2002 NISSAN ALTIMA Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE DEALER STATED THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED; HOWEVER, THE DEALER DID NOT KNOW THE SEVERITY. THE NISSAN MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER REPAIRED ACCORDING TO THE RECALL. THE RECALL WAS ACTUALLY FROM 2003, AND THAT THE DEALER SAID THAT THERE WAS ENGINE DAMAGE AND THAT THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THIS SYPTOM WAS ALSO STATED ON THE RECALL NOTICE (THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR AND THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO FAILURE WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, WHICH IS WHY HE NEVER TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIR. HE ALSO COMPLETED A CLAIM WITH NISSAN, BUT HE RECEIVED A DENIAL LETTER FOR THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000. UPDATED 02/10/09 *BF UPDATED 02/11/09. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS 07V527000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND 03V084000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE). TWO WEEKS LATER, THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED AND WENT INTO THE WALL OF THE ENGINE, WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO CRACK. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REPAIR WOULD COST $6,000. THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE IF THE RECALL WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND IF ASSISTANCE COULD BE PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,197.

1.THE YEAR 2004 THANKSGIVING I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM LA, BATON ROUGE WHEN MY HEAT WOULDN'T COME ON. I GOT IT FIXED BUT WAS THE KNOB TO THE CONTROL WOULD ONLY TURN 3/4 OF THE WAY OR IT WOULDN'T WORK. THEN WHEN THE SPRING CAME AND I USED MY A/C IT DIDN'T WORK. I TOOK IT IN AND WHEN I WENT TO PICK IT UP THEY SAID I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE IT ON MAX IN ORDER FOR IT TO WORK PROPERLY. 2. AS OF 2006 TO CURRENT MY CAR JERKS AND RUNS OUT OF OIL OFTEN AND NOW I NEED TO PUT AT LEAST 4 QUARTS EVERY WEEK. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AT LEASE ONCE A WEEK. 3. I TAKE IT INTO MY MECHANIC TO CHECK TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE AND DOESN'T SEE A LEAK, BURNING OIL IT JUST CONSUMES IT. I GET ALL THE NECESSARY CAR "MEDICAL" CHECK UP'S AND THE CAR STILL EATS OIL, JERKS AND CONTINUES TO GIVE ME PANIC ATTACKS AS I DRIVE TO AND FROM WORK. MY MECHANIC AND I HAVE DETAILED LOGS OF HOW MANY TIMES THEY'VE PUT IN OIL OR I HAVE PURCHASED AND PUT IT IN MYSELF ALONG WITH ANY ADDITIONAL WORK. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA THAT I PURCHASED WITH 57,000 MILES (2ND OWNER). IN DECEMBER 2006 WITH ABOUT 68,000 MILES ON VEHICLE, THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER BLEW UP. I HAD THIS REPLACED AND AT 76,000 MILES I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE OIL/COOLANT AND METALLIC NOISE FROM ENGINE. THE DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM, AT 86,000 THE DEALER SAID I NEEDED A NEW MOTOR SINCE THERE WERE PARTICLES THAT HAD BEEN SUCKED IN FROM THE CAT, THEY WANTED $5,900 TO REPLACE. I CALLED AND SPOKE TO REPRESENTATIVES OF NISSAN NORTH AMERICA AND LODGED A COMPLAINT, AFTER ABOUT A WEEK I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THEM STATING THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR OR HELP WITH COSTS. I WAS FORCED TO FIND AN ALTERNATE REPAIR OPTION AND PURCHASED A REBUILT MOTOR, THE PROBLEM WITH THIS WAS AFTER A FEW WEEKS THE "SERVICE ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON. I TRIED SMOGGING THE VEHICLE AND WAS UNABLE TO, I FINALLY FOUND OUT THAT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AGAIN, I HAD THE CAT REPLACED AGAIN ($750) AND I WAS ABLE TO GET IT SMOGGED. THIS WAS ONLY 3-4 WEEKS AGO AND ABOUT 1 WEEK AGO I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE SHOP AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE RATTLING/GRINDING NOISE IS COMING FROM THE ENGINE AGAIN!! PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS, I HAVE NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE SINCE I PURCHASED IT WITH ONLY 57,000 MILES ON IT. THE PROBLEM WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER ON THE 2002-06 ALTIMA/SENTRA WITH THE 2.5L MOTORS IS A "FACTORY DEFECT"!! THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF THE SAME EXACT COMPLAINTS ON NUMEROUS SITES. NISSAN SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS DEFECT. I NOW HAVE A VEHICLE THAT I PAY $300 A MONTH FOR THAT I HAVE PUT AN ENGINE & 2 CAT'S IN, AND NOW IT NEEDS ANOTHER MOTOR. THIS IS RIDICULOUS FOR A CAR COMPANY TO SELL VEHICLES AND NOT STAND BEHIND WHAT THEY MAKE. *TR

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

ON TUESDAY 11/25/08 I WAS DRIVING MY 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA TO WORK AND THE CAR TURNED OFF IN MID DRIVE ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT ABOUT A RECALL (#03V455000) ON THIS WEBSITE. IT MATCHED EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO MY VEHICLE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THEM OF THE RECALL. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE SAME PARTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (CRANK POSITION SENSORS, AND CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSORS) BUT MY CAR WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL AND THEREFORE I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR THE REPAIR. MY VEHICLE MATCHES THE RECALL ON YOUR WEBSITE 100% IE: " 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA...ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE CIRCUIT BOARD FOR THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR OR CAM POSITION SENSOR MAY HAVE IMPROPER SOLDER JOINT DUE TO SOLDER DEFORMATION CAUSED BY HEAT STRESS ACCELERATED BY THE EXISTENCE OF FLUX RESIDUE DURING THE SOLDERING PROCESS...THIS COULD CAUSE THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" WARNING LIGHT TO COME ON, CREATE A NO START CONDITION, CAUSE REDUCED ENGINE POWER, OR CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STOP RUNNING WITHOUT WARNING DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, WHICH WOULD RESULT IN CRASH...DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CRANK POSITION SENSORS, CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSORS, AND IN SOME CASES THE VARIABLE TIMING CONTROL SENSORS." AGAIN, THE DEALERSHIP HAS NEGLECTED TO RECOGNIZE THIS AS A VALID RECALL. I WANT TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND STRUCK A GUARDRAIL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED; HOWEVER, IT STALLED AGAIN APPROXIMATELY FOUR TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 119,000.

2002 ALTIMA BEGAN STALLING DURING LOW SPEEDS TRIGGERING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND ACCOMPANIED BY REDUCED ENGINE POWER. DIAGNOSTICS INDICATED PROBLEM WITH CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR WHICH WAS CLEARLY LISTED UNDER RECALL. NISSAN WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE RECALL STATING THAT I NEEDED TO HAVE TO ECM REPROGRAMMED WHICH WOULD NOT FIX STALLING PROBLEM BUT WOULD MAKE THE ECM MORE SENSITIVE TO THE PROBLEM WITH THE CSP SENSOR. NISSAN WOULD NOT PERFORM THE ECM REPROGRAM WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. NISSAN WANTED TO RUN A $90 DIAGNOSTICS TEST FIRST. I TOOK CAR TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC THE HAVE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR REPLACED WITH UPDATED FACTORY MODEL. THE SENSOR THAT WAS REMOVED WAS CLEARLY THE OLDER FLAWED MODEL WHICH WAS UNDER RECALL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY CAME TO A SLOW STOP AND THE STEERING WHEEL STIFFENED. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE, BUT IT FAILED TO RESTART. THE FAILURE WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, WHICH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 81,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT ALSO HEARD EXCESSIVE NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED LIT UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE VEHICLE WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL DUE TO THE MILEAGE AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,721.