2002 NISSAN ALTIMA Complaints

THE HEATER/ AC HAD MANY PROBLEMS, ALMOST YEARLY-NEEDED TO BE BLOWN OUT & ANTI FREEZE ADDED. HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED AT 60,000 & CYLINDER HAD TO BE REPLACED, TIMING CHAIN TENSION REPAIR. NOW ENGINE & TIMING BELT NEED TO BE REPLACED @$4800.00 65,000 MILES-DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT! *TR UPDATED 03/05/10. *JB

I OWN A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA WITH THE 2.5L ENGINE. EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION LEAD TO DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE AND HAVING TO GET IT REBUILT APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR AGO. PURCHASED THE CAR NEW AND WHILE I DRIVE A LOT OF MILES EACH YEAR THERE WAS NO INDICATION IN TERMS OF WARNING LIGHTS THAT THE ENGINE OIL WAS LOW. THIS PROBABLY LEAD TO DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE IN ADDITION TO THAT POSSIBLY CAUSED BY THE OTHER DESIGN DEFECTS (I.E. PRE-CATALYST) IN THIS MODEL. THERE SHOULD BE SOME PENALTY TO NISSAN FOR LACK OF OWNING UP TO THE PROBLEMS THAT THEY MUST HAVE BEEN AWARE OF FOR THIS MANY YEARS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE VEHICLE BURNS MOTOR OIL EXCESSIVELY. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED THAT THE ENGINE COULD SEIZE WHILE DRIVING. THE FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,450.

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO HAVE HER VEHICLE INSPECTED SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WAS BEGINNING TO RUST. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALERSHIP AND THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS, THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 72000. UPDATED 2/22/10 *CN UPDATED 05/20/10*JB

NISSAN 2002 2.5 SL HAS TO BE CHECKED ONCE A WEEK BECAUSE THE ENGINE LOSES OIL. WHEN THE OIL IS CHECKED IT IS COMPLETELY DRY. OIL HAS TO BE PUT IN THE CAR ONCE A WEEK. THE ENGINE KNOCKS AND COMES CLOSE TO SHUTTING DOWN. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS. THE "SERVICE ENGINE" WARNING LIGHT INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND SUDDENLY, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V455000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING. HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL DEFECT. THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR AND CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR WERE REPLACED FOR THE MALFUNCTIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE. *CN UPDATED 02/17/10*JB

THE LATEST PROBLEM WITH MY NISSAN ALTIMA OCCURRED YESTERDAY. IT WOULD NOT START AFTER EXTREME COLD. THIS IS THE LAST IN AN ONGOING SAGA OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. WE FAIL TO GET NOTIFICATIONS OF RECALLS FROM THE MANUFACTURER. IF SOMETHING FAILS TO WORK, IT IS ALWAYS OUR FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY UNLESS IT IS A VERY MINOR REPAIR. THE DAY AFTER THE SALE THERE WAS NO BEAM FOR A HEADLIGHT. NOW WE SEE HEADLIGHTS FALL UNDER THE RECALL. MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN WE HAD A LEMON. WE HAD A SENSOR GO OUT AS I WAS DRIVING 70 MILES AN HOUR ON AN INTERSTATE. I HAD TO PAY BECAUSE THE VENDOR SAID AT 8,000 MILES IT WAS JUST OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY. I LATER FIND OUT THAT SENSORS FELL UNDER A RECALL. YET TO GET MY MONEY BACK I HAD TO PRODUCE DOCUMENTS THAT I COULD NOT GET THE REPAIRING DEALERSHIP TO FAX TO ME. I WROTE, CALLED, ETC. STILL THE END WAS I PAID AND THEY DID NOT RETURN MY MONEY. WE HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE AIR COMPRESSOR REPLACED NOT ONCE BUT 3 DIFFERENT TIMES TO GET AIR CONDITIONING IN THE CAR. NOW TODAY THE CALL I GET SAYS THIS, THE "ENGINE IS SHOT" EXPECT TO PAY IN EXCESS OF $4900 TO GET IT FIXED. THIS CAR AND MANY OTHER NISSAN ALTIMAS I HAVE FOUND OUT HAVE HAD THE SAME SERIES OF PROBLEMS. I WANT MY CAR FIXED AT NO COST TO ME OR I WANT A REPLACEMENT AT AN EXTREMELY REDUCED COST. I WANT THE VENDOR TO BE REQUIRED TO NOTIFY CAR OWNERS OF RECALLS AND TO NOT MERELY HAVE TO REPORT THAT THERE IS A RECALL. MY PERMANENT ADDRESS HAS NOT CHANGED SINCE THE PURCHASE. THEY COULD HAVE LET ME KNOW THAT. EVEN NOW THERE ARE RECALLS THAT ARE DUE THIS CAR BUT CONVENIENTLY NOT ON THE PARTS THAT NOW NEED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE HELP OR PUT ME IN CONTACT WITH SOMEONE WHO CAN.!! I SPOKE WITH BRANDON AT YOUR OFFICE BY PHONE THIS A.M. BECAUSE I FEEL I WAS NOT ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY GET MY POINT HEARD BY HIM, I HAVE CHOSEN TO FILE THIS WRITTEN COMPLAINT IN THE HOPES OF RECEIVING ATTENTION AND ASSISTANCE. DEEP DOWN I WANT A MANUFACTURER THAT STANDS BEHIND WHAT THEY SELL AND THAT REPLACES WHAT IS DEFECTIVE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, HE NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE 02 RING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT NOTICED PRIOR THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START OR WOULD HESITATE WHILE BEING DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SERVICED AND THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 77280.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM WILL NOT CIRCULATE HEAT. ALSO AFTER SERVICE THE OIL AND ANTIFREEZE LEVELS DEPLETES PREMATURELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND SHE WAS ADVISED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND THE ENGINE COIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE REPAIRS COST $1600.00. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21. THE MILEAGE WAS 105,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND UPON INSPECTION, THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED A SENSOR WAS SOAKED IN OIL. THERE WAS NO OIL LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE, BUT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO TELL THE CONSUMER WHERE THE OIL WAS COMING FROM. SOON AFTER, THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE WHEEL BEARING AND ALTERNATOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR OVER 2 1/2 YEARS, THE VEHICLE HAS NO HEAT AND ANTI-FREEZE WAS EVAPORATING, BUT THERE WERE NO LEAKS. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE COULD SMELL COOLANT COMING THROUGH THE VENTS. UPDATED 02/01/10*JB

THIS COMPLAINT IS IN REFERENCE TO THE FOLLOWING: NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE02078 NISSAN NA MADE SOME PREVENTIVE CHANGES TO THE 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA AS REQUESTED TO BY LAW. HOWEVER THE CHANGES NISSAN NA MADE WERE NOT SUFFICIENT NOR SUCCESSFUL. IT APPEARS THAT THE PREVENTIVE SERVICE NISSAN PROVIDED HAS ONLY PROLONGED THE OUTCOME. THOUSANDS OF 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA OWNERS ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEMS WITH A DIRECT RELATION TO A FAILURE IN THE CATALYST CONVERTER. AFTER INSPECTION OF THE CATALYST CONVERTER NOTICEABLE CHUCKS OF THE CATALYST CONVERTER ARE MISSING. NISSAN NA IS VERY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND THEY ARE SELECTIVELY FIXING SOME CONSUMERS VEHICLES. IF THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE IS OUTSIDE THEIR POWER TRAIN WARRANTY NISSAN NA REFUSES TO ASSIST THE CONSUMER WITH FIXING THE PROBLEM. SAFETY SHOULD NOT BE LIMITED TO A PERCENTAGE OF MILES OR TO A PERIOD OF TIME. *TR