2003 Nissan Altima Body Problems
- 93
- Owner complaint records in our dataset
Records are owner complaints, not a measured failure rate.
Owner complaint recordsComplaint records reflect reports in our dataset and do not measure how frequently the problem occurs across all vehicles.
Among these 93 stored complaint records:
- 1 indicate a crash
- 0 indicate injury
- 0 indicate fire
What owners report
- passenger side · 44 records
- side floor · 21 records
- floor board · 20 records
- front passenger · 18 records
- floor boards · 17 records
- rusted through · 14 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 100–150k mi | 36 |
| 60–100k mi | 28 |
| 150–400k mi | 8 |
| 30–60k mi | 4 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Body
Rust through the underbelly of the driver's and passenger's side, can feel the carpeting above. Worried about resale and safety. I see this defect is a very widespread concern and needs to be addressed. *tr
ODI 10704164
Body
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. The contact stated that upon inspection, it was noticed that the driver front floorboard was completely rusted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was confirmed that the floorboard was perforated due to rust. The manufacturer was contacted about the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 98,000.
ODI 10507131
Body
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. The contact stated the front driver's side floor board corroded. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vin was not available. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.
ODI 10502459
Body · Exterior Lighting
On a visit to the nissan dealership to have my headlight replaced, i was informed the floor on the passenger side was rotted/rotting and needed to be replaced. I've not had it repaired as of yet b/c i'm comparison shopping based on the price quoted by the dealership. I purchased the car in 2006, had the engine replaced due to failure in 2011, the radiator replaced in 2013 and now preparing to replace the floor…
ODI 10504608
Body
Floor board on the drivers side is rotting which left a sizable hole. This problem is getting worse and allows debris from street to enter vehicle. *tr
ODI 10563004
Body
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. The contact stated that the front passenger side floor pan became severely rusted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnosis and the contact was informed that the failure was due to normal wear and tear. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 75,000.
ODI 10500816
Body · Seats
I took my car in for an oil change and my mechanic indicated that i had a rusty driver's side floor board. He said that he was able to stick his hand through the bottom of my floorboard and touch my driver's seat. This had me very concerned due to the potential for the driver's seat to fall out of the car while i'm driving. My mechanic indicated that he's had the same problem with at least 2 other nissan altimas.…
ODI 10486326
Body
Floor board rust through defect on all 2003 to 2006 nissan altima's that i looked at before purchasing my current altima, which has recently suffered the same safety defect. I'm afraid it will become a fred flintstone pedal car at some point in the future. *tr
ODI 10490487
Body
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. The contact stated that while at a mechanic for unrelated repair the mechanic stated there was rust on the front passenger side floor board. Also, the mechanic stated that there was a hole in the floor board due to the rust. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The technician stated the floor board would have to be replaced. The vehicle was not…
ODI 10483384
Body
Discovered rust under the driver side floor. Upon further investigation discovered the entire floor plan had rusted off and was flaking off in pieces. This is a safety concern as hazardous gases can enter the cabin area. More over if i were to step in the correct place i could push the carpet out of the car. Numerous other people online have complained about this exact issue. Nissan should fix this with a recall. *tr
ODI 10475470
Body
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. The contact stated that the front driver and passenger side floor boards were rotting. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and the dealer advised the contact to take the vehicle to a body repair shop. The contact did not take the vehicle to a body shop. The failure mileage was 147,000. Updated 10/11/12*lj the consumer stated the vehicle was due to be repaired on sept…
ODI 10471161
Body
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. The contact stated that holes developed in both the front passenger and driver side floor boards. The contact was concerned that his feet would fall through the floorboard and cause injuries. The vehicle was taken to a personal mechanic for diagnosis but they were unable to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was scheduled to be taken to the dealer the following day. The…
ODI 10471756
Body · Fuel System, Gasoline · Visibility
1. The floor under the front passenger has rotted out making this car very unsafe. This is the most important one. The other ones i list because i am disappointed with the life of this car and because i have heard of multiple stories of the similar complaints. 2. The door handle broke off on the front driver side and on the passenger rear side. 3. Gas cap will not close/open properly 4. Trunk latch will not close.…
ODI 10466041
Body
No crash or injury - the floor has rusted out all the way through. Nissan refuses to acknowledge the issue and there are tons of forums and complaints regarding this issue. *tr
ODI 10522666
Body
I went to have car inspected and found out the passenger side floor board is rusted completely through, this is some sort of defect as i am reading more people are experiencing the same problem....nissan will not cover this repair. Something needs to be done to help! *tr
ODI 10461224
Body
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima sl. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for an unrelated repair where it was detected that the front passenger side floorboard was completely rusted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified and they were unable to provide assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 84,800.
ODI 10462381
Body
Same floor rot/rust as reported by thousands of others with the same issue. Contact nissan and they send you to dealer to verify problem. Once it's verified they say it's too far out of warranty to offer any assistance. Some people get assistance after filing multiple complaints but most of us get the denial and runaround. *tr
ODI 10573979
Body
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. The contact noticed a hole in the floor of the vehicle, which could cause fumes to enter inside the cabin of the vehicle. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was aware of the failure but failed to offer any assistance. No repairs were performed. The current mileage was 113,000 and the failure mileage was unknown.
ODI 10448220
Body
Pursuant to a non-related incident, my nissan certified insurance adjuster warned me of the unusual rust formed holes on the drivers and passengers side floor boards. According to him, this is a very unusual rust issue that he has only noticed on older (2002-2003) nissan altima's. I have initiated my own research and have found that this is a wide-spread problem with altima's, irrespective of mileage, where some…
ODI 10463993
Body · Exterior Lighting · Steering
I had to replace the steering at 84000 miles because the steering had a knocking sound everytime you turn it left or right,or when you go over a bump,,,,it was very slack and eventually it felt as though it would fall out at anytime.....was advised at the dealership that it needed to be replaced no explanation could have been given . This was done yesterday 08/22/2013. Now there is a very huge rust hole on the…
Crash reported
ODI 10536851
Body
I took my car in to midas, burlington, ma for brake assistance, and while up on the lift the technician pointed out that the front passenger floor panel was very rusted. Warned not to use that spot when jacking up the car when changing a tire, etc. (mentally add this to $$ to spend this year...) had my car at ntb in cambridge, ma to check a front end rattle and the mechanic showed me the rust again. He is also a…
ODI 10465729
Body
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. The contact stated that the floorboard on the front driver and passenger sides of the vehicle were rotting. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a claim was filed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not repaired. The contact was awaiting a return call from the manufacturer. The failure mileage was 140,000.
ODI 10439869
Body
The floor structure under the driver and passenger side are rusted out. This issue is well known for models 2002 - 2006 altimas. Nissan and dealerships refuse to do anything about. I initially complained when vehicle had 52,000 miles on it and they refused to do anything than now at 120,000 it totally rusted out and won't pass inspection. Please complain. *js
ODI 10545227
Body
Drivers side floor rusting through from inside to outside , was told it would need to be repaired in order to pass state inspection. Was told eventually exhaust fumes may leak inside of vehicle through rotted floor. Car only has 73,000 miles on it . Worried that corrosion will work its way to the seat support and will fall through. *tr
ODI 10437321
Body
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 nissan altima. The contact stated that while at an independent mechanic for unrelated repairs the mechanic noticed a hole rusted through underneath the front passenger side seat. The mechanic stated the air conditioner drains are underneath the seat and moisture was retained there causing the corrosion. In addition, the vehicle was taken to the dealer who verified that there was a hole…
ODI 10472797