY KEY LIGHT ON WE TRIED SEVERAL ATTEMPTS EVEN WENT ON TO YOU TUBE TO LOOK FOR A FIX TURNED OUT STILL DIDN'T WORK. ENDED UP HAVING 3 KIDS SIT IN A PARKING LOT FOR ALMOST 3 HOURS TRYING ISSUE. FINALLY ENDED UP CALLING TOW TRUCK TO TOW OUR CAR HOME.

AFTER READING ALL THESE COMPLAINTS AND SEEING THAT NISSAN HAS NOT RECALLED THIS ISSUE IS REALLY UPSETTING. WHAT IF I WAS ALONE WITH OUT MY HUSBAND SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE WHAT WAS I SUPPOSE TO DO.

THE REASON I PURCHASED A NEW CAR IS SO THAT I FEEL SAFE WITH MY CHILDREN KNOWING SOMETHING LIKE THIS WOULD NOT HAPPEN OPPOSE TO HAVING A USED CAR. NOW I FEEL WHAT A WAIST OF MONEY TO MAKE NISSAN PROFIT FOR THEIR UNRELIABLE CAR. I SHOULD'VE LISTENED AND STUCK TO TOYOTA LIKE MY HUSBAND DOES.

ITS ABOUT MIDNIGHT FINALLY HOME AND I PRAY THAT TOMORROW WE CAN FIND SOMEONE TO LOOK AT THE CAR AND FIX AND WILL NO DOUBT BE CALLING THE DEALERSHIP ON MONDAY MORNING.

WISH ME LUCK LOOKS LIKE EVERYONE HAS PAID A LOT OF MONEY TO GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED.

I truly can't believe Nissan consumer affairs, on 6/30/2015 my electric steering column lock went out. I called consumer affairs on 6/30/2015, to see if its part of this extended warranty, (which I found out though Google), rep explain mine expired on 6/3/2015, and I needed to tow it to dealership. Which I did, and found out that was the problem. So I called back on 6/30/2015, and ask since it was less than a month will they help with the cost.

On 7/1/2015, I had to call 4 times and message Nissan though Facebook to even get a call back from the regional consumer affair agent. When she finally called back an hour before the dealership service dept. closes, she explain they wouldn't help with any cost. The cost to fix this problem, that Nissan knew about since 2009, would be 1,000 dollars.

Personally I don't have the money to fix it, at this point of time it is sitting at the dealership, I'm missing work everyday because of an issue that could have been avoided if Nissan took responsibility of there failure.

I will never purchase another Nissan again. I was at work one day thnking I was about to jump in my car and go pick my baby up from the babysitter only to find out that my car wouldn't start. Long story short I investigated the problem and it ended up being the steering lock default bs. Called Nissan only to find out that they knew that the part was defected and it would eventually go out on all the 2009 altimas. So they extended the warranty for almost 6 yrs. My luck the warranty ran out in Oct. 2014 and my part went out Jul 2015. So NissAN TELLING me they want cover it because it happen outside the warranty. So it would have had to happen during the time of the warranty. Being that that raggedy ass part lasted a couple more months then expected they want fix it. So im stuck paying almost $1100

I just finished paying off this car. I have never had any significant mechanical issues with this car and I have maintained this car meticulously. I did experience a steering lock issue a few years ago which prevented the car from starting but it was resolved by a technician. I was broken down in the parking lot of a local pharmacy - it was freezing and I did not know whether we would be able to resolve the problem after over 2 hours of trying. I never realized the significance of this issue until I came upon this website and started reading about how common this issue is with 2009 Nissan Altimas.

On July 23, 2015 - at 3pm - after a long client meeting - I came outside into the sweltering heat and discovered I could not start my car for no apparent reason. I had no indication that the car had any issues leading up to this point. It just simply wouldn't start. I called triple A and had the car towed to my repair shop. I received a call from my repair shop and they informed me that the master engine computer controller had fried, was dead, and I needed to replace it. I asked how this could have happened. The repair shop tested all possible electrical wires and connections to assess whether there might be a short or some other kind of issue that perhaps shorted out the computer - but they found none.

The computer control unit part will cost approximately $1000; and another $100 to program. How can this be? The car is mechanically sound and there is no damage found or electrical issues found upon the repair shop inspection. I am appalled that I find myself having such an expensive repair on an item that should not fail. This is not a maintenance issue and certainly isn't the kind of repair one should have to expect to make over the course of the car's lifetime given a standard level of maintenance and regular use. This is a defect in my opinion and I am appalled at the expense and inconvenience. The dealers do not stock engine computers as they do other parts. why? Because this kind of failure typically isn't expected to occur. But as I read on this website - it is an issue of some statistical significance with this year, make and model. Not only will I have to pay for an incredibly expensive repair that has happened through no cause or reason of misuse, accident, or lack of maintenance - I also have the added expense of a car rental while I wait the extra time it takes for the part to be delivered.

My 2009 Nissan Altima unexpectedly would not start in June of 2015 and I was on my way to pick up my brother from school. I thought it might have been a battery issue. So, I called my insurance company and they came out to give me a jump. That was not the culprit. Unfortunately, It was after hours and I had to wait till morning to have my vehicle towed to Tires Plus. They were unable to figure out the problem. Next, I had my vehicle towed to Nissan who were able to diagnose the issue. After further research, I learned that the ESCL is a known defect and that an extended warranty was issued to these vehicles. My warranty expired a month prior to this incident (very inconvenient) resulting in a $1,000 out of pocket expense that I did not have readily available (I am a graduate student). I wish that instead of just offering an extended warranty for this part that Nissan would have recalled the part to avoid this headache all together.

If Nissan knew that they had an issue with the 2009 and early 2010 Nissan Altima steering lock, failing they should have recalled it. Instead they allow it to go wrong and it normally happens in most cases as it did on mine after their 6 year extended warranty was up. So you have to come up with almost close to 1K out of pocket to fix it. They should have sent a letter out notifying their customers of the issue and allowed them to bring the car in to get fixed while it was still under warranty.

I think its shady business on Nissan's part and I will NEVER purchase another Nissan again, and I will never recommend Nissan to any one else. On the contrary, I'm going to make sure to let everyone I know of just how bad Nissan handled their customers on such a major issue. For such a larger corporation they aren't very smart. Don't they know that word of mouth is a powerful tool. and Customer Service is essential to succeed in a business.

Car will not start, left stranded and vehicle is unsafe. Five or ten minutes later it may start. Unreliable vehicle. I think the problem is either electrical, brake lock, engine or steering lock issues. Does not start when you put key fob in slot either. Very scary to be stranded and very frustrating. I feel unsafe in this car. Is there a recall on this dangerous issue. It has happened at least ten times. Only reason not taken to shop yet, is our work schedule is not conducive to their shop schedule, and fix is probably expensive. This should be a recall....we bought this car because it was to be a safe, reliable vehicle and it is anything but that.

I am notifying my local news station that Nissan 2009 Altima has a factory defect to the electrical steering column. Nissan extended the warranty because they new there was a defect but will not pay to have it fixed if the warranty has expired. It is not fair I have to pay for something Nissan knew was a problem that they caused. I'm sure I am not the only customer in this predicament. I am notifying all local news agencies so other people will not have to go through this and I along with thousands of others no longer support the brand of Nissan.

Steering column/electrical starter locked while I was at Discount Tire getting tires checked. I had to have it towed, but had to wait until Monday, this happened Saturday, because service center closes at 12:00 noon. Accordingly, this is a common problem. The warranty was extended until September 15, 2014. However my car did not have this issue until March 2015.

There are numerous websites with similar complaints. All requesting a recall, which has yet to be administered or admitted a faulty product by Nissan. The problem is exactly the same.

Without warning the push button key start locks up and cannot be “unlocked” as the owner’s manual suggest but doesn’t tell you “HOW?” Obviously a faulty part, but Nissan will not consider it, only answer they have is the extended warranty expired.

I registered a complaint with their customer service, online. I saw thousands of the exact same issue online and there was at one point a petition to have a recall on the part. This petition however was abandoned? Not sure why because I wanted to sign it.

Nissan Corp. just has customer service department call to tell me the extended warranty expired. Really? I kind of figured that one out on my own after towing and $889.97 bill....