Is the 2003 Nissan Murano a bad year?
800 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 265, 19× a quiet Murano year.
Consider selling
Half of all transmission complaints about the 2003 Nissan Murano were filed between 68k and 108k miles. You're at 87,000 miles.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2003 Murano owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 87,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 265 (33%) | 68k–108k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| EngineSTANDS OUT | 121 (15%) | 61k–113k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| SeatsSTANDS OUT | 111 (14%) | 51k–100k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Speed controlSTANDS OUT | 58 (7%) | 69k–117k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipersSTANDS OUT | 44 (6%) | 42k–98k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 42 (5%) | 49k–110k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Body structure | 21 (3%) | 38k–100k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Steering | 17 (2%) | 5k–109k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Suspension | 17 (2%) | 52k–120k miles · around this mileage | Ball joint replacement (one joint) $200–$500 · Control arm replacement (one arm) $200–$900 |
| Brakes | 15 (2%) | 15k–96k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Electrical systemSTANDS OUT | 187 (23%) | 20k–73k miles · mostly behind | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Latches and locks | 24 (3%) | 54k–84k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Equipment | 20 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Engine and cooling | 9 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 87,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 800 complaints: 14 mention a crash · 5 mention a fire · 6 report an injury · 4 say the car was towed.
No complaints in the last 12 months; the newest was filed in Jul 2021.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
I noticed the RPM rev uncontrollably between 2 and 3k while driving and didn't think anything of it as no lights had come on with the vehicle.
I was driving on rt 80 and my 2003 Nissan murano, the "Check engine light" Went on, and shortly thereafter my car started losing power.
2003 murano - when in stop and go traffic car will not accelerate for 5-10 seconds when pressing the gas pedal.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 87,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2003 Nissan Murano: 6
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. Engine may stall increasing the risk of a crash.
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. If the webbing is completely separated, it can increase the risk of injury to an occupant in a crash.
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. A punctured tank could increase the risk of a fire.
On certain sport utility vehicles, there is a possibility that a wire breaking inside the alternator could stop the battery from charging. 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.
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. 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.
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. If the gear displayed is different from the gear engaged, this could result in unexpected vehicle movement and a crash.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Nissan: 29
Repair instructions Nissan sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2003 Nissan Murano. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Abnormal noise, vibration and/or binding feeling from rear differential
Vehicle key not detected / authenticated, engine will not start
Nissan; fuel tank is extremely difficult to fill
The Body Control Module (BCM)…
NHTSA defect investigations: 4
Driver seat anchor failure
Fuel tank punctures from road debris
Alternator failure / engine stalling
Alternator failure/ engine stalling
Neighbouring years
2004 Murano: 678 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission.
Every Nissan Murano year
2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Murano years side by side
Other Nissan models: Nissan 350Z · Nissan 370Z · Nissan Altima · Nissan Armada · Nissan Cube · Nissan Frontier · Nissan Juke · Nissan Kicks · Nissan Leaf · Nissan Maxima · Nissan Pathfinder · Nissan Quest · Nissan Rogue · Nissan Rogue Sport · Nissan Sentra · Nissan Titan · Nissan Titan XD · Nissan Versa · Nissan Versa Note · Nissan Xterra. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2003 Nissan Murano a bad year?
800 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 265, 19× a quiet Murano year. At 87,000 miles the tool says: Consider selling. Half of all transmission complaints about the 2003 Nissan Murano were filed between 68k and 108k miles. You're at 87,000 miles.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Nissan Murano?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: transmission and drivetrain (265), engine (121), seats (111), speed control (58), visibility and wipers (44). Half of the transmission complaints were filed between 68k–108k miles.
How many recalls does the 2003 Nissan Murano have?
6 recall campaigns list this model year: Engine (NHTSA 09V-169), Seat belts (NHTSA 06V-048), Fuel system (NHTSA 06V-003), Electrical system (NHTSA 05V-319) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.