2002 NISSAN ALTIMA Complaints

ENGINE WAS CONSUMING OIL AT AN ACCELERATED RATE (1+ QT PER 2,000+ MILES). DEALERSHIP CONDUCTED AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST BEGINNING DECEMBER 2011. IT APPEARS THAT WHEN THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER GOES OUT, IT SUCKS IN PIECES OF THE CONVERTER SUBSTRATE DURING THE NEGATIVE CYCLE. THE SMALL PIECES OF THE CONVERTER THEN SCORE THE CYLINDER WALLS. AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS OF THE DEALERSHIP MONITORING THE OIL CONSUMPTION, I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A SECOND OPINION. THE CYLINDER COMPRESSION TEST INDICATED THE FIRST CYLINDER WAS AT ABOUT 82 PSI AND THE OTHER THREE CYLINDERS RANGED FROM 111 TO 118 PSI. BACK AT THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP, THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FIRST CYLINDER IS THE ONE THAT IS INITIALLY DAMAGED BY THE PRE-CATALYST OVERHEATING. NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS HAS TOLD ME THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN GETTING A NEW ENGINE BECAUSE I DID NOT GET A WARRANTY WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR USED, AND ALSO BECAUSE THE MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AT 90,000 MILES WAS NOT THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP (NISSAN CASE # 8897586). THE CAR IS SUFFERING THE EFFECTS IDENTIFIED ON NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 03V084000. THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THE ENGINE COULD CATCH ON FIRE AS IDENTIFIED IN THE CAMPAIGN. I HAVE METICULOUSLY RECORDED ALL OF THE REPAIRS AND OIL CHANGES TO THE CAR, ONLY TO HAVE NISSAN TELL ME THAT THEY WILL NOT PROVIDE ME WITH ANY ASSISTANCE WITH THIS ISSUE. IT APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE PRE-CATALYST OVERHEATING AND SUBSEQUENTLY CASING GRAVE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. THANK YOU. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE AND SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO OIL IN THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR THE SAME PROCEDURE JUST A FEW MONTHS PRIOR. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL WAS NEVER EXCHANGED AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THERE WERE ALSO NO RECALLS COVERING THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MIELAGES WERE 66,000.

MY CAR BURNS A QUART OF OIL A MONTH AT LEAST, WERE IS IT GOING ITS TO MUCH TO BE EVAP FROM LOOSE RINGS AND MY GASKETS ARE GOOD AND I CANT JUST KEEP CHANGING CATALYTIC CONVERTER 1 A MONTH ALSO MY CLUTCH DOESN'T SEEM TO HOLD PRESSURE IT STAYS PRETTY SLOPPY AND SOMETIMES STARTS GRABBING REAL LOW. *TR

HAVE SEEN A NUMBER OF THESE VEHICLES WITH FLOOR PANS, FLOOR BOARDS HAVE DETERIORATED TO THE POINT WHERE SEAT TRACK MOUNTING POINTS ARE LOOSE. YEARS TO INCLUDE 2001 TO 2004 THIS IS VERY CONCERNING CONSIDERING SOME OF THESE CARS HAVE LESS THEN 100000 MILES ON THEM. *JS

I HAD MY OIL CHANGED AND THE MECHANIC TOLD ME BOTH FRONT SIDE FLOOR PANELS ARE RUSTED THROUGH. AFTER DOING RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND THAT MANY OTHER CONSUMERS WHO DRIVE NISSAN ALTIMA'S HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. I SPOKE WITH NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND THEY ARE UNWILLING TO HELP COVER THE COST TO HAVE THE CAR FIXED. AFTER READING NUMEROUS BOARDS OF INFORMATION I WAS ADVISED TO CONTACT THE NHTSA. I FEEL THIS IS DEFINITELY A MANUFACTURER DEFECT ON THE CAR AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. THERE ARE TOO MANY CASES OF RUSTED OUT FLOOR BOARDS AND IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. I AM HOPING YOU CAN HELP ME WORK WITH NISSAN IN COVERING THE COSTS OF THE REPAIRS WHICH CAN BE EXPENSIVE. THANK YOU FOR YOU TIME. *TR

PASSENGER SIDE FLOORBOARD RUSTED OUT, PRODUCING A BASKETBALL SIZED HOLE. THE EDGES OF THE HOLE ARE APPEAR THIN AND CONTINUE TO RUST. DEALER SENT PICTURES FOLLOWING AN INSPECTION TO NISSAN, BUT NISSAN REFUSES TO ASSIST WITH EXPENSIVE REPAIRS. CLAIMS OUT OF WARRANTY (5 YR, 100KMILES). INCIDENTALLY, WE ALSO OWN A 2003 PATHFINDER WHICH HAD A RUST RECALL FOR FRONT WHEEL STRUTS WHICH TOOK A WEEK TO FIX, AND WE NOW HAVE BOTH BACK QUARTER PANELS RUSTING THROUGH, AND NISSAN ALSO REFUSES TO ASSIST WITH REPAIR. *TR

I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ON 3/23/12. I HAD AN OIL CHANGE ON 3/26/12. THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING A RATTLING SOUND ON 4/20/12 AND A MECHANIC RECOMMENDED AN OIL CHANGE BECAUSE THE OIL WAS BLACK AND LOW. HE DID THE OIL CHANGE. THE NOISE WENT AWAY AFTER THE OIL CHANGE. THEN ON 5/6/12 THE RATTLING NOISE CAME BACK. I CHECKED THE OIL AND IT WAS EXTREMELY LOW. I ADDED 3 QUARTS. THEN ON 5/16/12, I CHECKED OIL AGAIN AND HAD TO ADD 1 1/2 QUARTS OF OIL. THERE ARE NO LEAKS UNDER THE CAR OR INSIDE THE HOOD. THE CAR IS CONSUMING AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL. I ONLY DRIVE THE CAR ABOUT 100 MILES PER WEEK AND SOMETIMES LESS. . AND THE "CHECK OIL" LIGHT NEVER COMES ON TO INDICATE THAT IT IS LOW. I NOW HAVE TO CHECK THE OIL EVERY OTHER DAY BECAUSE I AM WORRIED THAT IT WILL USE IT ALL. I HAVE TO KEEP QUARTS OF OIL IN THE TRUNK, IN CASE IT RUNS LOW AGAIN. THIS IS NOT NORMAL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA.WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END CRASH. DURING THE CRASH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT ONLY THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE NO PASSENGERS. THE CONTACT SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED AND HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 97,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS CONSUMING OIL RAPIDLY AND EVERY TWO WEEKS, HE WOULD HAVE TO ADD OIL TO THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO REPLACE THE COMPONENT. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO CONTACTED WHO CONFIRMED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE DEALER DIDN'T KNOW THE EXACT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE DEALER RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND THE ENTIRE EXHAUST SYSTEM AT A COST OF $2000. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED IT WAS NOT A GUARANTEED FIX.

RUSTED OUT FLOOR PAN ON BOTTOM OF CAR UNDERNEATH DRIVERS FEET AREA AND FRONT PASSENGER FEET AREA. TWO SEPARATE LARGE HOLES IN FLOOR. . *TR