wont shift into gear or move
it just stop at a light and would not move
22 views
2003 Nissan Altima Reviews, Pricing & Specs
Write a review
The Nissan Altima saw a few changes for the 2003 model year, despite the fact that it had just been redesigned the previous year, including some new option packages and faux wood and titanium accents in some models.
The 2003 Altima came in four trims: the base model, the midrange S, the plush SL, and the top-of-the-line SE. The SE came standard with a 3.5-liter, 240-horsepower V6, and the others had a 2.5-liter, 175-horsepower four cylinder engine. All models came with a folding rear seat, power doors, and a tilting steering wheel. Upgrading to the S got air conditioning, cruise control, remote keyless entry, and a CD player. The SL included a power driver's seat and an upgraded sound system. Upgrading to the SE got the bigger engine, foglamps, and bigger wheels.
The Altima is Nissan's best-selling vehicle, and drivers like it because it is a good value and is very reliable. Owners also praise its good looks and ample trunk space. Some drivers complain about the front seats, and others caution that in the event that the car does need repairs, parts and labor can be expensive.
Published Aug 8, 2022 by CarGurus Editorial Team
User reviews for 2003 Nissan Altima
Write a reviewUser rating:
by Anonymous
Feb 17, 2023
No enciende radio original alguien sabe el porque cambie pilaFeb 17, 2023
by Ceecee J
Jun 02, 2022
the car is one of the best cars i have owned. its 03 and still gets up and goes no problem! good on gas smooth ride and has power on the highway!! you cant go wrong with this car!Jun 02, 2022
by Young K
Mar 09, 2022
Yes its a really good car very nice
I always liked nissanMar 09, 2022
User rating:
by Anonymous
Feb 17, 2023
No enciende radio original alguien sabe el porque cambie pilaFeb 17, 2023
by Ceecee J
Jun 02, 2022
the car is one of the best cars i have owned. its 03 and still gets up and goes no problem! good on gas smooth ride and has power on the highway!! you cant go wrong with this car!Jun 02, 2022
by Young K
Mar 09, 2022
Yes its a really good car very nice
I always liked nissanMar 09, 2022
by Anonymous
Jan 28, 2022
I think it was good value. The car will probably not last long. Jan 28, 2022
by Anonymous
Apr 06, 2015
The Altima is a fun car to own and drive. It provides a great look while offering a very comfortable ride. Overall I really like the look of this car. I find its overall look to be sporty and sleek. The Altima provides surprisly good gas milage for its size.Apr 06, 2015
by Andrew F
Jan 02, 2015
I was not impressed with its power when up in the mountains. I really enjoyed it for everything else though. I took this vehicle to and from work and on trips and everywhere else without a major problem ever occurring. Jan 02, 2015
by Anonymous
May 08, 2013
This is a great car for the money. The front seats are fairly comfortable and the spacious rear seats offer plentiful legroom and support. Lots of room, smooth ride, huge trunk. Altima is comfortable, reliable, good stereo.The four-cylinder 2.5 S model performed better than some V6s and averaged 25 mpg. SeaScape exterior and frost interiorMay 08, 2013
by Anonymous
Feb 11, 2013
i can say this has been a great car for me as a traveling mother
I travel from time to time gas mileage has been great
It has enough room in back seat for 3 ppl to sit w/o being all over each other Feb 11, 2013
by Jianqiao L
Feb 04, 2013
Appearance: It is a nice looking car better than most of 4-door models at that price.
Build quality: It is reliable as good as Toyota Camry. It never has any problem except changing battery, tires, etc......
Performance: Same as Toyota Camry, Honda Accord ......
Feb 04, 2013
by Jag B
Nov 25, 2012
The best car i have ever used, it is just used to commute to work, never traveled outside of southern California. it gets 30 mpg in highway. It has very very low maintenance. Annual cost to maintain this car for me is $400Nov 25, 2012
by Anonymous
Jul 30, 2012
I liked the mpg but thats about all because like I said im not a big fan on driving cars. but it is a nice littlw car and would be great as a family car or a beginner car for some one.Jul 30, 2012
by Yus Q
May 10, 2012
I loved it and always will. One of the best cars i have owned and plan on getting an SER. This car is great on gas, seems to be lowered even though i doubt it was. Many people, including me, can spot or notice this car easily and differentiate between it and another Altima thats similar. Overall, i wouldnt complain about it and enjoyed owning one.May 10, 2012
by Nick R
Mar 06, 2011
Like the gas mileage, while still being "kinda" sporty. Has a decent
aftemarket for it, you can build it as far as other cars like a mustang or
camaro. And it still has the convenience of a four door for people who
have friends. Only regret, auto.Mar 06, 2011
by Anonymous
Jan 23, 2011
I love everything about this car! When it's time to buy a new one, I will buy another Nissan Altima.
Easy to drive and handle. Love the speed! Car responds quickly! Great on gas, and as long as you keep up on regular maintenance, car will last for a long time!Jan 23, 2011
by Devon B
May 11, 2010
Solid chassis. Somewhat cheap interior materials, mostly to not eclipse Infiniti G35. Motor feels powerful, but car seems to suffocate under 4000 RPM and lower than 50 MPH. Averages 20 mpg city, 25 highway. Not great, but not awful. Buy performance front shocks. The stock ones don't track well if they hit road variations while cornering. Trunk is huge and back seat is cavernous compared to same class cars, Accord and Camry.May 11, 2010
by Jeff S
Apr 10, 2010
The car has great performance, tons of power and great gas mileage. It
handles very well and breaks well also with 4 wheel disc brakes.
Mine received a new engine at 59,000 miles because part of the exhaust was
sucked back into the engine and caused complete failure of the engine. Nissan
paid for the engine and put me in a 2009 Altima rental car at no charge while
the work was being done. Unfortunately 11 months after the new engine was
installed the valve cover gasket failed causing an ignition coil to become
saturated with oil and fail. You can not replace the valve cover gasket in a
2003 altima, you must replace the entire valve cover. Besides that i've had no
issues with the build quality.
The appearance is beautiful, great lines. When i bought the car used it had
pinstripes running along the bodyline, why? it already has a line there, so i
removed those. The major dislike i had was the front appeared higher than the
back so i lowered the front 2" and have had no issues with ground clearance
with 235/55 r17's all the way around.
The car used to get 30 mpg with the original engine, but the "new" refurbished
motor is all over the place from 21-28 but never the original 30. And I track
every tank of gas for mpg. I use only synthetic oil and have had minimal
maintenance costs.
Overall I love the car, it looks great, has respectable performance and is fairly
inexpensive to own. It feels great on the highway and on the back roads.Apr 10, 2010
by Whitney L
Apr 06, 2010
I love my car!! It has a great "get up and go" and I love the sunroof. The motor runs very quietly. This model has the bigger engine in it so it does tend to guzzle gas. Other than that.... highly recommend!Apr 06, 2010
by Sam A
Feb 10, 2010
can hit 60 in about 8 seconds, it handles excellently, 30-34
mpg. awesome drive. only a 2.5 but has a good amount of
power for a 4 cylinder. overall good car and a good buy, i
recommend this car.Feb 10, 2010
by Aaron W
Aug 10, 2009
Its a good family car its seats nicely and drives good and good gas mileage, everyone likes that and heated seats so that means leather through the whole thing and its can hold bout 5 people 6 if you squeeze 4 in the backAug 10, 2009
by Gabe W
Jul 10, 2009
This car was the first MY of that generation. The motor is the same as what is in the 350Z. Had good gas mileage, but it is simply a family car. Not fun to drive. Good family car though, would recommend for someone who wants something reliable and has good power. Was good for long trips. Comfortable ride.Jul 10, 2009
by Usman N
Jul 10, 2009
lil sister in perfomce of infiniti g35
altima 0-60 5.9 sec n infiniti g35 5.4sec
cost of ownership is xpensive resale value is not good enough
the car is really fun to drive.
in quality matter it is good.
Jul 10, 2009
by Jim S
May 19, 2009
I love the why the car handles at high speed ,the take-off is unbeleivable, when i come to a complete stop you better hang onto your teeth ,they will fly outta your face.The exterior is so very airodinamic i am so very pleased with the car over all.May 19, 2009
by Wilson C
Feb 20, 2009
The acceleration of this car is impressive, braking responses very well too, handling average since the car is kinda tall, have a high center of mass.
The seats are not really comfortable, build qualities are fine. The engine is the best of this car, it really gives the power. This car can definitely kiss some asses on the road, fun!Feb 20, 2009
by Nick H
Feb 09, 2009
Well I bought this car for the motor. It's almost bullet
proof. the vq35de motor is the vq30de evolved, think
nissan 300zx. The Nissan V6 is in everything from their
minivan to the 350z. Power is excellent with 245hp and
weighting in around 3,200lbs which gives it almost 13lbs
per horsepower ratio. The car is perfect for my family of 4
and extremely roomy. Trunk space is huge and both
windows up front having auto up /down is nice too. Hold
unlock on the key fob and both front windows go down.
Now the negative...the build quality of the interior isn't the
greatest nothing major and it really doesn't even bother
me. Tires...tires...tires, it eats them! the 4 speed
automatic is very weak as I'm on my 2nd one. BUY THE
EXTENDED WARRANTY as my transmission died at 75k.
Torque steer is severe (this is when you smash the gas
and the car jumps to the right). Long trips you will almost
get 30mpg and mixed driving I get anywhere from 18-
24mpg premium gas is preferred! Car is a total blast to
drive specially on the highway as you have more than
enough power to merge or make that quick pass!Feb 09, 2009
by Tony P
Dec 21, 2008
It's a very reliable car and I only have to change the oil about every 5000 miles...other than replacing the battery once in 5 years, it's never had to have anything major done to it! And best of all, it's PAID FOR!Dec 21, 2008
by Corbin S
Jun 23, 2008
I got this car for graduation and now drive it daily, it has a surprising amount of power and if you aren't careful you'll be going 100+mph before you know it. Jun 23, 2008
by Reginald J
May 21, 2008
Vehicle
2003 Nissan Altima 2.5 S 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
Review
The power of the 4 cyl engine is like other 6 cyl. The gas mileage, 29 mpg highway and 23 mpg city with the a/c on, is unbelievable. It's comfortable. The sound system sounds great and the only time it's been in the shop was to have a fan belt replaced.
Favorite Features
Power with great gas mileage.
Suggested Improvements
None.May 21, 2008
by Myk M
May 04, 2008
We have taken this car on several road trips and get nearly 30 MPG however in the city we get approx. 23 MPG only after installing the tornado in the air intake. Overall we are very pleased.May 04, 2008
by Kashif N
Mar 04, 2008
For a four cylinder car, it would be one of the best car. Definitely better than accord and camry.Mar 04, 2008
by I.c. L
Feb 14, 2008
Very nice drive. Nissan changed the Altima and it's really reliable.Feb 14, 2008
by Anonymous
Jan 31, 2008
I'm not sure what I think about this car. I love the body style, I love the room, but it's giving me a lot of problems lately. I can't seem to get answers.Jan 31, 2008
by Glen M
Jan 18, 2008
Bought this as a lease return at 120k kms and replaced the engine at 144k. I have since had check engine light on several times. I am considering going domestic.Jan 18, 2008
by Paolo T
Jan 08, 2008
If you're looking for something in this size, compare it to an Accord or Camry and you'll see it comes with more standard equipment and a more powerful engine for about the same price.Jan 08, 2008
What users have asked
Will a 2003 Nissan transmission fit in a 2007
Transmission swap
19 views
2003 altima vacuum diagram
Can someone please provide the 2003 Altima vacuum diagram? I have a vacuum leak and I am trying to fix it. Thank you.
33 views
Nissan Altima 2003 (2.5 ) have the ENGINE light on.
Nissan Altima 2003 engine light on, sometime go off and the reading with the computer said: Primary Fix Replace Evaporative Emissions (EVAP) control Valve Parts required: AC Delco GM Original Equipment 12690512 Vapor Canister Purge Valve a Mechanic said to change the GAS cap and light still on Need your advice to correct that, and where is that part, and also if is something i can change myself. Thanks
24 views
Where is radiator fan switch located at on 2003 Nissan Altima?
Can anyone tell me where the radiator fan switch is located at on a 2003 nissan altima 3.5 radiator fans are staying on with car off I replaced temp sensor alreasy
27 views
Top Comparisons
Have you driven a 2003 Nissan Altima?Compare this car
2003 Nissan Altima Pricing
Original MSRP
$17,289 to $23,639Price range
N/AAverage price on CG
N/AYoY price change
N/ATrims & specs
Airbags
Dual front airbags
Convenience Features
Multi-function remote: trunk release · Steering wheel: tilt and telescopic
Lights
Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps
Mirrors
Inside rearview mirror: electrochromic
Rear Seats
Type: split-bench
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth
Tires and Rims
Wheels: steel
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Front and rear head airbags · Front side airbags
Audio System
Single disc in-Dash CD · MP3 player: CD MP3 Playback · Premium Brand: Bose · AM/FM radio
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Comfort Features
Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Multi-function remote: keyless entry · Steering wheel: tilt and telescopic · Steering wheel mounted controls: audio
Lights
Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps · Headlights: Auto on/off
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power · Inside rearview mirror: electrochromic
Rear Seats
Type: split-bench
Roof
Moonroof: power
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth
Tires and Rims
Wheels: steel
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent
Air Conditioning
Automatic climate control front air conditioning
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Front and rear head airbags · Front side airbags
Audio System
Single disc in-Dash CD · MP3 player: CD MP3 Playback · Premium Brand: Bose · AM/FM radio
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Comfort Features
Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Multi-function remote: keyless entry · Steering wheel: tilt and telescopic · Steering wheel mounted controls: audio
Lights
Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps · Headlights: Auto on/off
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: heated · Inside rearview mirror: electrochromic
Rear Seats
Type: split-bench
Roof
Moonroof: power
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Heated: front seats · Upholstery: cloth
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Front and rear head airbags · Front side airbags
Audio System
6 disc in-dash CD · MP3 player: CD MP3 Playback · Premium Brand: Bose · AM/FM radio
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Comfort Features
Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Dimming rearview mirror: auto-dimming · Multi-function remote: keyless entry · Steering wheel: tilt and telescopic · Steering wheel mounted controls: audio
Lights
Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps · Headlights: Auto on/off
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power
Rear Seats
Type: split-bench
Roof
Moonroof: power
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: leather
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent