While driving down the road engine just shut off no warning no engine light just died
2002 Nissan Altima: check engine light
193 of the 1,047 complaints about the 2002 Nissan Altima describe check engine light.
- owner complaints
- 193
- of this car's complaints
- 18%
- typical repair cost reported
- $4,000
- typical mileage
- 92,000
- recalls
- 3
Is there a fix? There are 3 recalls and 24 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below
Check engine light by model year
What owners say
The car will not start when it is hot outside. The service engine light stays on all the time. The car stops while driving on street and highways. The crank position sensor'(s), camshaft position sensor's and the variable timing control sensor'(s) needs to be replaced. Recall #r3021 and r3022 was listed on the recall from nissan.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. While operating the vehicle, the check engine indicator illuminated and the vehicle hesitated and bucked. The vehicle was examined by an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the camshaft sensor malfunctioned and needed to be replaced. The sensor was replaced, but the vehicle later experienced difficulty starting. The local dealer (sumerian nissan in fort myers fl) and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 03v4855000 (engine). The contact stated that the vehicle experienced the same failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 133,000.
I have a 2002 altima but I only purchased it about 8 months ago. Somewhere around 2 months ago my check engine light came on. So I had it looked at and they said it was a crank sensor code, so I had it replaced. Didn't fix the problem for long. The light came back on, throwing the same code. Well then a week later my car completely shut off while I'm driving down the road. When I begin to restart it, nothing. It takes several attempts before it will start. Since that incident I've had this happen several times. I'm very concerned that I or my children will be in an accident due to the vehicle shutting off while driving. Please someone help!
Our car has shut off at any speed without warning for several months. The check engine light has also been on.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. On several occasions, while driving, the engine stalled. The contact had to restart the vehicle while the accelerator pedal was applied. Also, while the accelerator pedal was depressed, the vehicle would hesitate to gain speed and the check engine indicator illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 213,000.
My car has been having steering problems to wear I got it fix with replacing a steering rack which has not lasted longer then a year. 2015-2016 and I can't seem to get a repair man to figure it out. This has happen driving, and turning. I have had exhaust problem to were the repair men has told that my car could catch of fire due to the heat shield so they remove one. Which still left my car dealing with oil spillage afterwards after driving it anywhere. My oil never touches the ground just sits in exhaust pipe and blow smoke sometimes and it has started back up once again after putting so much repairs into my car. Service engine light has start popping on and off, everytime I get it tested it says crank sensor thats when driving the car or when the car moving. Then some days it will disappear. And it mess with the power of my engine. And sometimes it takes a while to crank the car. Now I have tried replacing another motor in the car but this motor that I have now is giving me the same problem as the first motor. And I think thats because the repair men are not fixing the recalls on the motor of the car, they are just replacing the motor like mines got replaced with another motor of the same year make as my car. But I feel that if these recalls on these year make of my car have been known then the nissan should repair the defects so people want have to keep putting so much money into fixing the car and its not their fault its nissan. I have problems also out of my manifold gasket and the whole part itself all the time that can burn me and my children up while driving. And I'm just so scared something is going to happen while driving my car and there are recalls on my make model car.
I have replaced the camshaft/crankshaft sensors in may car and it's still stalling out at times; I have reed other complains of other customers with the same related problem and I need something to be done before, I end up getting killed on the highway driving this car, my car has 162000 miles on it and with keeping up with my maintains this should not be occurring. I have called the nissan dealership in snellville, ga three times and no one has returned my call on this problem. I need help on fixing this problem, I should not have to keep paying for the same repairs three times in a row within a three month period. The problem first arose in december 2015, when I was traveling on the highway I was traveling at speeds of about 70 MPH when the car appeal to be hesitating as if it wanted to cut off and proceed to so when I decided to pull off on the next exit. The check engine light came on, and has remained on since december.
Valve cover gasket leaked oil on the ignition coils causing the engine to not crank. I had car towed to mechanic. The mechanic said the valve cover gasket leaked oil on the ignition coils. I had just replaced all 4 of the ignition coils over the course of the last year and a half due to them going bad one by one. While driving in the city, an ignition coil would go bad, causing the car to sputter and shake badly as if trying to stall in traffic and while stationary. The engine light also was flashing. Very scary for me. This happened 3 separate times as each coil went bad. When the valve cover gasket allowed oil to leak on the ignition coils, an ignition coil had to be replaced again.
I bought this 2002 nissan altima ($4500 at randy marion dealership in hickory, nc) for my wife on january 20th, 2015. The car had 123,000 miles on it. Just 5 or 6 days later, the engine light came on engine started making a loud knocking sound when you crank it up after it had sat for a while. I checked the oil level and it needed a quart of oil, so I added a quart. The noise came back after 2 days. This immediately became a mandatory issue to check the oil level and add more oil every 2 to 3 days. It is now august 7th and I have to check and refill the oil every day! I started my research for complaints on this vehicle and found thousands of complaints on the same issue along with recalls for replacing the ECM, catalytic converter and/or engine. The ECM recall applied to this car, so I had that done on july 30th along with an oil change. On top of that, I just spent $1006.62 to get the catalytic converter replaced yesterday along with a quart of oil. Got the knocking sound again this morning. I took it to the closest dealership this morning and they said it needs a new engine. My wife and I are so upset now. We feel like we were sold someone else's problem (certified lemon) from a dealership that should not have resold it in the first place. How much more complaints is going to be needed for someone to make nissan fix this problem???
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. When the vehicle was started, the contact heard a loud abnormal noise. The contact mentioned that after having replenished the engine with oil, the engine light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician diagnosed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The approximate failure mileage was 123,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. While driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle restarted and the check engine warning indicator was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician diagnosed that the crank shaft sensor failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 113,900.
Service bulletins that may apply
- MIL on with DTC U1000 or U1010 stored in engine control unit
- Engine oil cooler gasket available
- Malfunction indicator lamp on with diagnostic trouble code U1000 or U1010 stored in engine control unit
- Engine will not start
- Rattle noise when started cold
- After a cold soak, the engine cranks but does not start
- Essential tool - J-47010 tamper resistant torx plus 25IPR bit
- Alternator noise after engine shut off
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.5l engine, the crankshaft position sensor can overheat causing a brief interruption in the signal output from the sensor.
- Risk
- If the interruption in the signal from the crankshaft position sensor is so brief that the electronic control module (ECM) logic does not have time to diagnose the condition, the engine may stop running without warning while the vehicle is driven at a low speed increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will reprogram the ECM free of charge. Certain my 2006 altimas which have been previously remedied under recall campaign 06v223 (nissan r0606) are not included in this recall since the reprogramming for 06v223 also included this reprogramming. The recall began on december 31, 2007. Owners may contact nissan at 1‑800‑647‑7261.
Recall number 07V527000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger vehicles, the circuit board for the crank position sensor or cam position sensor may have an improper solder joint due to solder deformation caused by heat stress accelerated by the existence of flux residue during the soldering process.
- Risk
- This could cause the "service engine soon" warning light to come on, create a no start condition, cause reduced engine power, or cause the engine to stop running without warning during vehicle operation, which could result in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the crank position sensors. Camshaft position sensor(s), and in some cases, the variable timing control sensor(s). Vehicles involved in a previous recall campaign, 01v357, are also included in this new campaign. The replacement sensors used in that campaign are also affected. Owner notification began on december 22, 2003. Owners should contact nissan at 1‑800‑647‑7261 or infiniti at 1‑800‑662‑6200.
Recall number 03V455000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
- What is wrong
- On certain vehicles equipped with the 2.5 liter engine, the exhaust pipe hanger pin may catch debris from the road that could be ignited by contact with the main catalyst. Also on 2002 altima and sentra vehicles, certain engine operating conditions may cause the pre-catalyst to overheat and damage the catalyst substrate.
- Risk
- Either of these two conditions could result in a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will remove the protruding portion of the exhaust pipe hanger pin. In addition to the corrective action, in order to reduce the risk of fire in the event of poor or improper maintenance that could result in oil spillage, heat shield(s) will be installed on the pre-catalyst and exhaust tube. Owner notification began on july 28, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact nissan at 1‑800‑647‑7261. Nissan recall nos. R3007, r3014, r3015, r3016, r3017. Also on 2002 altima and sentra vehicles, certain engine operating conditions may cause the pre-catalyst to overheat and damage the catalyst substrate. If substrate particles enter the combustion chamber, they could score the cylinder walls, resulting in increased oil consumption. If the engine oil level is not checked on a periodic basis and drops below the low level, and the driver continues to operate the vehicle ignoring noticeable engine noise, engine damage may occur which could result in a fire. The pre-catalyst will be tested to ensure it is working properly and replaced if necessary. If damage is found inside the pre-catalyst, it will be necessary to replace the engine.
Recall number 03V084000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2002 Nissan Altima check engine light
Is check engine light a common problem on the 2002 Nissan Altima?
193 of 1,047 owner complaints about the 2002 Nissan Altima (18%) mention check engine light. The model year with the most reports is 2002.
How much does it cost to fix check engine light on the 2002 Nissan Altima?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $4,000 (median of 32 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2002 Nissan Altima?
There are 3 recalls and 24 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2002 Nissan Altima
Oil consumption 168Engine failure 148Stalling 143Won't start 56Loss of power 51Overheating 50Headlights 43Fire or smoke 38Misfire 34Hesitation 22Jerking 16Knocking 15Fuel pump 12Airbag light 10Grinding brakes 9Fuel smell 9Power steering loss 9Tire blowout 9No deployment 8Brake failure 7Fuel leak 7
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