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2003 Nissan Murano
6 recall campaigns and 788 complaints are on NHTSA's register for the 2003 Nissan Murano; the recalls concern engine and engine cooling, seat belts and fuel system, gasoline.
The component named most often is power train: 263.4 of every 1,000 component mentions for this year, above the 121 per 1,000 across all 2003 model-year vehicles and against 125.7 per 1,000 for the Nissan Murano line as a whole.
That is more than the average of 236.5 complaints per model year across the 20 Nissan Murano model years on this register; 14 complaints reported a crash and 5 a fire.
Complaints were received in the largest number in 2009 (109); the most recent in the file is dated 3 May 2019.
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation has opened 4 investigations naming this model year.
Complaints are consumer reports and have not been verified by NHTSA. Recall text is the manufacturer's Part 573 report as filed with NHTSA. Complaint file through 15 May 2019; recall file through 29 Sep 2026.
Recalls by model year:
Recall campaigns
Defect, as filed: Nissan is recalling 362,891 my 2003-2007 murano vehicles. The intake air ducts, which are connected to the intermediate resonator in the air intake system of the engine, may separate from the resonator with engine movement. This separation occurs due to the premature aging of the material used in the intake air ducts which causes excessive shrinking.
Consequence: Engine may stall increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace/repair the appropriate components free of charge. The recall began on september 24, 2009. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Filed by NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC..
Defect, as filed: On some sport utility vehicles, in certain high speed frontal crashes, the webbing of a rear outboard seat belt may contact the rear seat back hinge where it can be cut by the sharp edge of the metal portion of the hinge.
Consequence: If the webbing is completely separated, it can increase the risk of injury to an occupant in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will install protectors over the webbing of the rear seat belts. The recall began on march 20, 2006. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Filed by NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC..
Defect, as filed: On certain sport utility vehicles, due to the location of the forward edge of the fuel tank, in the event that a vehicle front tire runs over a small, sharp object in the road, catches it and propels it towards the rear of the vehicle, it may strike and puncture the fuel tank.
Consequence: A punctured tank could increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will install protectors in front of the tank free of charge. The recall began on march 20, 2006. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Filed by NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC..
Defect, as filed: On certain sport utility vehicles, there is a possibility that a wire breaking inside the alternator could stop the battery from charging.
Consequence: If this happens, the charger warning and brake warning lamps will immediately come on and the battery will begin to discharge. After a short time, the engine will go into a "fall safe" condition which will limit vehicle speed. The engine will stop running which could result in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the alternator with a new version which has been modified to prevent movement of the coil. The recall began on august 1, 2005. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Filed by NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC..
Defect, as filed: 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.
Consequence: This could cause the "service engine soon" warning light to come on, create a no start condition, cause reduced engine power, or cause the engine to stop running without warning during vehicle operation, which could result in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the crank position sensors. Camshaft position sensor(s), and in some cases, the variable timing control sensor(s). Vehicles involved in a previous recall campaign, 01v357, are also included in this new campaign. The replacement sensors used in that campaign are also affected. Owner notification began on december 22, 2003. Owners should contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261 or infiniti at 1-800-662-6200.
Filed by NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. (manufacturer campaign R3021/R3022).
- 03V123000POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)Reported 31 Mar 2003 · 128 units
Defect, as filed: On certain sport utility vehicles, the nut that attaches the transmission gear selector shaft to the control valve lever in the transmission may not be adequately tightened. This could result in the transmission not actually being in the gear indicated by the gear selector lever. In addition, the transmission position display in the instrument panel may not be on or may be incorrect.
Consequence: If the gear displayed is different from the gear engaged, this could result in unexpected vehicle movement and a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will check the affected nut in the transmission shift lever linkage, and tighten it if necessary. Owner notification began april 15, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Filed by NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. (manufacturer campaign R3009).
Each entry links to the NHTSA record. NHTSA states that safety recall repairs are free of charge at an authorised dealer; check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Complaints by component
Component mentions per 1,000 for the 2003 Nissan Murano (black) against all 2003 model-year vehicles in the file (yellow). A complaint can name more than one component.
| Per 1,000 component mentions | 2003 | Murano line | All 2003 vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 263.4 | 125.7 | 121 |
| Electrical System | 216.7 | 103.8 | 123.7 |
| Seats | 106.9 | 222.2 | 13.9 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 95.2 | 33.6 | 77.7 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 52.5 | 26.1 | 42 |
| Visibility | 41.8 | 92.8 | 40.1 |
| Component | Mentions | Per 1,000 | Line | All 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 271 | 263.4 | 125.7 | 121 |
| Electrical System | 223 | 216.7 | 103.8 | 123.7 |
| Seats | 110 | 106.9 | 222.2 | 13.9 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 98 | 95.2 | 33.6 | 77.7 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 54 | 52.5 | 26.1 | 42 |
| Visibility | 43 | 41.8 | 92.8 | 40.1 |
| Engine | 40 | 38.9 | 37.3 | 27.3 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 31 | 30.1 | 19.9 | 36.5 |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 24 | 23.3 | 39.7 | 12.6 |
| Structure | 19 | 18.5 | 32.4 | 62 |
| Steering | 17 | 16.5 | 33.3 | 47.3 |
| Equipment | 16 | 15.5 | 8.5 | 21.5 |
| Suspension | 15 | 14.6 | 14.1 | 57.2 |
| Unknown or Other | 14 | 13.6 | 35 | 20.2 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 11 | 10.7 | 10.6 | 58.7 |
| Exterior Lighting | 9 | 8.7 | 5.4 | 34.7 |
| Fuel System, Other | 7 | 6.8 | 2.3 | 4.6 |
| Seat Belts | 6 | 5.8 | 6.8 | 12.9 |
| Electronic Stability Control (ESC) | 5 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 7.4 |
| Air Bags | 4 | 3.9 | 40 | 82.2 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 4 | 3.9 | 11 | 14.3 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 3 | 2.9 | 24.2 | 3.1 |
| Electronic Stability Control | 2 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 0.7 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1 | 0.2 | 2.9 |
| Wheels | 1 | 1 | 7.3 | 10.8 |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1 | 54.8 | 30.5 |
788 unique complaints, 1,029 component mentions; 9 injuries and 1 deaths reported by complainants. Complaint narratives are not republished.
Complaints by year received
Investigations
| Action | Type | Subject | Component | Opened | Closed | Recall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PE08065 | Preliminary evaluation | DRIVER SEAT ANCHOR FAILURE | seats | 18 Nov 2008 | 2 Jul 2009 | — |
| PE05050 | Preliminary evaluation | FUEL TANK PUNCTURES FROM ROAD DEBRIS | fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly | 13 Sep 2005 | 31 Jan 2006 | 06V003000 |
| EA05006 | Engineering analysis | ALTERNATOR FAILURE / ENGINE STALLING | electrical system:alternator/generator/regulator | 25 Mar 2005 | 17 Aug 2005 | 05V319000 |
| PE04077 | Preliminary evaluation | ALTERNATOR FAILURE/ ENGINE STALLING | electrical system:alternator/generator/regulator | 19 Nov 2004 | 25 Mar 2005 | — |
Other Nissan Murano model years
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints | Units in campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 6 | 788 | 1,526,485 |
| 2004 | 4 | 646 | 896,357 |
| 2005 | 6 | 945 | 977,639 |
| 2006 | 4 | 759 | 837,905 |
| 2007 | 2 | 519 | 567,252 |
| 2008 NHTSA | 1 | 5 | 204,361 |
| 2009 | 4 | 506 | 450,214 |
| 2010 | 0 | 105 | — |
| 2011 | 0 | 75 | — |
| 2012 | 1 | 74 | 2,983 |
| 2013 | 1 | 45 | 56,766 |
| 2014 | 1 | 68 | 56,766 |
| 2015 | 5 | 96 | 4,033,493 |
| 2016 | 5 | 45 | 4,036,495 |
| 2017 | 3 | 32 | 726,932 |
| 2018 | 2 | 21 | 1,620,309 |
| 2019 NHTSA | 1 | 1 | 1,228,830 |
| 2020 | 2 | 0 | 29,499 |
| 2024 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| 2025 | 2 | 0 | 65,515 |
Model years with a single campaign and fewer than 25 complaints have no page here; the NHTSA link opens the agency's record for that year.
All Nissan Murano model years · Nissan: 46 model lines
Questions and answers
How many recalls does the 2003 Nissan Murano have?
6 NHTSA recall campaigns name this model year; the most recent, 09V169000, was reported to NHTSA on 19 May 2009 and concerns engine and engine cooling. Across all model years the Nissan Murano line has 26 campaigns.
Is there an open NHTSA investigation into the 2003 Nissan Murano?
NHTSA's investigation file lists 4 actions naming this model year; the table above shows each action's opening and closing dates. An action with no closing date was still open when the file was produced.
What component do owners of the 2003 Nissan Murano complain about most?
Power Train: 271 of 1029 component mentions (263.4 per 1,000). Next is electrical system with 223. Complaints are consumer reports and have not been verified by NHTSA.
How do I get a recall repaired?
NHTSA states that safety recall repairs are performed free of charge by the manufacturer's authorised dealers. Each campaign's remedy text above is the manufacturer's statement as filed with NHTSA. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
Where does this data come from?
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation recall, complaint and investigation flat files, public domain, downloaded 29 Sep 2026. Complaint counts are unique complaint numbers per make, model and model year; component figures count each component a complaint names. The NHTSA record linked from each campaign is authoritative.
Provenance
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Defects Investigation flat files (recalls, complaints, investigations), public domain, files dated 29 Sep 2026 (recalls) and 15 May 2019 (complaints). Complaints since 1 Jan 1995. Counts are unique complaint numbers per make, model and model year; per-1,000 rates divide a component's mentions by all mentions for the same group. Errors in processing are corrected at the next daily build; see corrections and the methodology.