2002 NISSAN ALTIMA Complaints

I BOUGHT MY 2002 2.5 NISSAN 72K FOUR DAYS AGO. A DAY AFTER I BOUGHT IT, THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THERE IS EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. I PUT OIL IN, AND A FEW MILES LATER I NEED TO ADD MORE. I HAVEN'T CHANGED ANYTHING YET, SIMPLY BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD IT. NISSAN NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. I WILL TELL EVERYONE I KNOW TO NEVER BUY A NISSAN. I AM NEVER BUYING A NISSAN AGAIN. I'VE READ NUMEROUS POSTS BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME EXACT PROBLEMS. *TR

2002 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5 S EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION BEGAN AROUND 92K MILES. THIS VEHICLE HAS ALWAYS HAD TIMELY OIL CHANGES, SUDDENLY THE CAR WAS LOW ON OIL. THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP IN SMITHTOWN, NY ON 2/22/07, AND I WAS INFORMED THAT IT NEEDED A NEW ENGINE AND THAT THERE WASN'T ANYTHING ELSE THAT COULD BE DONE. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS ORDERED ON 2/23/07 (THIS WAS BACK-ORDERED). THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS REPLACED ON 3/13/07, APPROX. $600. NOW THE CAR NEEDS ANOTHER CATALYTIC CONVERTED AND THE ENGINE IS CONSUMING SEVERAL COURTS OF OIL A WEEK. THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WITH THE SAME CAR THAT HAVE ALL EXPERIENCED THIS SUDDEN EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. THE ARE OTHER ALTIMA YEARS THAT HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM AND THAT WERE RECALLED BUT NISSAN HAS NOT DONE THAT FOR THE 2002 MODEL. IT IS WIDELY KNOW THAT IT WAS DUE TO THE OIL RINGS AND THE FAULTY PRE-CATS AND EXHAUST MANIFOLDS. THIS CAR NEEDS APPROX. $8K IS REPAIRS IN ORDER TO STOP BURNING OIL AND TO CORRECT THE EMISSIONS. NISSAN SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE FAULTY PARTS IN THESE CARS, IN ALL THE YEARS THAT THEY EFFECTED. *TR

RECENTLY TRAVELING TO NC AND THE CAR LOST POWER AND WON'T START. THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT ENGAGED CONSTANTLY AND THE CAR BURNS OIL WITH NO ENGINE LEAKS. I PURCHASED BRAND NEW MANUAL TRANSMISSION 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA 3.5. THE VEHICLE SHIFTED VERY HARD WHEN PURCHASED AND CLUTCH WENT STRAIGHT TO FLOOR AFTER 1 MONTH. TOOK CAR TO NISSAN DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS AND THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. TOOK IT TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND HE SAID THE PRESSURE PLATE WAS BAD AND I HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY IN AUG. 2006 AT 115K MILES ($850). THEO2 SENSOR WAS REPLACED PRIOR TO THE RECALL, HAD IT REPLACED UNDER THE RECALL, AND IT'S STILL CRAP! TO BOOT, THE GEAR SHIFT ASSEMBLY BROKE WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF PURCHASE, AND NISSAN RECALLED. THEIR 'FIX' BROKE TOO. I WAS TOLD THAT I'LL HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THEIR 'RESOLUTION' FIXED BECAUSE IT'S NOT UNDER WARRANTY. SINCE THAT TIME, BETWEEN 6/08 AND 11/08, I HAVE REPLACED THE RADIATOR, OIL COOLER, ALL MOTOR MOUNTS, FAN BELTS, DRIVER'S AXLE, POWER STEERING BOX, VALVE COVER GASKET ($7K WORTH OF WORK). CAR CURRENTLY HAS ABOUT 145K MILES AND I BELIEVE THE CAR IS JUST A LEMON. I HAVE ALWAYS DRIVEN NISSAN, BUT NOW DECLARE IT WILL BE MY LAST ONE. I DON'T HAVE ANOTHER $5K TO PUT IN TO CATALYTIC CONVERTERS, SENSORS OR AN ENGINE. DON'T THINK SO. NISSAN NEEDS TO STEP UP AND TAKE CARE OF THESE ISSUES. *TR

CATALYTIC CONVERTER WENT OUT. HEATER CORE WENT OUT, THEREFORE NO HEAT IN THE CAR. *TR

I PURCHASED A NISSAN ALTIMA 02 ON SEPT 08. AFTER THREE DAYS I FOUND OUT THE OIL WAS LOW TOOK IT TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT I NEED A BRAND NEW ENGINE. ONE DAY MY WIFE CAME AND PICK ME UP AT WORK AND THE CAR WON'T START AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANICS AND THEY STILL CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM WITH IT AND I AM SUSPECTING BECAUSE MY MECHANIC TOLD ME ONE TIME THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS BAD. NISSAN WILL NOT GET AWAY WITH IT AS A MATTER OF FACT MY MECHANICS TOLD ME THAT ALL NISSAN ALTIMA WITH THAT TYPE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

THIS ISN'T FAIR. 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. 5900 MILES. MAN THIS CAR IS JUNK, NISSAN SHOULD REIMBURSE PEOPLE ABOUT THAT, WORK CAR EVER. AND I NOTICE EVERYONE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE CAR STALL, CAMSHFT PROBLEM.. SOMETHING NEED TO BE DONE. ITS NOT SAFE WHEN U DRIVING AND CAR DIE ON YOU. *TR

NISSAN ALTIMA '02-05 2.5/3.5 MODELS HAVE A KNOWN ISSUE WITH A VALVE CHECK ASSEMBLY IN A BRAKE VACUUM TUBE. WHEN THE CAR IS EXPOSED TO EXTREME COLD TEMPERATURES FOR PROLONGED PERIODS OF TIME, LIKE THOSE EXPERIENCED THIS PAST WINTER IN IL, THE VALVE FREEZES UP AND PREVENTS PROPER OPERATION OF THE VACUUM AND THUS COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. IT FIXES ITSELF AFTER PUMPING OF THE BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES. I EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM 3 TIMES WITHIN A 2 WEEK PERIOD. IMAGINE ROLLING UP TO A STOP SIGN ONLY TO PUMP YOUR BRAKES TO THE FEELING OF A BRICK STUCK UNDER THEM, NO STOPPING ACTION, HELPLESSLY COASTING RIGHT INTO THE INTERSECTION. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND STUMBLED ON TO A NISSAN ENTHUSIAST FORUM WHERE IT WAS APPARENTLY A KNOWN ISSUE TO THEM. THEY SAID THAT NISSAN WON'T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THIS TO BE AN ISSUE AND TO JUST ORDER THE REDESIGNED PART AND REPLACE IT YOURSELF AS IT WAS A DYE JOB. THE FACTORY PART REPLACEMENT NUMBER IS #47430-8J100 (3.5 MODEL) OR #47430-8J000 (2.5 MODEL). WHY DID NISSAN REDESIGN THE PART IN '06 IF THEY DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH IT? WHEN I CALLED THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR, SURE ENOUGH THEY WOULDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE ANY PROBLEM WITH THAT PART AND EVEN WENT AS FAR AS TO CLAIM THAT THEY HAVE NEVER EVEN ORDERED THAT PART. THEY HAVE EITHER NEVER DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE CORRECTLY OR THEY OUTRIGHT LIED TO ME. I CALLED A DIFFERENT NISSAN DEALERSHIP, ORDERED THE PART AND INSTALLED IT MYSELF AND HAVE NOT HAD THE PROBLEM DESPITE THE SUBZERO TEMPERATURES THAT HAVE OCCURRED SINCE. I'LL CONCLUDE WITH THE FACT THAT I HAVE ZERO AUTOMOTIVE/MECHANICAL EXPERIENCE. I AM A COMPUTER SYSTEMS ENGINEER SO I'M USED TO REPLACING PARTS IN SMALL SPACES ON A DIFFERENT TYPE OF MACHINERY. BUT YET I WAS ABLE TO RESEARCH, DIAGNOSE, AND FIX MY OWN CAR PROBLEM, CAUSED BY A KNOWN DEFECT IN A FACTORY PART, WITH THE HELP OF THE GUYS IN THAT FORUM. HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE DRIVING TICKING-TIMEBOMB ALTIMAS THAT DON'T HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE TO DO THAT?? *TR

MY 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA'S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR STARTED RUNNING SLUGGISH, AND TOTALLY RAN OUT OF OIL! MECHANIC SAID I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. I BOUGHT ONE - AND THAT ONE WENT ON THE FRITZ TWO DAYS AFTER FIXING IT. THE DIAGNOSTICS TEST SAID IT WAS AN O2 SENSOR. IT RAN OUT OF OIL. NOW I FIND OUT THE CAR IS A LEMON, AFTER I BOUGHT A NEW ENGINE TO BOOT. TWO ENGINES ARE RUINED IN THIS CAR, AND I STILL DON'T HAVE IT PAID FOR. *TR

NEW 2002 ALTIMA, WELL MAINTAINED, BUYING NISSANS SINCE 1992 RECEIVING MILEAGE OVER 260,000 MILES. LOOKING BACK CAR CONSTANTLY LOW ON OIL W/NO LIGHT REGISTERING THEN LIGHT NEVER CAME BACK ON FOR 3 YEARS, YET OIL WAS ALWAYS LOW. CHECKING OIL EVERY 2 WEEKS AND EVERY OIL CHANGE AT DEALERSHIP-OIL LOW AT TIP OF THE DIP STICK. HAD CAR SERVICED-NO INDICATION OF PROBLEMS; SEPTEMBER THE CAR SMELLED HOT; NOT REGISTERING OR SHOWING ANY SIGNS OF IT RUNNING HOT. CAR CONSTANTLY NOT STARTING, STALLING AS DRIVING ALONG THE ROAD. GO TO DEALERSHIP, NEED A MOTOR REPLACED, WARPED HEAD GASKET COST $4,000 PLUS DOLLARS. THE DEALERSHIP OWNER ASKED HOW MANY CARS HAS COME IN (ALTIMA 2002) PER MECHANIC SEVERAL HUNDREDS FOR THE MOTOR AND/OR RADIATOR PROBLEMS (REPLACING MOTORS). HE HAS ORDERED A LARGE NUMBER OF NISSAN MOTORS FROM THE COMPANY TO REPLACE THE ENGINES. OWNER WAS SURPRISED OF THIS MOTOR HAVING TO BE REPLACED AND HAS KEPT MY CAR IN STORAGE UNTIL I CAN AFFORD TO REPLACE THE MOTOR. HE WILL ALSO FOLLOW UP ON A RECALL FOR THE ENGINES WITH THAT MANY CARS BEING REPAIRED. THIS HAS CHANGED MY MIND ON PURCHASING ANOTHER NISSAN PRODUCT BECAUSE OF THE RUDENESS WHEN REPORTING THE PROBLEMS TO THEIR CUSTOMER AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT AND NOTHING CAN BE DONE (PER THE REP). THIS NEED TO TAKE SOME PRIORITY WITH THE NUMBER OF ISSUES REPORTED AS COMPLAINTS ON ALL THE WEBSITES. II HAVE FOUND 114 HERE PLUS ONE MORE 115 PLUS I HAVE ABOUT 30 OTHER COMPLAINTS AND THEN THE REPORT THAT THE DEALERSHIP HAS FIXED OVER 200 CARS. PLEASE HELP US GET OUR MONEY AND/OR ENGINES REPAIRED. WITH THE STALLING AND SHUT DOWN OF THE MOTORS, THANKS TO GOD THE LOW DEATH RATES. CAR IS STILL IN STORAGE AT THE DEALERSHIP WHEN IT STALLED ON ROUTE 29 INTERSTATE. *TR

NISSAN CLAIMS THAT THEY HAVE FIXED THEIR RECALLS BUT CAR STALLED ON A HWY WHERE SPEED LIMIT WAS 70 MY FAMILY & MYSELF COULD HAVE GOT KILLED. I PAID 1100 DOLLARS TO FIX IT. ENGINE LIGHT WAS BACK ON DID OIL CHANGE CAR KEEPS BURNING OIL EVERY DAY I HAVE TO CHECK IT AND ADD OIL THEN THEY TELL ME I NEED A NEW ENGINE HAVE CALLED OVER 50 TIMES & LEFT MESSAGES THEY TELL ME THEY CAN NOT GIVE ME A NEW ENGINE BUT THIS IS AN ON GOING PROBLEM & THEY KNOW ABOUT IT. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH THIS CAR & SAME PROBLEM THEY NEED A NEW ENGINE & NO ONE IS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THEY SHOULD GIVE THEM A NEW ENGINE FOR FREE BECAUSE THEY MANUFACTURE THESE CARS WRONG & ARE STILL MANUFACTURING CARS WITH PROBLEMS THEN THEY WONDER WHY PEOPLE AREN'T BUYING THERE CARS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE TO ANYONE WHO OWNS THIS CAR & UNTIL PEOPLE START GETTING KILLED THEY WON'T DUE ANYTHING ABOUT IT. HAVE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY TRYING TO FIX THIS LEMON. THEY ALSO TELL YOU THAT YOU NEED A CATALYTIC CONVERTER. IS IT GOING TO TAKE SEVERAL DEATH PLEASE SOMEONE DO SOMETHING IMMEDIATELY. ALL MY RECALLS ARE UP TO DATE SO THIS IS NOT THE PROBLEM. *TR