2002 Nissan Altima

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

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

MY "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON AND I TOOK MY CAR TO A LOCAL SHOP. THEY LET ME KNOW THAT THE CAM/CRANK SENSOR WAS THE PROBLEM AND THAT IT HAD BEEN RECALLED BY NISSAN. I TOOK THE CAR AND PAPER WORK ON THE RECALL TO NISSAN AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT RECALLED ON MY CAR. I TOLD THEM TO FIT IT ANYWAY AND WAS QUOTED $385. I RETURNED HOME AND CALLED NISSAN. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CRANK SENSOR HAD ALREADY BEEN FIXED ON MY CAR. I DO NOT RECALL HAVING THES DONE. I EXPLAINED THAT IF IT WAS DONE, IT WAS DONE IMPROPERLY BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED AGAIN. THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD LOOK INTO IT AND GAVE ME A FILE NUMBER AND SAID THAT I SHOULD HEAR SOMETHING BACK WITHIN 24 HOURS. *JB

IN THE BEGINNING OF APRIL 2005 THE ENGINE LIGHT IN MY NISSAN ALTIMA CAME ON - SINCE I WAS TOLD UNLESS THE LIGHT WAS FLASHING IT IS OKAY TO DRIVE - I CALLED FOR THE NEXT APPOINTMENT WITH NEMITH NISSAN. ON THE DAYS PRIOR TO TAKING MY CAR IN I NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE EXHAUST. I NO LONGER DROVE THE CAR AND HAD IT TOWED TO NEMITH NISSAN. UPON INSPECTION OF THE CAR A T NEMITH THEY STATED THAT THE PRE-CATALYST HAD FAILED ( A RECALLED PART NEVER REPLACED ONLY INSPECTED) AND EXHAUST HAD BLOWN INTO THE ENGINE SCORING THE CYLINDERS. ANSWER: NEW ENGINE $4573.45. CAR HAD 87,000 MILES BUT WAS WELL TAKEN CARE OF - OIL CHANGES REGULARLY - REG. MAINTENANCE ETC.. NEMITH SUGGESTED WE CONTACT NISSAN DIRECT - FILED A CASE - NO SATISFACTION - COMPLETELY REFUSED ANY ASSISTANCE. CAR HAS SINCE BEEN FIXED - MECHANIC CLEARLY STATES PRE-CATALYST CAUSE OF PROBLEM - THIS PART WAS RECALLED AND ONLY INSPECTED BY NEMITH - NEVER REPLACED! HAD I DRIVEN THIS CAR ANY FURTHER CAR WOULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE!!!!!!!!!!!. *JB

(1) I ALLEGEDLY HAD THE ENGINGE CRANK SENSORS REPLACED IN MARCH, AS ACCORDING THE MANDATED RECALL ON 2002 NISSAN ALTIMAS. YET, MY CAR STILL EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTIES STARTING AND CONTINUED TO CONUMSE LARGE QUANTITIES OF OIL. I WAS HAVING TO ADD 2 OR 3 QUARTS IN BETWEEN SCHEDULED OIL CHANGES. (2) IF IN FACT THE CRANK SENSORS ON THE ENINGS OF MY VEHICLE WERE REPLACED, THE STARTING DIFFICULTIES PERSISTED. ALSO, THE RECALL INFORMAITON LISTED AND SHOWN ON NISSAN USA'S WEBSITE PROVIDE EXLPICIT AND DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT MECHANICAL TROUBLE AND EVENTS WILL OCCUR IF THE SENSORS AND THE CATALYIC (CATALYST) CONVERTER ARE NOT REPLACED SIMULTEANEOUSLY. (3) I HAD MY 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA TOWED TO PEACHTREE NISSAN ON 7/15/05, AND ON 7/16/05 I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND GAINER SMITH (MAINTENANCE MGR.) INFORMED ME THAT MY CATALYIC (PIECES) CONVERTER HAD BEEN SUCKED INTO MY ENGINE AND CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE AND CRACKED THE PISTONS AND ENGINE BLOCK. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT MY CAR HAD OFTER STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING ON THE FREEWAY, FOR UNEXPLAINED REASONS. MY 02 ALTIMA NEVER HAD ANY MAJOR ENGINE OR PART PROBLEMS SINCE I PURCHASED THE AUTOMOBILE BRAND NEW FROM TRONCALLI NISSAN. PEACHTREE NISSAN INSTRUCTED ME TO CALL NISSAN USA BECAUSE THERE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT AUTHORIZE THEMSELVES TO REPLACE THE ENGINE IN MY CAR. ALSO, A MECHANIC ON DUTY TOLD ME THE PROBLEM THAT DESTROYED THE ENGINE IN MY CAR HAPPENS OFTEN TO 2.5 LITER ENGINE ALTIMAS. HE STATED THE PROBLEM USUALLY OCCURS AT 60,000 MILES AND SINCE MY CAR HAS 103,000 MILES AND NO WARRANTY THEY WOULDNT IMMEDIATELY TAKE RESPONSIBILTY FOR REPLACING MY ENGINE. LASTLY, MY ENGINE DID NOT MALFUNCTION BECAUSE I ABUSED MY CAR. I CHANGED THE OIL AND KEPT COOLANT IN THE COMPARTMENT AT ALL TIMES. MY CAR IS NOT WORKING BECAUSE WHEN MY CAR WAS AT PEACHTREE NISSAN IN MARCH THE DEALER FAILED TO PROPERLY COMPLETE THE RECALL PORTION ON MY EXHASUT/HANGER PIN AND PRE-CATALYST (CONVERTER). A FAULTY EXHAUST SHOULD NEVER CAUSE AN ENGINE TO BE DESTROYED.

THE FIRST THING WAS THE OXYGEN SENSOR. THEN THE OXYGEN SENSOR AGAIN. THE DEALERSHIP FIXED THE PROBLEM. MEXT THERE WAS, AND STILL IS, THE JERKING TRANSMISSION. WHEN DRIVING IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC OR DRIVING ON THE OPEN HIGHWAY, THE TRANS SHIFTS HARD COMMING OUT OF FIRST INTO SECOND. I HAVE TAKEN THIS CAR INTO SEVERAL NISSAN DEALERSHIPS AND TO THIS DAY, NO ONE HAS FOUND THE PROBLEM. THEY KEEP TELLING ME THAT THIS IS NORMAL. I HAVE DRIVEN OTHER ALTIMAS INCLUDING SEVERAL RENTALS WHILE MINE WASIN THE SHOP AND THEY DIDN'T SHIFT LIKE MINE. THE NEXT PROBLEM IS THOSE HEADLIGHTS. THEY HAVE REPLACED ONE OF MY LIGHT ASEMBLIES AN GREAT RIVER NISSAN BUT THE OTHER HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED. NEXT, THERE WAS THE HEATER COIL THAT LEAKED AND IT TOOK ALMOST 6 MONTHS TO DETERMINE BECAUSE IT DIDN'T LEAK INSIDE THE CAR. NEXT THERE WAS THE IGNITION COILS THAT WERE REPLACED 2X WITHIN A WEEK AND STILL CAUSED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON. AFTER THE IGNITION PROBLEM THE MECHANICS AT STERLING MCCALL NISSAN TOLD MY THAT IT WAS MY SPARKPLUGS THAT HAD HUST BEEN CHECKED ABOUT 2 WEEKS PRIOR AT GREAT RIVER NISSAN IN MISSISSIPPI. I WENT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND INVITED THE SERVICE MAN TO A NICE LONG RIDE. AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 20 MILES, I STOPPED THE CAR AND LE IT SIT FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES. THE CAR STARTED AND HE SMILED. HE SAID, "SEE THERE IS NONTHING WRONG." AFTER EXPLAINING THAT HE NEEDED TO LET THE CAR SET FOR A WHILE AND THEN TRY TO START IT, HE SAID THAT IT IS STILL GOING TO START.AFTER SITTING FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS, I ASKED THE SERVICE MAN TO STEP OUTSIDE AND LETS GIV THE CAR A START... TO NO SUPRISE, WHEN I TURNED THE KEY THE CAR PUTTERED, SPITTED, JERKED, AND EVERYTHING ELSE BUT STARTED. IT WAS DETERMINED THE NEXT MORNING THAT THERE WAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET THAT COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE CATALYST THAT WAS JUST REPLACED DUE TO A RECALL.

MY 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA 4 CYLINDER HAD A RECALL THAT CERTAIN ENGINES MAY CAUSE THE PRE-CATALYST TO OVERHEAT AND DAMAGE THE CATALYST SUBSTRATE. IF THE PARTICLES ENTER THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER THEY COULD SCORE THE CYLINDER WALLS RESTULTING IN INCREASED OIL COMSUMPTION AND ENGINE FIRE THE PRE-CATALYST WAS TO BE TESTED AND IF THERE IS DAMAGE, A NEW ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I BROUGHT MY CAR IN 11/04 TO BE CHECKED. SUPPOSEDLY NOTHING WAS WRONG. LAST MONTH, MY OIL LIGHT FLASHED AND WE CHECKED AND I WAS DOWN 2 QTS OF OIL. I BROUGHT IT IN LAST MONTH AND I WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG. ONE WEEK LATER, I WAS DOWN ANOTHER 2 QTS AND THEN THEY ADVISED ME THAT I NEED A NEW CATALYST CONVERTER. I BROUGHT IT TO NISSAN AND THEY ARE REQUESTING MY DOCUMENTATION FOR ALL MY OIL CHANGES EVEN THOUGH MY EXTENDED WARRANTY DID NOT RUN BEFORE THIS PROBLEM STARTED. AUTOSPA IN MEDFORD, LONG ISLAND WHERE I BRING MY CAR HAD A COMPUTER CRASH AND LOST ALL COCUMENATION AND HAD TO GET NEW COMPUTERS. NISSAN WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM WITH MY CAR. I ASKED THEM DO I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL MY CAR GOES ON FIRE AND THEY RESPONDED THAT IT WILL BE CHEAPER TO REPLACE AN ENGINE THEN TO CHECK IF THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE. NISSANS VOICE SERVICE EVEN STATES THAT VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BEFORE 5/20/03 ARE HAVING THESE PROBLEMS. I PURCHASED MINE IN 1/02. I FEEL THE PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR ARE MANUFACTURING PROBLEMS. MY OIL CHANGES SHOULD NOT DETERMINE IF MY CAR SHOULD BE LOOKED AT WHEN THE COMPANY IS ADMITTING TO HAVING PROBLEMS. I PULLED MY CAR OUT OF NISSAN AND HAVING MY PERSONAL MECHANIC PUT IN A NEW CATALYST CONVERTER. IF MY CAR GOES ON FIRE AND EITHER MYSELF OR MY SON IS INJURED, THERE WILL DEFINITELY BE A LAWSUIT.

I AM VERY UPSET. JUST ALL OF A SUDDEN, I STARTED HEARING A NOISE THAT SOUNDED AS IF IT WAS COMING FROM THE EXHAUST. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL SERVICE REPAIR STORE FOR NEW TIRES AND ASKED THEM TO CHECK OUT THE NOISE. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA'S AND THAT IT WAS A VERY SERIOUS, DANGEROUS PROBLEM. THEY INDICATED THE PROBLEM WAS THE 02 VALVE BACKED OUT OF THE CATALITIC CONVERTER AND BECAUSE THE CATALITIC CONVERTER AND THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WERE ONE PIECE, THEY ALL HAD TO BE REPLACED. THEY ADIVSED ME THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE ADVISORY OUT ON THIS AND IT WAS VERY SERIOUS. IT COST ME $900.00 TO GET THIS FIXED AS I WAS IN FEAR OF MY LIFE TO DRIVE THIS ANY LONGER. I WANT TO KNOW WHY THERE WAS NOT RECALL ON THIS AND I AM REQUESTING MY MONEY BE REFUNDED. THIS IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING FOR A 3 YEAR OLD VEHICLE. IF I DO NOT RECEIVE SOME TYPE OF CONTACT ON THIS COMPLAINT, I PLAN TO CONTACT THE BBB AND POSSIBLY AN ATTORNEY. IF THIS PROBLEM WARRANTED A SERVICE ADVISORY, IT CERTAINLY SHOULD HAVE WARRANTED A RECALL.