Problems with 2002 Nissan Altima ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

This is written notice of a complaint i have regarding my new 2002 nissan altima. at the time of purchase, i was sold a defective engine, which is leaking oil at the rate of 2 quarts every 1,300 miles. the nhtsa has a recall for this as 03v084000 under the 'notes' section as i believe this is what my problem is. the car only has 7,000 miles but i have had to top the oil since i purchased the 2002 2.5 altima. *nlm

I own a 2002 nissan altima, that my husband purchase for my 15 year anniversary, may 2002. in oct 2002, it started with lose belts that wasn't repaired until dec 2002. well, in mar 2003, my car wouldn't start. so, the service guy told me to put it in neutral and try to start it, nothing!! so, when the tow guy arrived to tow to dealer, he tried with no success. so, my car was left at the dealer for 4 days, the service dept said it started for them. so, while i was checking out at the cashier, the service manager so happen to be standing by and over heard me talking to the cashier. so, he and i went out to my car and it started for him, but he stated that it's a delayed cranking and they've gotten a service complaint about the altima's not starting and they believe it's has something to do with the fuel injection, but before they can recall the car, they must know how to repair the problem. so, he said whenever it does it again, while cranking the car, push down on the accelerator and give it some gas and it should start. well, in april, while in d.c., on vacation, coming out to start the car, it didn't start. so, i did what the service manager told me to do and it started, but i had to end my vacation, because i was afraid to chance it far from home. well, i took my car in to get the oil change and i did let the service dept know of the problem. well, here it is june 2003, my car stalled again and my husband was very upset, because he had driven it to work and he managed to get it back to work and when he got ready to leave work, it wouldn't start and he had to push down on the accelerator and give it some gas for it to start. well, i'm taking my car to the dealer on saturday, june 21, 2003 and who knows what excuse they'll have. and to make it soo bad, i'm going to a reunion, in florida and i wanted to drive my car, but i'm not sure if it's safe to drive at all, now. well, i ...

Recall campaign, replaced exhaust cat shields and front pipe. several other problems. *bf as soon as the vehicle was started it stalled. the vehicle was taken to the dealer but they could not duplicate the problem. the vehicle consumer excessive amounts of oil and the check engine light illuminated. the consumer was told that he needed a long block engine assembly, a catalytic converter and front oxygen sensor. *nm

My vehicle stalls when driving on the highway. and the heat doesn't work at all, when the weather conditions are bad, i can't see out the window.*ak

The vehicle failed to start.*jb

My 2002 nissan altima has been having problem with suddenly shutting off without any warning since around february of 2003. in april 2003, it grew worse & stopped in the middle of traffic and i manage to get it restarted. the check engine light would be reset only to come back on within a few days to a week later. they stated it was the engine sensor and they replaced that but that was only a temporary fix. just this past august or september when i had my car taken to a repair shop & placed on a diagnostic machine which determined that catalytic converter was bad & had to be replaced. once they did that the car drove well for at least 2 weeks only to have the same problems again. took it to hampton nissan which is a 45 min drive from my home to have them check the car. they determined it might be the intake but wasn't really sure but they were going to have to check to see if that was the problem which was going to cost me $350. on my way home my car cut off in the middle of the street but luckily in front of my home but the car has not restarted since nov 10, 2005. called nissan they informed me to take to the dealer & they have indicated that my engine has been damaged from the catalyst converter & i need to have the engine replaced. the cost for a new motor would be $4,800 & $3,800 for a used motor with over 24,000 miles on it. the mechanic stated that nissan knows there is a problem with the catalyst converter damaging engines. i feel that i wouldn't have to replace my engine if this problem was corrected by nissan. i had spoken to a representative of nissan on several occasions but now i can't reach him & i have left numerous messages. the dealer states that because my car has over 141,000 miles on it that they cannot replace my engine for free as the mechanic stated they would do if it was determined that it was the catalyst converter. *jb

While driving approximately 60mph on highway engine stalled, almost causing consumer to have a collision.*ak

At two different nissan dealerships, el paso and las cruces, the oil level on the dipstick of my 2002 altima registered approximately one quart low. this leads me to believe that the information in the manuals as to the amount of oil needed may be incorrect.

Hot air blowing in vents, burns 1/2 qt. oil every 1,000 miles, nissan wants to replace engine.*ak

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. the air conditioning system will not circulate heat. also after service the oil and antifreeze levels depletes prematurely. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, and she was advised that the catalytic converter and the engine coil needed to be replaced. a representative from the dealer and manufacturer stated that the repairs cost $1600.00. no repairs were made. the failure mileage was 21. the mileage was 105,000. the consumer stated the vehicle would stall while driving at any speed. the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer and upon inspection, the consumer was informed a sensor was soaked in oil. there was no oil leaking from the vehicle, but they were not able to tell the consumer where the oil was coming from. soon after, there was a recall for the same problem. the wheel bearing and alternator had to be replaced. the engine light has been on for over 2 1/2 years, the vehicle has no heat and anti-freeze was evaporating, but there were no leaks. the consumer stated she could smell coolant coming through the vents. updated 02/01/10*jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. the contact stated that the vehicle was leaking oil. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced since water and oil were mixing together and leaking into the engine block which also caused the radiator to over heat. the engine block also needed to be resealed. the remedy did not correct the failure. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the engine block needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was 180,000 and the current mileage was 230,000.

I have a 2002 nissan altima 3.5l v6. vin# is [xxx]. at 90,000 miles my car dies while slowing down to a traffic light. the engine light comes on so i got it towed to auto zone for a diagnostic test. a failure crankshaft senor was a result. it has a recall for camshaft/crankshaft sensors. it states that due to these defective parts, the car will shut off while in operation resulting to a accident/crash. so i brought into nisaan to have this these fixed along with other recalls. they said that only the camshaft was fixed and not the crankshaft. it wasn't a recall for my vehicle according the vin#. i thought it ridiculous and a coincidence that the sensor that caused my car to shut off wasn't a recall for my car. so i ended up buyin the sensor for around 80 dollars. but after a few weeks after fixing, it my cars stalls out again while on the highway with both of my little children in the car almost ending up what would of been a real bad crash. fortunately i was in the inside lane with light traffic and able to quickly pull into the breakdown lane. my car would still be running but would not accelerate when in drive. after waiting for a 15 mins it would start to accelerate again and when i start to slow down it would stall again. this would go on and on until i finally got to a repair shop for help. my car was put through a diagnostic test and it came up twice for crankshaft sensor failure. i do not want to spend another 80 dollars on a sensor that will fail again. there is alot of complaint about this same issue for these nissan altimas. i am paying to much for this car and cannot afford another. i'm afraid to drive it now because i don't want to put the lives of my family at risk in this car with this ongoing problem. please help correct this problem before it becomes tragic. thanks. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).*tr

While traveling 70mph on highway and without prior warning engine check light appeared on dashboard, indicating that vehicle caught on fire. the dealership was aware of the problem. *ak there was a sudden loss of power, there was also a clicking sound as if it were coming from the fuel injection system, the oil light, and the light had illuminated. *cc

No collision-no warning lights until engine exploded and burst into flames-auto undfrwent 7500 mile service at tourelle's 12 days prior.*ak

While driving vehicle shut off with out any notice. this was the third time that this problem has occurred. contacted dealer, and the dealer was not willing to do anything about it. *ak

Consumer states that when accelerating vehicle will lose engine power very breifly. dealer and maufacturer contacted. *mr

In the beginning of may my oil light came on while driving. i stopped at the first store i came to and put oil in the car. before this i had never had any issues with the car burning oil. within a few days, the car was burning oil at a high rate, about a quart a week. i had a technician look at my car and was told that it looks like some kind of engine failure. at this point i went on line and found out that 2002 nissan altima's had a problem that created excess oil burn and engine damage. on may 23rd i contacted nissan north america who did not respond. on may 30th i contacted nissan north america again and they referred me to a local dealer. on the 30th i brought my car to the dealer who changed my oil ($36.32) in order to do an oil consumption test on my car. one week later i brought the car back and after driving 70 miles the car had burned 4 quarts of oil. when picking up my car, i was told that nissan was not willing to fix my car because my brother was the first owner of the car and not me even though they were aware of engine problems with the 2002 altima engines. they also quoted me a price of $3,792.70 to replace the engine. on thursday, july 10th the engine failed and now needs to be replaced. nissan had a recall to fix this problem but what ever they did did not work. *tr

Consumer states while driving the vehicle caught on fire under the hood, vehicle was pull out of the road. dealer has been notified. please provide any further information. nlm

Multiple problems with recall service work not correcting the malfunction the recall is supposed to correct. specifically of concern nhtsa campaign id numbers : 03v455000 & 03v084000 & 03v251000. not receiving recall notices by manufacturer or being informed by nissan service dept. i have since contacted nissan corp consumer affairs but received no resolution or suggestions. problems with engine performance, excessive exhaust, and strong burning smell are still present along with service engine soon light remaining on. have taken vehicle to service department for over 6 visits in last 5 months - vehicle is still at service dept. i have been told the vehicle was safe to drive over these past months while these problems persisted. i asked for a loaner vehicle or to have transportation to get my vehicle to the dealership but was declined any help - even though id # 03v084000 nissan recall notice states it should be offered free of charge if customer makes this request. i am greatly concerned for the safety of myself and my family and am scared to drive this vehicle any further. my local nissan service dept (pine belt nissan automotive) and nissan consumer affairs has not addressed my concerns and have failed to correct this problem that has existed for months. vehicle has had reduced power, hesitation, pulling and vibration, excessive exhaust and an increasingly strong burning smell from engine shortly after vehicle is started.*ak

2002 nissan altima. 1)rear pads + rotors worn at 35,000 miles: replaced at owners cost. now 83000 miles(may '08): dealer has told rotors and pad need replacement and possibly calipers need to be evaluated. at 75000 mile check everything was ok. (per the service record). in jan'08 i had specifically asked the breaks to be inspected. told ok. now suddenly the rotors are shot. other than a squeal sound for 2 days no other symptoms. concerned about how brakes go from fine to shot in 3 months. i think it is a big safety concern if the time it takes breaks to disintegrate is less than a 3 month period. 2) engine not starting after parked in the cold. happened twice once at 48000 miles. (lower bill. ) 2nd time at 78000 miles. (huge bill ~$1000). multiple parts replaced and serviced. highlighted as problem on various forums with this particular nissan model. evaluate possibility related to ecm timings etc. *tr

Car has been burning oil since 1st oil change and dealership and nissan have refused to acknowledge this problem. *nlm

Maf sensor failure..any complaints of this problem on altima . org forum...with or without after market air intakes. *nlm

I have taken my car to nissan april 6, 2010, due to dashboard lights went out, i had to pay $630.00 for a new cluster, after 4hrs of diagnosis testing nissan had to arrange for me a ride home two days later while driving the service engine soon light lit again i returned the car back to nissan and was told i need a catalytic converter and sensors $1668.00, there was a recall regarding this problem , but i do not think nissan fix the problem. *tr

Like thousands of other 2002 nissan altima 2.5 owners, nissan has left every one of us hanging out there and all they can recommend is to replace the engine. nissan created this problem and is very aware of the oil consumption, catalytic converter break up and oxygen sensor failure. then there is the excessive oil consumption and let's not forget the hard starting and failure to start. i will not buy another nissan again and it disgusts me that nissan is washing its hands of these issues. i could understand their reluctance to look any further if there were only a handful of owners with this problem but there are thousands and we are all fed up with the way nissan has handled the issues. they knew after they rolled out the 2002 nissan altima, it had issues but they have buried their heads in the sand. whenever you call nissan direct, they just blow you off and all the dealerships can recommend is a new engine. they are treating their customers as if they are stupid. it annoys me the facade nissan is putting on and treating any nissan altima customer as if they are the only one with a "lemon" which needs a new engine. my nissan has done 145,000 miles and should not need a new engine after years of regular maintenance. nissan issued a recall in dec 2006 when i think they knew they had a problem. they did not replace the oxygen sensors at that time. they just checked them. if you want to read more reports like this go to www.mycarstats.com, which is where i got the link to send you this complaint. i would appreciate if the nhtsa would at least investigate what is happening to all 2002 nissan altimas. did i mention that my "engine service light" has been on for over a year - since the last time it went into a nissan dealership. i rest my case.n *tr

The first failure was on 2/28/02. the car stopped on my husband on the interstate & was towed back to the dealer. the crank sensor was defective & was replaced. exactly one weeek later on 3/7/02, the car was taken back to the dealer where a defective coil to the crank sensor was found defective & replaced. on 5/10/02, the car stopped on me in the middle of the street & after being towed back to the dealer, the crack sensor was found to be defective again! it was replaced & i wrote to nissan about our concerns. on 6/4/02 the car againstopped on my husband on the interstate. again a letter was sent to nissan (as well as several nissan vps) and as of today (three weeks later) we do not have our vehicle, nor do we want that one back! the dealer has loaned us a vehicle, but we are currently paying for a car that nissan obviously cannot fix or do not know how to repair! they say that they are waiting on a part, but my husband & i do not trust a vehicle that will stop in the middle of the road without warning! i am trying all avenues to get help with this situation. obviously, we purchased a lemon (& have met tn's lemon law), but this is a serious safety issue for me & my family! are other brand-new altimas having similar defects? also, why is nissan refusing to replace our brand-new no-defective vehicle? please feel free to contact me at any time.*ak

Recall 03v084000 concerning engine coolant. consumer claimed that vehicle consumed too much oil. dealer claimed that vehicle should not use more than 1 quart of oil per 5000 miles, even though the recall was done. consumer felt that vehicle was still using too much oil. ak

Consumer states that intermittenly when filling the fuel tank the "check engine" light will illuminate. checked by the dealer who advised that car is reading a "vapor leak" code. dealer has replaced gas cap twice, but problem is still occuring. ts

Car using 2 quarts of oil every 3000 miles. *ak

While driving 40-45 mph, noticed smoke coming from under the hood. consumer pulled over and fire department put out the fire. vehicle was totalled. fire department thought fire was caused by fuel injection system. however, cause of fire has not been officially determined yet. no injuries. *ak *jb

When putting the key inside of ignition switch to start vehicle it starts intermittently, and then shutoff without prior warning. dealership was aware of problem.*ak

Since december of 2001 every month vehicle needd an oil change. vehicle was burning too much oil. took vehicle to dealer, and they stated that engine needed replacement, but couldn't say what the cause was. please provide any further information.*ak