Problems with 2002 Nissan Altima ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

I bought my 02 altima in march 02. there was several recalls over the years and once fixed there were no problems. in 2007 i reached 80k miles and the engine light starting coming on. i took it to the dealership and they said it was a catalytic converter going bad and since i was past the mileage for warranty i would have to fix it at a cost of $1000+. the car is hesitant to start at times, it rattles under the hood and blows cold air when idling. there was also another recall issued this year where the engine is said to stop at any given time. i'm getting the car fixed this weekend which is totaling me $3700, of which the mechanic is saying nissan really should have taken another look because he's had to fix more than 100 of this same vehicle at his dealership alone. unfortunately there is nothing he can do without nissan's approval but to fix it at my cost. i called nissan and all they could tell me is there was nothing they could do except fix the latest recall that came out at the end of 07 into 08. well the mechanic can't fix the recall without fixing the problem which is causing the engine light to come on and off. oxygen sensor, catalytic converter is what the code is coming back saying needs to be fixed. from the list of complaints it looks like this car has a defect in these parts, not due to owner misuse and should be taken seriously not lightly. *tr

Bought used 2002 nissan altima 3/07 took car to dave solon nissan, pueblo co 12/07. i commuted every other week to colorado springs on those weeks i was putting 3 quarts of oil. there was no oil leak oil was gone. nissan couldn't tell me where oil was going they contacted warrant & they decided on a refurbished engine. got my car back end of december. jan, feb & march only drove car every other week to springs. noticed at end of feb i was putting about 8 quarts oil a week. took it back to nissan in beginning of march they told me i needed to find receipts for oil changes, told them i wasn't sure i could find them. but questioned that it oil would need to be changed when there was no oil in the car after a two days. a week later husband started back to work he took nissan to colo springs for work on his way home it just died out good thing for us on our not so busy street and only a couple of houses from ours. so there it stood for a couple of months not having money to get it towed or even looked at. in may we found a mechanic a mile from our home who would come and tow it to his shop. he looked at it and found we needed a catalytic converter paid $800 for it. when he went to put it in he found where our oil was going. he said 3 of our 4 cylinders were covered in oil which made the catalytic converter explode. he told use to call nissan which i did they said they would not look at the car unless we give them receipts for oil changes again why tried again to find them of course could not locate i think we did 2 in the time frame. argued with them for a long time they basically told me it was our problem not there's. went online and researched found many many people with same problem as myself. need something done about this we are paying for a car that is not working. i would understand if it was our fault but how can a 2002 car with about 89,000 miles ...

Throughout the last 4 yrs, on several occasions when shifting the transmission it doesn't engage. i have pulled from a parking spot using reverse, and just when i am pulling into traffic and shift to drive the car doesn't respond. the engine doesn't react to the accelerator; the engine is running but the car is unresponsive. when it happens i have to push the car to the side of the road and turn it off. one time it took about 15 mins to be able to restart and restore all functions. on another occasion i ended up having to wait until the next day. the scary part is that the engine and transmission are completely unresponsive when you need it the most; getting into traffic. i have been blessed and very lucky that it has only happened when pulling out of a parking spot or my out of my driveway. what i am extremely afraid is if this were ever to happen when pulling out into a highway or busy street traffic. this is similar to the risk associated with recall nhtsa campaign #07v527000. please correct the problem before someone gets kill; we should never wait that long or let it go that far. *tr

2002 altima, loss of power early in dec 2007, dec 17 2007 at 85,000 miles catalytic convertor fails, at 90,000 miles using 1 quart of oil in 700 miles. at 91,125 miles to dealership and report made with nissan. a recall part of a exhaust pipe hanger replaced by dealer and i am told the other expenses of convertor (approx $800.00 plus labor and possible motor replacement $3900.00) are up to me. yet there are thousands of other people with the same identical problem and no recall is issued.research, per nissan news bullitins, has indicated that the convertor on the altima and sentra blows internal residue into the cylinder walls causing the excessive oil problem. *cn

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. the contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated intermittently. she had several mechanics inspect the vehicle, and they all identified the failure as electrical. the following day, the contact attempted to start the vehicle, but was unsuccessful. the dealer stated that water leaked into the engine and caused it to lock. the contact stated that she had been taking her vehicle in for routine maintenance every 3,000 miles to have the oil changed, and had not experienced any engine failure. she was informed that a new engine would cost between $6,000-$7,000 and a used engine would cost between $3,000-$4,000. the failure and current mileages were 85,000.

Engine light. see service bulleton 06009. nhtsa# 100119613. cannot diagnose problem. dealer replaced battery, then wanted to replace ipdm. had car checked by aaa certified shop. cannot diagnose problem even though now i am having issues with how car runs. am afraid car will stall on high way. several mechanics stated that they believe the dealer is guessing on the diagnosis. no codes except u1000 and u1001 are being stored in computer. i have spent several hundred dollars trying to diagnose problem. this affect all 2002-2006 nissan. cars should be recalled before a serious accident occurs. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. the contact stated that the engine does not start. when the engine does start, the vehicle shutters and then shuts off. the vehicle was taken to the repair shop, but the engine is still not working properly. the current mileage was 109,000 and failure mileage was 100,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. the check engine light illuminated intermittently and the vehicle hesitated to start. on december 1, 2007, the vehicle would not start at all and was towed to a mechanic. a diagnostic was performed, but no failures were found. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the cam shaft, crank shaft, and spark plugs needed to be replaced. there are two nhtsa campaign id numbers regarding engine and engine cooling (03v455000 and 07v527000). the contact was informed that the recall repair had previously been performed on the vehicle. the purchase date and mileages were unknown. updated 03/06/08. *lj the camshaft sensor and crankshaft were replaced. the consumer stated the engine light illuminated again. updated

I own a nissan altima 2002 (54,000 miles) that consumes 3.5 pints of oil every 350 to 400 miles. my mechanic has identified the problem related to nhtsa # 03v-084 on 11/29/07 and tells me that my engine should be changed by nissan. my muffler, catalytic converter o2 sensors had to be changed on 3/28/08 the nissan dealership does not want to acknowledge the issue related to the recall. i have been trying to contact nissan customer relations without success. what else can i do? *tr

Massive oil loss which causes numerous problems, c02 censor, catalytic converter goes out, head lights went out, car shakes and rattles. plug wires, spark plugs all needed to be replaced.*tr

I've recently heard loud noises in the engine of my 2002 nissan altima 2.5s. i took it to a mechanic and was told the engine needed to be replaced because the precatalytic converter broke apart and was sucked into my engine. he also told me this was inevitable in all the 2002, 2003 altima's because the placement of the pre catalytic converter was so close to the engine that the heat disintegrated the converter which gets sucked into the engine. nissan's website claims that they have been working on addressing this issue since march 2003 yet nothing is being done. nissan has told me since my car is outside the warranty they will not assist me in purchasing a new engine. *tr

I have a nissan altima (2002) with under 75,000 miles. i have been experiencing problems with the coolant system for roughly 10,000 miles. the coolant tank drains every 2-3 days. i refill it, and it is empty 2 -3 days later. i have had 3 or 4 separate tests done on the coolant system, and no problems were found. yet, the problems continue. recently, gray smoke flows out of the tail pipe upon starting the car. also, when starting the car, the whole vehicle shutters, and sometimes does not turn right over (requiring 2 or 3 turns of the ignition key). i was told that perhaps it is a blown head gasket, warped head, or something of the sort. either way, it was determined that the coolant is somehow leaking into the engine (because no signs of leaks anywhere else have been detected). with only 75,000 miles on the car, this should be considered a manufacturers problem. the coolant tank is emptied every 2-3 days, the gray smoke blowing out of the tail pipe happens at least 3 times a week, and the shuttering (and inability to start initially) happens 1-2 times a week, with increasing frequency. nothing was done to correct the problem. one dealership said that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle, which obviously is not the case. i was told by 2 mechanics (one at that same dealership, and one independent) that the problem is internal, and that the entire motor would probably have to be replaced. at the very minimum, the head gasket and / or header. researching the internet, i found hundreds of similar complaints by owners of nissan's of the same of similar model and year. this problem should be looked into, and should be seriously considered for a recall! *tr

Pre-catalytic failure causing engine damage leading to excessive oil consumption presenting a potential fire hazard. nissan's previous recall campaign to address this issue has proven inadequate as i have read about numerous complaints regarding this same issue. *tr

Purchased vehicle july 3, 2006. august 8, 2006- service engine light reported multi cylinder misfire, spark plugs were replaced. feb 07- same code found and spark plugs and o2 sensors replaced. june 07- same code, engine floods twice, car crank but wont start and spark plugs, coils, fuel pump replaced. nissan tech couldn't duplicate the problem but mentioned coolant was low and so that was why the cylinder misfire and head gaskets need to be fixed. oct. 07 engine shut off about 4 times while driving. november 07- engine fails. no recourse from nissan consumer affairs nor where nissan car was purchased. *tr

I purchased a used 2002 nissan altima in 2006. 3 months after i bought it, i began having problems with it leaking oil. then a month after that i began having mechanical/electrical problems, such as the car would shut off on its own when i was driving on the surface street as well as the freeway. the car will now not go over 25 mph. i spoke to nissan regarding a recall that i found on your website and they stated to me that the previous owner had already brought the car in for these same problems and it was repaired already and that they are not obligated to repair it again. i have recently found hundreds of recent complaints on this matter. this is a horrible accident waiting to happen. i do not have thousands of dollars to repair a manufacturer (nissan) failure to resolve an issue with me and thousands of other consumers. for my car to shut off at a speed of 65-70 mph on the freeway is heart stopping. my granddaughter who is now 3, was with me. cars were swerving around me. we were all lucky to be alive. if this problem had been addressed properly and correctly, these problems would not be recurring . i have taken my car to 2 different mechanics and they say that i have to go to nissan because this car will not run without nissan parts. nissan says give me $6,000+ dollars and we can give you a new engine. but we have no problem with our nissan altima's. i don't know what to do. my car is sitting inoperable in my driveway as i make monthly payments. this is the worst car i have ever owned. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. the contact noticed that the engine was using more oil than usual. while at the dealer for a 60,000 mile inspection, the mechanic stated that the catalytic converter failed. the catalytic converter was replaced; however, oil was able to enter into the engine valve and eventually the engine will also need to be replaced. the contact stated that he purchased the vehicle new and the manufacturer built the vehicle with a defected catalytic converter. the manufacturer stated that the contact will receive a call back from a regional specialist. it has been over a month and she has not received a call. the powertrain was unknown. the current mileage was 61,000 and failure mileage was 58,000.

Dealer says the engine in my 2002 nissan altima must be replaced at a cost of $5,400 because it blew a head gasket allowing coolant to enter the cylinders. car is out of warranty because it has 83,00 miles. it has come to my attention that this is a very common problem for this model because of defective design. nissan refuses any help to correct problem. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. while driving various speeds, the vehicle would shut off without warning and had to be restarted on several occasions. there was a recall on the vehicle and repairs have been made; however, the failure continues. the recall number was unknown. the current mileage was 81,000 and failure mileage was 79,496.

My nissan altima 2002 2.5 car needs a new engine that will cost me approximately $5000. my car had close to 90,000 miles. but in tracking down my repair history, the problem could have occurred between 70,000 - 90,000 miles. i've taken my car to the dealership (younker nissan in renton washington) several times during a year to maintain so that i don't run into any of these problems but apparently didn't help. the problem started occurring when i took my car in for a problem that turned out to be a catalytic converter replacement. a few weeks later the engine service light came on so i took it back to the dealership. the dealership looked into the problem and said i needed a new engine. i filed a complaint with nissan corp because i've been taking my car to the nissan dealership to maintain but only to be told later i needed a new engine. corp nissan did not want to help out and neither did the dealership. i did some research online and was found so may people with this car had the same problem. i feel i've been not been treated fair because i've been taking care of my car (through maintenance at the dealership (younker nissan in renton washington)) and only to be told later i needed a new engine. *tr

My engine blew up. i called my nearest nissan dealer who forwarded me to nissan corp, who sent me to nissan north america and after telling them my story 3 times, they advised me there was nothing they could do since it as not yet a recall. i looked online and many had the same issue and were trying to get this to be a recall. i had just moved to that area, i had no job, no money and was attending school. my car sat in front of my house for 6 months while i paid $430 a month on my note. when i finally had the money to fix it, i explained to them i had just gotten a new engine and only needed them to restart the computer. they advised me there was a recall on it, i asked for what and they could not explain. they then said they could not restart my computer or do the recall because it had a code that needed to get fixed. i said fine, and paid for them to fix it and the recall. later that day my engine light came back on and they had me come back in a week later and advised me a new code came on. i asked why they didn't tell me about it when i was there and they said they didn't see it then. i did more research and found out that the codes they found were part of the recall, and that was the reason my engine blew up. but they would not fix or pay for it. i have been back and forth on this and finally i found a number to call regarding nissan recalls. the person i spoke with advised me that it was nissan's responsibility to have fixed the issue at no cost since it was a recall and it was all connected. (had that recall or problem been fixed my engine would have never blown up! recall or no recall, this was obviously a manufacturing issue! they never even contacted me about that recall! i found out about it when i took my car in!) she filed a claim for me and said someone would call me. it has been a week and no call from nissan north america yet. i call them everyday and everyday they say someone will call me. at least ...

I own a 2002 nissan altima. it seemed great when i bought it and now after 5 years it is crap and the thing wont run. the car idles rough when it first starts if it starts at all, there is a water rushing sound under the dash, and my check engine light has been on for quite some time. i am constantly refilling the radiator with coolant and adding so much oil to my car it is crazy. my father-in-law which is a mechanic, told me that the catalytic converter was deteriorating into the #4 cylinder which is causing engine failure which is also where the oil and coolant and gas are going. the easiest fix is to replace the whole engine, which is a $6,300 fix. i just finished paying off my car in may and 3 months later my car start having major problems. i cant afford to fix this and i don't think i should have to, catalytic converter don't just deteriorate. heck i am the only owner to my car and it is only 5 years old. this is crazy. i have now replaced my engine at my own cost, because the dealer that i bought the car at claims they are not be enough to do anything and to call nissan, which i did and nissan does care. well after spending six grand on fixing my car, my machine has informed me this is all due to plugged pcv valve because the two inlace holes for this valve are so small they get clogged so easily and the discharge for the pcv valve becomes in intake and to to the size of the discharges the oiled is getting pulling into the engine and well as other fluids which is what is causing the failure of the engine and destroying the catalytic converter. i am giving you the date my car finally died. it took me over a month and a 1/2 to get this fixed and it is still far from being fixed. please also check out this website for thousands of other nissan dealer that are having the same issue. http://www.thenissanfight.com/phpbb3/index.php http://forums.automotive.com/70/1106267/nissan/2002-nissan-altima-oil-dropping-at-108,000miles-i-w/page5.html#6468288. *tr

Tl*the contact's daughter owns a 2002 nissan altima. the contact stated that the vehicle overheated while driving, the engine makes strange sounds, and black smoke comes from the vehicle intermittently. the vehicle also has excessive oil consumption. a mechanic performed a diagnostic and discovered that the catalyst converter and precatalyst were malfunctioning due to too much oil coming out of the engine. the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 03v084000 (engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe). the speed was unknown. the current mileage was 80,000 and failure mileage was 70,000.

Catalytic converter coming apart. pulling parts of converter into engine. causing mis fire on #3 cylinder. need to replace engine and converter. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. while driving 40 mph, the vehicle stalled and the engine shut off. there was a loss of steering power and the brakes failed. the vehicle was restarted after two or three attempts. there were no warning lights illuminated and the weather was not a factor. the duplicate failure is related to nhtsa campaign id number 03v455000 (engine and engine cooling), which was repaired two years ago. the vehicle was not towed. the dealer has not diagnosed the cause of the failure; however, they advised the contact to call nhtsa regarding a recall. the current mileage was 138,890 and failure mileage was 138,490. updated 12/12/2007 *bf updated 12/12/07 *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. the contact heard a loud knocking noise coming from the engine compartment. the dealer stated that the engine was consuming a lot of oil due to the catalytic converter and the engine needed to be replaced. the manufacturer stated that the vin was affected by nhtsa campaign id number 03v084000 (engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe); however, the recall was closed and the repair could not be made. the current and failure mileages were 96,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. the contact stated that his vehicle should be covered under nhtsa campaign id number 03v455000 (engine and engine cooling). he stated that his vehicle kept stalling and he took it to the dealer. the dealer stated that the crank position sensor failed and both they and the manufacturer stated that his vin was not included in the recall. the speed was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 129,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. while driving 60 mph the engine shut off down without warning and spun out of control. the vehicle crashed into a median. the driver was able to gain control and stop the vehicle was spinning. the contact sustained severe injuries. prior to the crash several warning lights on the dashboard were illuminated. the driver received a recall notice today stating the potential danger. the related nhtsa campaign number was 07v527000. the vehicle was destroyed. the current and failure mileages were 100,000.

Problem started with service engine soon light on.. had it put on computer and codes read off were referring to cam shaft position sensors. had dealer look at it and they say there is nothing wrong with car. cars engine hesitates, loses power, goes through way to much gas for our driving. so now light hasn't come back on since they erased the codes! now several months later car drives awful. still same issues but now car will not start at times and does at other times..engine sputters as to wanting to stall while driving and just today vehicle no longer starts!!! but dealer was still saying hey there's nothing wrong. nothing has been done to remedy this issue. so my vehicle now sits at the dealer service dept. while i have no car and we wait to see if they will remedy the issue again or still say nothing is found. *tr

2002 nissan altima problems with the engine consuming oil. consumer states that her vin and production date is not in the service campaign for the problem. therefore the dealer told her they cannot fix her vehicle. *kb the consumer she took the vehicle to a repair shop after she noticed the vehicle began to loose oil and the vehicle made a rough idling sound. the mechanic informed the consumer that the catalytic converter had gone bad, and being that it was attached to the engine, the engine would need to be replaced. the mechanic also stated that oil and other debris had extracted back into the engine block which caused the pistons to grind on broken converter pieces. *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

Catastrophic engine failure for nissan altima related to power valve/butterfly valve intake manifold design. third generation altima's qr25de 4-cylinder and vq35de 6-cylinder engines have unfortunately been affected by a recall related to the intake manifold and the power valves, also known as the butterfly valve. the technical service bulletin p5202 - does not mention all affected vehicles for production years w same design. this has left some owners affected by the problem with no recourse/remedy for what in some cases has amounted to catastrophic engine failure. the power valve is a series of four plates in the qr25de 4-cylinder and 6 plates in the vq35de 6-cylinder engines, one per cylinder. the plates open and close simultaneously to allow more air into the combustion chamber for increased power. each plate is held in place by two screws. the screws have been known to come loose as well as the plates and are then ingested into the engine via the intake ports. problem is initially exhibited by ses(service engine soon) light coming on and/or blinking. upon obd meter reading, code will be p0304, or similar which is random cylinder misfire or cylinder 4 misfire. electrode on spark plug has been bent closed as a result of the power valve retaining screw vibrating loose and being ingested into the engine. the screw then bounces around in the combustion chamber, hitting the spark plug and bending the electrode shut, preventing spark in that cylinder. additionally, the screw(s) and part of the broken plates, in some cases have made their way through the engine and into the exhaust manifold and the catalytic converter, thus causing the catalytic converter to prematurely disintegrate as well as become ingested into the engine. for some reason, nissan north america has decided to not remedy all vehicles affected by this admitted flaw obviously, this could cause engine failure at the wrong place and the wrong time, resulting in serious bodily harm and/or fatality. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. while driving 35-60 mph, the vehicle suddenly lost power without warning. the dealer and manufacturer stated that the vin was included in nhtsa campaign id number 03v455000 (engine and engine cooling). the recall repair for the engine was performed in 2004; however, the failure recurred and stalled on several occasions. the current mileage was 99,000 and the failure mileage was unknown.

Engine cylinder walls are scored and using an excess amount of oil also catalytic converter is no good. *jb

Oil is consumed at a rate of approx. 1 quart every 200 miles, mechanic has informed me there are no noticable leaks. around the 80,000 mile mark oil began to run low but the problem has been increasing. *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 loved the car until recently when i started having problems with the heater. months ago, i noticed that my heater was not working properly. i took it to be looked at and the mechanic told me that there may be bubbles in the coolant line. they bled the line, refilled it and it was fine for awhile. i have no heat again. they checked and could find no external leaks. this has been a problem for the past year, and every few months i need my coolant replaced and bled. i've gone to numerous mechanics and nobody can find the leak. i've searched many sites and forums and this seems to be a recurring problem for my type of car. the engine is overheating because the coolant is leaking, the car idles rough and is driving w/ higher rpms than it used. *tr

In august of 2007, i had a problem with my crankshaft. i took it to the dealer for repair. i then researched and discovered that there was a recall for this same problem. i contacted nissan via their website to inquiry if my problem was covered under that recall because i do never received any notification that there was a problem. i was trying to determine if i should have been charged for the repair job. nissan usa never responded to me. now i see on the internet that there is a recall for a problem with the crankshaft. the description is what has happened to me: i.e, loss of power and stalling during low speeds. the diagnosis code is p0335, crank sensor failure. if this is the same problem, i felt that i should be reimbursed what i paid for this repair job. *tr

I recently purchased a 2002 nissan altima 2.5s model from my 75 yr old aunt ,in trying to smog it . check engine light on w/ p0420 code , car has 61450 mi. uses alot of oil , alhambra nissan checked and stated engine no good ruined catalytic. catalytic has federal warrenty 8yr-80k,also alot of smoke early am start up..industry knowledge./ iatn says catalytic break up cause engine damage ,scoring cylinder walls, dealer has replaced 23 engines & catalytics mostly under warranty. powertrain warranty expired 01/07.. first inspected 03/97 & again 08/07. i believe problem come from catalytic, smoke ,oil consumption, check engine light. i think nissan should warranty problem..a respone would be appreciated...

At 6:30 pm i turned left out of a restaurant parking lot. there was plenty of time to cross traffic and enter the vacant turn lane. my 2002 nissan altima lost power leaving me in the path of oncoming traffic. luckily, the approaching traffic was able to brake before hitting me broadside. in the previous two days the car had briefly lost power while driving on the highway. there were no near accidents on these occasions. the problem was diagnosed as a faulty crankshaft sensor. it was replaced at our cost. this was the same part recalled in 2005. it was replaced then also. there was also a near accident before the first replacement. this part has failed twice, with near accidents. both were potentially fatal. *tr the dealer also performed a exhaust hanger recall on the vehicle. updated 09/18/07 *tr

My 2002 nissan altima vehicle was taken in for service at bob bell chevrolet nissan, 7900 eastern avenue, baltimore, maryland, 21224, on thursday, august 2, 2007. it was brought in for servicing of all the vehicles' recalls, a soft grinding noise that could be heard when turning the steering wheel and low freon levels for air conditioning. on friday afternoon, august 3, 2007 around 5pm, i was contacted by the service department and strongly advised to pick up the vehicle before the service division closed at 6pm. the dealership stated that all recalls and issues had been resolved and completed. i picked the vehicle up around 5:45pm and proceeded to travel home. after only fifteen minutes, the vehicle engine started to smoke profusely. the engine started shaking harder and harder and a loud rattling noise could be heard from within the engine. the teenage passenger in the vehicle began to vomit and her eyes started swelling due to the volume of fumes expelled from the cars engine through the ventilation and into the car. i immediately pulled over (3700 eastern blvd.) and rushed to get her out of the seat where she continued to vomit once outside the vehicle. the dealership now denies ever seeing smoke from the engine (see attach.), as well as, denied causing damage to my car that potentially resulted in the engine smoking. the vehicle was picked up on wednesday, august 8, 2007 with the engine rattling uncontrollably even after being returned a second time to the dealership. the vehicle cut off while attempting to de-accelerate at a red light the following day. uncertainty surrounds whether the vehicle will cut off again while de-accelerating proving it hazardous to drive, whether the vehicles five recalls where all properly addressed, and if the engine will start smoking again. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. when the contact would drive the vehicle she noticed a loud rattling noise coming from the engine. the vehicle was taken to the dealership where the contact had the vehicle's engine computer reprogrammed, however the contact is still experiencing the problem. there were no prior warnings. the current and failure mileages were 213000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. the contact was experiencing engine failure. he noticed a silent recall on the nissan website. the manufacturer stated that they would not take liability for the repairs due to the fact that he was not the original owner, although his vin was included in the recall. the engine was replaced at the cost of $3,000, but with less than 2,500 miles, the engine failed again. the contact heard a ticking sound when the vehicle was in motion and it was burning oil at rapid speeds. the manufacturer performed an oil consumption test and found that the engine was faulty. the nhtsa campaign id number was unknown. the failure mileage was 78,785 and current mileage was 97,000.

Car consuming lots of oil. no oil light ever came on leading to complete engine failure. 4 quarts of oil completely gone with no trace (no oil spots in garage, no smoke, ...nothing) in less than 2 months. also a problem with radiator split.*jb

2002 nissan altima 2.5s 77,000 miles. july 2006 took a road trip to chicago, when we arrived the check engine light came on. we took it to the dealership and we were informed that the catalytic converter had gone bad. it was replace under warranty. prior to that we notice that there was no heat while the car was idling, rough starts, "whooshing" noise under the dash. july 2007 check engine light came on, took it to the dealership, multi-cylinder misfire, coolant in cylinder 3, which was the result of a leak in the head gasket which is going to cast $1500.00. this car only has 77,000 miles, why do we need to replace the head gasket so soon. upon doing further research, i find that there are hundreds of other whose 2002 altima had the same problems, same diagnosis (www.carsurvey.org). called nissan consumer affairs, and there is nothing they can do about it. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. while driving at any rate of speed or stationary he heard a noise coming from the engine. he stated that the vehicle burned excessive oil. approximately one month ago the catalytic converter was replaced however the failure continued to occur. there is a recall for the catalytic converter; however, his vehicle was not included. the failure mileage was 116,000 and the current mileage was 119,000. updated 02-01-08. *kb the consumer also stated the rear shocks were bad. updated

I have a 2002 altima 2.5 standard. i bought the car in july 2007 with 72,000 miles and had a misfire reading from the time i bought it till i replaced the head gasket and got some head work done on the car. mileage now totals at nearly around 110,000 miles. nissan looked at my car all the way for any problems and i had a few recalls done on it including replacing the headlamps. little did i know when i had my mechanic (non-nissan mechanic later on from my dealer visit) replace the head gasket ( w/valve guides and oil rings) for $1600 that my front engine fan was unplugged near the headlamps which had caused some really bad overheating issues. my cat is bad (via a engine code) which i have yet to replace as i see no need to at this point... also my car has been eating up more than 1 quart of oil per week as i drive over 460 miles a week as a commuter to dallas, tx. at this point the option would be to either re..re-build the engine or replace with a new very expensive engine nothing that i have already spent too much money on this car. *tr

Car engine began to misfire, the "service engine soon" dashboard light came on and was sometimes flashing. proceeded to drive car at less than 80 kph (per owner's manual recommendation) to dealer for service, dealer advised that "power valve" (part of intake manifold) came apart on 2002 nissan altima, resulting in metal parts entering the combustion chamber. dealer made repairs, but now the engine is burning oil excessively (have had to add 2.5 l over 1400 km). there is a recall related to this problem on the 2.5l engine for the 2004 nissan altima, which apparently has identical engine to the 2002 model. car has 230,000 km so is beyond warranty. dealer not willing to pay for repairs. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. while driving 55 mph on a smooth surface, the tail pipe began to smoke. the check engine warning light illuminated prior to the failure. the vehicle was serviced for nhtsa recall # 03v084000 (engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe) at 33,000 miles. the manufacturer stated that the failure was related to the recall, but they will not make the repair because it was previously repaired. the vin was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 107,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. in 2007, the contact's vehicle burned 1 quart of oil per month. within the last few months, the vehicle has begun to burn 1 quart of oil per week. a local mechanic inspected the vehicle and stated that the oil was burning through the catalytic converter, which caused debris to flow back into the engine. the contact was informed that the vehicle needed a new engine or should be sold. she received a recall notice and took the vehicle to the dealer for repair, but was informed that the service could not be performed because the error code for the catalytic code appeared. a local mechanic informed the contact of a service bulletin and nhtsa campaign id number 03v084. the mechanic advised her to check with the dealer to find out if the vehicle had previously been repaired. the manufacturer stated that the service had already been performed by the previous owner. the dealer wanted to assist, but the manufacturer would not let the dealer perform the service. the failure mileage was 95,000 and current mileage was 105,000.

Massive oil consumption, oil burning, in 2002 nissan altima 2.5l standard. catalytic converter setting check engine light. i was told i needed a new head gasket. $1200. still burning oil. nissan has many complaints for this issue and refuses to help. *tr