2002 Nissan Altima

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE FEELS AS IF IT WILL SHUT OFF, BUT IT REMAINS RUNNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THERE MAY BE RECALLS ON HER VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE FOUR OPEN RECALLS ON HER VEHICLE AND ADVISED HER TO GO TO A DEALER FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE REPAIR WAS MADE, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE CONTACT RETURNED TO HER LOCAL MECHANIC AND THE OXYGEN SENSOR WAS REMOVED. THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAD SHATTERED INTO PIECES AS EXPLAINED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V084000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,000.

CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE FOR NISSAN ALTIMA RELATED TO POWER VALVE/BUTTERFLY VALVE INTAKE MANIFOLD DESIGN. THIRD GENERATION ALTIMA'S QR25DE 4-CYLINDER AND VQ35DE 6-CYLINDER ENGINES HAVE UNFORTUNATELY BEEN AFFECTED BY A RECALL RELATED TO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THE POWER VALVES, ALSO KNOWN AS THE BUTTERFLY VALVE. THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN P5202 - DOES NOT MENTION ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES FOR PRODUCTION YEARS W SAME DESIGN. THIS HAS LEFT SOME OWNERS AFFECTED BY THE PROBLEM WITH NO RECOURSE/REMEDY FOR WHAT IN SOME CASES HAS AMOUNTED TO CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. THE POWER VALVE IS A SERIES OF FOUR PLATES IN THE QR25DE 4-CYLINDER AND 6 PLATES IN THE VQ35DE 6-CYLINDER ENGINES, ONE PER CYLINDER. THE PLATES OPEN AND CLOSE SIMULTANEOUSLY TO ALLOW MORE AIR INTO THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER FOR INCREASED POWER. EACH PLATE IS HELD IN PLACE BY TWO SCREWS. THE SCREWS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO COME LOOSE AS WELL AS THE PLATES AND ARE THEN INGESTED INTO THE ENGINE VIA THE INTAKE PORTS. PROBLEM IS INITIALLY EXHIBITED BY SES(SERVICE ENGINE SOON) LIGHT COMING ON AND/OR BLINKING. UPON OBD METER READING, CODE WILL BE P0304, OR SIMILAR WHICH IS RANDOM CYLINDER MISFIRE OR CYLINDER 4 MISFIRE. ELECTRODE ON SPARK PLUG HAS BEEN BENT CLOSED AS A RESULT OF THE POWER VALVE RETAINING SCREW VIBRATING LOOSE AND BEING INGESTED INTO THE ENGINE. THE SCREW THEN BOUNCES AROUND IN THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER, HITTING THE SPARK PLUG AND BENDING THE ELECTRODE SHUT, PREVENTING SPARK IN THAT CYLINDER. ADDITIONALLY, THE SCREW(S) AND PART OF THE BROKEN PLATES, IN SOME CASES HAVE MADE THEIR WAY THROUGH THE ENGINE AND INTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, THUS CAUSING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER TO PREMATURELY DISINTEGRATE AS WELL AS BECOME INGESTED INTO THE ENGINE. FOR SOME REASON, NISSAN NORTH AMERICA HAS DECIDED TO NOT REMEDY ALL VEHICLES AFFECTED BY THIS ADMITTED FLAW OBVIOUSLY, THIS COULD CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE AT THE WRONG PLACE AND THE WRONG TIME, RESULTING IN SERIOUS BODILY HARM AND/OR FATALITY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AFTER THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) WAS REPLACED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V527000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS, BUT NO FAILURE WAS IDENTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 109,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000. UPDATED 05/13/08. *LJUPDATED 05/13/08. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT, IDLING IN TRAFFIC, DRIVING DOWNHILL, PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, OR WHEN THE VEHICLE IS FIRST STARTED. THE FAILURE OCCURS EVERYDAY. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 65-70 MPH, THE VEHICLE WILL JERK HARD. THIS FAILURE HAS OCCURRED ON THREE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V527000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) IN MARCH OF 2008, BUT THE STALLING RECURRED THREE WEEKS LATER. THE DEALER HAS NOT YET BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 111,685 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.

MY 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA (2.5L) STARTED OUT WITH O2 SENSORS NEEDING REPLACED, THE OVERHEATING, NO COOLANT, LOOSING OIL, REPLACED CRANK SENSOR, HAD ALL RECALLS DONE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM). NOW I AM LEFT WITH HAVING TO REPLACE MY ENGINE. THIS SEEMS LIKE A PROBLEM OUT OF MOST 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA WITH 2.5 ACCORDING TO THE INTERNET SEARCHES I HAVE COMPLETED. I FEEL NISSAN NEEDED TO RECALL THE WHOLE ENGINE. *TR

'SERVICE ENGINE SOON' LIGHT CAME ON & WOULD GO ON & OFF FOR THE PAST 3-4 MONTHS. I TOOK THE CAR TO A DEALER DUE TO A RECALL NOTICE ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE AND THE DEALER SAID THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED REPLACED. THE EXHAUST SYSTEM SHOULD NOT BE FAILING ON THIS CAR. WHEN PICKING UP THE PART FROM THE DEALER, THE DEALERSHIP TOLD MY FATHER THAT THEY KEEP THIS PART (EXHAUST MANIFOLD) IN STOCK B/C THEY REPLACE SO MANY OF THEM. MY DAD ASKED IF THEY WERE GOING TO RECALL THE PART, THE NISSAN SERVICE MGR SAID NO. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER SHOULD NOT BE CRACKING OR NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. I GOT THE PART ($400) AND MY MECHANIC IS FIXING IT TODAY. *TR

CAR MISFIRING ,TOOK IT TO NISSAN DEALER WAS TOLD THAT POWER VALVE SCREWS LOCATED IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD BECAME LOOSE IN TO ENGINE DAMAGING #3 SPARK PLUG HEAD CYLINDER AND PRECAT DEALER ESTIMATE REPAIR OVER $3,000 .CONTACTED NISSAN CORP FOR ASSISTANCE WITH NO LUCK,RECALLS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM ON 04 AND 05 BUT NOT FOR MINE 02 OR 03 ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE IS THE SAME,AND ALOT OF COMPLAINTS. THANK YOU. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V527000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE CONTACT IS EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY GETTING THE RECALL REMEDIED BECAUSE SHE LIVES IN A REMOTE AREA WITH THE NEAREST NISSAN DEALER BEING 2.5 HOURS AWAY. SHE IS FEARFUL OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE SAFETY DEFECT. SHE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER TO HAVE THEM TOW THE VEHICLE, BUT THEY HAVE NOT RETURNED HER MESSAGES. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 23,000.