2002 Nissan Altima

CAR USES EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF ENGINE OIL AND LOW OIL LIGHT NEVER COMES ON TO WARN DRIVER, CAN ONLY DETERMINE THAT IT IS LOW BY ENGINE KNOCKING NOISE.AVERAGE OIL CONSUMPTION ABOUT 1 - 2 QUARTS EVERY 300 MILES ALSO HEATER DOES NOT WORK WHEN CAR IS IDLELING ONLY WORKS WHEN DRIVING.CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONSTANTLY COMES ON CODE STATES CAT CONVERTER BAD.CONTINOUS PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE CAR HAD ABOUT OUT 90,000 MILES.CAR ALSO TURNS OFF AFTER RUNNING AND WILL CRANK BUT DOES NOT START AFTER MULTIPLE TRIES. *TT

WHEN MY 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA WAS ABOUT A YEAR OLD, MY VEHICLE BEGAN HAVING DIFFICULTIES STARTING IN THE MORNING. I LIVE IN SUNNY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, SO OUR COLDEST MORNINGS ARE IN THE HIGH 30S. AS A RESULT, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO MY VEHICLE NOT WANTING TO START. HOWEVER, THIS ISSUE NEVER OCCURRED IN THE WARM AFTERNOON. EVER SINCE THE INITIAL INSTANCE, IT HAS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN A COUPLE OF TIMES EACH YEAR. I NOTIFIED MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIP ON AT LEAST TWO OCCASSIONS. OF COURSE THE PROBLEM NEVER AROSE WHEN I WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP, SO I DECIDED TO JUST DOP THE ISSUE, AS IT DIDN'T HAPPEN FREQUENTLY ENOUGH TO BE OF MAJOR CONCERN TO ME. MORE RECENTLY; HOWEVER, MY CAR NEARLY STALLED ON MY WAY HOME FROM MY FRIEND'S HOUSE. I HAD TO THROW MY CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND PRESS THE GAS PEDAL TO PREVENT IT FROM DOING SO. EVER SINCE MY CAR NEVER WANTS TO START ON THE FIRST TURN OF THE KEY. IN FACT, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS NOW ON, AND I HAVE TO PUMP THE ACCELERATOR TO GET THE CAR STARTED. I HAD THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CODE CHECKED AND DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CAM POSITION SENSOR. THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH, I DISCOVERED THAT NISSAN RECALLED THIS PART ON SOME 2002 NISSAN ALTIMAS. AS A RESULT, I CONTACTED TWO DIFFERENT LOCAL NISSAN DEALESRHIPS AND GAVE THEM MY CAR'S VIN NUMBER SO THEY COULD SEE IF THE RECALL APPLIED TO MY CAR. OF COURSE IT DID NOT. I ALSO DISCOVERED THROUGH MY RESEARCH THAT NUMEROUS PEOPLE ARE ENCOUNTERING THE SAME PROBLEM, AND I WAS DIRECTED TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA WHICH IS WHAT BRINGS ME HERE TODAY. PLEASE HELP TO KEEP US SAFE FROM VEHICLES STALLING IN THE MIDDLE OF BUSY INTERSECTIONS. NOT ONLY IS THIS A TERRIFYING THOUGHT, BUT IF AND WHEN THIS HAPPENS, IT COULD BE A FATAL PROBLEM. *TR

RE: 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THERE IS SEVERE RUST AND CORROSION IN SPECIFIC LOCATIONS DIRECTLY UNDER BOTH THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGERS SEATS AND FLOORS. THE CORROSION APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO TWO FACTORY HOLES IN THE FLOOR, ONE ON EACH SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CORROSION ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF OUR CAR IS LESS SEVERE: A LARGE AREA OF RUST BUT A RELATIVELY SMALL HOLE (TENNIS BALL SIZE) THROUGH THE SHEET METAL. THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE CAR HAS A LARGE HOLE (SOCCER BALL SIZE) IN THE FLOOR. THIS IS THE ONLY MAJOR CORROSION ON THE CAR (THE "REAR SUBFRAME" ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED IN 2006 DUE TO CORROSION UNDER A NISSAN WARRANTY PROGRAM). THE FUEL FILLER NECK IS ALSO RUSTY AND DOES NOT SEAL PROPERLY, WHICH CAN CAUSE AN ENGINE ALERT WHEN THE FUEL VAPOR SEAL LEAK REACHES THE POINT WHERE THE ALERT IS TRIGGERED. THERE IS LITTLE OR NO CORROSION IN THE WHEEL WELLS OR FENDERS. BASED ON TWO BIDS FROM AUTO BODY SHOPS IN THIS AREA, THE COST TO REPAIR THE RUST DAMAGE WILL BE BETWEEN $2500 AND $3200. I HAVE TAKEN PHOTOGRAPHS OF APPROXIMATELY FORTY ALTIMAS IN THIS AREA. ALL BUT FIVE HAVE CORROSION IN THIS SPECIFIC AREA TO VARYING DEGREES. IT IS CLEARLY NOT LIMITED TO ONLY THE CAR WE OWN. NISSAN HAS A WARRANTY PROGRAM WHICH COVERS RUST PERFORATION FOR A PERIOD OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE OF MANUFACTURE. I HAVE SPOKEN TO A NUMBER OF PEOPLE AT A DEALER IN THIS AREA REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. THEY CLAIM THAT NISSAN IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM ON 2001 THROUGH 2005 ALTIMAS, BUT HAS CHOSEN NOT TO WARRANT IT DUE TO THE EXPENSE, PREFERRING INSTEAD TO REFUSE TO BE RESPONSIBLE. NISSAN WILL APPARENTLY TAKE THE CARS IN TRADE AND SELL THEM TO WHOLESALE AUTO OPERATIONS WHERE THEY ARE SOLD TO CUSTOMERS WHO MAY OR MAY NOT BE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. UPDATED IVOQ 11/05/10 THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 12/22/10 *TR

THE FRONT TWO WINDOWS IN MY NISSAN ALTIMA ROLL DOWN, BY THEMSELVES, EVERYTIME I TAKE MY KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION! I HAVE TRIED TAKING THE BATTERIES OUT OF BOTH OF MY KEY FOBS, THINKING MAYBE THERE IS A SHORT OR SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY KEY FOBS, BUT MY FRONT TWO WINDOWS STILL ROLL DOWN. I CALLED NISSAN TO ASK THEM ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, AND THEY SAID, THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE NOT TAKEN THE CAR TO NISSAN YET TO GET IT REPAIRED, BECAUSE HONESTLY I CAN NOT AFFORD TO PAY 100 DOLLARS AN HOUR TO HAVE THE CAR SIT ON THE MACHINE TO TEST IT, THEN HOW EVER MUCH IT IS TO FIX THE PROBLEM, WHICH COULD RUN INTO THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. *TR

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

I WAS ON VACATION, DRIVING TO CLEVELAND, OH WITH MY WIFE & PARENTS ON 6-13-09, SAT IN 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA, 2.5 SL. AROUND 9.00 PM, ON I-80, APPRX 40 MIL FROM CLEVELAND, SUDDENLY SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM THE CAR HOOD, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. TEMP AND OIL LEVEL INDICATORS DID NOT SHOW ANY SIGN OF PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE. AFTER NARROWLY ESCAPING CRASH WITH OTHER VEHICLES BY GRACE OF GOD, WE COULD STOP THE CAR WITH SMOKE STILL COMING OUT. BY THE TIME I MOVED EVERYBODY AWAY FROM THE CAR, THE SMOKE STOPPED. THIS SUDDEN FAILURE OF THE ENGINE COULD HAVE BEEN MORE DISASTROUS, ENDANGERING PRECIOUS LIVES. ON CRANKING THE ENGINE, LOUD NOISE FROM THE ENGINE MADE US BELIEVE THAT CAR WAS IN BAD SHAPE, SO CAR WAS TOWED TO NISSAN OF NORTH OLMSTED, OH (DEALER). AFTER INSPECTION ON MON, 6/15/09 I WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE CASTING HAD A BIG HOLE APPRX 2" BIG. WE WERE ASKED TO EITHER SCRAP THE CAR OR REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH ESTIMATED COST OF $4500. WE WERE NOT TOLD ANY GOOD REASON FOR THIS ENGINE FAILURE. BEING STRANDED WITH MY FAMILY FOR 3 DAYS AND DESPAIRED, I DECIDED TO REPLACE ENGINE HOPING TO GET COMPENSATION FROM NISSAN. INITIAL POSITIVE RESPONSE FROM NISSAN CUSTOMER AFFAIRS BECAME VERY DISSATISFYING AND FRUSTRATING AFTER I PAID THE DEALER. IT WAS A SHOCK TO US THAT AFTER CALLING SO MANY TIMES NISSAN DID NOT TOOK ANY RESPONSIBILITY STATING ON 6/24 THAT "THE VEHICLE IS OUTSIDE OF MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY" LATER I FOUND MANY PUBLICATIONS STATING THAT 2002, NISSAN ALTIMA-2.5L ENGINES HAVE FACED SIMILAR ENGINE FAILURES BUT NISSAN HAS NOT DONE ENOUGH TO AVOID SUCH INCIDENTS. IRRESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR LIKE THIS IS NOT EXPECTED FROM SUCH A REPUTED ORG. THERE HAD BEEN MULTIPLE RECALLS ON MY CAR INCLUDING "ENGINE SENSOR KIT" AND " ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM". I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST YOU TO LOOK IN TO THIS MATTER SO AS TO CONTAIN FURTHER DAMAGE TO PRECIOUS LIVES OF PEOPLE AT LARGE. I FURTHER REQUEST YOU TO IMPRESS UPON NISSAN TO REIMBURSE US FOR TOTAL COST OF REPLACING ENGINE AND MENTAL AGONY. *TR

JUST COMMUTING TO WORK AND USING MY CAR FOR LEISURE; HOWEVER, EVERY OTHER MONTH I HAVE TO PUT OIL INTO MY CAR BECAUSE THE OIL LIGHT COMES ON. THIS IS WITH ME DOING MY QUARTERLY IF NOT EARLIER OIL CHANGES. MY 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA ONLY HAS 73000 MILES AND IS CONSUMING OIL AND NOW HAS BEGUN SHAKING WHEN AT A STOP AND SHAKES EVEN MORE WHEN THE A/C IS ON. I'VE HAD IT CHECKED OUT AND HAVE BEEN TOLD IT NEED A NEW ENGINE BECAUSE THE OIL HAS TO DO WITH THE ENGINE AND THE SHAKING THEY CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT. NISSAN REFUSES TO TAKE OWNERSHIP IN THIS MECHANICAL ERROR. I'VE BEEN DOING RESEARCH AND I SEE THAT I'M NOT ALONE IN THIS COSTLY SITUATION. IT'S HARD FOR ME TO TRUST NISSAN WHEN I FEEL AS IF THEY REFUSE TO LISTEN TO THE CONSUMERS. *TR

TOO MANY ISSUES TO REMEMBER THAN ALL BUT I'LL TRY: - EXCESSIVE OIL USE - EXCESSIVE COOLANT USE - OVERHEATING TO THE AFOREMENTIONED ISSUES - INTERMITTENT TRANSMISSION ISSUES - FAILING AIRBAG - ELECTRICAL ISSUES - BROKEN SENSORS - CATALYTIC CONVERTERS GONE BAD - OXYGEN SENSORS GONE BAD - INTERMITTENT FAILURE TO START - INTERMITTENT CAR SHAKING AND SO ON. *TR