1st Dec 2008, 13:08

Hi.

One from Iceland. Same stuff as everybody here. I bought it used in 2005 when it was almost two years old. What has gone wrong:

1) Did not start when it was hot or in the sun. Turned out the ignition was faulty and there was a recall on this model, AFTER almost 4 year.

2) Hatch has open by itself more than once.

3) Once the remote key stuff did not work at all and I could not get into it.

4) Now it's in the garage getting the infamous 1000 pound time chain redo.

Lets face it. It's cute but it's crap and should be avoided.

4th Dec 2008, 14:09

Nissan Micra 2003, hatch door lock keeps jamming in wet weather then works when weather is dry. Cannot see any reason why the wet should affect it.

8th Jan 2009, 07:03

I bought a Nissan Micra 03 thinking it would be nice and reliable, but it has suffered from a variety of the faults listed earlier - the most serious of which was the timing chain stretching. It cost just over £1000 to get fixed. Nice!

I've also got the radio thing. I've got the security code, but the 'wait 1 H' message has come up and needless to say I've waited for many many hours and the message has stayed. Think I will replace rather than fix that.

The battery light has started to flicker whenever the car is running, but not in motion too. Finally, the gear box feels a bit over stiff so I am crossing my fingers that won't be next.

14th Jan 2009, 14:11

My Nissan Micra 2003 got put on the diagnostic machine due to the engine management light coming on, and a few weeks after my car was having problems when I went to start I had to rev it myself to get it going. I took it into the garage who said it was the 'cam shaft sensor'. This cost me 140.00, and for the next weeks it was doing the same. I took it in today as they have not sorted the problem, and they said it's the timing chain, which will be 600 pounds. For a new car only doing 29,000 miles, this is ridiculous. I will never buy a Nissan again.

30th Jan 2009, 09:16

Bought my Micra new in March 04. Hit 50k miles last week, and the engine management light came on.

£60 for the diagnosis, and indeed it's the timing belt, £800.

Phoned a few garages to get alternate quotes, and the most common quote I got was that the timing belt shouldn't be giving me a problem already...

4th Feb 2009, 15:20

I looking at a 03 one now, and the fusible link on the battery has blown, so if there's no ignition lights, that's more than likely what has blown. The engine management light is on still, so more problems to be solved. Putting the computer on it tomorrow, so will update you. Good luck, will be advising the customer to buy a new car.

6th Apr 2009, 09:17

I have a 2003 Micra. Air bag light flashes, £35 to reset and then a week later flashing again. Cuts out until engine warm, 3 trips to garage and no solution. Now I have lost radio code and Nissan want to charge £25 to give it to me. Found free sites, but can't remove radio to get serial number.

27th Jun 2009, 06:40

HI.

I have a 03 plater Nissan Micra 1.0e, Just like the rest have had so many problems, the passenger seat problem, and with the boot lid not opening. the newest problem I have is that the car does not start! put the key in turn to ignition, all lights come up turn to start and nothing! I changed the starter as my local garage advised, but still nothing! Luckily they gave me my money back for the starter, but I am really confused now. Why would any car company even think of releasing a car with so many common problems? I just don't understand.

13th Jul 2009, 10:30

Hi!

I have just put a deposit down for a 2003 Nissan Micra 3dr 1.0 E, and now that I have seen these comments I am wondering should I buy it now!!

Should I buy the car!! Will all these problems probably happen mine too?

29th Jul 2009, 13:21

Hi we also have a 1.0e, at 35000 we had to have the timing chain done, now the air bag light is always on and the malfunction light has come back on, when tested it gives an error of :P0037 H025 heater control circuit bank 1 sensor 2.

Anyone know what this.

I would not advise anyone to buy one of these unless the timing belt has been changed.

5th Aug 2009, 16:46

Have just bought 2003 Micra from an auction. Thought it was a very cute car, 26k, test drove and was fine.

As soon as I drove the car away, the malfunction light came on!! No come back as bought as seen, doesn't sound like a timing chain, I've read other blogs and seen that may be an O2 sensor. Apparently there was a faulty batch of Micras that went out!! Having had the car less than an hour, I really don't want to be laying out £1000 for it!

8th Sep 2009, 09:51

This may not help all you people suffering from Micra problems, but it may help some.

My mother-in-law and I bought my wife a '53 plate 1.2 Nissan Micra for her birthday in May last year at a ridiculously cheap price for a car that had only done 35,000 miles.

It ran alright up until last Sept when it started to 'blow' coils. In fact it went through about eight and a Lambda sensor before the garage finally managed to diagnose faulty earthing. Once eventually fixed it ran alright up to its MOT in May this year where it failed its emissions tests. Numerous remedies were attempted, which included new Lambda sensors a full EMU check and finally the dreaded timing chain replacement. It still failed its emissions tests! It has now been diagnosed by the local Nissan main dealer as having a duff alternator which has apparently been pushing out faulty voltages... for how long no one knows!

The upshot is that it needs a new one, which with the investigation charge will cost £472!! Even then there is no guarantee that the catalytic converter has not been 'cooked' and will need replacing as well!!! As the MOT has now run out we cannot tax the car until it is fixed and passes the MOT, and consequently we cannot sell it until we fix it. I also forgot to mention the seat belt light and engine management light were on as well.

We estimate that it has cost us at least £2000 in repairs, and that does not include the latest round of mishaps. My wife's old 'H' reg Micra lasted 13 years, and was actually it was still running OK when we scrapped it, and sailed through the MOT every time. Progress!!

The upshot is that the Nissan dealership reckons the faulty alternator has been the problem all along, creating all the different electrical faults. Apparently they have had only one other incidence of this before. I hope this may help others who are having similar problems.

The advice from the Nissan mechanic is do not buy a 2003 or early 2004 Micra, they were beset with problems. By late 2004 they had finally got their act together.