Problems · by component

2009 Nissan 3 Series electrical system problems

67 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2009 Nissan 3 Series cite electrical system, 44% of all 153 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
67
44% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electrical system

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“My vehicle has only 12,400 miles, and the passenger air bag light will not go off and the airbag light in the dash keeps blinking. Millions of Nissan vehicles have had the same problem. I want my Nissan dealership, where I purchased this vehicle ( M’Lady in Crystal Lake, IL ), to fix this at no cost to me.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 15, 2021Electrical system, Air bagsODI 11424973
“I PURCHASED MY FIRST NISSAN, A 2009 370Z, IN 2018. I WENT TO START MY CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START, AFTER READING VARIOUS FORUMS ON THE INTERNET I FOUND THE ISSUE WITH THE 370Z IS WELL DOCUMENTED TO THE ESCL (ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK) ISSUE. THERE IS NO WARNING TO THIS OCCURRING; I DROVE MY CAR TO THE STORE AND THEN HOME, AN HOUR LATER WENT TO START TO THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START. THE ONLY LEAD I HAD WAS THE INTELLIGENT KEY WARNING LIGHT, THAT WHEN REFERENCED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATES THIS WILL LOCK THE STEERING COLUMN AND PREVENT THE CAR FROM STARTING. THIS IS USUALLY TRIGGERED FROM AN UNREGISTERED KEY BUT MY KEYS WERE REGISTERED AND HAD WORKED WITH THE CAR FROM THE TIME I BOUGHT IT. THE CAR HAS HAD THIS MODULE CHANGED OUT FOR PARTS ARE DATED, AND THE CURRENT MODULE IS DATED FROM 2012, AFTER THE CAR WAS RELEASED IN 2009. I AM NOT FACED WITH REPLACING THIS PART TO GET MY 370Z TO START, I HAVE TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE NISSAN SHOP AND WAS TOLD IT WILL BE ABOUT $1100 TO FIX. IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED THAT THE ESCL THAT NISSAN USES IS MALFUNCTIONING. THE INTERNET IS FULL OF STORIES OF PEOPLE STRANDED. NISSAN CLAIMS TO HAVE FIXED THIS ISSUE BUT CLEARLY…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 1, 2020Steering, Electrical systemODI 11319933
“MY VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH AN ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK (ESCL) THAT LOCKS THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED AND TURNED OFF TO HELP PREVENT THEFT. ON SOME VEHICLES, DUE TO A MANUFACTURING IRREGULARITY,THE ESCL MAY MALFUNCTION AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN LOCKED AND COULD PREVENT THE ENGINE FROM STARTING. THIS CONDITION, SHOULD IT OCCUR, WILL ONLY OCCUR WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, WHICH HAPPENED WITH MY NISSAN 370Z YESTERDAY. THANK GOD I WASN;T STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. AND LUCKILY THIS DID NOT HAPPEN IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION OR OTHER BUSY ROAD. I HAVE READ THAT NISSAN HAS ALREADY RECALLED THIS PART FOR THEIR 2009-10 NISSAN ALTIMA, ALTIMA COUPE, ALTIMA HYBRID, AND MAXIMA VEHICLES BUT HAVE NOT READ ABOUT INCLUDING THEIR 2009-10 NISSAN 370Z MODELS. MULTIPLE 370Z FORUMS CONFIRM THAT THE 2009-10 370Z MODELS HAVE THE SAME ISSUES AS THE RECALLED NISSAN MODELS. THIS NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED. 2009-10 NISSAN 370Z CUSTOMERS SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THE NEW PART AND LABOR JUST LIKE NISSAN ALTIMA, ALTIMA COUPE, ALTIMA HYBRID, AND MAXIMA CUSTOMERS DON'T HAVE TO.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 29, 2020Steering, Electrical system, Unknown or otherODI 11312259
“THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEVICE HAS BEEN FAILING DAILY.I BOUGHT THIS CAR IN MARCH OF 2014 AND I HAVE ALL OF THE PAPERWORK THAT SHOWS THE PREVIOUS OWNER TOOK IT TO AUTONATION NISSAN CHANDLER AND UNDER RECALL P3208 IT WAS SUPPOSEDLY FIXED IN 2013. I DIDN'T EVEN OWN THE CAR TIL 2014!THE NTB13-014 ALSO WAS ON THE INVOICE. IT SAYS THEY REPLACED THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK UNIT- I HAVE SPENT OVER $20K ON MY Z ( NOT INCLUDING THE PRICE OF THE CAR, AND I CAN'T EVEN GET LARRY H MILLER NISSAN TO TAKE CARE OF IT. THEY WANT $1500. I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW LARRY H MILLER NISSAN KNEW ABOUT THIS AND NEW THE DATES IT WAS 'FIXED' AT THE OTHER DEALERSHIP, AND FAILED TO NOTIFY ME WHEN I BROUGHT IT TO THEIR ATTENTION.I HAVE ALL MY INVOICES FOR WORK DONE,AND A NISSAN W 44,000 MILES HAS HAD ENDLESS PROBLEMS -PLEASE HELP. I AM DISABLED, AND THIS IS A HUGE FINANCIAL BURDEN FOR ME,I REALLY HAD A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN NISSAN TAKING CARE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS - IT SEEMS THAT ISN'T THE CASE- ON JUNE 27 I GOT INTO A SMALL ACCIDENT AND IT ENDED UP COSTING GEICO $14,850.35 - WHEN THEY BROUGHT IT BACK THE FUEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM HAD GOTTEN LOOSE SINCE IT'S LOCATED UNDERNEATH THE PASSENGER SIDE IN…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 20, 2018Electrical systemODI 11073760
“ELECTRIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK WAS REPLACED IN A RECALL AT 25,824 MILES IN MAY 2013. CAR IN OCTOBER 2016 WITH 37746 NUKES HAD PROBLEMS STARTING, HAD TO PUSH, "START" BUTTON FROM TWO TO 12 TIMES TO GET VEHICLE TO START. FIRST DEALER REPLACED BATTERY, NEEDED TO BE DONE BUT PROBLEM DID NOT GO AWAY. DEALER FOUND THAT STEERING COLUMN ELECTRIC LOCK WAS INTERMITTENTLY NOT WORKING AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1,103.50. THIS IS THE SAME PART THAT WAS REPLACED AS PART OF THE ORIGINAL RECALL. IF STALLED IN TRAFFIC IT COULD TAKE UP O 5 MINUTES TO START VEHICLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 7, 2016Electrical systemODI 10930361
“THE ELECTRIC STEERING WHEEL LOCK MECHANISM HAS FAILED BAD. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THE PART, BUT NISSAN REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT. MANY COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED ON THIS ISSUE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 7, 2016Steering, Electrical system, WheelsODI 10933723

Showing 6 of 67 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Other 2009 3 Series problem areas