Problems · by component

2003 Nissan Murano power train problems

265 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2003 Nissan Murano cite power train, 33% of all 799 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
265
33% of all complaints
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“THE CAR SLOWED ALL THE WAY DOWN ON THE FREEWAY . ALMOST CAUSING ME TO CRASH . IT DID IT SUDDENLY I WAS UNABLE TO PULL OVER .I WAS GOING ABOUT 65 MPH WHILE THE A/C WAS BLOWING IT COMPLETELY MALFUNCTIONED”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 3, 2019Power train, Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 11205429
“MY 2003 MURANO SE/SL AAWHEN I FIRST START THE ENGINE IT MAKES A SOUND LIKE IT HAS NO OIL OR ENGINE IS CHOKING BUT ITS STARTS BUT IF ENGINE IS IDLING FOR 5 MINS OR SO ITS SHUT OFF BUT I CAN START IT AGAIN BUT AFTER WHEN IM DRIVING ENGINE JUST DIES OFF AMD WONT START AGAIN FOR ABOUT 5 MINS. THAT PROBLEMS HAS BEEN GOING ON CONSTANTLY WHEN IM ON THE ROAD WITH MY CHILDREN OR BY MYSELF LAST WEEK I WAS DRIVING MY SON TO SCHOOL AND I WAS WAITING TO TURN LEFT AND ONCE I WAS TURNING MY MURANO DIED OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD LUCKILY THE ON COMING TRAFFIC HAD A RED LIGHT SO I HAD A CHANCE TO PUSH IT OF THE INTERSECTION, ONE OTHER TIME I WAS PICKING UP DINNER AMD ENGINE JUST DIED OFF ON ME WHILE I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN AND GEAR COULDNT BE RELEASED OF DRIVE AND KEY WOULDN'T TURN EITHER SOME HOW WHILE I WAS JERKING THE KEY I WAS ABLE TO SHIFT TO PARK AND KEY WAS RELEASED THAT TIME I WAS LUCKY ANOTHER VEHICLE STOPPED NEXT TO ME AND TURN THEIR EMERGENCY HAZARD LIGHT BECAUSE MY CAR SEEMED LIKE THE VEHICLE WASNT RESPONDING AT ALL NOT EVEN JUMP STARTING WORKED AND AFTER 20 25 MIMS IT JUST STARTED AGAING . IVE ALREADY FIXED THE FAULTY CODE BUT IT STILL DOES IT AND NOW THE CAM…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 25, 2018Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11153617
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN MURANO. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS LOW SPEEDS, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED IN REVERSE AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO PARK TO AVOID A POTENTIAL CRASH, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN FROM THE SCENE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT AND FIRST OCCURRED TWO YEARS AGO. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS NOTIFIED, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. A DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 107,000. *LN CONSUMER STATED FAILURE HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. UPDATED 12/11/18*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 24, 2018Power train, Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 11142456
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN MURANO. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP, IT DID NOT MOVE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 3, 2018Power trainODI 11133128
“AFTER DRIVING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC OR AFTER DRIVING LONG ENOUGH FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO GET WARMED UP, WHEN ACCELLERATOR IS PUSHED THE CAR IS UNRESPONSIVE FOR 5 TO 10 SECONDS THEN SUDDENLY LUNGES FORWARD INTO TRAFFIC! THIS HAPPENS IN ALL DRIVING SITUATIONS. THE ONLY REQUIREMENT IS THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE DRIVEN ENOUGH TO BE WARMED UP. IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE'S CVT TRANSMISSION FAILING! THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND ALL AFFECTED CVT'S SHOULD BE REPLACED OR REPAIRED! NISSAN HAS RECALLED OTHER VEHICLES THAT HAVE THE EXACT SAME TRANSMISSION AND EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME ISSUES BUT THEY HAVE IGNORED TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE 2003 MURANO'S TRANSMISSION! LOOK HERE AT YOUR COMPLAINTS AND YOU WILL FIND HUNDEREDS OF PEOPLE CLAIMING THE SAME THING. SOME ARE EXPLAINING THE ISSUE WITH KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT THE ISSUE IS AND MANY OTHERS ARE REPORTING THE SAME ISSUE JUST WITHOUT PROPER CAR KNOWLEDGE SO IT MAY NOT BE REPORTED AS THE SAME ISSUE. IF YOU LOOK INTO THESE COMPLAINTS YOU CAN SEE THE CVT TRANSMISSION IS A SAFETY HAZZARD AND SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR LIFE OF THE VEHICLE!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 25, 2017Power trainODI 11039670
“THE PROBLEM WITH MY NISSAN MURANO LIKE SO MANY OTHERS IS THE TRANSMISSION. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND I WASTED $125 DOLLARS. I ALSO CONTACTED NISSAN COOPERATE AND THEY HAVE NOT DID ANYTHING. NISSAN KNOWS THIS IS A MANUFACTORY PROBLEM AND THEY WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. I AM SO FRUSTRATED WITH THIS PROBLEM I SEEN THAT THEY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY BUT I AM 20,000 MILES OVER IT I NEED HELP”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 13, 2016Power train, Unknown or otherCrash reportedODI 10915991

Showing 6 of 265 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Power train: gear position indication (prndl)

Free remedy

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE NUT THAT ATTACHES THE TRANSMISSION GEAR SELECTOR SHAFT TO THE CONTROL VALVE LEVER IN THE TRANSMISSION MAY NOT BE ADEQUATELY TIGHTENED. THIS COULD RESULT IN THE TRANSMISSION NOT ACTUALLY BEING IN THE GEAR INDICATED BY THE GEAR SELECTOR LEVER. IN ADDITION, THE TRANSMISSION POSITION DISPLAY IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MAY NOT BE ON OR MAY BE INCORRECT.

Power trainReported Mar 31, 2003NHTSA 03V123000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 28, 2026

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