2002 NISSAN ALTIMA Complaints

View complaints related to 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 1,020 complaints submitted for the 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. You can submit your own complaint to the NHTSA or call the Hotline, Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153.

  • 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA
    - CHICOPEE, MA

    MY CAR KEEPS CONSUMING OIL 2QTS EVERY COUPLE HUNDRED MILES. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS. I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT I NEED TO REPLACE MY ENGINE AND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE YEAR AND THE VEHICLE I HAVE. NOT ONLY THIS BUT ALSO MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED!!! PLEASE HELP!! *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA
    - MERIDEN, CT

    WHILE INSPECTING MY VEHICLE I NOTICED ON BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES THERE IS AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF ROT UNDER THE VEHICLE. WHILE INSPECTING FURTHER AND LIFTING THE CARPET FROM THE FRONT FLOOR BOARDS IT HAS ROTTED THROUGH TO THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. UPON SEARCHING THE INTERNET I'VE FOUND THIS TO BE A HUGE ISSUE OVER THE YEARS AND WOULD LIKE FEEDBACK. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA
    - LA VISTA, NE

    WHILE MY MECHANIC WAS REATTACHING THE BUMPER GUARD THAT HAD COME LOOSE, HE NOTICED THE RUST ON THE FLOOR PANS UNDER BOTH FRONT SEATS. MY MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO FLAKE OFF LARGE PIECES OF RUST. HE PULLED BACK THE CARPET AND IT WAS RUSTED ALL THE WAY THROUGH. HE SAID HE HADN'T SEEN THIS KIND OF RUST ON VEHICLES THAT ARE DOUBLE THE AGE OF MINE. THE REMAINDER OF THE UNDERCARRIAGE WAS RUST FREE. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE NISSAN DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT IT, AND THE MANAGER SAID IT WAS CAUSED BY THE SALT/CHEMICALS USED ON THE ROADS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY (APPARENTLY HE WAS NOT INCLUDING NEBRASKA). THE MANAGER STATED THAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN IN AN AREA OF THE COUNTRY THAT USES CORROSIVE MATERIALS ON THE ROADS. THE FUNNY THING IS THAT WHEN I PURCHASED THIS CAR, THE SAME MAN SAID HE KNEW THE PREVIOUS OWNERS AND THEY TOOK EXCELLENT CARE OF THE VEHICLE, ALWAYS SPOTLESS AND IN FOR EVERY MAINTENANCE CHECK!! WHICH TIME WAS HE LYING!!! COME TO FIND OUT, THE CAR WAS PURCHASED AT A NISSAN DEALER HERE IN OMAHA, AND STAYED IN OMAHA THE ENTIRE TIME. THE NISSAN DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT FIX IT, AND THEY GAVE ME A BUSINESS CARD FOR A BODY SHOP!!! IT WOULD COST ABOUT $300, HE TOLD ME, BUT I HAVE FOUND IT WOULD BE CLOSER TO $2000. AT THAT TIME, I HADN'T EVEN HAD THE CAR A YEAR. THE DEALERSHIP HAD TO KNOW ABOUT THE RUST WHEN THEY SOLD IT TO ME, WHICH MAKES ME VERY ANGRY!! THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE! I AM AFRAID THAT ONE DAY I WILL BE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, I'LL FALL THROUGH THE FLOOR, AND OF COURSE, I WILL BE KILLED, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT!! ALSO, EXHAUST FUMES COULD BE GETTING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL BEFORE MY CAR BECOMES A "FLINTSTONE" CAR AND/OR I AM KILLED. NISSAN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS SAFETY ISSUE, AND THEY SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!! *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA
    - GARDEN GROVE, CA

    MY CAR WON'T ACCELERATE BEYOND 20 MPH, THEN ENGINE WOULD STALL WHILE IN DRIVE GEAR. TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO TURNED OFF THE ENGINE SERVICE LIGHT WHICH ALLOWED ME TO ACCELERATE TO NORMAL SPEED. HOWEVER, THE ENGINE KEEPS STALLING WHILE I'M DRIVING. I NEARLY HAD SEVERAL ACCIDENTS WHILE DRIVING ON THE STREET AND EXITING THE FREEWAY. LUCKILY I CAN NOTICE THE ENGINE FAILING BEFORE IT COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN SO I HIT MY HAZARD LIGHTS EACH TIME TO AVOID ACCIDENT AND NOTIFY MOTORISTS BEHIND ME SOMETHING IS WRONG. SEVERAL TIMES CAR HAD TO SWERVED SUDDENLY AROUND ME TO AVOID REAR ENDING MY CAR. THEN YESTERDAY WHEN MY ENGINE STALLED WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT MY ENGINE STALLED AGAIN AND THE STEERING WHEELS LOCKED WHICH ALMOST CAUSED MY CAR TO ROLL STRAIGHT INTO A BRICK WALL. I HAD TO QUICKLY TURN OFF THE ENGINE PUT MY GEAR TO PARK THEN TURN BACK ON THE ENGINE TO GET POWER TO STEER AWAY FROM THE BRICK WALL JUST IN TIME. I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO MY MECHANIC TODAY WHO RAN DIAGNOSTIC AND SAID THE CAR'S CRANKSHAFT AND CRANKSHAFT NEED TO BE REPLACED. I SEARCHED ONLINE AND READ ABOUT THE RECALL FOR SIMILAR INCIDENTS WITH MY MAKE AND MODEL. HOWEVER, WHEN I CONTACT THE LOCAL NISSAN DEALER THEY SAY MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. SOMETHING IS WRONG HERE IF SO MANY 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM BUT ONLY A SELECTED VEHICLE ARE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND FINE NISSAN FOR THIS FAULTY PARTS ENDANGERING PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE DRIVERS. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA
    - JAMAICA, NY

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA
    - SELDEN, NY

    DURING A SAFETY INSPECTION I WAS RECENTLY SHOWN TWO LARGE HOLES IN THE FLOOR PAN OF THE CAR THAT HAVE OBVIOUSLY BEEN RUSTING FOR QUITE A LONG TIME. I WAS ADVISED THAT THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE OF THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE AND THEIR LOCATIONS UNDER THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS. FURTHER RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET HAS PROVEN THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR ALL THE ALTIMAS OF THIS ERA. THE INSPECTION SHOP ALSO TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE SEEN IT MANY TIMES BEFORE ON ALTIMAS. NISSAN IS NOT RECEPTIVE TO ANY COMPLAINS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FROM WHAT I HAVE READ AND IT'S CLEARLY A GENERIC PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. SINCE THIS PROBLEM OBVIOUSLY STARTED A LONG TIME AGO WITH NO ONE NOTICING IT I HAVE MADE AN ESTIMATE AS TO THE DATE AND MILEAGE WHEN IT MAY HAVE FIRST BEEN NOTICEABLE. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS 72000 MILES ON IT. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA
    - LEONIA, NJ

    MY 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S HAS AROUND 70K MILES ON IT AND SO FAR HAD BEEN RUNNING VERY WELL UNTIL VERY RECENTLY, WHEN THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON LAST WEEKEND. WITHIN A DAY OR TWO, THE CAR STARTED RUNNING A LITTLE ROUGH. A FEW DAYS AGO THE CAR SHOWED LOW OIL PRESSURE LIGHT ON THE DASH BOARD. WHEN I CHECKED FOR THE ENGINE OIL LEVEL, THERE WAS BARELY ANY OIL LEFT. I IMMEDIATELY PUT 5 QTS OF MOBILE FULL SYNTHETIC OIL AND TOOK IT TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP IN DENVILLE, NJ. THERE I GOT A SHOCKER THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR OF MY CAR GOT SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE AND FURTHERMORE SOME OF THAT MATERIAL WAS BRACING AGAINST THE CYLINDER WALLS. IT WAS THE REASON WHY MY CAR WAS RUNNING ROUGH SOMETIMES AND BURNING OIL. I WAS FURTHER TOLD THAT THE ONLY FIX TO THIS PROBLEM IS TO REPLACE BOTH THE ENGINE AS WELL AS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR. JOB COST WAS ESTIMATED TO BE AROUND $6000 TO $6500. THE DEALERSHIP FURTHERMORE WARNED ME ABOUT THE FIRE HAZARD OR ENGINE SEIZURE DUE TO OVERHEATING. WITH SOME INVESTIGATION I FOUND A NHSTA RECALL ON MY GENERATION OF ALTIMAS-NHTSA CAMPAIGN# 03V084000. IN ORDER TO SEEK FURTHER HELP IN THIS REGARDS, I OPENED UP A CASE WITH NISSAN MOTORS USA- CASE # 12257145. I GOT A CALLBACK FROM THE REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE ON THURSDAY- 10/10/2013 WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT MY VIN DID NOT QUALIFY FOR A RECALL WHICH HAD BEEN ISSUED BY NISSAN EARLIER. I ASKED HER ABOUT THE NHSTA CAMPAIGN FOR MY CAR, FOR WHICH SHE ASKED ME TO HOLD ON TO THE CAR FOR A FEW MORE DAYS, BEFORE THEY COULD RESOLVE THE ISSUE. ON, 10/14/2013 I GOT A CALL FROM THE SAME REPRESENTATIVE AND THIS TIME I WAS GIVEN A DIFFERENT ANSWER STATING THAT ALTHOUGH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR HAS A WARRANTY OF 80,000 MILES BUT IT IS FOR ONLY 8 YRS. I DO NOT QUALIFY FOR THE WARRANTY, BECAUSE ALTHOUGH I DROVE VERY LESS, BUT STILL MY CAR IS 10+YRS OLD. SHE FURTHER TOLD ME THAT NISSAN WILL NOT BARE ANY EXPENSE ON MY CAR. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA
    - BALTIMORE, MD

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INFORMED HIM THAT THE UNDER CARRIAGE WAS CORRODED NEAR THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE FLOOR BOARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,026.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA
    - YONKERS, NY

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE FLOORBOARDS WERE RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE WAS CONFIRMED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA
    - VISALIA , CA

    I WAS AT A LIGHT PROCEEDING TO GO AND A VEHICLE DID NOT YIELD TO TURN AND SHE SLAMMED RIGHT INTO THE FRONT OF MY VEHICLE AT 50 MPH, MY AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY AND MY HEAD HIT THE WINDSHIELD .IM GLAD I HAD MY SEATBELT .THE WINDSHIELD OF THE VEHICLE WAS BROKEN BY MY HEAD. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE