Nissan Murano 2003–2007 problems by year and mileage
1st generation (Z50) · Nissan FF-L / Z50
NHTSA data through 24 September 20263,943 complaints, 3,329 with mileageMethod
Which year is yours? Tap it to see what breaks on it.
The 2003 Nissan Murano
Close- Median failure report
- 72,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 800
- Recalls naming this year
- 6
Most reported on the 2003
- Transmission and driveline265 reports · median 86,000 mi
- Electrical system187 reports · median 35,000 mi
- Seats111 reports · median 71,000 mi
6 recall campaigns name the 2003: Engine and engine cooling; Seat belts — rear/other; Fuel system, gasoline — storage. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2004 Nissan Murano
Close- Median failure report
- 72,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 678
- Recalls naming this year
- 4
Most reported on the 2004
- Transmission and driveline143 reports · median 86,000 mi
- Visibility equipment124 reports · median 60,000 mi
- Electrical system110 reports · median 40,000 mi
4 recall campaigns name the 2004: Engine and engine cooling; Seat belts — rear/other; Fuel system, gasoline — storage. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2005 Nissan Murano
Close- Median failure report
- 66,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 986
- Recalls naming this year
- 6
Most reported on the 2005
- Seats456 reports · median 66,000 mi
- Visibility equipment124 reports · median 59,000 mi
- Latches and locks118 reports · median 69,000 mi
6 recall campaigns name the 2005: Engine and engine cooling; Steering — column locking; Fuel system, gasoline — storage. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2006 Nissan Murano
Close- Median failure report
- 66,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 803
- Recalls naming this year
- 4
Most reported on the 2006
- Seats402 reports · median 68,000 mi
- Visibility equipment150 reports · median 50,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline43 reports · median 93,000 mi
4 recall campaigns name the 2006: Engine and engine cooling; Steering — column locking; Seat belts — rear/other. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2007 Nissan Murano
Close- Median failure report
- 80,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 676
- Recalls naming this year
- 2
Most reported on the 2007
- Seats221 reports · median 70,000 mi
- Suspension94 reports · median 142,000 mi
- Body structure69 reports · median 128,000 mi
2 recall campaigns name the 2007: Engine and engine cooling; Electrical system — software. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
Each tile shows the median mileage at which that model year’s failures were reported. The 2007 reports latest and the 2006 earliest, but part of that gap is age: the 2006 has had 1 more year on the road to accumulate mileage.
The short answer
“Is the 2003–2007 Nissan Murano reliable?”
- Median of reported failures
- 70,000 mi
- 90% of reports came by
- 135,000 mi
- Reports with mileage
- 3,329
- Recalls
- 9
Most reported
- Seats32.6% of complaints · median 69,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline14.5% of complaints · median 86,000 mi
- Visibility equipment12.4% of complaints · median 55,000 mi
Owners filed 3,943 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003–2007 Nissan Murano; seats leads with 32.6% of them, and half of the 3,329 that record an odometer reading came by 70,000 miles. A count like this can’t rate reliability on its own: NHTSA records what owners chose to report, not how many of each car were sold.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 47,000 and 100,000 miles.
Before-you-buy checklist ↓At your mileage ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
How many miles does a 2003–2007 Nissan Murano last?
Complaint records can’t measure how long a car lasts; they show when reported failures happened. On the 2003–2007 Nissan Murano, half of the 3,329 complaints that record an odometer reading were filed by 70,000 miles and 90% by 135,000 miles.
221 reports came in past 150,000 miles and 30 past 200,000 — each one proof that a Murano reached that mileage, not that it failed there.
Figure 1 · Nissan Murano 2003–2007 · 3,329 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 5,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 211 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 30 complaints (0.9%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 26,587
- 25%
- 47,300
- Median
- 70,000
- 75%
- 100,000
- 90%
- 135,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 99 | 3.0% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 55 | 1.7% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 61 | 1.8% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 45 | 1.4% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 52 | 1.6% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 55 | 1.7% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 82 | 2.5% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 129 | 3.9% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 167 | 5.0% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 148 | 4.4% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 199 | 6.0% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 143 | 4.3% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 211 | 6.3% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 195 | 5.9% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 163 | 4.9% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 155 | 4.7% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 173 | 5.2% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 120 | 3.6% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 119 | 3.6% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 109 | 3.3% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 121 | 3.6% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 74 | 2.2% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 77 | 2.3% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 57 | 1.7% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 87 | 2.6% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 31 | 0.9% |
| 130,000–135,000 | 58 | 1.7% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 45 | 1.4% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 42 | 1.3% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 36 | 1.1% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 41 | 1.2% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 22 | 0.7% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 26 | 0.8% |
| 165,000–170,000 | 25 | 0.8% |
| 170,000–175,000 | 22 | 0.7% |
| 175,000–180,000 | 17 | 0.5% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 13 | 0.4% |
| 185,000–190,000 | 9 | 0.3% |
| 190,000–195,000 | 5 | 0.2% |
| 195,000–200,000 | 11 | 0.3% |
| 200,000+ | 30 | 0.9% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Common Murano problems, and when they happen
Figure 2 · Nissan Murano 2003–2007
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Visibility equipment487 reports55,00041,000–74,000Visibility equipment: 487 reports, median 55,000 miles, middle half 41,000 to 74,000 miles.
- Electrical system478 reports55,00022,000–104,000Electrical system: 478 reports, median 55,000 miles, middle half 22,000 to 104,000 miles.
- Engine and its cooling system181 reports65,00039,000–87,000Engine and its cooling system: 181 reports, median 65,000 miles, middle half 39,000 to 87,000 miles.
- Latches and locks204 reports67,00050,000–80,000Latches and locks: 204 reports, median 67,000 miles, middle half 50,000 to 80,000 miles.
- Seats1,284 reports69,00051,000–94,000Seats: 1,284 reports, median 69,000 miles, middle half 51,000 to 94,000 miles.
- Transmission and driveline570 reports86,00065,000–110,000Transmission and driveline: 570 reports, median 86,000 miles, middle half 65,000 to 110,000 miles.
- Engine203 reports117,00087,000–153,000Engine: 203 reports, median 117,000 miles, middle half 87,000 to 153,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
All systems in a table
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seats | 1,284 | 32.6% | 69,000 | 51,000–94,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 570 | 14.5% | 86,000 | 65,000–110,000 |
| Visibility equipment | 487 | 12.4% | 55,000 | 41,000–74,000 |
| Electrical system | 478 | 12.1% | 55,000 | 22,000–104,000 |
| Latches and locks | 204 | 5.2% | 67,000 | 50,000–80,000 |
| Engine | 203 | 5.1% | 117,000 | 87,000–153,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 181 | 4.6% | 65,000 | 39,000–87,000 |
| Body structure | 175 | 4.4% | 95,000 | 60,000–138,000 |
| Suspension | 171 | 4.3% | 124,000 | 84,000–152,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 148 | 3.8% | 105,000 | 52,000–135,000 |
System by system, in words
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 70,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
Seats account for 32.6% of complaints (1,284 reports, 1,156 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 69,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 51,000 and 94,000 miles.
A single system taking 32.6% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 14.5% of complaints (570 reports, 505 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 86,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 65,000 and 110,000 miles.
Visibility equipment accounts for 12.4% of complaints (487 reports, 408 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 55,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 41,000 and 74,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 12.1% of complaints (478 reports, 389 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 55,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 22,000 and 104,000 miles.
Latches and locks account for 5.2% of complaints (204 reports, 161 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 67,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 50,000 and 80,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 5.1% of complaints (203 reports, 171 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 117,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 87,000 and 153,000 miles.
Known problems with the 2003–2007 Murano
Transmission — Xtronic CVT 2003–2007
Early-generation JATCO CVT failures: judder, delayed or absent engagement, loss of drive. Nissan extended the CVT warranty to 10 years / 120,000 miles on 2003-2010 CVT-equipped vehicles following a class action, which is the clearest public acknowledgment of the defect scope.
Before you buy a 2003–2007 Murano: the 3-minute check
Generated from 3,329 mileage-tagged complaints, 9 recall campaigns, 1 documented problem area. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 9 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Check transmission — xtronic CVT on 2003–2007 cars. Early-generation JATCO CVT failures: judder, delayed or absent engagement, loss of drive. Nissan extended the CVT warranty to 10 years / 120,000 miles on 2003-2010 CVT-equipped vehicles following a class action, which…
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 47,000 and 100,000 miles, with a median of 70,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, seats and the transmission and driveline are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Seats in particular shows a median failure mileage of 69,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Murano problems by mileage: where your car sits
Type your odometer reading, or read the common mileages in the table. Your marker lands on the timing chart above and on the curve below.
| System | Middle half of reports, mi | At 60k mi37% below | At 90k mi68% below | At 120k mi84% below | At 150k mi93% below | At 200k mi99% below |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seats | 51,000–94,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Transmission and driveline | 65,000–110,000 | later | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Visibility equipment | 41,000–74,000 | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Electrical system | 22,000–104,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Latches and locks | 50,000–80,000 | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Engine | 87,000–153,000 | later | in window | in window | in window | earlier |
| Engine and its cooling system | 39,000–87,000 | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
Figure 3 · Nissan Murano 2003–2007 · 3,329 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 37% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 68% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 84% of reports below
- 150,000 mi — 93% of reports below
- 200,000 mi — 99% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it above
The staircase tops out at 99%: the remaining 0.9% of reports (30) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
2003–2007 Nissan Murano recalls (9)
NHTSA records 9 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the engine and its cooling system (2), the electrical system (2), the fuel system (2). Several campaigns against one area can mean a remedy that did not hold, or separate defects in parts filed under the same heading; the summaries below name each defect.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
May 2009 · 2003–2007 · Engine and Engine CoolingEngine may stall increasing the risk of a crash.
The defect. 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…
What can happen. Engine may stall increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. 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.
Oct 2008 · 2007 · Electrical SystemThis could result in the passenger air bag being suppressed which could fail to provide adequate protection…
The defect. Nissan is recalling 204,361 my 2007-2008 altima, altima hybrid, 350z, 350z roadster, my 2008 altima coupe, rogue, my 2009 Murano, and Infiniti my 2007-2008 G35 sedan, my 2008 G37 coupe and ex35 passenger vehicles equipped with continental automotive systems'…
What can happen. This could result in the passenger air bag being suppressed which could fail to provide adequate protection in the event of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will test the signal between the ocs and acu systems using a special tool to check that it is functioning as designed. If necessary, the seat cushion (containing ocs hardware) will be…
Oct 2006 · 2005–2006 · SteeringIf the key is turned to the "off" position without the transmission being in the "park" position, it is…
The defect. Certain sport utility vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 114, "Theft protection." During an inspection of some vehicles at the assembly plant, it was found that the steering wheel was locked with the…
What can happen. If the key is turned to the "off" position without the transmission being in the "park" position, it is possible that the steering wheel can lock when turned to the right.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect and replace the steering wheel lock assembly free of charge. The recall began on december 18, 2006. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Feb 2006 · 2005 · Fuel System, GasolineThis could result in the malfunction indicator light in the instrument panel coming on and may result in some…
The defect. On certain sport utility vehicles, a fitting for vapor recirculation, which is welded on the fuel tank, may come off the fuel tank because incorrect material was used.
What can happen. This could result in the malfunction indicator light in the instrument panel coming on and may result in some fuel leakage. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the fuel tank with a new one free of charge. The recall began on march 20, 2006. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Feb 2006 · 2003–2006 · Seat BeltsIf the webbing is completely separated, it can increase the risk of injury to an occupant in a crash.
The defect. 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.
What can happen. If the webbing is completely separated, it can increase the risk of injury to an occupant in a crash.
The free fix. 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.
Jan 2006 · 2003–2006 · Fuel System, GasolineA punctured tank could increase the risk of a fire.
The defect. 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…
What can happen. A punctured tank could increase the risk of a fire.
The free fix. 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.
Jul 2005 · 2003–2005 · Electrical SystemIf this happens, the charger warning and brake warning lamps will immediately come on and the battery will…
The defect. On certain sport utility vehicles, there is a possibility that a wire breaking inside the alternator could stop the battery from charging.
What can happen. 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…
The free fix. 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…
Nov 2003 · 2003 · Engine and Engine CoolingThis could cause the "service engine soon" warning light to come on, create a no start condition, cause…
The defect. 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.
What can happen. 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…
The free fix. 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…
Mar 2003 · 2003 · Power TrainIf the gear displayed is different from the gear engaged, this could result in unexpected vehicle movement…
The defect. 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…
What can happen. If the gear displayed is different from the gear engaged, this could result in unexpected vehicle movement and a crash.
The free fix. 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…
Crashes, fires and injuries owners reported
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 3,943 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 59 (1.5%)
- Fires
- 17
- Injury reports
- 60
- Fatality reports
- 1
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Murano problems by model year
The 2005 drew the most complaints of this generation, 986, most of them about seats, and the 2007 the fewest, 676. A typical year drew about 800.
| Year | Complaints | With mileage | Median miles | Most reported | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 800 | 689 | 72,000 | Transmission and driveline (265) | 6 |
| 2004 | 678 | 567 | 72,000 | Transmission and driveline (143) | 4 |
| 2005 | 986 | 845 | 66,000 | Seats (456) | 6 |
| 2006 | 803 | 686 | 66,000 | Seats (402) | 4 |
| 2007 | 676 | 542 | 80,000 | Seats (221) | 2 |
What Murano owners reported
The contact owns a 2007 Nissan Murano. The contact stated that on several occasions, while driving or while idling, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. On one occasion, while making a left turn, the sound from the engine compartment became louder, and the vehicle lost automotive power. The…
2007 · 167,000 miles · Electrical system
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Murano. The contact stated that while closing the rear liftgate door, the front driver’s and passenger’s side air bags inadvertently deployed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic where it remained pending a diagnostic test. The local…
2005 · 100,000 miles · Airbag system
The contact owns a 2007 Nissan Murano. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard an abnormal rumbling sound coming from the rear end of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and became aware that the rear subframe of the…
2007 · 156,000 miles · Body structure
The contact owns a 2004 Nissan Murano. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The contact stated that the vehicle restarted on the first attempt occasionally; however, several…
2004 · 65,000 miles · Engine
Built from 3,329 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-09-26 · open data · how it is built
Other Murano generations
- Murano 2009–2014 1,012 reports with mileage, most about the brakes
- Murano 2015–2024 364 reports with mileage, most about problems owners could not categorise