Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Nissan Murano owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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 attempts were needed to start the vehicle on other occasions. The contact stated that the failure also occurred while at a complete stop. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the accelerator pedal sensor had failed and needed to be replaced. An unknown dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the accelerator pedal had been discontinued. The contact stated that the independent mechanic replaced the accelerator pedal with a part purchased from a junkyard; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. …
My vehicle was in motion on the highway going about 50mph, when suddenly traffic came to a halt, when I pushed on the accelerator, there seem to be loss power and acceleration which is very dangerous, I had my 3 kids and grandchild in the vehicle with me. As I pushed the accelerator to the floor nothing happened the car wouldn't move, good thing a semi-truck wasn't behind me, we all would have been dead. This is scared me and my family. After waiting about 2 or more minutes the car junked and lunged at a high speed I could have ran into the back of another vehicle. This is beginning to happen more frequent now maybe 3-4 days or more out the week. Stalling and loss of power (no response) while in traffic; is in deed a big factor to have this matter looked into. I've seen numerous complaints regarding the same incident my family and I experienced. …
I purchased vehicle 2/9/2015 since than I have taken to get 2 total vehicle inspections. Both inspections I have been given two different estimated problems. When at a complete stop and trying to take off vehicle will not go, after about 15 to 20 seconds it will take off at a rapid speed which scares me to the point where I am glad it doesn't happen on expressway I know me and my 8 yr old would be injured. I have been told it could be the transmission and/or the trans case both I have looked up and omg more complaints than any vehicle I have ever owned. Second issue is, when turning a corner left or right it hesitates like it doesn't want to go, I have been told its the trans case. If Nissan knows there are issues with the CVT why haven't they done a recall, especially before someone dies with the delayed hesitation. …
My 2004 Murano had a lot of stalling and stopping, problems with accelerating the car. It stop on multiple occasions. Fluid leaking, from engine and fuel tank, and steering column. Power steering is rigid,and locks, and car stops when turning.the windows went up and down uncontrollable. Power control panel , did not function. Nissan insisted that vehicle is old. I think the car is possessed. All of theses things occurred while I was in motion driving the car on highway, the roads, stationery, and especially turning, and trying to accelerate the car, and it would then completely turn off, Nissan refuses to acknowledge any thing is wrong. They stated what do you expect after buying a car this old. I just want to make sure my car is safe by your standards not theirs. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Nissan Murano. The contact stated that while pulling off from a stop, the vehicle accelerated independently. The vehicle failed to decelerate and crashed into the driver side of another vehicle. A police report was filed. The contact sustained minor whiplash that did not require medical attention. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic where the front end of the vehicle was repaired. Also, the front and rear camshaft sensors and alternator were replaced. The failure persisted after the repairs were performed. The contact also mentioned that, on numerous occasions, the vehicle stalled and restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the failure was unable to be determined. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unavailable.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Nissan Murano. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate when the accelerator pedal was depressed. Without warning, the vehicle surged to 40 MPH and almost crashed into the preceding vehicle. The contact had to remove his foot from the accelerator pedal to slow down the vehicle. The failure only occurred when coming to a complete stop. The contact also stated that there was a strong burning odor emitted from the vents. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that a transmission death code came up, which indicated that the transmission failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,650.
Stalls: this vehicle was recalled for stalls and the problem never went away,(not sure if the repairs was really done). The stalls are becoming worse!!!! Problem: when the vehicle is driven for more than 15 minutes and it comes to a complete stop, (at traffic light, in city or anywhere) the vehicle sporadicly stall when the accelerator is pressed. If the road has a slight incline the stall is more eminent, so that the vehicle won't move even when the accelerator is pressed to the floor. The only two things that remedy the situation is: a) place the vehicle in reverse [very dangerous->city driving], b) turn the engine off then restart the vehicle [also very dangerous]. This problem has been ongoing since 2007 but it is getting worse.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Nissan Murano. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 15 MPH, the vehicle started to loose power and when the accelerator pedal was depressed, it did not respond. The steering ability became difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was powered off and restarted and the vehicle resumed to normal. In addition, all the warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was informed that the vehicle was repaired under a manufacturers recall related to the failure in 2005. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure occurred eighteen times. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Nissan Murano. While driving 5 MPH in the parking garage, the vehicle accelerated uncontrollably when the accelerator pedal was tapped. The contract attempted to apply the brakes, but it had little effect. The vehicle crashed into a wall. The driver and passenger side air bags deployed. The contact and his wife sustained fractured ribs and spine injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Nissan Murano. The contact stated that while driving at 20 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate and the check engine warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle would hesitate to stop with a noise and emitted a lot of white smoke through the exhaust pipe. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 09V169000 (engine and engine cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000. Updated 04/20/16 updated 05/31/18
Acceleration complaints in other Murano years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2004 Nissan Murano?
NHTSA has 35 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2004 Nissan Murano, 5% of the model year's 678 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Nissan Murano acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2004 Nissan Murano, though it has 4 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 2004 Nissan Murano acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 110,000 miles, and 9% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 4 injuries to speed control & acceleration problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.