2002 Nissan Altima

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V455000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). HE CALLED THE DEALER AND HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. SEVERAL YEARS LATER, WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND A REPRESENTATIVE INFORMED HIM THAT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL, HE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE REPRESENTATIVE AT THE DEALER ADVISED HIM THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED IN 2004, THE TECHNICIAN USED THE SAME EXACT PART THAT THEY REMOVED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER, BUT THEY DID NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,555. UPDATED 06/09/2008. *LJ THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 06/09/08. *JB

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.

2002 NISSAN ALTIMA CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILURES THAT ARE INCREASING ACCORDING TO REPORTS WIDELY PUBLICIZED ON THE INTERNET. THERE IS A RECALL IN CANADA FOR THE PROBLEM, BUT NOT IN US. IN SPEAKING WITH A REPRESENTATIVE FROM NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS, I HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT THE REASON FOR THE RECALL BEING RECOGNIZED IN CANADA BUT NOT IN THE U.S. IS DUE TO THE FACTORY IN WHICH VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED. SEEMS TO ME THIS REASON IS RIDICULOUS IF THIS PROBLEM IS HAPPENING IN THE U.S. TOO! SEE INFO BELOW: TRANSPORT CANADA RECALL NUMBER 2003060. UNITS AFFECTED: 30589. 2002-2003: ON CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 2.5 LITER ENGINE, THE EXHAUST PIPE HANGER PIN MAY CATCH DEBRIS FROM THE ROAD WHICH COULD BE IGNITED BY CONTACT WITH THE MAIN CATALYST. CORRECTION: DEALER WILL REMOVE THE PROTRUDING PORTION OF THE EXHAUST PIPE HANGER PIN. ALSO, CERTAIN OPERATING CONDITIONS MAY CAUSE THE PRE-CATALYST TO OVERHEAT AND DAMAGE THE CATALYST SUBSTRATE. IF SUBSTRATE PARTICLES ENTER THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER, THEY MAY SCORE THE CYLINDER WALLS, RESULTING IN INCREASED OIL CONSUMPTION. CORRECTION: DEALER WILL REPROGRAM THE ENGINE CONTROL UNIT TO PREVENT THE POSSIBILITY OF THE PRE-CATALYST OVERHEATING. IF THE CONVERSION EFFICIENCY OF THE PRE-CATALYST HAS DETERIORATED, THEN THE CATALYST WILL BE REPLACED. THE ORIGINAL PRE-CATALYST WILL THEN BE INSPECTED FOR EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE TO THE CATALYST SUBSTRATE. IF DAMAGE IS PRESENT, THE VEHICLE ENGINE WILL BE REPLACED. WHILE I HAVE BEEN OBSESSIVE ABOUT ENSURING MY VEHICLE IS SERVICED ROUTINELY, I HAVE RECENTLY EXPERIENCED ENGINE FAILURE WHICH WILL RESULT IN HAVING TO REPLACE MY ENGINE. I DO NOT HAVE THE FINANCES TO JUST DROP $2000 ON A NEW ENGINE! MY CASE IS CURRENTLY IN THE HANDS OF A REGIONAL SPECIALIST (FILE # 6149122), BUT I HAVE NOT GOTTEN THE OUTCOME OF THE REVIEW TO DATE. I AM RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING REVIEW OF THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *TR

I HAVE A NISSAN ALTIMA (2002) WITH UNDER 75,000 MILES. I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE COOLANT SYSTEM FOR ROUGHLY 10,000 MILES. THE COOLANT TANK DRAINS EVERY 2-3 DAYS. I REFILL IT, AND IT IS EMPTY 2 -3 DAYS LATER. I HAVE HAD 3 OR 4 SEPARATE TESTS DONE ON THE COOLANT SYSTEM, AND NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. YET, THE PROBLEMS CONTINUE. RECENTLY, GRAY SMOKE FLOWS OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE UPON STARTING THE CAR. ALSO, WHEN STARTING THE CAR, THE WHOLE VEHICLE SHUTTERS, AND SOMETIMES DOES NOT TURN RIGHT OVER (REQUIRING 2 OR 3 TURNS OF THE IGNITION KEY). I WAS TOLD THAT PERHAPS IT IS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET, WARPED HEAD, OR SOMETHING OF THE SORT. EITHER WAY, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE COOLANT IS SOMEHOW LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE (BECAUSE NO SIGNS OF LEAKS ANYWHERE ELSE HAVE BEEN DETECTED). WITH ONLY 75,000 MILES ON THE CAR, THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A MANUFACTURERS PROBLEM. THE COOLANT TANK IS EMPTIED EVERY 2-3 DAYS, THE GRAY SMOKE BLOWING OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE HAPPENS AT LEAST 3 TIMES A WEEK, AND THE SHUTTERING (AND INABILITY TO START INITIALLY) HAPPENS 1-2 TIMES A WEEK, WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY. NOTHING WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. ONE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS NOT THE CASE. I WAS TOLD BY 2 MECHANICS (ONE AT THAT SAME DEALERSHIP, AND ONE INDEPENDENT) THAT THE PROBLEM IS INTERNAL, AND THAT THE ENTIRE MOTOR WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO BE REPLACED. AT THE VERY MINIMUM, THE HEAD GASKET AND / OR HEADER. RESEARCHING THE INTERNET, I FOUND HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS BY OWNERS OF NISSAN'S OF THE SAME OF SIMILAR MODEL AND YEAR. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO, AND SHOULD BE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED FOR A RECALL! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN ILLUMINATING INTERMITTENTLY AND THEN REMAINED LIT. WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE AND TAKING OFF, THE VEHICLE MADE A STRANGE NOISE AND JERKED AS IF SOMETHING WERE SLIPPING. ONCE THE VEHICLE GAINED SPEED, THE NOISE STOPPED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED: THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, TWO MAJOR SENSORS, AND THE HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS. THE VEHICLE WAS BURNING OIL ON THE INSIDE OF THE ENGINE, WHICH CAUSED IT TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE AN OIL CHANGE AND THEN FOUR DAYS LATER, THE OIL WOULD HAVE BURNED OUT COMPLETELY. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS 03V084000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/ HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE), 07V527000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), AND 03V455000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING WERE REFERENCED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 116,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. UPDATED 06/05/08 *BF THE DRIVER SIDE POWER MIRROR WAS REPLACED, THE GEAR SELECTOR WAS STICKING. THE CYLINDER HEAD, GASKET RADIATOR AND THERMOSTAT WERE REPLACED. WERE REPLACED. UPDATED 06/04/08

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V527000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). NISSAN REFUSED TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ALWAYS START, IT IS LOSING COOLANT, AND THE OIL AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,400.

2002 NISSAN ALTIMA BEGAN OVERHEATING, LOSING COOLANT RAPIDLY AND GAUGES INDICATED RAPID TEMPERATURE FLUCTUATIONS. UPON TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER, VISUAL DIAGNOSTIC SUGGESTED A REPLACEMENT OF VALVE COVER GASKET. GASKET WAS REPLACED FOR APPROXIMATELY $300. OVERHEATING RESUMED AFTER REPAIRS IN ADDITION TO OVERHEATING, VEHICLE BEGAN PRODUCING WHITE SMOKE AS WELL AS MISFIRING UPON START-UP. COMPUTERIZED DIAGNOSTIC WAS THEN COMPLETED. DIAGNOSIS WAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. REPAIR COST WAS QUOTED AT $2100 PLUS TAXES. I DID RESEARCH ONLINE AND INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE BLOWN HEAD GASKET WASN'T ISOLATED TO ME ALONE AND THAT THERE ARE MANY 2002 NISSAN ALTIMAS THAT BLOW THE HEAD GASKET AROUND 70,000 TO 90,000 MILES. MANY CUSTOMERS APPEAR TO HAVE TRIED TO CONTACT NISSAN BUT COMPANY WILL NOT OWN UP TO APPARENT DEFECT WITH THE MODEL. IT IS QUITE DIFFICULT TO BLOW A VEHICLE'S HEAD GASKET AND IT IS UNFAIR FOR A MODEL TO HAVE SUCH A MAJOR DEFECT AND THE CONSUMERS HAVE TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY AND COST OF REPAIRING THE PROBLEM - A MAJOR ENGINE OVERHAUL. TO PRESENT, NO INJURIES OR CRASHES HAVE RESULTED, HOWEVER, DEALER HAS WARNED THAT WITHOUT REPAIR, ENGINE PARTS MAY CONTINUE TO WARP AND MAY RESULT IN COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE. *TR