2000 Nissan Altima Electrical Problems

Shortly after starting a long drive, your cruise control stopped working and the airbag warning light came on. When you tried to accelerate, the car slowed down instead, leaving you unable to control your speed. Another vehicle hit you from behind, causing a crash that resulted in serious injuries to you and your passenger.

Your dashboard randomly goes completely dark, making it impossible to see your speed, RPM, or fuel level. When this happens, your engine sometimes loses power as if the gas pedal isn't responding, then suddenly surges forward without warning. This happens frequently and creates a serious safety risk — you can't control your speed, and the sudden power changes could cause you to be rear-ended or crash into traffic ahead. The issue also triggers false check engine light codes that mechanics can't properly diagnose.

While driving at 75 mph with cruise control engaged, your dashboard gauges (RPM, speed, fuel level, and engine temperature) suddenly dropped to zero, and random numbers and letters appeared on the odometer display. When you turned off the cruise control using the steering wheel buttons, all the gauges and odometer returned to normal. This electrical glitch may be caused by a faulty cruise control switch, instrument cluster wiring issue, or a malfunctioning dashboard circuit.

Your instrument panel gauges (speedometer, fuel gauge, etc.) stop working on and off. When the gauges do work, your car loses power unexpectedly. The problem was repaired once but came back. The issue started around 130,000 miles and continued through 150,000 miles. A mechanic will likely need to diagnose and repair the electrical connections or components in the instrument cluster.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, ALL THE GAUGES EXCEPT THE FUEL GAUGES STOPPED FUNCTIONING; THEY DISPLAYED THE LAST READING THEY INDICATED BEFORE THE FAILURE. APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES LATER, ALL OF THE GAUGES DROPPED TO A READING OF 0 EXCEPT THE FUEL GAUGES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF FOR A FEW HOURS, THE GAUGES BEGAN TO FUNCTION PROPERLY AGAIN. THE FAILURE CONTINUED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE LAST TIME THE FAILURE OCCURRED, THE FUEL GAUGE ALSO MALFUNCTIONED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 182,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

THE DASHBOARD DISPLAY ON MY 2000 NISSAN ALTIMA GXE FREEZES INTERMITTENTLY. THE ODOMETER GOES BLANK AND THE TACHOMETER, SPEEDOMETER, HEAT SENSORS, ETC EITHER FREEZE IN PLACE OR DROP TO ZERO. THERE HAS BEEN NO DAMAGE, BUT THE SHOP CANNOT SEEM TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE. *TR

MY CAR STALLS WHILE DRIVING. IT SPUTTERS, MEANING I WILL HAVE MY FOOT ON THE GAS, THE RPMS WILL DROP TO 500, THEN WITH MY FOOT OFF THE GAS THE RPMS JUMP ALL THE WAY TO 2500! THIS SUDDEN ACCELERATION CAN PLOW ME RIGHT INTO A CAR, POLE, BUSY INTERSECTION, ETC. IT HAPPENS OFTEN. IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 60 MPH, AND ON LOCAL STREETS AT 25 MPH. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS! IF THE CAR SUDDENLY LOSES ACCELERATION AND MY FOOT IS STILL ON THE GAS, THE GUY BEHIND ME IS GOING TO HIT ME. AND WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN ALL OF A SUDDEN, IM GOING TO REAR END THE GUY IN FRONT OF ME. THIS IS HORRIBLE! *TR

GAUGES (TEMPERATURE, GAS, SPEEDOMETER AND RPM) ALL GO DEAD WHILE DRIVING. THE ERROR HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE MY CAR WAS ABOUT 6 MONTHS OLD. I HAVE READ OTHER NISSAN CUSTOMERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH 2000 YEAR MODELS, HOWEVER NO RESOLUTION HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION. THE DIGITAL ODOMETER ALSO DOES NOT REGISTER MILES AS THEY ARE ADDED TO THE VEHICLE. SEEMS LIKE A SAFETY ISSUE TO ME. I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW FAST I'M GOING. LUCKILY I HAVEN'T GOTTEN A SPEEDING TICKET YET. IF I DO, NISSAN SHOULD PAY! *TR

AT LEAST SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GOES OUT WHILE DRIVING; THE ODOMETER, HEAT GAUGE, RPM, EVERYTHING. MOST OF THE TIME THE SPEED REGISTERS BELOW ZERO BUT SOMETIMES IT JUST FREEZES IN PLACE. AT WHAT POINT IS NISSAN WILLING TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM? MAYBE IT IS TIME TO FILE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. *JB

MY 20000 NISSAN ALTIMA SPEEDOMETER, ODOMETER, TACHOMETER AND TEMP GAUGE ALL WILL QUIT WORKING SIMULTANEOUSLY WHILE DRIVING LEAVING ME WITH NO WAY TO KNOW IF I AM DRIVING AT A SAFE ,LEGAL SPEED. AFTER DIAGNOSTIC TESTS THE SPEED SENSOR WAS REPLACED WHICH DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I AM AFRAID THIS WILL CAUSE A WRECK AND AFTER VISITING SEVERAL AUTO FORUMS ONLINE HAVE FOUND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE OF CAR. *NM

MY 2000 MAXIMA IS HORRIBLE I HAVE THE NOTORIOUS COIL PROBLEM PLUS I SMASHED INTO A POLE AND THE CAR'S AIR BAGS AND THE SEAT BELTS DON'T WORK YOU MUST HIT THE BRAKE FOR THE SEAT BELT TO LOCK AND YOU NEED TO REALLY HIT SOMETHING REAL HARD BUT AT THAT POINT YOU MAY ALREADY BE DEAD THEY NEED TO ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMS ,THEY CAN BE SUED AND I AM GOING TO CONGRESS WITH THIS,THEY ARE NOT SENSITIVE TO ANYONE'S LIVES THEY SHOULD BAN NISSAN COMPANY THEY ARE CROOKS HUGE LAW SUIT THEY CAN GO DOWN. *NM

WHILE DRIVING ON I880 AT THE SPEED OF 65 MPH, THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AND SPUN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT ANY REASON OR WARNING. THE SHUT DOWN WAS INSTANTANEOUS AND INCLUDED THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. ONCE THE CAR CAME TO A HALT, I WAS ABLE TO PUT THE GEAR IN "PARK" AND RESTART IT. THE CAR THEN CONTINUED TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. *NM

HEAT DISPAY, SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER/RPM METER FADE OUT INTERMITTENTLY. TS

MULTIPLE TIMES IN 2004 (WHILE UNDER WARRANTY) STATING ROUGH IDLE-CANNOT FIGURE OUT. SAFETY CHECKS SHOW NO PROBLEMS. 2 AUG 05 CODE P1320 (PLUG #3 CLEANED); P 0303/GAS CAP. CODES CLEARED $112.00; DIDN'T EVEN GET CAR IN GEAR OFF DEALER'S LOT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS STILL ON. SVC REP STATED WAS OFF AFTER WORK PERFORMED MUST BE SOMETHING ELSE. KEPT 2 DAYS, REFUSED TO PUT SR. TECH ON MY CAR WHO HAS WORKED ON THE CAR. TOOK TO ANOTHER SHOP, REPLACED ALL 6 IGNITION COILS. NEW CODE TO REPLACE TORQUE COVERTOR MALFUNCTION = TRANSMISSION. EST FROM 300-$3,000.00!

I BOUGHT THIS 2000 NISSAN ALTIMA NEW. SINCE APPROXIMATELY DECEMBER OF '03 THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAS REPEATEDLY (TOO MANY TIMES TO KEEP TRACK OF) MALFUNCTIONED AT ARBITRARY TIMES GIVING EITHER NO INFO (GAUGES ALL GO TO 0) OR INCORRECT INFO (130 MPH AT 1K RPM W/NO WATER TEMP AND SUDDENLY FULL TANK OF GAS). PROBLEM CAN LAST ANY WHERE FROM MINUTES TO 24 HOURS+. THE CRUISE CONTROL ALSO MALFUNCTIONS WHENEVER THIS OCCURS. FIRST TOOK TO DEALER ON 12/31/03, THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE PROBLEM, TOLD ME TO BRING IT BACK WHILE MALFUNCTIONING. FINALLY WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR WHILE MALFUNCTIONING TO SAME DEALERSHIP ON 8/1/05. PROBLEM HAS STARTED TO INCREASE IN FREQUENCY AND DURATION. THE SECOND THEY HOOKED DIAGNOSTIC EQUIP TO IT THE CLUSTER CORRECTED. THEY KEPT FOR 2 DAYS, DID NOT MALFUNCTION AGAIN SO THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE 100%. THEY WANT TO TRY REPLACING THE SPEEDOMETER HEAD AT $320, BUT 1) CAN'T GUARANTEE IT WILL SOLVE PROBLEM AND 2) CAN'T GET PART. THEY ESTIMATE 6-8 WKS MINIMUM TO GET PART. WHEN I WENT TO LEAVE DEALERSHIP CLUSTER MALFUNCTIONED SHOWING NO INFORMATION, BUT NO TECHNICIAN WAS AVAILABLE TO DIAGNOSE. SHOWED ZERO ON ALL GAUGES EXCEPT GAS WHICH ARBITRARILY READ 3/4 TANK FOR ENTIRE 20-25 MILE TRIP HOME. THIS CAR IS AN ACCIDENT, OR WORSE, WAITING TO HAPPEN. *NM

CHECK ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON 2 TIMES IN A MATTER OF 1 WEEK.

MY VEHICLE IS A 2000 NISSAN ALTIMA SE. (ALSO I HAVE HEARD THERE ARE OTHER NISSANS WITH THIS PROBLEM NOT JUST ALTIMA) THE PROBLEM IS THE GUAGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILING DURING OPERATION, IE. SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, GAS GUAGE, AND TEMP GUAGE. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED AND JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER TIME IT HAPPENS THERE IS NOTHING DIFFERENT THE GUAGES WILL JUST SHUT OFF AND NORMALLY FALL TO THE ZERO POSTION. SOMETIMES THE WILL FREEZE IN PLACE. AFTER THE FIRST MONTH I OWNED THE CAR (BOUGHT AS A PREOWNED VEHICLE) THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON DURING THE GUAGE FAILURES I HAD THE CODE CHECKED AND IT WAS DETERMINED THE SPEED SENSOR WAS BAD. I BOUGHT AND REPLACED THE SPEED SENSOR WITH AN OEM PART. HOWEVER THE GUAGE FAILURE WAS NOT FIXED IT STILL HAPPENS. THE INCIDENT DATE STARTED 21FEB2003 AND STILL PERSISTS AND THE NUMBERS OF FAILURES I HAVEN'T KEPT COUNT BUT ABOUT AVERAGE OF EVERYOTHER DAY IT GOES OUT.

MY FIRST PROBLEM IS WITH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ON THE DASHBOARD. WHEN DRIVING AT LOW OR HI GH SPEED THE ENTIRE CLUSTER WOULD STOP WORKING FOR A FEW MINUTES OR HOURS, AND THE CAR WOULD LOSE POWER, AND SUDDENLY IT WOULD START WORKING AGAIN. THE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER ALMOST CAUSE A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT ON TURNPIKE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, AND THA CIRCUIT BOARD WAS REPLACED. MY LATEST PROBLEM IS THE SECURITY/DOOR LOCK SYSTEM. MY DOORS KEEP UNLOCKING ON THEIR OWN AS I'M DRIVING ( CHILD ON BOARD). I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND THIS ARE VERY COMMON PROBLEMS AMONG XTERRA OWNERS.*AK

2000 NISSAN MAXIMA WITH BAD IGNITION COILS - OVER 1200 PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED AN ON-LINE PETITION. CONSUMERS ARE GETTING SCREWED BECAUSE OF FAULTY COILS SUPPLIED BY NISSAN. *JB

ON FIRST COOL DAY (MID-50S) OF NOVEMBER (IN HOUSTON, TX), THE ENGINE ON MY 2000 NISSAN MAXIMA GLE BEGAN SHUDDERING OCCASIONALLY AND THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LAMP LIT. I TOOK VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE SERVICE ADVISOR RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT OF ALL SIX IGNITION COILS AT A COST OF $660 (INCLUDING LABOR, PARTS, AND SALES TAX), WHICH I DECLINED. MY FURTHER RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET REVEALED THAT THIS IS A FREQUENT PROBLEM AMONG 2000-01 MAXIMAS, AND THAT NISSAN HAS ISSUED TSB NTB01-059 WHICH ADDRESSES THE ISSUE.*AK

(1) I WAS EXPERIENCING POWER LOSS WITH MY 2000 NISSAN MAXIMA TO THE EXTENT THAT WHEN I ACCELERATED THE ENGINE BOGGED DOWN AND PLACED ME IN AN UNSAFE CONDITION. (2) THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I TOOK THE CAR TO MY DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS INTERMITTENT IGNITION COIL FAILURE BUT IT WAS UNDETERMINED AS TO WHICH COILS AND WAS ADVISED TO REPLACE ALL 6. (3) I HAVE SINCE READ MANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE VERY SAME FAILURE TO THE EXTENT THAT NISSAN HAS BEGUN USING AN UPGRADED COIL. THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT IS DEFECTIVE. I NOTE THAT NO RECALL HAS BEEN INSTITUTED ON THE IGNITION COILS AND RESPECTFULLY REQUEST AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS SAFETY ISSUE THAT PROVES VERY COSTLY TO REPAIR. *JB

THE INSTRUMENT PANEL/GAUGES WOULD INTERMITTENTLY GO OUT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM.*JB

TRIED TO START CAR IN GARAGE. BATTERY EXPLODED, SPILLING ACID AND WATER ON GARAGE FLOOR. DAMAGE TO HOOD, PRESSURE OF EXPLOSURE CAUSING TWO DENTS AND CRACKING PAINT. *AK

2000 NISSAN ALTIMA - ALTERNATOR 'OVERCHARGED' THE BATTERY, CAUSING THE BATTERY TO EXPLODE. LUCKILY THE HOOD WAS DOWN AND THE ENGINE WAS COLD, OTHERWISE THERE COULD HAVE BEEN PHYSICAL INJURY OR DEATH AND/OR A CAR FIRE, DUE TO THE ACID CONTENT OF THE BATTERY.NO 'WARNING' WAS GIVEN OF THE ALTERNATOR OVERCHARGING. THIS SHOULD BE THE CASE, AS IT IS WITH THE WARNING OF THE ALTERNATOR UNDERCHARGING THE BATTERY.*AK

FIRST, MY ALTINATOR DIED AT 37000 MILES, AND THE DEALER REPLACED IT WITH A RE-FERBISHED ONE. THIS WAS LAST SUMMER, AND NOW MY CAR IS JUST NOT STARTING AT ALL SOMETIMES. ALSO, ONE DEALER SAID THAT MY MOTOR MOUNTS WERE BROKEN, AND A DIFFERENT DEALER SAID NOTHING ABOUT THE MOTOR MOUNTS. I TAKE THE CAR IN FOR IT'S INSPECTIONS, AND HAVE NOT BEEN IN ANY KIND OF AN ACCIDENT. BECAUSE MY WARRENTY IS EXPIRED, I HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF IT ALL OUT OF POCKET. THIS IS THE WORST CAR I HAVE EVER BOUGHT!

MY ODOMETER, HEAT GAUGE, RMP, AND GAS GAUGE GOES OUT WHILE DRIVING AND NISSAN HEADQUARTERS WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT. THERE ALSO HAS BEEN OTHER CASES REPORTED TO NISSAN. *JB

CONSUMER STATES THAT WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE WOULD STALL. CONSUMER IS ABLE TO RESTART.*AK

RECEIVED BURNS WHEN DASHBOARD BURST IN TO FLAMES WHILE I WAS DRIVING VEHICLE.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT 55-60 MPH ON A DECLINING ROAD VEHICLE JUST SHUT DOWN FOR NO KNOWN REASON, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE ALL FUNCTIONS WHILE STILL COACHING DOWN THE ROAD. HAD TO USE EMERGENY BRAKES TO STOP VEHICLE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO HOUSE THAT FIRDAY, AND VEHICLE STARTED UP ON MONDAY. TAKEN TO DEALER FOR INSEPECTION. PLEASE FILL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK