2002 Nissan Altima

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. THE CONTACT TOOK HIS VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THEY STATED THAT AN ERROR CODE APPEARED FOR THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE SAME ISSUED OUTLINED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V084000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE). THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED FOR THAT RECALL IN MARCH OF 2004. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 136,777. UPDATED 03-04-09 *BF UPDATED 03/05/09. *JB

I PURCHASED A NEW 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA FROM PENCE NISSAN ON 3/23/02. SINCE THE 2002 WAS A NEW MODEL YEAR FOR THE ALTIMA, I ALSO PURCHASED A SECURITY+PLUS GOLD VEHICLE WARRANTY FOR $995.00 EXTENDING THE WARRANTY TO 3/23/2008 OR 75,000 MILES WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST. AFTER HAVING RECURRING CLUTCH PROBLEMS, I STARTED RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THIS MODEL HAD FREQUENT COMPLAINTS REGARDING ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER BREAKING APART. BECAUSE OF THIS I MADE ESPECIALLY CERTAIN THAT I CHECKED MY OIL EVERY WEEK, THAT I HAD ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE PERFORMED AND THAT THEY WERE PERFORMED BY PENCE NISSAN (I HAVE COPIES OF EACH RECEIPT TOTALING $3,853.06). DESPITE ALL OF THESE PRECAUTIONS, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON SEPTEMBER 25TH. I TOOK THE CAR IMMEDIATELY TO THE DEALER WHO SAID THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAD BROKEN APART SOME. I WAS ADVISED NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL I REPLACED THE CONVERTER AND TWO OXYGEN SENSORS. I WAS TOLD PARTICLES FROM THE CONVERTER COULD ENTER THE ENGINE AND DESTROY IT RESULTING IN AN $8,000 REPAIR. I TOOK THE DEALER?S ADVICE AND REPLACED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND BOTH OXYGEN SENSORS AT A COST OF $1251.05. UPON INSPECTION, THE DEALER NOTED THAT THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF METAL IN THE OIL. I WAS TOLD THAT ALTHOUGH THE OIL LOOKED CLEAR, THERE WAS NO GUARANTEE THAT FRAGMENTS FROM THE CONVERTER HADN'T MADE THEIR WAY INTO THE ENGINE AND IT COULD BE TWO WEEKS OR TWO YEARS BEFORE POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE. AFTER HEARING THIS, I DECIDED TO PURCHASE A NEW CAR. GIVEN MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE 2002 ALTIMA AND WHAT I READ FROM OTHER OWNERS, I FEEL THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND NISSAN SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIRS. I SENT NISSAN TWO LETTERS RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THAT NISSAN CONSIDER REIMBURSING ME FOR THE $1251.05 REPAIR CHARGE, BUT HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING BACK. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA WITH 117,000 MILES. NISSAN USA REPLACED THE ENGINE AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AS PART OF A RECALL JANUARY 06 WHEN THE CAR HAD 99600 MILES. LAST WEEK ON 1/24/08, THE CAR SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING AND I WAS LUCKY TO PULL TO THE SIDE ON TIME TO PREVENT AN ACCIDENT. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER NISSAN COX IN THE BRONX THE FOLLOWING SATURDAY. THEY CHECKED THE CAR OUT AND TOLD ME THAT THE REASON WHY THE CAR SHUT OFF IS NOT RELATED TO THE PREVIOUS RECALLS. THEY TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE MY THROTTLE AND CLEAN THE FUEL SYSTEM. I PAID $563 FOR THE LABOR ON 1/30/08. I DROVE THE CAR AROUND THE DEALER AND ONCE AGAIN THE CAR SHUT OFF BY ITSELF THEN I STARTED IT AGAIN AND WHILE DRIVING IT BACK TO THE DEALER THE ENGINE SURGED A COUPLE OF TIMES. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THE NEXT DAY 1/31/08, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE SERVICE WORKER IN WHICH SHE TELLS ME THAT MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS BAD AND THAT'S WHAT'S CAUSING THE PROBLEM. I DON'T THINK IS FAIR THAT I HAD TO PAY $563 TO LATER FIND OUT THAT THE CAR HAD SOMETHING ELSE. ALSO, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE CATALYTIC GOT DAMAGED WHEN I RELIGIOUSLY SERVICED THE CAR FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS SINCE THE NEW ENGINE AND CAT WERE INSTALLED. THE DEALER TELLS ME THAT I'M NO LONGER COVERED BY THE WARRANTY AND THAT I NEED TO PAY ANOTHER $900 FOR PARTS AND LABOR. I THINK IM BEING RIPPED OFF BY THE DEALER AND NISSAN. I'VE READ HOW MUCH PROBLEMS THE 2002 ALTIMA HAS. CAN YOU GUYS PLEASE HELP ME. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. SHE STATED THAT SHE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID #07V527000). THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE RECALL BECAUSE THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 71,000 AND THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE.

WE OWN A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA (PURCHASED AT AUTOWAY NISSAN, CLEARWATER, FL IN 2002) AND HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME MECHANICAL FAILURE AS MANY WHO HAVE POSTED TO THIS AND MANY OTHER SITES. WITH 100,300 MILES ON THE VEHICLE WE HAVE JUST LEARNED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAS DISINTEGRATED AND METAL PARTS ARE NOW THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE. AS A RESULT WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A NEW ENGINE INSTALLED OR WALK AWAY FROM A 5 YEAR OLD CAR THAT, OTHER THAN THIS DEFECT, IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. UPON SPEAKING TO AUTOWAY NISSAN WE WERE INFORMED SINCE THE CAR HAS EXCEEDED THE 8 YEARS OR 80,000 MILE WARRANTY ON THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NISSAN WOULD NOT COVER THE COST OF REPAIRS. UPON TYPING IN 'NISSAN CATALYTIC CONVERTER' IN GOOGLE KEY WORD SEARCH MY HUSBAND AND I FOUND IT IS ENLIGHTENING AND CONCERNING TO READ MANY ACCOUNTS OF THE SAME MECHANICAL FAILURE. I'M SURE THERE ARE MANY, MANY MORE ACCOUNTS OF THE SAME MECHANICAL FAILURE THAT WE'VE YET TO UNCOVER. WHAT CAN WE DO AS CONSUMERS TO HAVE OUR RIGHTS PROTECTED? IT IS APPARENT NISSAN HAS A DEFECTIVE PART ON AT LEAST 2002 / 2003 ALTIMA. ANY ADVISE US ON HOW TO WE AS CONSUMERS CAN GET NISSAN TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF A FAILED DEVICE. *TR

WE PURCHASED A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA ON 11/01/07 AT NEWBURGH NISSAN IN NEWBURGH NY ON 17K.3 WEEKS AFTER, WE SAW ON THE NEWS THAT THE NISSAN 2002 HAD A RECALL. THEN WE CONTACTED NISSAN IN NEWBURGH & INFORMED THEM .THEY INFORMED THEY FOUND THAT IN ADDITION TO THE RECALL THAT THERE WAS A COIL THAT NEEDED TO BE FIXED. (THIS SHOULD SOUND FAMILIAR AS EVERY OTHER COMPLAINT ON THE WEB STATES THE SAME STORY) THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO CHARGE US ALMOST $1KTO HAVE IT FIXED. I PROCEEDED TO REMIND THEM THAT THIS IS A RECALL;THEN TRANSFERRED ME BACK TO THE RECEPTIONIST AT THE NEWBURGH NISSAN WHO SAID THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY. I THEN SAID I WANTED TO SPEAK TO A MNGR IMMEDIATELY. FINALLY THEY GAVE ME TO A DIFF PERSON. THIS MNGR COMES ON THE PHONE WITH THE CLEAR MESSAGE THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO HELP.) HE SAID WELL GIVE ME SOME TIME TO GO OVER THE INFO. THEY SAID ITS IN GREAT CONDITION, WE'RE GOING TO REPLACE THE BATTERY" AFTER IT ALWAYS ACTED AS IF IT WAS READY TO STALL. I THEN CALLED NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS. I PLACED A COMPLAINT. I THEN RECEIVED A CALL FROM NISSAN IN NEWBURGH THE NEXT DAY THAT THEY WOULD FIX THE CAR. THEN WHEN THEY FIXED THE RECALL AND ITS COIL ISSUE THEN MY HUSBAND RECEIVED A CALL FROM NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS ASKING IF IT WAS FIXED. WELL HE TOLD THEM THAT IT HAS BEEN TWO DAYS SINCE THEY FIXED IT AND THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT IS ON AND NOW THE CAR IS NOT GOING UP HILLS. THEY NEVER CALLED US BACK. I CALLED THE NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS PEOPLE AND LEFT NUMEROUS VOICEMAIL MESSAGES FOR THE REGIONAL CONTACT. THIS IS WHAT WAS IN THEY THEIR INVOICE: C/S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON FOUND MULITICYLINDER MISFIRE. COIL PACKS ARE DETERIORATED AND BREAKING UP REPLACED ALL 4 SPARK PLUGS AND COIL PACKS WHY IS IT IRONICALLY THAT THE CAR THEY SOLD US CANNOT CLIMB A HILL. MY CAR WILL NOT START. I CAN'T EVEN GET THE CAR TO THE DEALER. I WAS TOLD THAT IF I CAN'T GET MY CAR STARTED I WOULD HAVE TO GET IT TOWED TO THEM AT MY EXPENSE. THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE. *TR

RECENT RECALL FOR 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA DATED 11/07/2007. I RECENTLY CALLED NISSAN NORTH AMERICA REGARDING A RECALL I SAW WHILE SURFING THE WEB. I CALLED NISSAN TWICE, NOV. 7, 2007 & JAN. 10. 2008, AND THEY GAVE ME A FILE# AND FAXED ME A LETTER STATING "THESE REPAIRS ARE FREE OF CHARGE TO YOU". YET WHEN I TRIED TO HAVE IT FIXED AT THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP THEY SAID I HAD TO PAY FOR A DIAGNOSTIC OR THEY WOULD NOT FIX IT EVEN UNDER THE RECALL. I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ALREADY, REGARDING THIS PROBLEM WITH MY 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA SINCE 2007, I AM DISABLED AND ON A FIXED INCOME, THIS CAR PROBLEM HAS PUT ME IN CRITICAL FINANCIAL TROUBLE. WHEN I NOTIFIED NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. OF MY PROBLEM TRYING TO GET IT FIXED THEY TOLD ME TO TRY AGAIN, BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO CONTROL OVER HOW MUCH THE DEALERSHIPS CHARGE. IF I STILL HAD THE PROBLEM GETTING IT FIXED THEY WOULD DEAL WITH MY PROBLEM THEN. DOES INTEGRITY MEAN ANYTHING TO ANYONE ANYMORE? THIS CAR IS A DEATH TRAP. THIS CAR HAS SHUT OFF DURING OPERATION ON THE FREEWAY AT A SPEED OF 70 MPH. IT IS NOT TRUE WHEN ITS SAID IT ONLY STALLS AT LOW SPEED. I AND MY GRANDDAUGHTER ARE A WITNESS TO THAT. DOES ANYONE CARE ABOUT A HUMAN LIFE? *TR

MY CAR WOULDN'T START. I NOTIFIED NISSAN, THEY TOWED MY CAR IN. MY CAR HAD SEVERAL RECALLS. NISSAN CHECKED MY CAR AND RESET MY ECM. WHEN I WENT TO GET MY CAR FROM MITCHELL NISSAN WHICH IS 30 MILES AWAY. THEY TOLD US THAT I HAD A POSSIBLE HEAD OR COIL FAILURE. WHEN WE LEFT THE DEALERSHIP WE DIDN'T CHECK THE OIL CAUSE WHEN THEY REPROGRAMMED THEY SUPPOSE TO HAVE CHECKED EVERYTHING. WHEN MY HUSBAND CHECKED THAT'S WHEN WE FOUND OUT IT WAS NO OIL. I DROVE MY CAR 30 MILES WITH NO OIL. MY CAR IS A 2002 ALTIMA I CHECKED THE RECALLS AND SAW THAT THE 2.5 2006 ALTIMAS HAS A RECALL ON THE ENGINE AS WELL AS THE SENSOR LIKE THE EARLIER YEARS. THE RECALLS STATES SOMETHING ABOUT THE ECM AND ABOUT THE PISTONS AND DRIVING WITHOUT OIL. NOW I HAVE TO GET MY ENGINE REPLACED AND NISSAN IS SAYING IT IS NOT ON THEM. MY CAR WAS NOT ACTING UP NOR SMOKING UNTIL IT CUT OFF AND HAD TO BE REPROGRAMMED. I FEEL THIS MESSED UP MY ENGINE. *TR

(1) CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED AND EVENTUALLY CAUSED ENGINE TO FAIL ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 60 MPH. CAR WENT OFF THE ROAD AND ALMOST HIT ONCOMING TRAFFIC. (2) I REPLACED THE ENGINE AND THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING TO ME AGAIN. NISSAN IS REFUSING TO REPLACE THE ENGINE EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. (3) UNFORTUNATELY THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, AND I CAN PRODUCE 100'S OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO HAVE SUFFERED FROM THE SAME PROBLEM AND NISSAN IS REFUSING TO DO ANYTHING. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THEY CAN BE ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH THIS??? *TR