Electrical System Problems of Nissan Armada - part 1

Bought vehicle used from dealer so it must have been damaged by previous owner. In less than 1 hour driving in freeway over 60mph in extreme outside heat of 107f, the transmission went out. It was returned to the dealer and dealer is fixing the problems.

See all problems of the 2023 Nissan Armada 🔎.

On July 29, 2025, while pulling into the driveway, my 2023 Nissan Armada experienced a complete electrical and brake failure. I put the vehicle in park, and the entire dash and infotainment screen went black while the engine was still running. The vehicle began rolling forward even though it was in park and bumped into the house. (minimal damage thankfully) when I tried to stop it, the brake pedal went completely to the floor with no braking power at all. The shifter was locked in park, and I could not put it into reverse or neutral. I had to press and hold the start/stop button to turn the vehicle off. After restarting, everything returned to normal and I was able to then shift into reverse, but this is a major safety issue there was a total loss of braking and transmission control. Currently Nissan is telling me that it could have been because the car needed a “software update” and also can be caused by a “bad battery” and they have had several customers with similar break issues and electronic failure due to the battery. This is completely unacceptable and dangerous. My babies were in the car we were terrified!! currently I just have a tow receipt as Nissan of boerne still has the vehicle.

My 2018 Nissan Armada (VIN: jn8ay2nc7j9555623) has been experiencing no-start issues consistently for the past three years. Two years ago, I purchased a new battery from a Nissan dealership after being told the existing one had failed. Despite that replacement, the problem persisted and continues to this day. The vehicle intermittently fails to start, often producing only a click sound even though the battery, alternator, and starter test as functional. I now have to jump my car at least five times a week just to drive it. Through research and online forums, I’ve found that many other owners of this model report identical issues, which appear linked to the brake lamp switch or body control module (bcm). While Nissan has issued technical service bulletins for these concerns, no formal recall has been offered. This ongoing electrical malfunction is a serious reliability and safety issue—especially if the vehicle fails to start during a critical situation—and I urge NHTSA to investigate.

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I purchased a 2021 Nissan armana back in September 2024. The vehicle has been giving issues leaving me stranded and with my vehicle battery drained. I’ve purchased two batteries for my vehicle within a 9 months period that I’ve had the vehicle.

See all problems of the 2021 Nissan Armada 🔎.

Here’s a full response you can paste into the NHTSA. Gov form text box that directly answers all of the questions shown in your screenshot: ? component/system: the battery and electrical charging system on my 2020 Nissan Armada have repeatedly failed. The vehicle experiences sudden and unexplained battery drain even after regular driving. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Safety risk: this issue has caused my vehicle to fail to start on at least five separate occasions over the past month. I have been stranded in public places, including with my children, and now must carry a battery jump starter at all times. This is a safety concern, especially if the failure happens at night, in a remote location, during extreme weather, or in an emergency. The vehicle cannot be trusted to start reliably, putting me and others at risk. Confirmed by dealer or service center: not yet. I have not reported this specific battery issue to the dealership yet, as I have been tracking the frequency and pattern of failures before pursuing service. However, based on research, this appears to be a recurring issue with 2020 Nissan Armadas and may relate to an electrical or alternator defect. Inspected by manufacturer, police, or insurance: no. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by Nissan corporate, law enforcement, or insurance. It has not been in a crash. Warning lamps or symptoms: there were no dashboard alerts, warning lights, or error messages before each battery failure. The issue started about a month ago and has occurred five times since, always resolved temporarily by using a jump box. The battery appears to drain randomly when the car is off, despite recent driving.

See all problems of the 2020 Nissan Armada 🔎.

No start, no codes. Have replaced brake switch several times and it fixes it for a bit and then happens again. I have read several forums and it seems to be a commen issue but no recalls for fault. 2018 Nissan Armada platinum. Shouldn't have to keep replacing switch.

The wireless charging pad gets so hot that it will issue a temperature warning on my phone and shut it off until it cools down. After researching, it's a common issue for the year and make of my vehicle. I feel like this is a fire hazard. I drive with my grandson who is still in a car seat, it's a concern that if the car caught on fire, could I get him out of the car seat fast enough. I know Nissan is aware of the issue but so far, they haven't issued a solution. I have used wireless charging pads in Ford and Toyota vehicles and have never had this problem.

The display control unit (dcu) has failed in my 18 Armada. My VIN is not part of the recall with the other 18 Armada models. The safety features of the collision warning system does not work because the dcu has failed. This is a pedestrian safety issue. The navigation system does not work because the dcu has failed. None of the control panel buttons on dash or the steering wheels work because the dcu has failed including the cruise control. The Nissan dealership has confirmed it is the dcu but it is not under the recall with my VIN, however it appears all 18 Armada's have been recalled due to the same issue. No warning lights appears, the display screen stopped working only displaying the Nissan symbol. I would like my VIN added to the recall list for the dcu so the vehicle can become safe to myself and others. Replacement is nearly $%,000. 00 dollars 1 affected product vehicle make Nissanmodel amarda.

The start hesitation started about 2 years ago, but my Armada never did not start. Then about a year so ago the Armada would not start, and it would not start in dover, DE, and I had to call geico to get a jump. I had a brand-new battery installed thinking that was the issue months prior, but my Armada would not start again. I took it to the dealership, and they charged me diagnostic but could not find any issues. After numerous times of my Armada not starting, I bought portable jumper whenever this happens. Just last week I was in milford and went to start my Armada and it would not start. It clicked and then no power anywhere. . . The same as other times. I called geico roadside and while waiting about 10 minutes, my Armada started, and I drove it straight home. I tried to start it the next day, and it started with a slight hesitation, but it started. So now when I go places, I will not turn my Armada off for fear it will not start again.

The display is not working properly, the low window washer fluid comes on and then goes off. The light in the back of the display wants to come on but doesn't. The sensors are lighting up when there is a vehicle next to you but no warning signal. Also there is no radio and the buttons on top do not work. I researched this and there was a recall for a dcu in 2018-2019 and that seems like the problem again. I have had nothing but issues with this car since I bought it. Nissan says its the battery which is highly doubtful because they just changed that and the brake switches a million times. Bcm came up a bunch of times also in the past but Nissan cant recreate the problem which I am starting be frustrated with and dont even want this car anymore although it was my dream car.

The battery in our car has repeatedly drained for no reason. There seems to be an issue with the battery not charging the alternator correctly. At times this causes electrical components to go out.

See all problems of the 2022 Nissan Armada 🔎.

See attached document for complaint.

See all problems of the 2019 Nissan Armada 🔎.

Bci malfunction message, sudden braking, mulitple dashboard warnings lights.

The middle section of lights in the instrument panel has been blinking on/off intermittently for about two weeks. This makes it difficult to see your speed while driving at night and it's distracting, which causes me to take my eyes off the road for longer than I consider safe. Also, intermittently the truck hesitates to start, today it had to be towed to the dealer. After the diagnosis, I was told the instrument cluster assembly should be replaced to resolve the light panel issue and the starter needs to be replaced. I find it surprising that the instrument panel would go out so soon. I wonder if this is connected to the previous intermittent bci (backup collision intervention) malfunction lights on the dash issue I had a few years ago. Additionally, I've had to replace the battery in the truck three times in the last four years since I purchased it (pre-owned). Which is not normal at all. We could not figure out what was causing the batteries to keep draining. The last battery I got was replaced by Nissan (free of charge) and I haven't had any issues with it dying since then. With so many complaints about this instrument cluster assembly I've been reading that have been reported over the last few years how many does it take to be considered a recall?.

See all problems of the 2017 Nissan Armada 🔎.

Vehicle had the battery replaced 11months ago, after it was replaced by the dealer prior to purchasing. Starting having starting issues again, which is what led to the initial battery replacement. Had a diagnostic done to figure out where the patristic draw was coming from to learn that Nissan issued a memo/bulletin in 2019 for this exact issue (body control module) causing an intermittent parasitic draw and killing the battery. An update is known and needed to resolve. Why has this not been a recall? why do I have to pay to have this completed when Nissan knows it is an issue!?.

I’m reaching out with an urgent issue regarding my 2021 Nissan Armada platinum, which is part of our ongoing lemon law case, case # 2023-1489 division b (avoyelles parish, la. ) I began experiencing electrical issues with the vehicle early on, around 10,000 miles. The initial problems included all the screens going black and remaining unresponsive for extended periods. Additionally, the sensors would malfunction when backing up or pulling forward, causing the vehicle to brake hard and stop unexpectedly. The situation has now become significantly more dangerous. The sensors are sporadically activating while I’m driving at highway speeds, causing the car to brake extremely hard without warning. This puts me, my passengers, and others on the road at serious risk of an accident. I contacted the dealership, but they refuse to service the vehicle due to the open lemon law case. I’ve also documented the issue with notes and photos to support this claim. Given the severity of this safety concern, I urgently request your guidance seeking immediate relief from the court or expediting the trial process. Pressuring the manufacturer to address this safety hazard or provide a loaner vehicle. Exploring any additional legal remedies to resolve the immediate safety risk. Please let me know the next steps as soon as possible. This is a time-sensitive, life-threatening issue, and I’m very concerned about driving the vehicle any further. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

2022 Nissan Armada awd battery is being drained for no apparent reason and system check does not reveal anything. Replaced original battery of just over two years and the new battery was drained within six months. Have seen where there are class action lawsuits for years 2019-2021, but nothing on the 2022 vehicle.

The vehicle won't start all the dashboard lights come on but the truck will not start I got a warning alarm message that the cbi has a malfunction .

On occasional engine startup infortainment screen is blank and you have no backup camera, bluetooth, navigation or other safety apps.

See all problems of the 2024 Nissan Armada 🔎.

Infotainment system went black with no warning. Effects adjustment to temperature contols, information for maintenance. Radio accessibility, sound, bluetooth, navigation, etc. I have only owned the vehilcle for 1 year, and drove 7500 miles. There was no warning, glitching or flashing. I have been to the dealership and they told me there were no errors to report but only suggested to replace entire infotainment center at $5k.

The front infotainment system goes out every 2 1/2 to 3 minutes this also includes the hands free phone features and backup camera. Additionally, with the hands free phone the person on the other end of the line is unable to hear the driver of the car causing the driver to not be able to make hands free calls which is a law in colorado. I took the car into the dealership as per recommendation of Nissan customer care. The dealership found that the telematics communication module is failing and a new one is required, the rep stated this has been happening a lot with the same make, model and year vehicle as mine. Additionally, the silver colored trim around the center console puts off a very bright glare that catches the drivers eye and is blinding for a couple of seconds, the only way to resolve this is to cover up the whole center console so as to be able to see when driving.

The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Armada. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal burning odor coming from vehicle. The contact stated that one day upon exiting the vehicle with the engine running, there was heavy black smoke coming from the front passenger’s seat. The contact alerted the business at her location about the failure and obtained buckets of water to assist the contact. The contact used a knife to cut out parts of the seat and poured water directly on the smoke. Once the fire department arrived at the scene, the smoke was extinguished, and the vehicle was inspected to ensure that there was no presence of a fire. No injuries were reported. The contact was not informed if a fire report was filed. The contact stated that the driver’s side seat warmer was activated at the time of the failure; however, the passenger’s side seat was not occupied, and the seat warmer should not have been activated. Despite the failure, the contact resumed normal operation of the vehicle. The contact called the dealer and was referred to the NHTSA hotline. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired; however, the front passenger’s seat was removed from the vehicle. The failure mileage was 200,000.

See all problems of the 2011 Nissan Armada 🔎.

The instrument cluster starts giving wrong signals which causes the car to either shutdown or not start randomly. For now a tap on the dashboard would help it start sometimes. It is a great safety hazard as if it shuts down on a dangerous road or if it wont start in dangerous areas, which happened with me multiple times while my kids were on the car, it could cause disasters. My car stayed at the dealer for 3 weeks, they were able to reproduce the problem, but they could not resolve the issue. They contacted the engineers in Nissan and no luck. The best they were able to do was guess it was the ecm. That is after they claimed it was the fuel pump and talked me into changing it, although I had a new aftermarket pump installed a month prior, and charged me over $1200 but after a search online I came across a video of an identical issue with a person who posted a video a year ago. In his case, the engineers suggested changing the instrument cluster. The care worked since then. At the time I was watching the video I was setting in my car that wont start. I tapped on the dashboard. It worked! there will be no warning signs for the issue. No pattern either. It happens randomly. It does not shut the car down as often. But the almost daily one is not letting the car start.

See all problems of the 2013 Nissan Armada 🔎.

Car intermittent problems with not starting. Believe it has to do with Smart alternator not charging cause of short distance driving and not getting full charge so it runs down the battery.

Every year for the past 3 years the battery will not start stranding me multiple times. The dealer has stated tomhat multiple Armadas have the same issue it is unknown what causes this random drain of the battery but each time the battery has to be replaced.

On [xxx] my vehicle engine would not turn over. It then lost complete power moments later. The battery was recharged and reinstalled. I attempted to start the vehicle again and it drained the battery. I installed a new battery on [xxx] and the vehicle worked properly. On [xxx] I attempted to start the vehicle and the it drained the battery. This time, I called Nissan customer service and was instructed nothing old be done until a Nissan dealership ran diagnostics on the vehicle. Obviously, I had to call for a tow because the battery was dead. The tow truck driver was able to jump the battery and I drove to ron marhofer Nissan in cuyahoga falls, ohio to have the diagnostics performed. After explaining the problems to the service technician, I was told that some Nissans (regardless of model or year), have been experiencing this problem, and the only fix was a battery saver update to the body control module. To date, I have not had any issues since the battery saver update was performed. The issues are, 1. This is a known problem affecting multiple Nissan models, 2. A Nissan dealership is the only place this problem can be diagnosed or fixed, 3. The only way an owner becomes aware of this problem is after multiple battery issues, and ultimately, a trip to the Nissan dealership, 4. Nissan is forcing owners to pay for this update that is necessary for their vehicle to run properly, 5. Nissan controls all aspects of the repair and has a monopoly over it information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Here’s an updated response for the NHTSA, incorporating the new information: --- **what component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request?** the component that malfunctioned is the battery and electrical system in my 2018 Nissan Armada (VIN: [xxx] ). The vehicle experienced repeated battery drainage, requiring a replacement battery after only one year. I had to pay $300 to get the battery replaced, as I could only start the car with a jump. The replaced battery is currently at the dealership and available for inspection upon request. * was your safety or the safety of others put at risk?** the repeated battery drainage compromised my safety by potentially stranding me in unsafe conditions. I was unable to start the vehicle without a jump, which could have left me and my passengers stranded on the road or in other hazardous situations. * the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center?** yes, the problem was confirmed by the dealership, who replaced the battery but suggested that a software issue within the vehicle is causing the repeated drainage. They did not provide a permanent solution to prevent future occurrences. * the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others?** the vehicle has been inspected by the dealership, but not by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. **were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear?** no warning lamps or messages appeared prior to the battery failure. The issue occurred without any prior warnings, making it difficult to anticipate. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Was driving on a smooth road when suddenly airbag light on dash came on flashing. All the steering wheel buttons are working. Brought car to mechanic's shop to scan obd2, no dtc codes. Mechanic says they don't know what it is without a code. Nissan has been shady lately with technical service bulletins TSB instead of recalls. TSB according to Nissan hq is a repair at the discretion of the dealer meaning that they do not have to repair it even while it was under warranty. I had some piston slapping noise and burning smell coming from engine bay while under warranty the dealer mechanic said," the noise is normal that of a SUV and the burnt smell was the peanut packing oil burning off the outside of the engine". There was a TSB put out a few months later saying that Nissan acknowledged a defective short block in the engine causing abnormal wear on the piston. I brought it into the dealer and they refused to replace the short block and damaged cylinder. Nhtsa needs to up their game and force these auto companies to be accountable. Years back my first edition Honda accord v6 had failed brakes that made me have an accident totaling the car. Veered off side of highway to minimize harm to others. Three years after the accident a recall on that models brakes came up. I was never given money for the totalled car by Honda. They need to be held accountable. Please take action and force the recalls instead of waiting for more people to be injured. Just look at the complaints on this make and model, why hasn't an investigation even begun? airbag should be a top priority in recalls. Especially a blinking light with no explanation is a ticking time bomb that can set off an airbag at any given notice worst yet not deploy when there is an actual accident.

My vehicle was having intermitten bci (backup collision intervention) malfunction lights on the dash. On one occurrence it caused my vehicle to slam on the brakes suddenly at 20mph, it is definitely a safety issue. I replaced both brake switches which solved it temporarily but now it is on constantly. It has been scanned with various Nissan scan tools and no errors are found. I have read endless forum posts of Armada owners having this problem and the dealerships are giving them the run around with no clear solution.

This vehicles fuel control module has caused my children and me safety to put at risk by vehicle breaking down in the middle of traffic and not capable of starting vehicle back up. Thie has been confirmed from trusted mechanic.

See all problems of the 2010 Nissan Armada 🔎.

I bought the car on 06/27/2024, it had 3974 miles used by the dealer, and on July 30, 024 I returned it to the dealer, it has a problem with the steering, while driving it constantly goes to the left if I increase the speed on I-20, when you shift the lever from park to drive it feels like the transmission jumps, it bumps under the car and the power on the clock screen turns off while I was driving at night. I mean, I don't feel safe driving it anymore, I asked the dealer for a change but he didn't grant my request. I need help because I left the car at the dealer and today, August 16, I still don't have a car, no one has helped me.

We just keep having endless safety issues. We would be on freeway and all of a sudden it would stop while driving on freeway!and car going really fast,and almost hitting us my whole family terrified. . Once in a heavey under pass where supper busy of big rigs almost hitting us one of the most terrifying things you can feel of almost being hit,and this vehicle is super heavey,and cannot push by my self with back injury and my wife with really bad heart condion , at times it would only go 25 to 35 miles per hour. . My widows keep falling my lightingi I have done everything possible and replaced almost everything, then another problem we depend on what we have and need for our doctors appointment and sometimes don’t start and when it is turn off it dose this noise. . Etc can you help me, I don’t have money to keep spending on this car moo put something is very wrong.

See all problems of the 2004 Nissan Armada 🔎.

In June 2022, my wife and children were stranded at a state forest, with no one around to assist, due to the vehicle not starting. My wife explained the vehicle symptoms and I expected it to be a battery or key fob issue, so I left work, grabbed the spare fob and jumper cables and headed to their location. First I tried to start it with the spare fob but that did not work, so I jumped battery and the vehicle started right up. We took the vehicle to a Nissan dealership to have it looked at, thinking it was an issue with the charging system. After the dealership looked at it, they came to the conclusion that the battery was bad and also the vehicle was pulling too much power from the battery. The battery was replaced under warranty on June 10, 2022. Almost exactly 2 years later, June 13, 2024, the same incident occurred. My wife and children were stranded yet again, at a gas station. This time someone was able to assist, they jumped the battery, it started right up. I immediately contacted the same dealership, and took it there the following morning. This time the battery tested good, but said the vehicle is pulling to much power from the battery causing it to drain. They recommended having the battery saver settings changed in bcm and modify the Smart charge system. They also stated that this is becoming a known issue with this vehicle model and has been having several others in with this same issue.

When pressing button to start, car gets stuck mid turn on and shakes. Doesn’t fully turn on and continues shaking. Button stops working. After multiple presses eventually turns car back off. Sometimes happens twice in a row or will start after the shaking on off.

I have had to replace the brake switch twice in this vehicle and it is under 35k miles. Other Nissan models have had this recalled. Once it begins to fail, the car will not start because it doesn't detect the brake is depressed. It also sets off the bci malfunction warning randomly and while driving, which impacts cruise control and brake safety. I can send invoices of repairs from dealership if helpful.