2002 Nissan Altima

MY NISSAN ALTIMA (2002) WITH VIN#[XXX]) ENGINE'S STOPPED WHILE DRIVING THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS, I STARTED THE VEHICLE AND I NOTICED REDUCED ENGINE POWER AS I DROVE TO A SAFE LOCATION. VEHICLE HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AND SHOWS A CODE P0335 AND I WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC (SERVICE GARAGE) THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE 2002 ALTIMA'S WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I CONTACTED NISSAN DEALER IN TUCSON AND WAS INFORMED THAT MY VIN # DOES NOT FALL WITHIN THE RECALLED GROUP. UPON CALLING THE NATIONAL CONSUMERS AFFAIRS OFFICE @ (888)737-2647 I SPOKE TO MACY SPENCER (EXTENSION 8510). SHE LOOKED UP THE VIN # AN INFORMED ME THAT THIS VEHICLE HAD THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR REPLACED IN MAY OF 2004 AND THAT IT ONLY HAD A 12 MONTH WARRANTY. I PURCHASE THIS VEHICLE FROM NISSAN IN JULY 2005. *NM UPDATED 07/16/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

1) ON 4/15/06 MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING MY CAR AND COMPLAINED THAT IT WAS NOT RUNNING RIGHT, AND WAS MISSING. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. MY HUSBAND DROVE THE CAR DIRECTLY TO THE NISSAN DEALER IN CORONA, CA. 2) THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT CHECKED OUT THE CAR AND STATED CYLINDER #1 MISFIRE, BUTTERFLY BOLT FELL INTO #1 CYLINDER BROKE SPARK PLUG. 3)REMOVED INTAKE MANIFOLD TO REPLACE BUTTERFLY BOLT. REMOVED CATALYTIC CONVERTER FOR INSPECTION, MINOR HAIRLINE CRACK NO CODES. CUSTOMER DECIDED TO HAVE OLD CAT REINSTALLED. REINSTALLED INTAKE MANIFOLD AND REPLACED RELATED GASKETS. 4) SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE STATED THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND KNEW WHAT IT WAS RIGHT AWAY. THEY CHARGED ME $727 TO REPAIR AND I STILL HAVE A CRACKED CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I HAVE CHECKED OUT MESSAGING FORUMS AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR NISSAN ALTIMA'S. *JB

AFTER PURCHASING MY VEHICLE (2002 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S) IN DECEMBER 2001 I HAVE CONSISTENTLY MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL. HOWEVER, GOOD MAINTENANCE HAVE NOT LED TO GOOD PERFORMANCE AFTER ABOUT 10,000 MILES I STARTED EXPERIENCING ALL KINDS OF ENGINE PROBLEMS (RADIATOR, THROTTLE BODY AND NOW THE ENTIRE ENGINE) WHICH I MOSTLY HAVE HAD TO PAY OUT OF MY POCKET. I HAVE BEEN TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TYPES CONCERNING VARIOUS ENGINE PROBLEMS, HOWEVER, THEY TOLD ME SOME OF THE PROBLEMS COULD NOT BE FIXED. I ALSO CONTACTED NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, HOWEVER, THEY BASICALLY TURNED ME DOWN, LEAVING ME WITH ASTRONOMICAL BILLS FOR CAUSES THAT WERE MANUFACTURER RELATED AND NOT OPERATIONAL RELATED. BELOW IS A FEW OF THE PROBLEMS I HAVE EXPERIENCED THUS FAR AND HAVE HAD TO PAY OUT OF MY POCKET: 1. RADIATOR CRACK - $1,000 INCLUDING LABOR (AT ABOUT 30,000 MILES) 2. NEW THROTTLE BODY - $1,200 INCLUDING LABOR (AT ABOUT 65,000 MILES) 3. NEW ENGINE - ESTIMATED $6,500 INCLUDING LABOR (AT 70,000 MILES) 4. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS LEADING TO BATTERY FAILURE EVERY 2/3 MONTHS (A NEW BATTERY WAS PUT IN A YEAR AGO AND THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS) 5. NUMEROUS OTHER PROBLEMS IN WHICH THE DEALER HAS NOT TAKEN CARE OF. AS MENTIONED ABOVE, THE DEALER AND NISSAN NORTH AMERICA HAVE NOT STEPPED IN AND FIXED OR COVER SOME OF THE THESE COSTS DESPITE NUMEROUS VISITS. CONSEQUENCES: 1. ASTRONOMICAL MECHANICAL BILLS 2. NO USE OF A VEHICLE PRESENTLY WHICH IS AFFECTING MY LIVELIHOOD. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED A NHTSA RECALL # 03V455000 REPAIR WAS PERFORMED ON APRIL 14, 2004 CONCERNING, THE ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING. HOWEVER, THE REPAIR DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THIS FAILURE ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT ON APRIL 28, 2006. THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT OFFER A SECOND REPAIR WITHOUT CHARGE UNDER THE RECALL. UPDATED 05/16/2006 - THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE PART THAT WAS REPLACED UNDER THE RECALL WAS DEFECTIVE. *AK *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE DASH FLASHED CONSTANTLY. THERE IS A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN, # 02I001000, REGARDING THE AIR BAG. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN DUE TO THE VIN. UPDATED 4/17/2006 - THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT EH AIR BAG WAS DEFECTIVE. THE DEALER REFUSED ANY ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS 2000 MILE OUT OF WARRANTY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER FOUND ANTIFREEZE LEAKING INTO THE CYLINDERS. THE DRIVER'S SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLAMP WAS INOP. THE TECH REPLACED THE RIGHT SIDE HEADLIGHT BULB. RADIATOR LEAKED COOLANT. THE HEATER BLEW OUT COOL AIR WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED. THE TECH FOUND AN AIR POCKET IN THE COOLANT SYSTEM. REPLACED CLUTCH ASSEMBLY. CYLINDER HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH. ORIGINALLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED; THE VEHICLE WAS CUTTING OFF, STALLING AND LURCHING. THE RPM HAND WAS MOVING ERRATICALLY. THE DEALER DETERMINED THERE WAS A INTERNAL FAILURE AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS REPLACED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. AFTER HAVING A SECOND CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED, THE VEHICLE IS STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS.

A RECALL (R3007) WAS ISSUED ON MY 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5 TO CORRECT A MANUFACTURING SAFETY DEFECT WHICH COULD CAUSE A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE RECALL STATED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WOULD FAIL AND CAUSE THE ENGINE TO CONSUME EXCESSIVE OIL, AND IF NOT MONITORED WOULD CAUSE AN ENGINE FIRE. CONSEQUENTLY, WORSE CASE, THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. ON FEBRUARY 16, 2006 MOSSY NISSAN (NATIONAL CITY) DEALERSHIP DID A DIAGNOSIS ON MY ENGINE AFTER I HAD STATED THAT MY ENGINE WAS MAKING A NOISE AND CONSUMING EXCESSIVE OIL. THE RESULTS WERE "ENGINE FAIL" AND "CATALYTIC FAIL". I BROUGHT RECALL R3007 TO THEIR ATTENTION AND SAID THAT THEIR RECALL DID NOT CORRECT THE SAFETY DEFECT. THEY INSISTED TO THAT I TAKE IT UP WITH NISSAN NORTH AMERICA. I HAVE AND NISSAN NORTH AMERICA IS STATING THAT THE RECALL R3007 CORRECTED THE DEFECT AND THAT I CAN'T PROVE OTHERWISE. MY FOUR YEAR OLD CAR IS SUDDENLY A SAFETY HAZARD AS I DRIVE IT TO WORK AND FOR PERSONAL USE WITH MY FAMILY IN IT. PLEASE HELP. THERE ARE OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *NM

I WAS TURNING RIGHT WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR STARTS CHOKING AND SPUTTERING AND THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON, SLIP LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON. I SLOWED DOWN AND IT SEEMED TO WORK ALRIGHT BUT WHEN I GOT UP TO 35-40 MPH THE CAR STARTED SPUTTERING AGAIN AND WOULDN'T GO FASTER THAN 35 MPH. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED THE CAR OFF AND STARTED IT BACK UP AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. LUCKILY THERE WAS NOT MUCH TRAFFIC AROUND AND I WAS CLOSE TO HOME SO I DROVE BACK TO MY HOUSE. LATER THAT NIGHT I WENT TO START THE CAR AND IT STARTED BUT IMMEDIATELY DIED, STARTED IT AGAIN AND IT IMMEDIATELY DIED, STARTED IT A THIRD TIME AND IT IMMEDIATELY DIED, BUT ON THE FOURTH TRY IT STARTED AND STAYED RUNNING. THAT NEXT MORNING I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM TO THEM. THE CALLED ME BACK THE NEXT DAY AND TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE TO REPLACE THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR ON THE CAR AT A PRICE OF $700.00 + TAX. I HAVE READ MANY CAR FORUMS AND THIS PROBLEM WITH THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR FAILING SEEMS TO HAPPEN A LOT ON 2002-2003 NISSAN ALTIMAS. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR BECAUSE WITH A CAR HAVING THIS PROBLEM COULD CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT. READING THE FORUMS IT SOUNDS LIKE NISSAN FIXED THE PROBLEMS ON THE 2004 AND NEWER ALTIMAS SO WHY CAN'T THEY FIX THEM ON THE 2002 AND 2003 MODELS? *JB