2003 Nissan Altima Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 89 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2003 Nissan Altima, 10% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 67,890 miles. The words owners use most often: “position sensor” (20% of reports).
- 89electrical system complaints
- 67,890median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $960typical repair cost reported by owners
- 25%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Position sensor: mentioned in 18 of 89 complaints (20%)
- Service engine: mentioned in 14 of 89 complaints (16%)
- Crank angle: mentioned in 6 of 89 complaints (7%)
- Stopped running: mentioned in 5 of 89 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical electrical system repair on the 2003 Nissan Altima at $960, and half of them between $490 and $2,350.
Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2006–2009), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 69 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 89 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 2 an injury.
Nissan Altima electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Altima | 1 | 100% | — |
| 2025 Altima | 1 | 14% | — |
| 2024 Altima | 3 | 7% | — |
| 2023 Altima | 11 | 37% | — |
| 2022 Altima | 7 | 23% | — |
| 2021 Altima | 21 | 30% | 17,000 |
| 2020 Altima | 42 | 27% | 21,171 |
| 2019 Altima | 58 | 25% | 21,000 |
| 2018 Altima | 37 | 16% | 31,672 |
| 2017 Altima | 27 | 7% | 29,127 |
| 2016 Altima | 42 | 8% | 33,650 |
| 2015 Altima | 56 | 6% | 35,000 |
| 2014 Altima | 71 | 6% | 32,144 |
| 2013 Altima | 159 | 7% | 39,924 |
| 2012 Altima | 44 | 10% | 46,500 |
| 2011 Altima | 31 | 13% | 35,000 |
| 2010 Altima | 74 | 19% | 46,760 |
| 2009 Altima | 466 | 30% | 78,010 |
| 2008 Altima | 90 | 9% | 76,465 |
| 2007 Altima | 37 | 8% | 73,000 |
| 2006 Altima | 72 | 9% | 95,000 |
| 2005 Altima | 97 | 9% | 69,000 |
| 2004 Altima | 32 | 12% | 53,500 |
| 2003 Altima | 89 | 10% | 67,890 |
| 2002 Altima | 77 | 7% | 60,000 |
| 2001 Altima | 19 | 12% | 54,205 |
| 2000 Altima | 25 | 16% | 90,706 |
| 1999 Altima | 4 | 5% | 89,000 |
| 1998 Altima | 15 | 12% | 70,000 |
| 1997 Altima | 14 | 13% | 140,000 |
| 1996 Altima | 11 | 12% | — |
| 1995 Altima | 16 | 9% | 157,280 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists electrical system for the 2003 Nissan Altima. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I note some nissan altimas havr recalls on camsensor and speedsensonsor. This vehicle has same problems. Vehicle shuts off on the road cam sensor was changed but was good for a couple years does the same mechanic says faulty plastic clip. Also vehicle gets stuck in low gear while driving and the…
Engine overheats while driving.. When heater is on car power fails when driving at high and low speeds. Battery dies and battery drains when car is off
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS (BEDFORD NISSAN, 18115 ROCKSIDE RD, BEDFORD, OH 44146, [redacted]) AND (GANLEY'S MAYFIELD NISSAN, 6060 MAYFIELD RD, MAYFIELD HEIGHTS, OH…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2003 Nissan Altimas have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 89 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2003 Nissan Altima (10% of the 883 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Nissan Altima electrical system?
No recall currently lists electrical system for this vehicle.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 67,890 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix electrical system problems on the 2003 Nissan Altima?
Owners report a typical cost of $960 (half paid between $490 and $2,350), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2003 Nissan Altima?
The most frequent phrase is “position sensor”, in 18 of 89 complaints, followed by “service engine” (14).
Other 2003 Nissan Altima problems
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (450)
- Structure problems (126)
- Engine problems (117)
See all 2003 Nissan Altima problems or electrical system problems across all Altima years.