2003 Nissan Murano Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2003 Murano most often describe a delayed or dead throttle response in stop-and-go or hot-weather driving, usually after the car has been driven a while, plus a driver's seat frame that breaks and tips. Electrical complaints cluster around alternator failure and door-lock actuators, and many reports arrive well past 60,000 miles, so condition and service history matter more than age alone.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Delayed or no acceleration, then a lurch

   • 256 complaints (32%)
   • median 79,905 mi at 6.2 yrs old (232 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $2,225 (median of 46 quotes)
   • filed 2003–2021

   Owners describe pressing the accelerator and getting nothing for several seconds, then a sudden surge or lunge forward, most often when pulling away from a stop in heavy traffic or after long highway driving in hot weather. Some also report the engine revving and jerking, or the car refusing to move at all at an intersection. Complaints mention dealer diagnoses including a transmission service, valve body and gasket, mass airflow sensor, throttle sensor, or a replacement transmission, and several say the symptom returned afterward. Reports are spread from roughly 20,000 to over 160,000 miles, with many appearing between about 70,000 and 120,000 miles after prolonged driving in heat or stop-and-go traffic.

   Recall 03V123000

   What to check: Drive the car long enough to get it fully warm, then do repeated slow-speed starts in traffic and note any hesitation, flare or lunge. Ask whether the CVT fluid was serviced and whether the gear position display matches the selector.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I continue to have episodic loss of power with my 03 Murano. All instances occur after driving at interstate speed for more than 30 minutes at a rate of between 65 -80 MPH during times of high heat (100 degrees+). The first incident occurred in june 2010 while driving from phoenix to flagstaff. Going up a long incline, I noticed that my speed was declining (I was using cruise control). Pushing on the accelerator - no response. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10456020, filed 2012-04, 71,147 miles

   “As I was coming out of a tunnel driving normally at 55 MPH, my Murano jolted and surged it's RPM into the red. This was very dangerous as I was driving with my 3 year old daughter. After going online and seeing that many others have had the same problem but Nissan has not conducted a recall on the CVT transmission. I called Nissan canada today and got no where. They extended the warranty to 10 years or 200 km. Which my car now at 158k and 2014 do not apply. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10669334, filed 2014-12, 158,000 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Alternator failure and battery light

   • 176 complaints (22%)
   • median 36,800 mi at 2.7 yrs old (137 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $800 (median of 29 quotes)
   • filed 2004–2021

   Owners report the battery and brake warning lights coming on together, followed by loss of power, dimming electrics or the car shutting down and needing a tow. In several complaints the dealer replaced the alternator, sometimes more than once, and some mention the replacement part failing later. A few describe being stranded on a highway and having to arrange their own towing. Many reports are under about 45,000 miles, including a few below 20,000, with some failures recurring at much higher mileage.

   Recall 05V319000

   What to check: Ask whether the alternator was replaced and when, check the charging voltage at idle with accessories on, and confirm the battery age and condition.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving down the highway, when the brake and battery lights came on. This 2003, Nissan Murano had just completed the 30,000 mile check up 6 days before. Suddenly, the car power steering failed, the car's electrical systems went haywire and the car seized up. I was forced to slowly slide over to the shoulder of the freeway, where I had to have the car towed.”

   NHTSA complaint #10128174, filed 2005-07, 31,000 miles

   “My alternator failed. I was stranded on a busy freeway. When I called Nissan roadside, I was informed that my vehicle did not have roadside coverage and they would not tow it to the dealer. I had to make my own arrangements, at my expense, to get it there to have the warranty repair completed.”

   NHTSA complaint #10087030, filed 2004-08, 21,605 miles
3. 3
   Seats

   Driver's seat frame cracks and rocks

   • 103 complaints (13%)
   • median 70,855 mi at 6.4 yrs old (91 state mileage)
   • owner-quoted repair $1,000 (median of 29 quotes)
   • filed 2003–2019

   The driver's seat starts rocking or squeaking, then a support rail or bracket snaps and the seat tips to one side or slides under braking. Owners describe the 8-way power seat losing movement on one side, and mechanics telling them the frame cannot be welded and needs replacement. Complaints note the vehicle was out of warranty and quote repair costs for the rail or the whole seat assembly. Most reports fall between about 50,000 and 120,000 miles, though a few describe a first failure well under 20,000 miles.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Grab the seat back and rock it side to side and front to back, and run the power seat through its full travel. Look under the seat for cracked or repaired rails and brackets.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving my 2003 Nissan Murano, when all at once my driver's seat bracket broke from underneath. Now I have a rocking chair drivers seat - no control. I contacted my dealership and Nissan ( I had only made one payment on the car) 1000.00 -2,000.00 replacement seat they will not repair due to safety issues. Ok now the problem seem to be in the manufacturing of the seat. Will you help me?”

   NHTSA complaint #10299511, filed 2010-01, 108,000 miles

   “I own a 2003 Nissan Murano and the drivers seat bolster is broken. Nissan is saying that this is not covered (my auto is out of warranty). There are a number of Nissan Murano owners experiencing the same issue.”

   NHTSA complaint #10235521, filed 2008-07, 52,175 miles
4. 4
   Engine

   Engine stalling and no restart

   • 201 complaints (25%)
   • median 81,375 mi at 7.0 yrs old (176 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,900 (median of 28 quotes)
   • filed 2003–2021

   Owners describe the engine quitting while driving at various speeds, sometimes after idling in drive or at low speed, with no restart until the car sits. Some complaints link the stall to a cam or crank position sensor, and others say the fuel system fuse or pump was the cause. Several mention a dealer repair covered under a recall followed by the same symptom returning. Reported across a wide range from about 35,000 to over 160,000 miles, with many clustered around 100,000 miles or more.

   Recall 03V455000Recall 09V1690003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the crank and cam position sensor recall work was done and whether any stalling codes were stored. Have a scan tool check for stored or pending codes before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Nissan Murano 2003 - in the middle of driving on a highway going 45 MPH, the engine shuts down and luckily, I was on the decline side of a bridge and was able to roll safely to the side without incident. I had my 2 year old son and wife in the car and cannot imagine what would have happened if the car shut off on the incline side of the bridge. The car was towed and the mechanics inspected the car and found that the fuse for the fuel system burnt out. They have no idea how that fuse could have burnt out. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10345210, filed 2010-07, 35,000 miles

   “While driving in traffic the engine on my 2003 Nissan Murano stopped, thankfully I was able to maneuver car to safety, another time waiting for train to cross approximately waiting 12 minutes in drive and idling, engine shut itself off, while driving 25 MPH and making left hand turn car stalled again almost resulting in another vehicle to hit my vehicle- called Nissan and they said that the recalls have been completed for my vehicle I then asked Nissan is it dangerous for engine to quit while in motion she expressed that she was sorry for …”

   NHTSA complaint #10611357, filed 2014-07, 98,000 miles

Buying note. A long test drive that includes hot-weather stop-and-go traffic and repeated slow starts is the best single check, since the throttle hesitation complaint is the most common and the hardest to spot on a short drive. Also rock the driver's seat, confirm charging voltage, and ask for service records covering alternator, CVT and recall work.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.