Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
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).
Nissan Murano has dangerous design defects compounded by unresolved electronics problems. Design flaws: 1) ineffective defroster system , 2) long-armed wipers clog easily, 3) all doors must be unlocked to get gas (inviting carjackers). The defroster-wiper problem was made worse by electronics. While I was clearing windows the car locked in 13 degree weather. The car: 1) locks doors at random intervals , 2) puts the windows down without warning (the service manager says, "don't not leave valuables in this car!"), 3) the remote entry system often does not beep requiring that I check all doors (especially given the other problems with locks), 4) now the car sometimes tells me that the driver's door is open (when it is not). The car is virtually new (less than 6,000 miles). Nissan knows they have this problem. There is an internal service memo it. …
Safety issue with 2003 Nissan Murano sun visor: my wife's 2003 Murano has an issue with the sun visor that creates a serious safety issue while driving; the visor pops down randomly, both with bumps in the road, and on its own. It goes without saying; this is a very serious issue that Nissan should address immediately. In the interim, what I have done to mitigate the risk is removed the visor until 1. I can source a replacement someplace other than the dealer, or 2. Figure out if there are dealer replacement options - at dealers cost. I talked to Nissan and confirmed there are no known recall campaigns for this item. In reading Nissan forum input, there are issues with more than just my year, there are also issues with 2004, and 2005's as well. …
At the beginning of March 2008 my sun visor on the driver side suddenly dropped down & obstructed my view & startled me. Luckily I was able to quickly move it to the side s I couldn't see clearly in front of me as the visor dropped down & blocked most of my view. I restowed the visor & it was okay for a few days but then the same thing happened again with the visor dropping down . It appears the latch that holds it in place is OK, however the bar that holds the visor& allows it to rotate up & down seems to be loose & cannot be adjusted to be tighter. I contacted king windward Nissan on 3/27/08 & spoke with a cheryl who checked my warranty & said it was not covered. I explained to her that it is a safety issue but she said unfortunately it wasn't covered so I would have to pay for the replacement which was about 300.00 for just the visor. …
This will be the third time the driver's side visor in my 2003 Nissan Murano will require replacement due to a mechanical failure. This is a safety issue. The driver's side visor will suddenly drop and block visibility whenever the car drives over bumpy spots on the road. Although numerous others have reported this particular problem (see: www.nissanforums.com; townhall-talk.edmunds.com;www.nissanmurano.org ) Nissan refuses to take responsibility to correct this problem, and to issue a safety recall, and is requiring the consumer to bear the cost for this recurring failure. A Nissan technician, himself, has posted this on the topic: "Nissan tech here! Your gold preferred warranty doesn't cover the sun visor. This issue your having is common on these muranos and I've replaced quite a few visors!"
I own a 2003 Nissan Murano and the sun visors have been replaced twice and they go bad after about a year. The design of these sun visors is really bad and it is a safety issue because it blocks your vision and it May cause accidents. I'm sure Nissan is aware of this problem but is choosing not to do anything about it. They are probably waiting for an accident that will result in a fatality before they do a recall on all Nissan Murano's. Last year, I almost had an accident when I was driving and hit a bump and the sun visor came down. My reaction was to try to see under the sun visor but some how I almost lost control of the car and fortunately I did not hit the car in front of me (almost did). Please do something to help us. Hundreds of Murano owners have this problem. It is all over the internet.
Tl contact owns a 2003 Nissan Murano. Approximately one month ago, the contact noticed that the power window motor made an unfamiliar noise. The failure affected how the window raised up and down. She notified Nissan who stated that the motor has failed and would cost $600.00 to replace. There were no recalls on NHTSA's website pertaining to her vehicle. She feels that she should not have to come out of pocket for a vehicle that is only four years old. The contact stated that she cannot drive her vehicle. Nissan stated that there is no warranty. The VIN, engine size, and # of cylinders were unknown. The current and failure mileages were 75,000. . Returned usps, 2nd attempt made 05/25/07 failed.
I have had my 2003 Nissan Murano for over 4 years ever since I owned it I have had a problem with the drivers side visor. The visor cannot stay up and it always falls to the point to where it is in my line of sight. I have used velcro in the past but I have become more and more frustrated because now the velcro is failing. I was picking up my daughter from school the other day and the visor fell in front of me in the middle of heavy traffic and I had to slam on my brakes. My 6 year old daughter was crying and very frightened as was I. I am hoping that something can be done as this visor issue is a significant safety issue where lives are in danger.
I have had my 2003 Nissan Murano since I bought it new in 2003, just after my warranty ran out the passenger sun visor started to fall and will not stay up. Because I am a tall man it actually blocks more than 50% of my view and I am afraid that one day it will cause an accident because of the loss of field of view. I have been searching the internet and it seems this is a very big issue with the Nissan muranos and quest. I feel that this is a very big safety concern as in most states the field of vision is a part of the safety inspection this seriously decreases it and impairs the ability to foresee dangers.
Passenger side mirror destroyed by other motorist, when bringing it to the dealer in long beach they wanted to give me the car back with all the doors not working. After he already charged over $400 for the rear view mirror we were unable to lock the car, open the door except manually, after a 3 days with a rental car the Nissan dealer charged another $550 for a broken actuator that was not broken before we brought it to the dealer. Coincidence, I think not, the web is full of folks that have the same complaint. It's a rip-off and they need to be stopped.
2003 Nissan Murano drivers side visor failure. The drivers side visor will drop suddenly whenever the cars runs through rough terrain or a speed bump. This is a safety issue because it blocks the drivers vision. This only happens on the drivers side visor. There is a long list of failures with this problem but Nissan does not want to do a recall for this problem. Look at this website link http://www.nissanforums.com/truck-SUV/113557-Murano-sun-visor-failure.html
Window & Wiper complaints in other Murano years
Frequently asked questions
How common are window & wiper problems on the 2003 Nissan Murano?
NHTSA has 44 complaints about the windows, wipers & sunroof of the 2003 Nissan Murano, 6% of the model year's 800 complaints. The component named most often is windshield wiper/washer (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Nissan Murano window & wiper problems?
No. NHTSA lists no windows, wipers & sunroof 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 window & wiper problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 76,000 miles, and 11% 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.