Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (door latches, locks, hood and tailgate latches).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Nissan Murano owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I have a 2003 Nissan Murano and recently started having problems with the door locks. The failure occurs every single time. The driver door won't lock unless I lock it manually and won't unlock unless done manually. The passenger door and rear left door are more sporadic. Sometimes they lock sometimes they don't sometimes they lock halfway and then won't open and there is no keylock to open the rear and passenger side doors so I have to open the drivers door to then try and open the other doors. I was told by Nissan that new door actuators are required. I was lucky and my extended warranty paid for my driver's door repair but refused the other two doors.
1.) my driver and passenger door lock actuators are not working as of yesterday 4/13/11. I have to use my key to unlock my door- the fab will not work. From the outside and my unlock/lock button does not work on the inside either. The fab does unlock the rears doors only. 2.) failure occurs every time 3.) have not fixed it yet because based on research, this is a Nissan issue that needs to be addressed. I signed a recent petition with over 624 other signatures of people with similar problems. Nissan needs to fix this now as it is a huge safety issue and could result in harm to vehicle owners if they cannot lock their doors instantly.
I have a 2003 Nissan Murano and I'm having problems with the electric door locks. They work intermittently and I've heard from my other people that have the same problem. I'm concerned that in the event of a crash or fire, my wife May not be able to open the doors in a timely manner to escape the car. This is a serious problem and should be recalled by Nissan before a serious problem occurs that could result in loss of life. Again...this is a common problem among Murano owners. Thank you
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Nissan Murano. The contact stated that all four power door locks would lock and unlock independently. The dealer was called who advised that there were no recalls for the replacement of the locks. The manufacturer was contacted and advised that they would offer a $250 discount from the $700 cost of repairs. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was unavailable. The failure mileage was 80,200.
Tailgate, passenger and back door locks sticking. Occurs about 80% of the time when trying to unlock the doors. This problems stops me from getting in and out of the car. Very concerned that this is effecting my safety in the vehicle. Door clicks like it is unlocking but it just sticks. Nothing has been done to fix this - repairs are very costly.
I have a 2003 Nissan Murano with around 60,000 miles on it. The driver's door lock actuator has stopped working and from my research, it seems to be a very common problem with muranos. I believe that this is a safety issue and should be a recall since the problem is so wide spread but my dealer is unwilling to take it up with Nissan. Can you help?
The door lock on the driver side went out and shortly after the rest of the door locks in the vehicle began to fail. Because of this issue, I am currently at risk of theft if the door lock do not completely lock. I received an estimate of $1600 to fix the issue and I have heard that's by others are having the same problem.
2003 Nissan Murano has faulty door locks. Drivers door locks w/out notice locks me out. Passenger door will not lock or unlock w/ key fob and since there is no key on the passenger outside it is extremely inconvenient to go around to the drivers side to pe the passenger door. New door actuators are $1500.
Ii have a 2003 Nissan Murano and the doors lock and Nissan says it does not know of any defects,to repair this I have read over 300 complaints about this ,can you do anything to have a recall and have this taken care of,I was stranded on the n.j.turn pike with my 4 grand children for 6hrs to get help ?
Locked out of vehicle 5 times with key in ignition, 2 times with the motor running. Driver door appears to lock slightly when pulling door handle. I believe the "push-in lock above the door release does not open all the way or the driver's handle can easily push it partially closed accidentally.
Door Lock & Latch complaints in other Murano years
Frequently asked questions
How common are door lock & latch problems on the 2003 Nissan Murano?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the locks & latches of the 2003 Nissan Murano, 3% of the model year's 800 complaints. The component named most often is doors › latch (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Nissan Murano door lock & latch problems?
No. NHTSA lists no locks & latches recall for the 2003 Nissan Murano, though it has 6 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2003 Nissan Murano door lock & latch problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 76,000 miles, and 6% before 25,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.