2003 Nissan Altima Reliability
The 2003 Nissan Altima has 883 owner complaints and 10 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine & cooling and body structure. Compared with nearby Altima model years (2001–2005), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Altima's typical year, while the 2001 has a cleaner record.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
883
NHTSA owner complaints
10
Recall campaigns
41
Complaints citing a crash
13
Complaints citing a fire
2003 Nissan Altima complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2003 model year, filed between 2003 and 2022. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine & cooling | 450 | 51% |
| Body structure | 126 | 14% |
| Engine | 117 | 13% |
| Electrical system | 89 | 10% |
| Fuel system | 35 | 4% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 34 | 4% |
| Speed control / throttle | 33 | 4% |
| Air bags | 28 | 3% |
2003 Nissan Altima recalls
10 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2003 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03V084000 | Mar 11, 2003 | Engine & cooling — exhaust system / manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe | On certain vehicles equipped with the 2.5 liter engine, the exhaust pipe hanger pin may catch debris from the road that could be ignited by contact with the main catalyst. Also on 2002 Altima and sentra vehicles, certain engine operating conditions may cause… |
| 03V251000 | Jul 14, 2003 | Fuel system — storage / tank assembly | On certain passenger vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of alaska, colorado, connecticut, iowa, idaho, illinois, indiana, kansas, massachusetts, maine, michigan, minnesota, missouri, montana, north dakota, nebraska, new… |
| 03V455000 | Nov 17, 2003 | Engine & cooling | On certain passenger vehicles, the circuit board for the crank position sensor or cam position sensor may have an improper solder joint due to solder deformation caused by heat stress accelerated by the existence of flux residue during the soldering process. |
| 06E023000 | Mar 13, 2006 | Exterior lighting — headlights | Certain anzo combination headlamp assemblies sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles. Some combination lamps are not equipped with amber side reflectors which fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps,… |
| 06V242000 | Jul 7, 2006 | Engine & cooling | On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.5l engine, the crank angle sensor is affected by temperature variations. Under certain driving conditions, these variations in temperature can be large enough to cause a brief interruption in the signal output… |
| 06E064000 | Jul 17, 2006 | Exterior lighting | Certain tradesonic combination lamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. Combination lamps not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108,… |
| 07E054000 | Jul 25, 2007 | Exterior lighting — headlights | Certain maxzone headlight assemblies, depo brand, p/nos. 315-1145l-as and 315-1145r-as, sold for use as aftermarket equipment for the above listed passenger vehicles. During production the lamp reflector shape deformed changing the shape of the optic surface.… |
| 07E063000 | Aug 21, 2007 | Exterior lighting — headlights | Certain anzo aftermarket headlights, p/n 02-az-na02-b-a, sold for use on 2002-2004 Nissan Altima vehicles. During production the lamp housing shape deformed distorting the assembly angle of the reflector and influenced the aiming position. These headlamps… |
| 07E074000 | Sep 14, 2007 | Exterior lighting — headlights | Certain eagle eyes headlamp assemblies, p/nos. Ds517-b001l and ds517-b001r, sold for use as replacement equipment for the above listed passenger vehicles. The opticel surface of the reflector is corroded inhibiting the performance of the upper and lower beams… |
| 09E012000 | Apr 7, 2009 | Exterior lighting | Sabersport is recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety… |
How the 2003 compares with nearby Altima years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year Altima analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 168 | 2 | Engine & cooling | Better year |
| 2002 | 1,062 | 12 | Engine & cooling | Avoid |
| 2003 (this page) | 883 | 10 | Engine & cooling | Avoid |
| 2004 | 276 | 5 | Engine & cooling | Better year |
| 2005 | 1,091 | 2 | Body structure | Caution |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2003 Nissan Altima
- Engine & cooling: look for coolant leaks or low coolant, watch the temperature gauge on a long test drive, and check for overheating history.
- Body: look under the car for rust or damaged subframe and rocker areas, and check panel gaps for signs of repair.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 10 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2003 Nissan Altima can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2003 Nissan Altima reliability FAQ
Is the 2003 Nissan Altima reliable?
The 2003 Nissan Altima has 883 owner complaints and 10 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine & cooling and body structure. Compared with nearby Altima model years (2001–2005), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Altima's typical year, while the 2001 has a cleaner record.
What are the most common 2003 Nissan Altima problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2003 Nissan Altima are engine & cooling (450), body structure (126), engine (117), electrical system (89). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2003 Nissan Altima have recalls?
NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for the 2003 Nissan Altima, including 03V084000 (engine & cooling — exhaust system / manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe) and 03V251000 (fuel system — storage / tank assembly). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2003 Nissan Altima compare with the 2002 and 2004 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2002 has 1,062 complaints and 12 recalls (avoid); the 2004 has 276 complaints and 5 recalls (better year). The 2003 has 883 complaints and 10 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2003 Nissan Altima?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Nissan Altima research
Other Nissan Altima model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2003 Altima, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.