2002 Nissan Altima

RE: 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA SE. SINCE APPROXIMATELY 3 YEARS AGO, I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY BRAKES. I LIVE IN THE NE WHERE IT GETS COLD IN THE WINTERS, AND ONLY HAVE THIS PROBLEM WHEN THE TEMP. IS APPROX. BELOW 30 DEGREES. THIS PROBLEM HAS TYPICALLY OCCURRED WHEN THE CAR HAS SAT IDLE ALL NIGHT, BUT HAS ALSO HAPPENED AT OTHER TIMES WHEN IT HASN'T BEEN DRIVEN FOR A FEW HOURS. WHEN FIRST STARTING THE CAR, THE BRAKE PEDAL IS SO STIFF THAT I CAN'T PRESS IT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR - ALMOST LIKE IT IS FROZEN. LUCKILY, I HAVE NOT YET HAD AN ACCIDENT, BUT HAVE NARROWLY AVOIDED ONE SEVERAL TIMES WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO SLOW DOWN, COMING TO A STOP SIGN OR PARKING LOT EXIT AND NOT BEING ABLE TO STOP, OR TRYING TO SLOW DOWN TO TURN A CORNER. I HAVE TO TRY TO REMEMBER TO PUMP THE BRAKE PEDAL 10 - 15 TIMES EVERY TIME I START THE CAR IN COLD WEATHER, AS THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO "LOOSEN" IT UP SO THAT IT WILL WORK CORRECTLY. SEVERAL MECHANICS HAVE TOLD ME THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT CAUSES THIS. WHEN I'M DRIVING THIS CAR, I'M ALWAYS AFRAID THAT THE BRAKES WILL TOTALLY GIVE OUT. *TR

MY NISSAN ALTIMA 2002 IS SMOKING MY BRAKES HAVE FAILED ALMOST CAUSING A WRECK I HAVE HAD TO PUT BRAKE PADS ON MY CAR 4 TIMES WITHIN A YEAR MY CAR HAS STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND I DON'T KNOW THE REASON WHY. I TOOK MY CAR TO A NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT I NEED A NEW CATALYTIC CONVERTER A NEW ENGINE AND THAT WAS THE PROBLEM FOR MY CAR STOPPING IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC THE BRAKES HAVE FAILED ONCE. I WAS TOLD BY NISSAN OF GADSDEN AL. THAT I NEED TO HAVE OVER $13,000.00 WORTH OF WORK ON MY CAR BECAUSE IT WAS A SAFETY HAZARD . I CALLED THE NISSAN COMPANY AND THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT THEN THEY STOP ACCEPTING MY CALLS AND SAID DEAL WITH IT BECAUSE THEY WAS NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY REPAIRS MADE TO MY CAR. I PAID CASH FOR MY CAR AFTER THE FIRST YEAR I BEGAN TO START HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IT THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT NSSAN NEW ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS AND REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT AND THEY COULD WORK OUT SOMETHING WITH ME INSTEAD OF PAYING $12,000.00 FOR THE REPAIRS THAT THEY WOULD CHARGE ME $8,000.00 FOR THE REPAIRS I DO NOT HAVE ANY MONEY TO GET MY CAR FIXED AND NISSAN TOLD ME TO DEAL WITH IT. WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THIS PLEASE HELP I PAID $13,000.00 FOR A CAR THAT DON'T WORK PLEASE HELP ME. THANK YOU SHELIA GASTON *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

ON EXTREMELY COLD DAYS (5 DEGREES F OR LOWER) I HAVE HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE THE BRAKES DO NOT STOP THE CAR WHEN THE CAR IS FIRST DRIVEN. THE CAUSE IS DUE TO APPARENT MALFUNCTION OF A CHECK VALVE IN THE VACUUM LINE TO POWER BRAKE BOOSTER. THE PEDAL REMAINS HARD (I.E. - THE PEDAL DOES NOT GO TO THE FLOOR). USUALLY AFTER A FEW SUBSEQUENT ATTEMPTS TO BRAKE, THE BOOST FUNCTION RETURNS AND THE BRAKES FUNCTION NORMALLY. MANY PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED AND REPORTED THIS PROBLEM ON INTERNET FORUMS SUCH AS HTTP://WWW.NISSANCLUB.COM/FORUMS/2002-2006-NISSAN-ALTIMA-DISCUSSION-2-5-3-5/256153-COLD-WEATHER-BRAKING-ISSUE.HTMLINE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND IT IS ONLY BY LUCK THAT I HAVEN'T BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT SINCE IT HAS RESULTED IN BEING UNABLE TO STOP AT AN INTERSECTION. THIS SHOULD DEFINITELY BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF NISSAN TO REPAIR AS A SAFETY RECALL. NISSAN HAS REDESIGNED THE PART AND IT IS VERY INEXPENSIVE (ABOUT $28) AND THE NEW HOSE/CHECK VALVE ASSEMBLY CAN BE REPLACED IN ABOUT 5 MINUTES. THE PART NUMBER FOR THE REDESIGNED VACUUM HOSE/CHECK VALVE IS 47430-L31002 FOR THE 3.5L V6 ENGINE. FOR THE 2.5L 4 CYLINDER ENGINE THE PART NUMBER IS 47430-L31001. IT'S CALLED A "TUBE-VACUUM". I PURCHASED AND INSTALLED THE PART MYSELF. SOME PEOPLE REPORTED THAT SOME DEALERS MISTAKENLY THINK THE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER ITSELF IS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAVE REPLACED IT AT A COST OF UP TO $500 (AND DID NOT REPLACE THE HOSE) ONLY TO HAVE THE OWNER CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE THE BRAKE FAILURE ON THE NEXT EXTREMELY COLD DAY. *TR

2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. 1)REAR PADS + ROTORS WORN AT 35,000 MILES: REPLACED AT OWNERS COST. NOW 83000 MILES(MAY '08): DEALER HAS TOLD ROTORS AND PAD NEED REPLACEMENT AND POSSIBLY CALIPERS NEED TO BE EVALUATED. AT 75000 MILE CHECK EVERYTHING WAS OK. (PER THE SERVICE RECORD). IN JAN'08 I HAD SPECIFICALLY ASKED THE BREAKS TO BE INSPECTED. TOLD OK. NOW SUDDENLY THE ROTORS ARE SHOT. OTHER THAN A SQUEAL SOUND FOR 2 DAYS NO OTHER SYMPTOMS. CONCERNED ABOUT HOW BRAKES GO FROM FINE TO SHOT IN 3 MONTHS. I THINK IT IS A BIG SAFETY CONCERN IF THE TIME IT TAKES BREAKS TO DISINTEGRATE IS LESS THAN A 3 MONTH PERIOD. 2) ENGINE NOT STARTING AFTER PARKED IN THE COLD. HAPPENED TWICE ONCE AT 48000 MILES. (LOWER BILL. ) 2ND TIME AT 78000 MILES. (HUGE BILL ~$1000). MULTIPLE PARTS REPLACED AND SERVICED. HIGHLIGHTED AS PROBLEM ON VARIOUS FORUMS WITH THIS PARTICULAR NISSAN MODEL. EVALUATE POSSIBILITY RELATED TO ECM TIMINGS ETC. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A BUMPING SOUND FROM OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, SHE WAS UNABLE TO PLACE THE VEHICLE INTO PARK. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE FRONT END CAUGHT FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 143,000.

1. VEHICLE'S EXHAUST PIPE HANGER CAUGHT BAG OF DEBRIS FROM THE ROAD AND FELT LIKE THE CAR WAS FALLING APART IN THE REAR. DEBRIS WAS REMOVED BY DISCOUNT TIRES AFTER PURCHASING NEW WHEELS AND TIRES. 2. SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT IS ON. ENGINE HAS REDUCED POWER AND IT CAUSES THE ENGINE TO STOP RUNNING WITHOUT WARNING DURING OPERATION, WITH VIBRATING NOISES. NISSAN STATES THAT THE CAM SENSOR WITH CRANK SENSOR IS FAULTY AND SHOULD BE REPLACED. APPARENTLY IT IS UNDER RECALL AND THEY WANT US TO PAY FOR A RECALLED ITEM. 3. ENGINE LONG BLOCK WAS REPLACED ON 2/14/06 BECAUSE OF CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE, AND THE ENGINE CONTINUES TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH VIBRATING AND SLUGGISHNESS. 4. REAR ENGINE MOUNT REPLACED IN 11/03/04 AS RECOMMENDED. NOW, PASSENGER UPPER MOUNT WAS RECOMMENDED TO BE CHANGED ON 3/14/08. 5. AIR CONDITIONING IS BLOWING HOT AIR AND WE REPLACED AIR CONDITIONING HIGH SIDE COMPRESSOR AND OIL RECHARGED SYSTEM IN 6/01/07, AS RECOMMENDED. AS OF TODAY 3/30/08 AIR CONDITIONING IS BLOWING HOT AIR AGAIN. WE PURCHASED NEW WHEELS, TIRES AND BRAKES BECAUSE OF THE VIBRATION IN THE CAR AND STEERING COLUMN WITH LOW SOUNDING NOISE. WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY TAKEN OUR CAR IN FOR MAINTENANCE, RECALLS AND ADDITIONAL MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH VERY MINIMAL RESOLUTIONS. THANK YOU. *TR

AS I WAS DRIVING THE ROAD AT A GOOD DISTANCE FROM THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, THE OTHER VEH STOPPED SUDDENLY. I PUT FOOT ON THE BRAKES BUT I SKID TO HIS REAR BUMPER WITH MY FRONT END. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40 MILES PER HOUR. THE PASSENAGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND THE SEATBELT TIGHTEN, BUT MIND DID NOT. WHICH CAUSED ME TO STRIKE THE STEERING WHEEL AND MULTIPLE INJURIES THAT I'M STILL SUFFERING. WHEN MY VEHICLE WAS TAKE TO MECHANIC , HE STATED MY AIR BAG SENSORS WERE NOT ACTIVATED AND HE STATED THAT I DID NOT HAVE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED ME NOT TO HAVE THE ACCIDENT. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM A LOCAL DEALERSHIP IN JULY 2007, BEFORE PURCHASING I HAD FIRESTONE INSPECT THE VEH FOR ANY DEFECTS OR MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. THEY NEVER SAID ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH MY SENSORS OR THAT I LACKED ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. THE DEALERSHIP WAS TO HAVE DONE A SAFETY CHECK ON MY VEHICLE AND I WAS NEVER TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE HAD A RECALL FOR AIR BAGS. HAD I KNOWN I WOULD MADE IT WAS FIXED BEFORE PURCHASING AND I WOULD HAVE NOT SUFFERED INJURIES. MY VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED FROM THAT CRASH ANTHER OTHER VEHICLE A 2006 NISSAN MAXIM HAD A COUPLE DENTS AND SCRATCHES. MY VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED ON 03/17/08 AND I'M STILL GOING TO THE DOCTOR FOR PAIN. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT THIS ISSUE BUT I GOING TO MAKE SURE SOMETHING IS DONE VERY SOON. *TR