Problems with 2002 Nissan Altima ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Nhtsa campaign # 03v084000. this recall was performed on my nissan altima back in 6/2004. it was not performed completely. precat was found damaged and replaced but engine was not. precat failed again in 5/2008 and was replaced under warranty. engine was not replaced a second time. engine is now using excessive oil and is a fire hazard. i have contacted nissan north america and i am receiving resistance from them on replacing engine. *tr

Car failed to start... charged battery, no results...next purchase a new battery.two days later car failed to start with new battery...charge battery for an hour...car then started... while car was standing still in driveway with motor start car overhead and crack the radiator head ...car tow to dealer ...nissian of north america refused to replace a defective radiator......question how do you crack the head of a radiator at zero mile per hour in idle with nothing running accept the motor on a cool morning about 70 degree.*ak

Well i have 2002 nissan altima 2.5 i have about 66,000 miles on the car and it has been having the same problem . it first started when they had recall oxygen sensor. i have had to replace the same sensor 3 times already at about cost of $350 each time . now my check engine light keeps coming on the replaced the catalytic converter and told me i had to change my engine coils and spark plugs for about $1000 dollars . after that was completed there was no change my check engine light still comes on engine idles rough always having to fill coolant . and have had to been towed several time to the dealer with no explanation as to what is wrong. *tr

Reporting 2002 nissan altima accident/fire; and requesting assistance on how to get reimbursed for auto repairs. *bf the consumer was involved in an accident in which he re ended another vehicle. the vehicle sustained severe front end damage and the vehicle caught on fire. the vehicle was totaled due to fire and water damage. the other vehicle drove away from the accident with little to no damage. *nm

Service engine light has come on seven times. the engine has shut off for no apparent reason four times. total the car has been in for service nine times. two recalls have been issued one for the crank position sensor (which i was never notified of) and now one regarding gas tank ice crystals (received my notification 5/20/04). both of these problems can cause a "crash without warning." i have worked with the bbb autoline, however since the car has not shut off since the crank position sensor was replaced the arbitrator believes that the "most serious problem" has been remedied and that the check engine light while "being a chronic problem, does not substantially affect the use, safety, or value of the vehicle." i have only driven the vehicle 14,711 miles in two years because i am afraid to drive it, thus use has been affected. i have almost been in two accidents as a result of the vehicle's problems, this safety has been affected. carfax is showing six negative reports on my vin number, (the service that car dealers use to help determine if the vehicle has had problems such as major accidents, lemon law vehicle, etc.), therefore, no one would even be interested in purchasing my vehicle, so value has been affected. even after the crank position sensor was replaced the car's check engine light has come on four more times. nissan is unable to diagnose/remedy the problem and refuses to give me a refund on the vehicle. i have been in two near accidents as a direct result of these problems. i believe that the problems will reoccur and i will not be so lucky next time. i am pursing this with the state of florida's lemom law arbitration board. this vehicle is a danger to myself and all other on the road. *ak

Vehicle was recalled on may 17 2004 for the exhaust pipe hanger pin. the engine light came on while driving. the fire department was called due to the engine being engulfed in flames. *ak

I purchased a 2002 nisaan altima and have had many problems with it since. it has been in twice already for the heater not working properly. it blows cold air when car is at idle below 2500 rpm. it was taken in twice and temporalily fixed. this problem has recurred for the third time. also the enigine would run rough and sometimes stall, this was initially recalled as a bad engine crank sensor. i had it in a second time where they replaced the crank sensor again. the same eveining when i got home the service engine light came on again and i contacted the service agent twice without any resolution. now the car is doing the same thing again for the third time. in addition to these repetiative problems the car now smokes when it is started, it also is rough starting. at the last oil change the vehicle was down 2 1/2 quarts of oil. the oil changes have been performed on a regular basis between 3000 and 4000 miles every time. the car would not even start approximately one week ago, i had to take out the spark plugs and clean them because they were so fouled out the car wouldn't start. the car has just over 43000 miles and the last incidents that are third time offenders along with the spark plugs being fouled have transpired after the warranty expired of course. *ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. the contact stated that the engine is making a loud noise and burning oil. the service engine light illuminated. the dealer diagnosed the vehicle as needing a new engine and will not replace it free of charge. the vin and purchase date were unavailable. the current mileage is 110,000 and failure mileage was 45,000.

While driving engine warning light illuminated. vehicle jerked forward heavily. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak

While driving 55 mph vehicle stalled. consumer had the vehicle towed. dealership repaired the problem twice, but problem was not resolved. *ak

While driving at any speed vehicle stalled, causing the driver to drift off the road. consumer towed the vehicle to the dealership for inspection, and mechanic was not able to duplicate the problem. *ak

Consumer stated while traveling on the highway at approximately 65 mph motor lost power. consumer pulled to the shoulder until the vehicle came to a complete stop. also, consumer waited for a few minutes and then restarted the vehicle. consumer checked the fluids. after everything checked out okay, he then drove the vehicle home. two days later, consumer took the vehicle to the dealer, and he told them what had happened. also, consumer called the insurance company to report the incident. he was told to report it to the manufacturer, and found out there was a recall on this problem. consumer asked them to replace the motor, and they refused. *ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign id number 03v455000 (engine and engine cooling) and had the repair work performed on the vehicle. three years later, while driving approximately 45 mph, the engine light illuminated. the vehicle restarted five minutes later. the dealer stated that his vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 07v527000 (engine and engine cooling). the vehicle has not been repaired. he filed a formal complaint with the manufacturer. the failure mileage was 63,600 and current mileage was 63,640. updated 3/18/08 *cn the consumer stated had the airbag sensor recall performed. updated 03/18/08 *tr

2002 nissan altima overheats, air conditioner and engine failures. customer states that she has brought the car in on numerous occasions for the overheating, air conditioning, and engine failures. *kb the consumer stated she was backing out of the driveway, when all of a sudden the engine light flashed and there was an immediate loss of power and no steering capability. the starter, engine control module and radiator were replaced. the thermostat was sticking which was one of the reasons the engine was overheating. the rear middle seat belt locked into place. the fuel door would not open when using the internal latch. the gear was difficult to get out of park. *jb

Vehicle shuts down a highway speed without warning. dealer is not able to duplicate the problem. *ak *nm the consumer made many attempts to notify representative. vehicle stalled 4 times at highway speeds. *tc

After the crank position sensor weld recall was performed, the check engine light came on. the vehicle was taken back to the dealership, but they were unable to correct the problem. *jb

The 2002 altima started to stall. i took the car to the dealership. i was advised that the car had 3 recalls on it and i should have been notified a year in a half before. i took the car back 3 times and on the third time i was adivsed that the car would need a new motor. that was on mar 15,2004. i called april 24,2004 at 3 pm and was advised by the manager handling the car that nissan approved then disapprove the replacement order then reapproved it again. he adivsed me he would call me with further. this has gone on for the passed 6 weeks and the car is no longer working but i'm paying for it.*ak

Well, i filed a complaint on march 12, 2003 regarding my engine on my 2002 nissan altima. well, i've noted since 2002-2004, my car has had major problems with the engine. well, here it is 2004, i'm having the same problem with the car stalling and the air bag had a default. it was towed about three weeks ago and once again, i was told there was a recall on the censor for the computer and the starter went out as well. i've had it and i'm about to seek a lawyer. also, everytime my car doesn't start, it's always because of a recall. each time i ask why wasn't i notified that there was recalls, the dealer service dept. manager claims nissan doesn't send out letters. well, i'm not sure what to believe. now i'm riding around in a 4 door nissan sentra that is loaned to me by the dealer. i want to know, does nissan send out recall letters or is it up to the individual dealers? i'm just fed up with nissan and i'm going to give their main office a call about this. please help me to understand this. thanks. *ak

While driving onto a ramp at 15 mph, the consumer heard a loud banging sound from the engine compartment. consumer lost the ability to steer and almost collided with another vehicle. after pulling over to the shoulder, he determined that the drive belt came off. *ak *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign id number 03v084000 (engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe). three years later, the contact stated that she smelled smoke underneath the vehicle. the local dealer stated that the catalytic converter was completely destroyed, which was causing the oil to burn. she took her vehicle to an authorized dealer and they stated that they would not assist because her vehicle exceeded the warranty. the contact filed a complaint with the manufacturer. the purchase date was unknown. the failure mileage was 67,930 and current mileage was 143,000. the consumer stated initially car was burning oil not leaking then heavy smoke was exiting the exhaust. updated 12/19/07 *tr

After t recall 03v08400 repairs were done vehicle overheated. consumer managed to pull over to let the vehicle cool down. dealership was notified, but problem was not resolved. *ak

Engine stalled at highway speed nearly causing a major accident. car restarted and smae thing happened. i had car towed to dealer and they replaced a sensor as part of a reclaa (r3022). *ak

Ref. investigation pe 02-078 the 'check oil' light flashed on the dashboard of my 2002 nissan altima on 1-16-2004. i stopped to check the oil level and found the dipstick to be bone dry. i filled the oil reservoir on this date and have checked the oil daily since. the oil level has steadily dropped. it appears that the description of potential engine damage described in odi resume for investigation pe 02-078 (i.e. scoring of the cylinder walls) has occurred and now my engine is consuming motor oil at a rapid pace. *la

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. the contact stated that there was a recall for his vehicle. the dealer stated that he needs a new engine, but the contact believes that the dealer damaged what they were trying to prevent. nissan and the consumer affairs office did not offer any assistance in the matter. the recall repair was performed in january of 2004 and the head gasket was repaired that same year. the engine size was unknown. the current mileage is 145,400 and failure mileage was 67,000.

2002 nissan altima 3.5l oil consumption! i have owned the car since 18 miles, i have done oil changes every 3k. i lose almost a quart every 1k miles. i have seen many issues with the vq and still no recall. please help! *tr

I have a 2002 nissan altima. there was a recall on the pre-cat and it was replaced...in the recall it states that if the pre-cat is replaced then the engine has to be also but it was not. my engine burns 2qts of oil a week and makes a weird noise. i want this taken care of. *tr

Engine had a clicking sound. there was noise when vehicle accelerated. then, pedal was loose, and engine was hard to start.*ak

The engine check light illuminated constantly. the vehicle was taken to the dealer to change the oxygen sensor, but the dealer refused to replace the oxygen sensor because this vehicle was not included in the recall. *ak *sc *jb

Was driving 40-mph the vehicle stalled. driver had managed to get vehicle out of traffic and towed to the dealer. dealership had replaced the cam shaft sensor twice. driver don't feel safe any more to driving this vehicle. *ph

I purchased a 2002 nissan altima in november of 2001. twice within a short period of time, i was stranded when my vehicle would not start after turning it off. both times the service department where i bought the vehicle told me that some minor adjustments fixed the problem. the third time my vehicle failed was this week, and it put my baby daughter and i in a life-threatening situation. as we traveled down i-10 at the rate of 70 mph my car stalled. i lost all power including power steering and brakes and ability to accelerate. this was a very dangerous situation. come to find out, nissan knows of a faulty sensor that exists in some of their later model vehicles, and is waiting until december to launch a recall campaign. i find this to be highly unacceptable because in the meantime drivers of these vehicles are at great risk. *la

Lost of heat the dealership has replaced the water pump,heat box,termostat's, flushed cooling system & still i lose heat. they have contacted the engineers in calif. and they don't know what wrong either. one should be here in detroit by march 22,2005 to try and solve the problem. now the car is burning oil, whin in a week i have to replace oil in the car because all the oil is gone and it's not leaking. *ak

2002 nissan atlima customer states since 30,000 miles the check engine light has been on**cc the consumer was unable to defrost the windows, due to the defroster being inoperative. the consumer stated the vehicle would lose power, so he would have to take his foot off the gas and eventually it would gain speed. the consumer had various repairs made on the vehicle. the catalytic converter was deteriorating, the valve cover gasket was replaced, the headlight was replaced 3 times, the tail light assembly needed to replaced the consumer was told the vehicle needed a new engine after experiencing the stalling and no start problems. *jb

Engine failure due to recall that was not performed by nissan. *ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. the contact received a recall notice for the entire emission system and took the vehicle to be repaired. he also stated that the converter needed to be replaced according to a voluntary recall. the converter was not replaced because the dealer would not do it for free. the nhtsa campaign id number was unknown. the failure and current mileages were 86,323.

While driving at any speed the vehicle stalled out without warning. the dealer replaced the crankshaft position sensor but the problem still occurred. please provide further information. *nlm

The cam sensor located in the engine compartment without warning . the light appear on the dashboard while driving she heard a poppying noise underneath the vehicle. the vehicle shut down no power no brakes, steering. please fill in additional information. dealer is aware of the problem

While traveling on highway in passing lane, engine light and brake light came on and vehicle lost all power, steering and brakes. vehicle started again and broke down 3 more times before arriving at dealership. very dangerous situation. dealership would not supply loaner vehicle, left without vehicle and dealership does not know if or when vehicle will be repaired. vehicle has 14000 miles and oil was changed about 200 miles ago. *ak

When applying brakes vehicle shuts off without warning.*ak

Nissan replaced the radiator/parts three times but the consumer continued to smell antifreeze inside the vehicle. *ph several attempt by different service dealer have been made to alleviate the problem, but none have been successful. *nm

I was driving from mi to il on the day before my starting my new job in illinois. thirty miles out from my destination, the engine shuts down as i was driving approximately 60 mph. i was able to pull off the road safely and wait over two hours for a tow truck. the dealer claims the mass air flow (maf) sensor was at fault. although the maf sensor was replaced, i don't believe it was the component that disabled the vehicle on this date. the engine shutdown without first going into "limp" mode. this is exactly what is described in the recall for the crank position sensor (cps). at the time of the incident, there was an open recall on the cps. i did not have it replaced prior to my drive because i did not receive notification. the cps was replaced at the same time as the maf. what prompts this complaint is the maf sensor. the vehicle is now on the third maf. the first one was replaced on 8/2003. the second maf was replaced on 1/14/2004, which lasted less than six months. the failure mode for the first maf sensor allowed warning: the engine did not shut off, but instead limited the engine speed to 2500rpm. fortunately, both maf sensors were covered under an extended warranty. in addition to maf sensors and open recalls, my vehicle has a new ecm and throttle body (iacs). my extended warranty has since expired, and i am currently working with nissan in getting a new extended warranty out of goodwill for these problems experienced in the less than two years i have owned this nissan. my previous vehicles were ford products, and i have never experienced problems with those as i have with this nissan. i am currently having difficulty in having nissan returning my communication. *jb

While driving during cold days at any speed engine will shut down , and force consumer to pull of the road. this was due to a faulty gas module sensor. consumer most have at least half tank of gas to avoid freezing up the module sensor.*ak

While at a stop light, my car died. it was a hot day, the ac was on. i turned it off, it started after hesitating to turn over. same exact situation except i was coasting down a hill the next day and it died, hot/ac was on. that time, the service engine light came on. i took it to the dealer the next day. i just got it back today and on the way home (again, hot day, ac on), it died again. the service ticket that i have says: job 1-parts ordered manifold exhaust,cover-exhaust m,bearing-seal e,gasket-exhaust and replace converter and heat shield. job 2- part was spring kit, install new coil register. i did notice during this time that my oil was rather on the low side and i added 2 qts. i have not since checked the oil nor was it time to change the oil. the dealer told me to bring it back tomorrow morning. *jb

Intermittently while trying to start the vehicle, it would take an extremely long time. the consumer claimed that black smoke blew from the tail pipe. the dealer has examined the vehicle three times for this problem. *jb

The consumer noticed every 1000 miles the engine consumed one quart of oil. the dealer was unable to find a problem. *jb

While driving, my 2002 nissan altima 2.5 s has stalled and left me in the middle of traffic lanes. this has happened 3 different times (including once being stalled on railroad tracks). my local dealership refuses to co-operate with me, telling me one time that it was the "cam sensor," another i was told "the vehicle was flooded," and the last time i got no assistance (including no loaner vehicle!). the dealership claims that these problems are caused by my actions (as though i am unable to operate a vehicle correctly). i am considering taking legal action, as this vehicle is unsafe for me and others around me. i was never notified of the latest recall until researching online few weeks ago (3 months after the recall was issued), i now have an appointment to have this situation remedied next week. i hope to get the excessive use of oil situation solved as well. i am appalled at the lack of customer service that nissan and the affiliated nissan dealerships afford their clients that shell out upwards of $25,000 for one of their death traps! *la

The consumer noticed that the engine consumed 1/2 quart of oil every 1500 miles. the dealer replaced the engine. *nlm

The dealer replaced the catalytic converter because the vehicle consumed excessive amounts of oil (every 1500 miles). *nlm

My 2002 nissan altima has complete loss of power while driving on three separate occasions, twice i lost control of car and miraculously avoided a crash. i have been told that the problem was repaired the second time having it towed to the dealership. i no longer feel safe placing my children in this car. this car is a death trap, i'm surprised the government (lemon law) requires a total of 5 times same occurrence,report after the third time, then the dealership has another shot of repair #4, only then, they will consider replacement or buy back , after 5th time of engine failure. this to me is russian roulette, the worse part is , i'm paying for it (car pymt.)who is it that actually chose the criteriia for the lemon laws? and whose favor are they in ? the consumer and their families at risk, or the multi-billion dollar a year car manufacturers? i want a safe car!!!! and i want to be treated like the lives of my children matter and we're not just another number. would mr. ghosn (nissan ceo), drive his children in a car that has total power loss while driving, resulting in loss of control?? do i paint big lemons on the side of my car,what does it take to get someone's attention, a death??? feel free to contact me [email protected] *la

While driving at 65 mph, vehicle stalls without warning, vehicle is unable to re-start right away leaving driver in eminent danger of been rear ended by on coming traffic. no codes or lights turn on dashboard signaling a malfunction of vehicle. after letting the vehicle cool off for about five to ten minutes it re-starts again. vehicle was taken to dealer who was unable to diagnose failure because no lights are coming up on the dashboard and when hooked to a scanner no failure codes were produced. manufacturer was made aware of failure but offered no assistance because vehicle was "repaired" under the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 03v455000( component: engine and engine cooling ) . this recall calls for cam, crank and variable timing sensors to be replaced, however only the crank sensor was replaced. failure mileage was 43000 when vehicle was first taken in for recall but it is currently failing again at 160,000 miles with above symptoms and manufacturer won't offer assistance. they have advice to take it to a dealer again and they will be able to keep replacing parts until problem is "found". due to lack of codes their technicians will have to "guess" what the problem is. all this at my own expense of diagnosis, parts and labor. in september of 2011 a dealer performed a re-program of the main computer as part of another recall from manufacturer concerning vehicles stalling. this re-program of the main computer did not fix anything and right after i took vehicle out of the dealer it started stalling again. this vehicle keeps stalling at high speeds (65mp), there are no codes given out and manufacturer offers no assistance. afraid i am going to get seriously injured as the problem continues but can't figure out what's wrong with the car. *tr

The vehicle intermittently stalled while driving, which resulted in loss of control of the vehicle. the dealer replaced the ignition coils, but the problem recurred. *jb