Problems · by component

2003 Nissan Altima vehicle speed control problems

33 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2003 Nissan Altima cite vehicle speed control, 4% of all 883 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
33
4% of all complaints
Crashes
9
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the vehicle speed control

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“OWNER OF A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. ON 2/18/2016, I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO A CAR WASH IN LINDEN, NJ. WHEN THE CAR WASH WAS COMPLETED, I PUT MY VEHICLE ON DRIVE AND PROCEEDED SLOWLY TOWARDS THE CAR WASH EMPLOYEES AS THEY INSTRUCTED ME TO STAY ON MY LEFT SIDE, AS THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS ON THE RIGHT SIDE. WHILE I STILL HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES, AND AS THE EMPLOYEE PLACED THE TOWEL TO DRY OUT MY VEHICLE, MY VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO JOLT TWICE WHILE I STILL HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES AND IMMEDIATELY UNINTENDED ACCELERATING AT A HIGH SPEED. SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT OF THE FRONT HOOD AND AIR BAG CAME OUT. I HAD TO CONTROL THE STEERING WHEEL NOT TO HIT ANY ONE AS THERE WERE SEVERAL PARKED VEHICLES AND PEOPLE VACUUMING/CLEANING THEIR VEHICLES. NOT SURE HOW MANY PARKED VEHICLES WERE HIT AND MY VEHICLE HIT A PARKED SUV. AMBULANCE AND POLICE ARRIVED. I WAS IN SHOCKED, SURPRISED AND CRIED AND TOLD THE POLICE ABOUT MY VEHICLE UNINTENDED ACCELERATED SO QUICKLY WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHILE MY FOOT WAS STILL ON THE BRAKES. ALL I KEPT SAYING IS OH MY GOD, HOW COULD MY VEHICLE UNINTENDED ACCELERATED WHILE I STILL HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES. WERE THERE ANY RECALLS? I TOLD THE OFFICER…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 1, 2017Vehicle speed control, Unknown or otherCrash reportedODI 10957901
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN NEUTRAL AT A CAR WASH, IT ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND EMITTED SMOKE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000. ..UPDATED 04/13/17*BF *CN”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 24, 2017Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedFire reportedODI 10956734
“OWNER OF A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA - ON 2/18/17 WHILE TAKING MY VEHICLE TO A CAR WASH IN LINDEN, NJ, I HAD MY VEHICLE ON NEUTRAL AND WHEN THE CAR WASH WAS COMPLETED, I PUT THE VEHICLE ON DRIVE AND PROCEEDED SLOWLY TOWARDS THE CAR WASH EMPLOYEES AS THEY INSTRUCTED ME TO STAY ON MY LEFT SIDE, AS THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES. AS THE TWO EMPLOYEES PLACED THEIR TOWELS ON MY FRONT VEHICLE TO DRY OUT THE VEHICLE, MY VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO JOLT TWICE WHILE I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES AND IMMEDIATELY MY VEHICLE ACCELERATED AT A HIGH SPEED. SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT OF THE FRONT HOOD AND THE AIRBAG CAME OUT. I HAD TO CONTROL THE STEERING WHEEL NOT TO HURT ANY ONE AS THERE WERE SEVERAL PARKED VEHICLES AND PEOPLE VACUUMING THEIR VEHICLES OR CLEANING OUT THEIR VEHICLES. NOT SURE HOW MANY PARKED VEHICLES WERE HIT AND MY VEHICLE HIT A PARKED SUV. AMBULANCE ARRIVED AND THE POLICE. I WAS IN SHOCKED, SURPRISED AND CRIED AND TOLD THE POLICE ABOUT MY VEHICLE TAKING OFF SO QUICKLY WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHILE MY FOOT WAS STILL ON THE BRAKES. ALL I KEPT SAYING IS OH MY GOD WHAT HAPPENED. HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN? WERE THERE ANY RECALLS? I KEPT…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 23, 2017Air bags, Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 10956663
“I PURCHASED A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA WITH 106,000. AS IS NO WARRANTY. WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH IT BLEW THE HEAD AND NEEDED A NEW ENGINE WHICH I PAID FOR OUT OF POCKET. THEY SUPPOSEDLY REPLACED THE ENIGINE WITH A NEW CRATE ENGINE ONCE AGAIN THE CAR LASTED ABOUT 3 WEEKS BEFORE IT WAS SMOKING SO BAD AND WILL ONLY DRIVE AT IDLE SPEED.. I DONT THINK THE PLACE I BOUGHT IT HAS A VERY GOOD MECHANIC AND I REALLY WOULD RATHER TAKE IT TO A NISSAN DEALER.. BUT I DONT WANT TO PAY FOR ANOTHER ENGINE I FEEL LIKE IVE ALREADY BOUGHT THE CAR TWICE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 21, 2016Vehicle speed control, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10870131
“WHILE AT A RED LIGHT, THE CAR UNKNOWINGLY STOPPED! I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW UNTIL THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND I ATTEMPTED TO PULL OFF. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND RESTERTED THE CAR WITH NO ISSUE. A COUPLE DAYS LATER THE ENGINE STARTED A SLIGHT SHAKE AND EACH DAY THE SHAKE BECAME MORE INTENSE AND THE ENGINE WOULD SHUT OFF WHEN DRIVEN FOR A WHILE & WHILE MY FEET IS ON THE BREAK THE METER WOULD JUMP FROM 0 TO 2 AND SHUT OFF WEN IT HIT 0. ALSO WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PULL OFF THE CAR FEELS LIKE IT'S STUCK THEN IT'LL SHOOT OFF. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 8, 2014Power train, Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 10587325
“I WAS DRIVING AND MY CAR JUST SLOWED DOWN AND EVENTUALLY CUT OFF. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND STARTED IT BACK UP. WHEN I ARRIVED AT MY DESTINATION AND CUT THE CAR OFF AND TRIED TO CUT IT BACK ON IT WOULD NOT START. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 11, 2013Power train, Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 10551842

Showing 6 of 33 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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