What 148 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Nissan Murano Hybrid

2011 Nissan Murano, transmission issues. This is the second time I have had to report this problem, please also refer to my first complaint #11474221 on this vehicle for the same problem. When at a stop, and pushing the gas pedal to move forward, there is a hesitation or two before the vehicle moves forward. This is a big problem when trying to enter a highway, after a stop sign. With giving enough distance to merge, having the hesitation issue has almost caused an accident. This hesitation occurs in town driving and hi-way. The dealership Crown Nissan (Greensboro, NC) diagnosis indicated that the transmission was failing and needed to be replaced. Our local Nissan shop ordered a new transmission directly from Nissan, and installed into our car, by mechanics that were trained by Nissan. Received Murano back with replaced new transmission, and within two days it was hesitating again. The vehicle was taken to the dealership and it was confirmed that the ‘new’ transmission that was installed, was defective and when driving, also had the hesitation issue. A 2nd new transmission was ordered from Nissan, installed by Nissan trained mechanics, and delivered two weeks later. We received our Murano back on Oct.12, 2022 and when driving it there was a slight hesitation, but then started to buck very hard… I’m surprised that I don’t have whiplash. The 2nd new transmission installed is a ‘lemon’ as it is worse than the original AND the 1st new replacement, by bucking as well as the hesitation. Our Nissan Murano appears to be unfixable, as the company keeps sending transmissions that have serious flaws and will eventually hurt or kill someone. Where do we go from here, especially since we have paid off the loan a year ago.

NHTSA ODI 11489155

Our 2011 Nissan Murano is garaged & serviced (not at dealer as their rates for labor & parts is crazy high) & has been a great SUV, until it had problems monthswith the acceleration in certain situations. This would happen when stopping at a red light or stop sign in town. We’d push on the acceleration~gas & the Murano wouldn’t respond…would do a slow count of 4 to 5, & the Murano would then accelerate slowly until reaching the posted speed limit. This act is dangerous as if merging or passing with a loss of acceleration in a crowded road would be a perfect storm of multiple accidents & injuries. On the highway, we would be driving & pressing the gas pedal like normal when all of a sudden the car wouldn’t respond & seemed like it was coasting or put in neutral, it would come back after a slow count of 4 to 5 seconds, & would slowly get to the speed limit. This has happened several times on the highway with speed limit listed @70mph. Imaging that you are driving along with traffic at 70mph when all of sudden the SUV stopped accelerating, & there is a big truck right behind you, & it’s continuing at the speed limit. Because of the acceleration issue, we were almost rear ended by a semi & could have killed us both. On the highway this has only happened a few times, compared to starting from a stop sign or red light which happens frequently each week. There is no warning or lights that this is going to happen, which makes it worse. The mechanic and shop that I have been using for over 35 years, has had several Murano’s with the same problem, & suggested the transmission might be failing, they also said to research this issue & ask Nissan. With living in a small town, the % of Murano’s having the same problem should trigger a paid recall, no matter the mileage or age if serviced regularly. This has been happening for months, & also with other years of the Murano design. Please read all of the owner’s comments about this issue, of not accelerating when needed.

NHTSA ODI 11474221

For over a year, I have experienced hesitations of movement when needed to have acceleration from a complete or rolling stop. When driving, I’ve pushed on the gas pedal to accelerate & there was a long two second hesitation (lack of propulsion) before the Murano resumed forward movement. There was also a loss of acceleration (speed/movement) while merging into very heavy traffic on a busy main road, & that could have caused an accident. Every time there was a hesitation of movement when pushing on the gas pedal, it could have been a disaster. I have been having this ‘hesitations of movement’ for over a year. I have insisted that mechanics need to drive it, so they too can experience this problem. They have driven the Murano many times, but haven’t been able to experienced it. After bringing the Murano into my service station for months about this problem, today after an oil change at Oakview Auto Service, the head mechanic took my Nissan Murano for a test drive & the ‘hesitation’ happened to him. So if needed Chris at Oakview Auto can confirm that this problem has been happening, that we have asked about diagnosing this problem, & he experienced as well. This Service Station has been in business for over 40 years, and they have had many other customers bring their Nissan Murano to them, with the complaint of ‘hesitation of movement. While there has been problems documented (& recalled) with Nissan’s transmissions in the past, they have yet to include the 2011 Murano. Nissan needs to address this hesitation issue now.

NHTSA ODI 11454154

AROUND 100,000 MILES WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHEN TRAVELING AN INCLINE OR AFTER STOPPING AND RESTARTING AT A RED LIGHT OR STOP SIGN, EVEN WHILE GAS PEDAL WAS TO THE FLOOR. WHEN THE CAR FINALLY DECIDED TO MOVE IT WOULD SURGE. ALSO WHILE IDLING STATIONARY AND SHUTTING THE CAR OFF, IT FAILED TO RESTART. HEAD LIGHTS STARTED BLINKING, A CLICKING NOISE COULD BE HEARD COMING FROM ENGINE. THE CAR WOULD HAVE TO BE JUMPED OFF. BATTERY CHECKED AND IS NOT THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11311021

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHEN I HIT THE GAS THE CAR DIDN'T WANT TO GO INTO GEAR BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THE ME MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THIS CAR HAS A RECALL FOR THE TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE PROBLEMS JUST WANT TO KNOW IF THIS IS CORRECT BECAUSE NO ONE WILL FIX IT FOR ME

NHTSA ODI 11299770

WHEN I START TO ACCELERATE AFTER A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN, MY CAR WILL HESITATE TO ACCEPT THE GAS AND SEEMS AS IF IT'S GOING TO QUIT, HOWEVER, INADVERTENTLY IT FINALLY CATCHES UP AND WILL START TO ACCELERATE. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN JUNE OF 2016. IT SEEMS AS IF IT IS MORE OFTEN LATELY. THIS HAPPENS OFTEN AND IS DANGEROUS GOING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. ALSO, THIS MAKES ME UNEASY BECAUSE ANYONE BEHIND ME COULD POSSIBLY RUN INTO THE BACK OF MY CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11124337