Problems with 2002 Nissan Altima ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. while driving approximately 5 to 50mph, the vehicle began idling intermittently. speed was not a factor. the failure has occurred since october 5, 2006. the dealer replaced the throttle body; however, that didn't correct the failure. the contact assumed the cost of $42.00 to have the vehicle re-set due an idle error. the manufacturer has given the contact five authorization numbers; however, the dealer is unable to diagnose the failure.the dealer also stated that his two top technicians attempted to diagnose the failure and that the failure was characetistic of the catalyst throttle on the exhaust. the fuel pump and catalyst throttle warning indicator lights that were illuminated. the contact has detailed invoices regarding repairs performed on the vehicle. the vin is unavailable. the failure mileage was 74,432 and the current mileage was 88,000.

2002 nissan altima. lost the engine due to "no oil". dealership stated catalytic converter failed and caused abundant oil consumption. the catalytic converter was replaced on recall at 50,000 miles. the new converter only had a 12 month/12,000 mile warranty, unlike the original warranty. advised to contact nissan and i did. they stated converter and car were out of warranty and the y could accept responsibility. dealership charged me 4,500.00 dollars to replace the engine and the converter. vann york nissan supposedly replaced the entire engine with one from the factory in a miracle of 2 days from getting my approval. (3) weeks later the serpentine belt broke and i discovered it was the original belt from the old engine. this is a rip off and nissan north america should recall all these cars. plus dealers are taking advantage of the situation and making a tremendous amount of money. i'm suing..........*nm

2002 nissan altima customer states that in october she noticed oil leak and has taken car in and notice has been found but continues to have the same problem**cc the consumer was told she qualified for a new engine. however when she returned to the dealer, she was told she didn't qualify for a new engine or even having the existing engine fixed. the consumer was told that the manufacturer's standards that a vehicle consuming 3/4 quart of oil was acceptable. the consumer stated the engine light stays on constantly, before it just flickered. *jb

Tl* - the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. the contact stated the vehicle had air pockets in the radiator, preventing it from having heat. the failure mileage was 49,639. the dealer/mechanic changed the antifreeze and removed the air pockets. the failure returned after four months. the dealer/mechanic again removed the air pockets, changed the antifreeze ,and this time flushed the radiator. the failure mileage 55,200. the contact has the repair invoices. *ak

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle suddenly lost all power without warning while driving at any speed. the check engine light illuminated in the vehicle. a nhtsa recall, # 03v455000 was performed on the vehicle in 2004 concerning the engine and engine cooling however, the recall did not remedy the problem. the dealership would not offer a second repair under the recall.

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle shut off suddenly without warning while traveling 60 mph on the highway. the vehicle was towed to a dealership who determined the engine needed to be replaced. there was a nhtsa recall, # 03v455000, regarding the engine and engine cooling. the vehicle was not included in the recall due to the vin.

The 2002 nissan altima stalls repeatedly while driving on the road. the failure includes the loss of power steering and the ability to control the car safely. the problem is caused by the power valve screws coming loose and getting into the engine. the screws must be replaced with lock tight ones and the catalytic converter and oxygen sensor have been damaged and must be replaced. nissan has a voluntary service campaign to fix the problem for 2004 and 2005 models. the technical service bulletin is ntb05058. the 2002 and 2003 models have the same engine and should be fixed by nissan as well. *jb

2002 altima service engine light appeared and vehicle stalled. *ts the vehicle's had been serviced several time by the dealer because the check engine light illuminated and the vehicle lacked power, jerked and would stall. it was later determined that the vehicle developed a cracked block which caused coolant to leak in the engine. the engine was replaced. the vehicle had been maintained regularly. *nm

I own a 2002 nissan altima 2.5s. i have seen that they have issued recalls for newer models based on the engine consuming excessive amounts of oil. i have noticed the same thing happening on my car for the past few years. i have mentioned it to the dealer on a couple of occasions and have been sort of blown off and told i am not changing the oil often enough. i recently was in the dealership for a recall for the undercarriage and while there had a 90000 mile service done. after that service, the engine was going through oil roughly every 500 miles or so. it used to go through it every 4000 miles or so, which seems incredibly quick. i think the problem is not just on the newer models but on older models as well. from what i have read, this could be a fire hazard and would like the matter looked into further. *jb

Car was losing coolant. dealer said i needed a new engine because the head gasket was leaking. they refused to replace the catalytic converter and blamed the engine overheat problem on the leaking gasket. engine is working fine. i do not want them to replace the head gasket because i can get it done by an ase certified mechanic for half the price and i do not trust them since they told me i needed a new engine. the catalytic converter is supposed to be covered by warranty up to 80k miles. i have 71k miles on the car. *nm

2002 nissan altima vents were blowing warm air when the air conditioner was on, service engine light illuminated. vehicle is difficult to start. *kb after the dealer stated they fixed the problem, which they claimed there was too much freon in the vehicle, the engine light illuminated again the next day. the consumer was then told the head gasket was leaking. *jb

2002 nissan altima 2.5s difficult to start, will frequently stall once started as soon as its put into gear. (nissan dealership said it was due to "bad fuel"-charged $500 to drain tank and refill..problem still exists..) backed out of driveway, vehicle stalled, steering becomes extremely hard, unable to maneuver car, hit tree and cracked spoiler/dent bumper. not safe to take on highway, as you cannot "merge" into traffic at highway speeds.. if you try to accelerate, it will buck and stall. the "service engine soon" light has been on for 8 months, even after dealership says they "fixed the problems" . light keeps coming back on. vehicle started blowing warm air through a/c this summer. took to dealership. they said "too much freon" and charged $300. problem still existed the next day. took back to dealership.. charged another $100 to do "diagnostics".. no problems ever fixed. light still on. nissan not addressing it. basically ignoring the light, even though car has been in there for over $1000 worth of "repairs" in 1 month. *jb

Car needs an oil change every month because it burns so much oil. no heat in the winter because of malfunctioning radiator. almost had several serious accidents on highway from the engine stalling, leaving me with no power steering or brakes. *jb

I brought my car into the nissan dealership in middletown, ct. aug. 2006 because i was loosing antifreeze. they told me i had a blown head gasket and my engine seemed to be using oil. they wanted to do an oil consumption test and asked me to bring the car back in at 500 miles. i did that and was told it wasn't conclusive enough so bring it back in another 1000 miles. when i brought it back they told me i would need a whole new engine since it was blown. they told me the head gasket is covered under my extended warranty but the engine was not covered under my extended warranty since it was caused by the pre catalytic converter. when i bought this car i was sold on the extended warranty since it covered the whole car except for mufflers, spark plugs, brakes all the things that normally wear out on a car. back in june of 2004 i brought the car in for recall # r30071 the recall was performed at lia nissan in enfield, conn. in the recall it states that if the material from the recalled pre catalyst gets into the engine it could do damage to the engine and may cause a fire. i now have an engine that had the recall fix done and their fix did not work. i am also concerned that the engine will catch fire and hurt me or one of my family members. i have gone through all the channels available to me at nissan and have gotten nowhere. i even got a letter back from nissan telling me that i have inadequate maintenance records. i change my own oil and filters but the rest i bring to the dealer if i have a problem since i have an extended warranty. this should have nothing to do with the failure of their fix. on a side note i have been searching the internet concerning this very same problem and have found many cases of people having the exact same problem with their nissan altima 2002. they have had the exact problem with nissan also. any help from you would be greatly appreciated my car is failing fast and it is my only mode of transport to work. *jb

Service engine soon light comes on. continuously fails to start. reduced engine power. engine shuts off while driving. *nm

the car either hesitated or stalled (engine stopped running) on about 3 different trips while my wife was driving between 30 mph and 50 mph. the car started right back up each time. this vehicle had been though a recall on 11/17/2003 (r3021/r3022) to replace the cam position sensor. i was not the owner of the car when the recall was done. the dealer said this vehicle was repaired under that recall. the problem has appeared again or a similar problem is happening a second time. i brought the car into the dealer on 9/29/06 and they replaced the cam sensor to stop the stalling. since the problem and the solution appeared to be the same as in the 11/17/2003 recall, the dealer said the problem was fixed once and therefore the second repair was not covered under the recall. i'm concerned weather this could be a recurring problem and if the original repair was adequate to remedy the stalling problem. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 65 mph on the highway, smoke erupted from the engine compartment followed by the engine stalling without warning. no fire was present, only smoke from the engine. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who determined the oil was dry in the engine and the engine needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not alerted. the inspector concluded that the failure was consistent from a lack of having the oil changed. updated 10/12/06. *jb *nm updated 1/17/2006 - at no time did the oil light illuminate to indicate low oil. the consumer indicated that the oil light had never illuminated because the vehicle received regular oil changes. the consumer believes the failure is due to a know defect in the 2.5 liter engines. *nm the consumer is requesting reimbursement for the engine she had to replace. updated *jb

I have followed the manufacturer and dealers maintenance and have so many major problems with my car. i think nissan needs to revisit this model and determine if it is a defect. i have an 02 nissan altima. the heater was replaced in the 2nd year, this year the catalytic converter was replaced and now the struts are worn out. to my understanding, this is something that happens in the long run, not with a new car. *jb

I have a 2002 nissan altima that has been giving me nothing but problems . i have had the catalytic converter changed and now it needs another one . oil is being consumed or at least that's what the nissan dealer told me in 2006 he said i need a motor i have been taking this car to the nissan dealer too many times to think they have claimed to change things every time i'd take it . it's always something different i don't think they knew the problem at first. either they didn't know or they decided to wait until after my warranty ended to tell me that i needed a motor!! i have spent so much money on this car. i feel that i paid too much for this car to be trying to pay over $5000 for a motor. the car is now 6 yrs old and that's not old enough for a motor. nissan should feel very bad that they a responsible for people paying too much money for that lemon of a car. i need transportation not a new car note!! *tr

Check engine light came on. engine was using oil every 1000-1500 miles. took car to vann york nissan. was told catalytic converter came apart, was sucked into engine. had an extended warranty. thought it would cover the problem. nissan of north america said the extended warranty doesn't cover the catalytic converter, therefore does not cover the engine. asked to speak to a supervisor. was told i'd get a call back within 24 hours. never heard from them. called several times over the next few weeks. never would let me speak to anyone other than the telemarketer. finally received a letter in the mail to inform they would not take responsibility for the problem. took car to an independent mechanic. replaced spark plugs and catalytic converter. check engine light has come on again. i bought 2 nissans in 2002- 1 altima; 1-quest. had owned a 1998 altima previously. thought nissan was a good brand. thought nissan was a good company. thought wrong! will never buy another nissan product as long as i live. have told every person i know. will continue to talk about this experience until i go to my grave. *nm

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. the contact stated that the vehicle would stall and hesitate to start. she replaced the alternator and battery, but the failure continued. on a separate occasion, the head gasket blew and was replaced by an independent mechanic. however, the vehicle continued to stall and hesitate. the contact found hundreds of complaints for the same year, make, and model vehicle and was concerned that it was unsafe to drive. the manufacturer referred her to nhtsa. the failure and current mileages were less than 85,000.

The engine light on my 2002 nissan altima came on, i brought it into my local service station for an oil change and asked them to check it. they said that they got a catalytic inefficiency code but were positive the catalytic needed to be replaced. i decided to bring the car to the dealership and was told that the oxygen sensors needed to be replaced but everything else looked good. one week later the light came back on and i brought it back to the nissan dealer. i was told the catalytic convertor failed and pieces of it broke off and got into the engine causing damage to the engine and i would need to replace both the convertor and engine. i had the recall work done on my car that was supposed to prevent this problem but apparently it didn't. i have placed several calls to the nissan consumer affairs department and have yet to hear back from anybody, for now my car is sitting at the nissan dealership, inoperable. *jb

Nissan altima 2.5 2002 in 2006 my car was using 2 or 3 quarts of oil every three thousand miles. luckily my car was still under warranty, but nissan and the nissan dealership were very reluctant to provide help. finally after months of testing, ten trips to the dealership, calls to corporate, and a trip to the dealership with my father, they finally replaced my engine. they would not, however, tell me exactly what the problem was and why the engine had to be replaced. now, two years later, i am facing the exact same problems. the dealership says i need a new catalytic converter and new o2 sensor. another one thousand dollars! after researching this car and others who are facing the same problems i am convinced nissan should take responsibility and a recall should be mandatory. thank you for your help. *tr

I was making a left turn when suddenly the engine shut off. about an hour later i went to start my car and would not start. after making several attempts i left the car parked where it was. about 3 hours later i started the car fine. a week had passed with no know problems when suddenly my "check engine light" came on. the next day the vehicle stalled when backing up from the drive way, and again while i was turning a corner. the dealer claims the check engine code came up as "app positioning sensor" which is the throttle chamber. i thought this was warranted for up to 60,000 miles? *nm

My 2002 altima is using oil excessively. one quart in 500 -700 miles. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. when the contact started the ignition, the check engine warning indicator illuminated intermittently on the instrument panel. he also heard a loud noise coming from the four cylinder engine, which was not operating properly. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and they stated that the failure was related to an oxygen sensor that was replaced. the vehicle was repaired according to nhtsa campaign id number 03v084000 (engine and engine cooling, exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe); however, the repair was insufficient. the vehicle was taken to the authorized dealer for the same failure on three occasions. the vehicle has not been repaired again. the contact was concerned of the safety risk involved. the failure mileage was 81,286 and current mileage was 95,500.

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle was burning oil excessively. there is a nhtsa recall, # 06v223000, regarding the engine and engine cooling. the vin was not included in the recall. updated 7/25/2006 - the consumer had to add oil to the engine every 500 to 800 miles. the vehicle failed to start. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who replaced the camshaft position sensor. *nm

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

Dt*: the contact stated that while driving at 40 mph on dry roads, the motor stalled. however, the electrical system remained operational. the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic, where it was determined that the crank sensor was faulty. the mechanic was able to repair the problem. updated 07/25/06. *jb

The oxygen sensor on my 2002 nissan altima overheated and destroyed itself. the fragments of the sensor shattered the main catalytic converter and pieces of the parts mixed with the oil damaging the entire engine, ie. pistons and other internal components, rendering the engine not serviceable. new engine is needed at a cost of about six thousand dollars. i have notified nissan consumer affairs representative and i am waiting for their response. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated upon inspection, it was noticed the vehicle was burning oil from the main catalyst. although the dealership and manufacturer were alerted, no inspections have been made. there is a nhtsa recall, # 03v084000, regarding the electrical system. the vin was not included in the recall. *ak

At about 80,000 miles my 2002 nissan altima had an issue where the coolant started leaking into to combustion chamber, had to have the heads resurfaced, and cat converters replaced. now the car burns oil, has to be replaced at about 1000 miles (completely empty if i let it go to 1500 miles). the car now stops when driving at slow speeds, starts right back up, but dies while driving. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. when the ignition key was activated, the contact heard a loud noise coming from outside of the vehicle. the noise occurred intermittently and without warning. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for inspection and they stated that the failure was related to the catalytic converter. the contact was advised to take the vehicle to an authorized dealer. the dealer replaced the front exhaust assembly, front 02 sensor, and cleared the system codes. the repairs were performed under warranty. the failure recurred and the engine and catalytic converter were replaced. the failure mileage was 77,065 and current mileage was 120,000.

Engine failure: at just under 78,000 miles the car would not start. car towed to mechanic who was able to start the car after an extended crank. cooling system pressurized instantly upon cold start in a.m. mechanic suggested towing to dealership because he suspects a possible cylinder head problem. he says the 02 altima has a well-known history of engine problems. 3 months prior to this the engine was constantly running out of oil and coolant. the thermostat and radiator cap were replaced by a mechanic. 2 months prior to that, the check engine light came on and a full tune up was done. all recalls have been done previously. the car is currently at the dealer for diagnosis. after reading many customer complaints i am concerned that the recall work that i had done previously was either not completed properly or something else is not quite right. a nissan shouldn't have a ruined engine with this few miles. this is my second altima and my love affair with nissan is fading fast. *nm

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. the contact stated that the vehicle consumes oil at a high rate due to a defective catalytic converter. as a result, the contact would have to constantly add oil to the engine. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 03v084000 (engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe). the vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed and was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 60,000.

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)

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima se. when starting the vehicle, the contact heard the engine attempting to turn over, but would only start when the accelerator pedal was depressed. while driving at any speed, the vehicle would stall and shut off completely. the vehicle only restarted with a jump start. the battery was checked by a mechanic who found no failures. the vehicle was serviced for nhtsa recall # 03v455000 (engine and engine cooling), however the failure persists. the recall was serviced twice by the dealer. the current mileage is 80,000 and failure mileage was 65,000.

My 2002 altima had the recall for the heat shields and every other one i was notified about. my car started consuming excessive amounts of oil. on approximately may 5 i drove the car in the morning, parked it in my moms yard, went to leave and it would not start. i called the dealer and had to tow at my expense the car to them. the car has 71,000 miles on it but i had purchased an extended warranty so i thought i was okay. well dealer says that to tear it apart and find out what was wrong he needed to get authorization from the warranty company. i was informed that because i did all the oil changes myself, they wouldn't authorize it, even though i could get a statement from the garage attesting to this fact along with my own personal log where i recorded all my gas ups and oil changes. any ideas how i can get them to fix this car i still owe three years on it. and i think it is bs they don't know what is wrong, they know exactly what is wrong they just don't want to payup. my car failed exactly how they described it would on aol the other complaints i read about, there was a problem with solder and they know it!!! thank you, [xxx]. *nm information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

I have a 2002 altima with 35,000 miles on it. i have had it to the dealership several times due to fact the check engine light was on and it was running rough. i was told that the #1 cylinder was showing up faulty on the computer reading for the check engine light. the dealer had my car for 3 days and found nothing wrong and replaced the plugs. the whole time they were in contact with the nissan factory tech team. 2 months later the check engine light came on again and after another try to the dealer they instructed me that there was no coolant in the cooling system and filled it. 2 weeks later the check engine light came on and the coolant level dropped. took to the dealer and nissan tech said to replace the head gasket. bolts were on back order and they took a month to come in. they replaced the head gasket and then discovered the engine needed to be replaced, which was on back order and they did not know when the engine would be available. i have now been without my car for 2 months, made 2 car payments on a car that i did not have, and am getting pretty annoyed. i contact nissan north america, who was soooo very unprofessional and told me that they did not see the problem since i had a warranty and the money was not coming out of my pocket. furthermore, they had more important issues to attend to since the 2006 altima recall. these took precedence and they did not know when my engine would be available. i am so frustrated with the lack of caring from this company. i have yet to decided where to turn next. if anyone has any suggestions, please let me know. 8jb

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

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

2002 nissan altima with various check engine light with catalytic converter breaking up and pieces destroy engine. ongoing battle never resolved can't get help still owe 3700 on vehicle without vehicle now. engine won't crank have to pump gas pedal even then like not getting gas but mechanics all say the same you got a bad car, defective catalytic converter. plus nissan refuses to do recalls never even done that were ecm related and rear suspension. all ongoing since april 2006. have records/evidence. *tr

There was a crank shaft sensor recall on my vehicle which was repaired 2 years ago. last month the crank shaft sensor went out and was not cover by nissan. this vehicle has had 2 crank shaft sensors. it's hard to believe that a vehicle would go through 2 crank shaft sensors if the part weren't defective. *jb

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

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima with a 2.5 liter engine. the contact stated that the check engine light illuminated on two occasions. the first failure occurred approximately in march of 2006 and again in may of 2009. she found nhtsa campaign id number 03v084000 on the internet and realized that she was experiencing the same issues with her vehicle; however, the dealer stated that her vin was not included in the recall. in 2006, the dealer stated that the catalytic converter was clogged and charged $1,000 to have it replaced. a recall notice in 2002 did not state that it was related to a vin at that time. the recall was later amended in 2006 and 2008 to pertain to a specific vin. in may of 2009, while driving 20 mph, the check engine light illuminated again and black smoke and oil poured out of the tail pipe. the dealer stated that the catalytic converter and engine needed to be replaced because the engine had consumed oil. the vehicle can be driven as long as the oil does not leak. an independent technician stated that it was unusual for the catalytic converter to be replaced this frequently. the first failure mileage was 60,000 and the recent failure and current mileages were 129,000. updated 062909 *bf updated 07/02/09.*jb

2002 nissan altima, case#5865538. the very public and well-documented problems with oil consumption in the 2002 and 2003 nissan altimas warrant your immediate attention. i have spent over 26 months and thousands of dollars trying to fix my car. i first noticed an oil consumption problem at about 75,000 miles. i keep up with the required services on my vehicle and i make oil changes at the recommended intervals at a minimum, so i tried additional oil changes and oil refills. these efforts did not seem to work; so i replaced the catalytic converter, the two crank position sensors, the pcv valve, four coil packs, two oxygen sensors, and the spark plugs. many of these items were on recall and nissan should have paid for them, but i paid for them. i found countless numbers of nissan altima owners were having the exact same issues. in fact, there are now reports of the 2002/2003 altima's engines catching on fire because of this oil consumption problem. this risk of engine fire presents a risk for injury or death to vehicle occupants, especially since part of the problem includes no warning that the engine is running dry. nissan north america has it within their power to turn this apparent failure into a public relations and customer satisfaction and loyalty success story. i have done everything they have asked, which included multiple oil consumption tests. when these tests were being performed, i was told that if they cracked the engine and did an engine inspection to prove the engine was well maintained, i would receive a new engine. the local huntsville dealership cracked the engine and stated it was the cleanest they ever saw. when nissan north america was informed of this they declined my request for a new engine or any assistance. after pressing the nissan agent as to why, he said it was a business decision and nissan north america could not afford to replace everyone's engine. *tr

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.

Losing oil and coolant which led to complete engine failure in march 2006. replaced engine and 50k miles later losing coolant and misfire on cylinder 3. suspect head gasket problem. *tr

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