2002 Nissan Altima

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR WOULD CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATE. THE DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE WHY THE INDICATOR CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS RUST AROUND THE FUEL TANK. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO MAKE A KNOCKING SOUND AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE KNOCKING NOISE ORIGINATED FROM THE OVERHEAD CAM COMPONENT OF THE ENGINE. THERE WAS NO OIL IN THE VEHICLE, ALTHOUGH THE CONTACT MAINTAINED REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND OIL CHANGES EVERY 3,000 MILES. HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY OF THE RECALLS THAT DESCRIBED THE SAME FAILURES HE EXPERIENCED (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS 03V455000 AND 03V455000). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,500 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 86,600.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER AND WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER OVERHEATED AND SHATTERED. THE SHATTERED PIECES ENTERED INTO THE MOTOR, WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO COMPLETELY FAIL. THE ONLY REMEDY WOULD BE TO INSTALL A NEW ENGINE AND A NEW EXHAUST. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REASON FOR THE DEFECT WAS DUE TO THE SIZE OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER THAT WAS MANUFACTURED INTO THE VEHICLE BY NISSAN. SHE BELIEVES THAT A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 100,000.

MANY PROBLEMS WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINS ON ALTHOUGH VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED AT THE DEALER PROPERLY. ENGINE RATTLES. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA CATALYTIC CONVERTER. ALTHOUGH PREVIOUS RECALLS WITH THE ENGINE COOLANT SYSTEM HAVE BEEN HONORED NISSAN FAILS TO RECOGNIZE THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. MANY CONSUMERS HAVE COMPLAINED. *TR

WELL MAINTAINED 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA.... FOLLOWED ALL MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES, HAD ALL RECALLS PERFORMED ALL WORK PERFORMED AT NISSAN DEALERSHIPS. HAS HAD CONTINUAL OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUES, HAD HEAT ISSUES, CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILURE LEADING TO FULL ENGINE FAILURE. NISSAN DENIES ANY WRONG DOING AND WILL NOT HELP DUE TO MILEAGE ON THE CAR. HOWEVER THIS PROBLEM STARTED WELL WITHIN THE WARRANTY PERIOD AND THE DEALERSHIP(S) DID NOT DO LET US KNOW ABOUT A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE DESIGN (CATALYTIC CONVERTER IN FRONT OF THE EXHAUST). THERE ARE 1000 OF CONSUMERS ON THE INTERNET WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. *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

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V084000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE). SEVERAL MONTHS LATER, SHE NOTICED THAT HER VEHICLE BEGAN CONSUMING AN ABNORMAL AMOUNT OF OIL AND THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $900. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,000. UPDATED 02-11-09 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS PLACED TOO CLOSE TO THE EXHAUST. UPDATED 02/12/09. *JB

I HAVE A 2002 ALTIMA 2.5 STANDARD. I BOUGHT THE CAR IN JULY 2007 WITH 72,000 MILES AND HAD A MISFIRE READING FROM THE TIME I BOUGHT IT TILL I REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET AND GOT SOME HEAD WORK DONE ON THE CAR. MILEAGE NOW TOTALS AT NEARLY AROUND 110,000 MILES. NISSAN LOOKED AT MY CAR ALL THE WAY FOR ANY PROBLEMS AND I HAD A FEW RECALLS DONE ON IT INCLUDING REPLACING THE HEADLAMPS. LITTLE DID I KNOW WHEN I HAD MY MECHANIC (NON-NISSAN MECHANIC LATER ON FROM MY DEALER VISIT) REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET ( W/VALVE GUIDES AND OIL RINGS) FOR $1600 THAT MY FRONT ENGINE FAN WAS UNPLUGGED NEAR THE HEADLAMPS WHICH HAD CAUSED SOME REALLY BAD OVERHEATING ISSUES. MY CAT IS BAD (VIA A ENGINE CODE) WHICH I HAVE YET TO REPLACE AS I SEE NO NEED TO AT THIS POINT... ALSO MY CAR HAS BEEN EATING UP MORE THAN 1 QUART OF OIL PER WEEK AS I DRIVE OVER 460 MILES A WEEK AS A COMMUTER TO DALLAS, TX. AT THIS POINT THE OPTION WOULD BE TO EITHER RE..RE-BUILD THE ENGINE OR REPLACE WITH A NEW VERY EXPENSIVE ENGINE NOTHING THAT I HAVE ALREADY SPENT TOO MUCH MONEY ON THIS CAR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL AND HESITATE TO START. SHE REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE HEAD GASKET BLEW AND WAS REPLACED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL AND HESITATE. THE CONTACT FOUND HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL VEHICLE AND WAS CONCERNED THAT IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE MANUFACTURER REFERRED HER TO NHTSA. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 85,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE GAS STATION FROM WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AND THEY REFERRED HIM TO A DEALER. THE DEALER PERFORMED AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST AND DISCOVERED THAT THE VEHICLE LOST THREE QUARTS OF OIL AFTER 630 MILES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUTSIDE OF THE WARRANTY; THEREFORE, THEY COULD NOT ASSIST. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST DUE TO THE EXPIRED WARRANTY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 103,000. UPDATED 3/19/09 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE CATALYTIC CONVERTER INSTALLED AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. MATERIAL FROM THE DEFECTIVE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAS DAMAGED THE ENGINE CAUSING EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. UPDATED 03/26/09.*JB