2002 Nissan Altima

WE HAD STOPPED AT THE SIGNAL AND ONCE THE SIGNAL TURNED GREEN WE TRIED TO MOVE, BUT THE CAR DID NOT MOVE AT ALL, SEEMED LIKE THE ENGINE WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. WE THOUGHT OF GETTING OUT OF THE CAR AND THUS WE PUT ON THE WARNING FLASHER SWITCH AND TRIED TO PUT INTO PARK BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND SHIFTED THE SELECTOR LEVER FROM D (DRIVE) TO P (PARK). DURING THIS PROCESS THE CAR WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND CRASHED ON TO THE BUSY TRAFFIC (THE TRAFFIC WAS ON BY THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE). THIS MAJOR ACCIDENT INVOLVED A TOTAL OF 5 CARS AND 3 CARS WERE TOWED AND TOTALED INCLUDING OURS AND INJURING ONE OF THE PASSENGERS. OUR 1 YEAR SON WAS ALSO INVOLVED IN THIS ACCIDENT, BUT LUCKILY HE WAS NOT INJURED, THANKS TO THE STABLE CAR SEAT. MY FATHER ESCAPED WITH MINOR INJURIES. ABOVE ALL, THE CAR WAS FULLY SERVICED FROM NISSAN DEALER (COSTING AROUND $900) DAY BEFORE THE CRASH OCCURRED. *TR

MY DAUGHTER HAD COMPLAINED OF THE CLUTCH IN HER CAR LOOSING PRESSURE AND BASICALLY DROPPING TO THE FLOOR, INTERFERING WITH HER ABILITY TO SHIFT GEARS, AND IT SOMETIMES LURCHING FORWARD ON OCCASIONS WHEN THIS HAPPENS. IN AUGUST 2010, SHE WAS SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT, IN FIRST GEAR WITH HER FOOT ON THE CLUTCH WHEN THIS OCCURRED, CAUSING THE CAR TO JUMP FORWARD INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. AT THE TIME, I FELT THAT HER FOOT MAY HAVE SLIPPED OFF THE CLUTCH INSTEAD, UNTIL IT LOST PRESSURE AGAIN A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO WHILE DRIVING IN THE MOUNTAINS. I STARTED RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET AND DISCOVERED THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE MODEL EXHIBITING VERY SIMILAR BEHAVIOR. WHEN THIS HAPPENS IN TRAFFIC IT'S DANGEROUS, BECAUSE IT CAN LURCH BY ITSELF OR YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SHIFT INTO GEAR TO MOVE OUT OF THE WAY OF ONCOMING VEHICLES, LIKE IF YOU'RE CROSSING TRAFFIC. IT ALSO INHIBITS THE ABILITY TO DOWNSHIFT WHEN GOING DOWNHILL. NISSAN DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THIS AS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM, ALTHOUGH MANY PEOPLE HAVE BADGERED THE DEALERSHIPS INTO REPLACING THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER AND/OR SLAVE CYLINDER UNDER WARRANTY, AND NISSAN HAS NOT HAD A RECALL FOR THE PROBLEM. MINE IS WAY OUT OF WARRANTY, SO MY ONLY RECOURSE IS TO FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT SO THAT HOPEFULLY OTHERS WILL NOT BECOME INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AS A RESULT OF FAULTY PARTS OR FLUID BEING USED IN THE CLUTCH SYSTEM. THE GENERAL CONSENSUS IS THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER IS ALLOWING AIR, AND/OR MOISTURE, TO ENTER THE SYSTEM, BUT MOREOVER, THE DOT 3 FLUID THAT IS USED SEEMS TO BE THE MAJOR FACTOR IN THE FAILURE, WHERE AS DOT 4 OR 5.1 SHOULD BE USED INSTEAD. I HAVE NOT DONE ANY REPAIR TO THE CAR SINCE SHE HAS IT AT SCHOOL, BUT I WILL HAVE IT FIXED AS SOON AS I GET IT BACK HOME.

I OWN A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA 3.5 SE. SOME TIME LAST YEAR, WHEN I WAS AT THE GROCERY STORE, MY CLUTCH WAS ALL THE WAY DOWN AND IT WOULDN'T COME BACK UP. I PUMPED IT A COUPLE TIMES AND IT WORKED. THEN WHEN I WAS DRIVING YESTERDAY, IT JUST STAYED DOWN, I WAS FIGHTING WITH IT SO THAT I COULD CHANGE GEARS. THIS MORNING, WHEN I WAS LEAVING FOR WORK, IT STAYED DOWN AND WOULD NOT COME UP. I WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE MY CAR. *TR

2002 NISSAN ALTIMA CLUTCH ISSUE. *DT THE CONSUMER STATED THE CLUTCH PEDAL WOULD STICK TO THE FLOOR, NOT ALLOWING THE CONSUMER TO SHIFT CORRECTLY; IF AT ALL. ONCE IT WAS STUCK, THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE CLUTCH TO FUNCTION WAS TO PULL THE CLUTCH MANUALLY BACK UP WITH HIS FOOT. AT 38,333 MILES, THE CLUTCH WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF$ 1,092.13. A YEAR AFTER HAVING THE CLUTCH REPLACED, THE PROBLEM RESURFACED. THE DEALER STATED THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY TO REPLACED AT A COST OF $250.00. THE CONSUMER HAS NOT EXPERIENCED ANY MORE PROBLEMS.*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATE SPEEDS OF 50 MPH AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE STALLED. HE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND MOMENTARILY, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED HESITATION AND SLIGHT JERKING. THE VEHICLE THEN PROCEEDED AS NORMAL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL OR WARRANTY AND REPAIRS WOULD BE AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 93,100.

MY 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING PROPERLY. I WOULD START THE CAR AND IT WOULD RUN ROUGH, SPUTTERING, AND ENGINE SOUNDS HAD CHANGED. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND ON SOME OCCASIONS IT IS HARD TO START. I TOOK MY CAR IN TO BE FIXED BY A PRIVATE GARAGE ON 08/05/2009 AND WHEN IT WAS PUT ON THE COMPUTER A CODE CAME UP. THE CODE WAS P0420: CATALYST EFFICIENCY: RECALL- POTENTIAL ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, ACCORDING TO THE GARAGE AND THE RECALL BULLETIN ATTACHED TO THE CODE. I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT NISSAN. I DID CONTACT NISSAN AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NO SUCH RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH MY VEHICLE. I TOLD THEM THAT I HAD A COPY OF THE 8 PAGE RECALL CAMPAIGN AND THAT MY VIN # WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS RECALL. AT THE END OF THE CONVERSATION THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE IT WAS AN OLD CAR THAT HAD NO WARRANTY ATTACHED TO IT. *TR

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE; I WENT TO KRAFT NISSIAN DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THIS RECALL FIXED; AFTER ABOUT APPROXIMATELY 2-3 WEEKS LATER I EXPERIENCE A SHUT-OFF IN TRAFFIC. I RETURN THE CAR BACK TO KRAFT NISSIAN AND THEY STATED THAT THEY DID NOT SEE A PROBLEM. IT DID NOT HAPPEN A AGIN, BUT AFTERWARDS I NOTICE MY CAR WAS BURINING ALOT OF OIL. I REPLACE THE OIL EVERY TWO-TO THREE DAYS. THEN ONE DAY IT JUST DIED ON ME. I THEN HAD THE CAR TOW THE CAR I COULD NOT AFFORD THE REPAIR OF THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENGINE AND WAS TOLD I HAD TO RMOVE THE CAR FROM THE PREMISES IMMEDITELY. I EXPLAIN TO THE TOP/HEAD SERVICE GUY THAT I WOULD HAVE SOMEONE COME AND REMOVE IT THAT FRIDAY. HE CALLED ON FRIDAY AND I TOLD HIM THAT IT WOULD BE AFTER 5PM BUT THE PERSON WOULD BE THERE TO MOVE IT. I GOT THERE AROUND 5:15 AND WAS TOLD THE CAR HAD BEEN TOWED. I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A CONTINOUS PROBLEM WITH THE RECALL AND THAT NISSIAN DEALERSHIP DO NOT WANT TO REPLACE THE ENGINE AND MAKES THE CONSUMER FEEL AS IF IT WAS THEERE FAULT. I HAD TAKEN THE CAR BACK SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT ANY SATISFACTION, I NOT SURE IF THEY TREATED ME THAT WAY BECAUSE I WAS A WOMAN OR WHAT BUT I REALLY FELT BELITTLED BY THIS DEALERSHIP. *TR

I WAS ON VACATION, DRIVING TO CLEVELAND, OH WITH MY WIFE & PARENTS ON 6-13-09, SAT IN 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA, 2.5 SL. AROUND 9.00 PM, ON I-80, APPRX 40 MIL FROM CLEVELAND, SUDDENLY SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM THE CAR HOOD, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. TEMP AND OIL LEVEL INDICATORS DID NOT SHOW ANY SIGN OF PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE. AFTER NARROWLY ESCAPING CRASH WITH OTHER VEHICLES BY GRACE OF GOD, WE COULD STOP THE CAR WITH SMOKE STILL COMING OUT. BY THE TIME I MOVED EVERYBODY AWAY FROM THE CAR, THE SMOKE STOPPED. THIS SUDDEN FAILURE OF THE ENGINE COULD HAVE BEEN MORE DISASTROUS, ENDANGERING PRECIOUS LIVES. ON CRANKING THE ENGINE, LOUD NOISE FROM THE ENGINE MADE US BELIEVE THAT CAR WAS IN BAD SHAPE, SO CAR WAS TOWED TO NISSAN OF NORTH OLMSTED, OH (DEALER). AFTER INSPECTION ON MON, 6/15/09 I WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE CASTING HAD A BIG HOLE APPRX 2" BIG. WE WERE ASKED TO EITHER SCRAP THE CAR OR REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH ESTIMATED COST OF $4500. WE WERE NOT TOLD ANY GOOD REASON FOR THIS ENGINE FAILURE. BEING STRANDED WITH MY FAMILY FOR 3 DAYS AND DESPAIRED, I DECIDED TO REPLACE ENGINE HOPING TO GET COMPENSATION FROM NISSAN. INITIAL POSITIVE RESPONSE FROM NISSAN CUSTOMER AFFAIRS BECAME VERY DISSATISFYING AND FRUSTRATING AFTER I PAID THE DEALER. IT WAS A SHOCK TO US THAT AFTER CALLING SO MANY TIMES NISSAN DID NOT TOOK ANY RESPONSIBILITY STATING ON 6/24 THAT "THE VEHICLE IS OUTSIDE OF MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY" LATER I FOUND MANY PUBLICATIONS STATING THAT 2002, NISSAN ALTIMA-2.5L ENGINES HAVE FACED SIMILAR ENGINE FAILURES BUT NISSAN HAS NOT DONE ENOUGH TO AVOID SUCH INCIDENTS. IRRESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR LIKE THIS IS NOT EXPECTED FROM SUCH A REPUTED ORG. THERE HAD BEEN MULTIPLE RECALLS ON MY CAR INCLUDING "ENGINE SENSOR KIT" AND " ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM". I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST YOU TO LOOK IN TO THIS MATTER SO AS TO CONTAIN FURTHER DAMAGE TO PRECIOUS LIVES OF PEOPLE AT LARGE. I FURTHER REQUEST YOU TO IMPRESS UPON NISSAN TO REIMBURSE US FOR TOTAL COST OF REPLACING ENGINE AND MENTAL AGONY. *TR

TOO MANY ISSUES TO REMEMBER THAN ALL BUT I'LL TRY: - EXCESSIVE OIL USE - EXCESSIVE COOLANT USE - OVERHEATING TO THE AFOREMENTIONED ISSUES - INTERMITTENT TRANSMISSION ISSUES - FAILING AIRBAG - ELECTRICAL ISSUES - BROKEN SENSORS - CATALYTIC CONVERTERS GONE BAD - OXYGEN SENSORS GONE BAD - INTERMITTENT FAILURE TO START - INTERMITTENT CAR SHAKING AND SO ON. *TR