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Latches, locks and linkagesPart report

2003 Nissan Altima Latches, locks and linkages Problems

Complaints
4about this part
Share
0%of 883 total for the year
Median mileage
64,950miles
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 4 complaints about the latches, locks and linkages of the 2003 Nissan Altima, 0% of the 883 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 64,950 miles.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“2003 Nissan Altima 3.5l v6 se - the door locks keep locking repeatedly. Will do this while I am in and out of the car regardless of key fob use. My hazard lights flash each time. This has been ongoing for over a week and has increased in frequency and duration. It is now constant - going on every 3-5 seconds. I had trouble getting my daughter out of the car because the door kept locking on me. I worry about the ability to get out quickly if needed. It brings attention to my car throughout the night. I believe this is a safety issue on many levels. It has not been fixed yet. …”

NHTSA complaint #10317156, filed 2010-03, 108,000 miles

“Driver's door inside latch release became inoperative, causing inability to exit the vehicle. In order to exit th evehicle key had to inserted in the ignition, window lowered and door latch released with outside handle. Extremely dangerous in emergency situation.”

NHTSA complaint #10194949, filed 2007-06, 21,900 miles

“Started approximately 2 years ago. Driver and passenger windows won't go up all the way and if they do then they roll down all by themselves. They go up and down at all times of the day and nite. The car automatically locks itself whether the keys are in the ignition or not. You always need to have two sets of keys because if the window is down and you reach in to unlock it the alarm goes off as if you are trying to break into the car. Door that goes over the gas cap bent during regular use and would not close. …”

NHTSA complaint #10353465, filed 2010-09

“The contact owns a 2003 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the doors on her vehicle are getting jammed, making it impossible to exit the vehicle. The consumer must place the key in the ignition and quickly roll down the windows to open the door from the outside. She also stated that the vehicle was purchased brand new and has never been involved in a crash. The Nissan dealer wanted to charge her $400 to repair the vehicle and stated that they cannot do anything because her warranty has expired. The powertrain and failure mileage were unknown. The current mileage is 50,000. …”

NHTSA complaint #10196678, filed 2007-07

Related service bulletins

Latches, locks and linkages: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
202134%
202053%
201921%
2018125%
2017144%
2016224%
2015445%
2014313%
2013603%
201220%
201041%
200930%
200871%
200710%
200630%
200571%
200410%
200340%
200250%
199832%
199711%
199611%
199542%
199322%

Other parts of the 2003 Nissan Altima

Engine cooling
450 complaints
Body and structure
126 complaints
Engine
117 complaints
Electrical system
89 complaints
Fuel system
50 complaints
Transmission and drivetrain
34 complaints
Vehicle speed control
33 complaints
Air bags
28 complaints
Other or unknown
25 complaints
Exterior lighting
17 complaints
Suspension
15 complaints
Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
14 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2003 Nissan Altima

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology