2002 Nissan Altima

I HAVE A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5L. MY CAR RECEIVES REGULAR MAINTENANCE EVERY 3 MONTHS AND/OR 3,000 MILES (DOCUMENTATION CAN BE PROVIDED), IT NEVER SITS LONGER THAN 2 OR 3 DAY, AND IT'S DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY FOR MY WORK COMMUTE. TWICE MY CAR SUDDENLY WOULDN'T START WITHOUT WARNING. THE FIRST TIME IT WAS FIXED, WHICH WAS AROUND APRIL, THERE WERE SEVERAL RECALLS FOR MY CAR. ONE WAS FOR THE FUEL PUMP SCREEN AND THE ENGINE SENSOR THAT WOULD CAUSE THE CAR TO NOT START OR SUDDENLY STOP RUNNING. THIS SECOND TIME (10-24-05), MY LOCAL MECHANIC SHOWED ME A 6-PAGE SERVICE TECHNICAL BULLETIN THAT WAS ISSUED BY ALLDATA FOR MY NON-STARTING PROBLEM. THE DOCUMENT SUGGESTED REPLACING THE STARTER, ADDING A NISSAN BRAND FUEL INJECTOR CLEANER AND/OR REPROGRAMMING THE COMPUTER TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS SECOND REPAIR WILL COST ME ABOUT $500 TO FIX WHEN I PICK UP MY CAR TOMORROW. I THOUGHT THE RECALL REPAIRS WOULD RESOLVE THIS ISSUE, BUT THOSE REPAIRS PROVED TO ONLY PROVIDE A TEMPORARY FIX, BUT NOT RESOLVE THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM. SINCE THERE'S A SERVICE TECHNICAL BULLETIN ABOUT MY NON-STARTING ISSUE, 2 RECALLS RELATED TO THIS SAME PROBLEM, AND I'VE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPEN TWICE, I THINK MY CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED. I'M FORTUNATE THAT I WASN'T DRIVING THE CAR WHEN IT STOPPED RUNNING OR THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I SHOULD NOT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPEN TWICE IN 6 MONTHS. IF MY CAR FAILS TO START TWICE IN 6 MONTHS AND THE RECALL REPAIRS DON'T REMEDY THE PROBLEM, THEN THERE MUST BE SOMETHING ELSE CAUSING THE PROBLEM. I'D HATE TO FIND OUT IN A FEW MONTHS THAT THE $500 START REPLACEMENT WASN'T THE CULPRIT, BECAUSE I'D BE BACK AT SQUARE ONE. PLEASE TELL ME HOW I CAN GET THIS ISSUE ESCALATED TO A RECALL STATUS OR WHAT I CAN DO TO PREVENT A 3RD FAILURE. THANK YOU, JENNY R. BAKER. *JB

ON MARCH 27,05 MY ALTIMA BEGAN TO STUTTER WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE VERY BADLY. I DECIDED TO RETURN HOME TO SWITCH CARS, AND IT BEGAN TO STALL WHILE TRAVELING AT SLOWER SPEEDS (GLAD IT DID NOT STALL WHILE I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE). I TOOK IT TO NISSAN THE NEXT MORNING AND THEY SAID THAT BOTH OF THE SCREWS BACKED OUT OF ONE OF THE BUTTERFLY VALVE PLATES IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THE PLATE ITSELF AND THE SCREWS HAD FALLEN INTO THE ENGINE, THUS CAUSING SEVERE MISFIRING AND BANGING INTO THE SPARK PLUGS AND DESTROYING THEM AND ALSO SCORING ALL THE WALLS OF THE ENGINE. NISSAN SAID I WOULD NEED TO BUY A NEW ENGINE BUT I REFUSED AND TOWED IT ANOTHER NISSAN DEALER AFTER TALKING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER THERE AND HE SAID HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP MORE. IT HAS BEEN SITTING THERE EVER SINCE BECAUSE I REFUSE TO PAY. THE SERVICE TECH SAID THAT ALL 8 OF THE SCREWS HOLDING THE BUTTERFLY PLATES IN WERE ALL LOOSE. MANY PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN IT UPON THEMSELVES TO APPLY THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF LOCTITE TO THE SCREWS SO THEY DON'T ENCOUNTER THE SAME PROBLEM. NISSAN OBVIOUSLY TAKES THE BLAME ACCORDING TO RECALL P5202 BUT IT ONLY APPLIES TO 04'S AND 05'S EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE SAME ENGINE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM IN THE 02'S AND 03'S. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER BECAUSE IF I HAD BEEN CROSSING AN INTERSECTION AND THE ALTIMA HAD STALLED ONCOMING TRAFFIC COULD HAVE KILLED ME. THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT A SMALL PROBLEM AND NISSAN NEEDS TO ADDRESS IT. I HAVE TAKEN SOME OTHER STEPS ALREADY ON MY END TO GET NISSAN TO ACCEPT FAULT, BUT PLEASE FOR MY SAKE AND OTHER OWNERS SAKE THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I HAVE PLENTY OF PRINTOUTS OF HOW COMMON THE PROBLEM IS WITH OTHER OWNERS AND CAN EMAIL TO ANYONE THAT IS INTERESTED. THE SAME ENGINE (QR25DE) IS IN THE 02 AND UP NISSAN SENTRA SPEC-V SO PLEASE CHECK THOSE COMPLAINTS FOR SIMILAR ISSUES SINCE THAT IS WHERE MOST OF THE FIRST COMPLAINTS I HAVE FOUND CAME FROM.*JB

CERTIFIED LTR RE COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE NEW NISSAN ALTIMA (MY) 2002 & 2003 INVOLVING ENGINE PROBLEMS, REQUESTING A DEFECT INVESTIGATION. *TS THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEM WITH HIS VEHICLE NOT STARTING AND CUTTING OFF ONCE STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER CLAIMED THEY FIXED TO PROBLEM BUT SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY THE CONSUMER WAS FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO LOSE POWER WHILE ACCELERATING AND STALL. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A CYLINDER 2 MISFIRE. THIS OCCURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER. THIS TIME THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET WHICH WAS CAUSED BY A FAULTY CONVERTER. THE SERVICE TECH ADMITTED THAT THE INITIAL DIAGNOSIS WAS INCORRECT BUT THE CONSUMER STILL HAD TO PAY TO HAVE THE HEAD GASKET REPLACED. WHILE DOING RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET THE CONSUMER VISITED SEVERAL SITES WHICH HAD COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE ENGINE AND OTHER ALTIMA COMPONENTS. THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS VEHICLE'S REPAIRS. *NM

DT: 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE SIDE AIR BAGS WENT OFF WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED IT HAPPENED BECAUSE THE SENSOR FAILED. THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON BEFORE THIS. THE CONSUMER WAS NOT INJURED WHEN THIS OCCURRED. SHE WAS NINE MONTHS PREGNANT, AND HER 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS IN THE BACK SEAT AND WAS NOT HURT. ALSO, THE PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE WERE NOT INJURED. *AK *JB

2 SEPARATE NISSAN DEALERS TOLD ME THAT I NEED A NEW ENGINE AND THAT THE ENGINE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A FAILURE OF THE PRE CAT THAT WAS SUCKED BACK INTO THE ENGINE. THE CAT WAS A RECALL THAT NISSAN REPLACED BUT PARTS OF THE CAT WERE ALREADY SUCKED BACK INTO THE ENGINE. THE SECOND CAT THEY INSTALLED FAILED AGAIN AND IS IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT. THEY ENGINE FAILURE WAS A DIRECT RESULT OF NISSAN'S FAILURE TO REPAIR MY ENGINE THE FIRST TIME. *NM

DT: 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHE WOULD START THE VEHICLE IN THE MORNING, IT FELT LIKE IT WAS NOT GETTING ANY FUEL. SHE WOULD HAVE TO PRESS THE ACCELERATOR. SHE STATED IT WOULD HAPPEN SOMETIMES AT LUNCH TIME, AND WHEN SHE WENT HOME FROM WORK. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AT THIS TIME. THIS STARTED ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2005. THE CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC, AND THEY FOUND A RECALL. THE THROTTLE BODY WAS CLEANED BY MECHANIC. SHE CALLED NISSAN OF CLOVIS, AND TOOK VEHICLE THERE, AND THEY FOUND THE VEHICLE DID NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL. THEY FOUND IT WAS THE THROTTLE BODY. SHE HAD THE THROTTLE BODY REPLACED. THE NEXT MORNING IT STARTED AGAIN, THE DEALERSHIP TOLD HER TO BRING IT BACK IN. THIS TIME IT WAS THE ECM COMPUTER. IT WAS ALSO REPLACED. ON SEPTEMBER 28, 2005 THE VEHICLE DID IT AGAIN. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2005, AND THEY FOUND THE COOLANT IS LEAKING INTO THE NUMBER TWO CYLINDER; THE HEAD GASKET WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THESE VEHICLES HAVE BEEN COMING IN WITH THIS PROBLEM BUT AT 80,000 MILES.*AK

STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TIGHTENING MAKING IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MOVE. TURNING BECAME ARDUOUS , SLOW AND SCARY. WE WENT TO THE NISSAN DEALER FOR SERVICE. THEY TOLD US THEY CORRECTED IT. BUT, THE PROBLEM RETURNED SHORTLY THEREAFTER. SO WE RETURNED THE VEHICLE FOR REPAIR. THEY TOLD US THAT THE ORIGINAL REPAIR DIDN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM (OBVIOUSLY). THEY NEEDED A NEW STEERING PART. THE AGENCY CALLED THAT THE PART ARRIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED AGAIN AND LEFT ALL DAY ONLY TO LEARN THAT THE PART DELIVERED TO THEM WAS WRONG. THEY 'JERRY-RIGGED' IT AND TOLD US THEY WOULD CALL WHEN THE NEW PART ARRIVED. THE STEERING IS OK BUT THEY WARNED US THAT IT NEEDED TO BE CORRECTLY REPAIRED. THE AGENCY HAS NOT YET CALLED BACK . IT IS ODD THAT A VEHICLE WITH ONLY 35,000 MILES WOULD HAVE SERIOUS, SEVERE STEERING PROBLEMS. IT IS DISMAYING THAT WE PAID TO REPAIR A PROBLEM ONLY FOR IT TO IMMEDIATELY RETURN. THEN IT IS ANNOYING TO WAIT ALL DAY TO LEARN THAT THE DELIVERED PART WAS THE WRONG PART. AND, I AM SUSPICIOUS THAT MAYBE THE PART WASN'T WRONG, BUT THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO CORRECTLY FIX THE PROBLEM. IS IT ENOUGH FOR THEM TO TELL ME THAT THE PROBLEM ISN'T CORRECTLY FIXED? SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY SEVERAL TIMES FOR A PROBLEM TO BE CORRECTLY FIXED? *JB

DT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE SEPARATED FROM INSIDE TOP ON OCTOBER 1, 2005. HAD NOT CONTACTED THE DEALER AT THIS POINT. THE REAR END HAD BEEN MAKING A ROARING SOUND AT 65 MPH, SLOWED DOWN TO 50 MPH, AND THEN A FEW SECONDS LATER COULD HEAR THE PLOPPING SOUND. THESE WERE BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE TIRES, TURANZA EL 42, P215/55R17. THE TIRES WERE SERVICED REGULARLY. THERE WAS NO VIBRATION, AND THERE WAS NO ABNORMAL BULGING IN THE TIRES. *AK

MY 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA HAS A PRE-CATALYST THAT HAS BROKEN APART INSIDE AND HAS CAUSED SEVERE ENGINE DAMAGE. THIS HAS HAPPENED AFTER MY VEHICLE WAS IN FOR RECALL REPAIRS FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE. NEVER THE LESS, THIS PRE-CATALYST HAS INDEED FAILED AND THE ENGINE DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED INCLUDING EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION, ENGINE NOISE AND A BURNING SMELL. I AM CONCERNED THAT MY VEHICLE IS UNSAFE AND THAT THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF FIRE SINCE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER VEHICLES LIKE MINE. I HAVE GONE TO A DEALER AND TO NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, BUT THEY REFUSE TO HELP ME. THEY CLAIM THAT THEY HAVE DONE THE RECALL WORK AND THAT THIS IS NO LONGER THEIR PROBLEM. *NM