We had stopped at the signal and once the signal turned green we tried to move, but the car did not move at all, seemed like the engine was completely dead. We thought of getting out of the car and thus we put on the warning flasher switch and tried to put into park by depressing the brake pedal and shifted the selector lever from d (drive) to p (park). During this process the car went out of control and crashed on to the busy traffic (the traffic was on by then on the other side). This major accident involved a total of 5 cars and 3 cars were towed and totaled including ours and injuring one of the passengers. Our 1 year son was also involved in this accident, but luckily he was not injured, thanks to the stable car seat. My father escaped with minor injuries. Above all, the car was fully serviced from nissan dealer (costing around $900) day before the crash occurred.
2002 Nissan Altima engine complaints
Page 6 of 24: complaints 131 to 160 of 682, newest first, as owners wrote them.
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 the federal safety agency 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.
Blown head gasket determined by mechanic after proper maintenance used on the car for past 9 years. Causes loss of coolant, and thus car can overheat and engine will eventually fail. Car also hesitates when starting and idling. Can cause an accident if car stalls while driving through intersection and thus is a safety issue.
I have a 2002 nissan altima with a 2.5 engine. At 66,000 miles I was told the converter was bad. Since that time, I have replaced the engine, the pre-converter and the converter on my own dime. After six months the new converter failed, it was replaced. Six months later I am in the same boat. I'm told that the converter is bad again.
The catalytic converter disintegrated and the debris clogged the system, causing back pressure and my vehicle stopped running on a dangerous 2 lane road; drifted as far to the right as possible and called a tow truck . Car towed to nearest mechanic and it was determined the converter had failed and clogged the system and the backpressure probably damaged the engine. Excessive oil consumption is now observed after the converter was replaced. Mechanic reports the debris could have damaged the cylinder walls causing the oil consumption.
2002 nissan altima. Unit #1 was westbound on ir80 in the right lane when the engine compartment caught fire. Unit #1 pulled to the right berm and extinguished the flames. *ln according to the police report, the burnt wires were traced to the fuel injection. (ohio traffic crash report #10-0425-90)
I purchase the car on 03/29/2011 from a used car dealership,on june 27, 2011 while on vacation the car quit running checked fluids and found oil reservoir had no oil in it. Had oil change performed before I went on vacation. Never had an oil leak or sign of oil burning.had car towed to a private mechanic whom told me the catalytic converter was clogged due to high oil consumption.did some research on the car and found it had a problem with the pre-catalytic convertors coming apart and sucking the carbon into the engine causing cylinders being scored and causing the high oil consumption causing the secondary catalytic converter to become clogged and in turn causing the engine to blow up.I went to the local dealership and told them my catalytic convertor was clogged which called my enigne to blow up and they told me I was on my own cause it was out of warranty and when I pushed the issue the head service tech said it is what it is and walked away.I left and called nissan north america,they told me the recall was taken care of on 01/08/2004 and said that they would open a claim on this vehicle,she also told me that if it was repaired properly in 2004 the I would still have 1 year warranty on the convertor since they place a 8 year 80,000 miles on the convertor,she advised me to have it towed to the local dealership to have them look at since she opened a claim.the following monday I recieved a call stating I have to call nissan good faith program number.I called and expressed my feeling on how I thought nissan should cover all damaged parts since it was a previously recalled part that caused the problem,they informed me they would call me back by the end of the next business day with their answers.I recieved a call and was informed they would not be covering anything on the repair because they said their was never a recall on this vehicle. I would like to know how 1 person at nissan north america could say their was a recall and they other say there wasn't,ridiculous!!
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH the check engine light illuminated and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the contacts home. The manufacturer filed report 721-1351 and advised the contact that his vehicle was not included in the federal safety agency campaign id number: 06v242000, engine and engine cooling; therefore, they would not assist with the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The current and the failure mileage was 120,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing recurring engine failures in which the check engine light would illuminate on the instrument panel, the catalytic converter failed, and oil was being consumed excessively. The vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop on several occasions where numerous repairs were performed on the vehicle. Various repairs were performed on the vehicle, including the replacement of the catalytic converter. The failures continued. The contact was advised to have the engine rebuilt. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and the contact was informed the vehicle was not included in the recall associated with the federal safety agency campaign id number 03v084000 (engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 120,000.
I had purchased a nissan 2002 altima from a dealer as certified vehicle. I have bought two other cars from the same dealer and in addition all the cars were always serviced by the same dealer. Since last two years the "service engine soon" light comes on and on one such occasion I was informed by the same dealership that the cat converter had failed and the same needs to be replaced . Recently the car has failed mv inspection with two codes p0420 and p1217. There is a similar recall # pe02078 on 268,000 cars on oct. 2002 (I bought the car in 2005, and have no knowledge if this issue has been taken care of or not.) the mv inspection report clearly indicates the failure of catalytic converter and requires repairs and monitors set for re-inspection. The inspection also notes a voluntary recalls ntb07-081 and ntb03-070c for pre-catalyst. The federal law requires emissions warranties (as per the mv inspection report)for at least 80000 miles and I have no idea if this was corrected on my vehicle on nissan's voluntary recall. I had not opted to repair this when the mechanic at dealer informed the reason for "service engine soon" at 82080 miles as the cost was exorbitant and until I had similar problem (recall)with a ford windstar van thru" the federal safety agency and was solved by the dealer. (I was about to junk that car, thanks to the federal safety agency).
My family has owned my 2002 nissan altima since it was originally driven off the lot. We have maintained the vehicle and have completed all recalls. In july 2005 recall 03v084000 was "supposedly" corrected, but I have been informed that my catalytic converter and engine needs to be replaced due to particles from the converter being inhaled by my engine. I have 143,582 miles on my vehicle. Due to this design defect I fear that driving the vehicle is a hazard, due to the chance that it will catch on fire. I contacted nissan consumer concerning this issue, but was told that the issue have been resolved. Through my research I've learned that thousands of 02 nissan altima owners are experiencing this issue. Please help nissan customers get justice, when nissan is obviously aware that the corrective action does not stop the potential hazard of fire.
Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. The contact stated that the vehicle was leaking oil. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced since water and oil were mixing together and leaking into the engine block which also caused the radiator to over heat. The engine block also needed to be resealed. The remedy did not correct the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the engine block needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 180,000 and the current mileage was 230,000.
This complaint is a continuation of your investigation pe02078. Nissan only addressed a part of the problem by recalling cat converters. However, this did not solve the problem as the engines were damaged causing excessive oil consumption. The problem is all connected but they didn't replaced the engines which has since been upgraded. Here's a link to the number of complaints even after the recalled parts were replaced (keeping in mind that not everyone makes a report). Http://www.carcomplaints.com/nissan/altima/2002/engine/excessive_oil_consumption.shtml nissan knew that this problem was connected but they only addressed a part of it. As you review the complaints, you will see that their recall did not solve the problem. Some had this excessive oil consumption problem as early as 20-40k miles. I think nissan should replace the engines, along with a new converter and manifold. If the whole thing is not replaced the problem will continue to repeat itself as one part will cause the other to fail. A new engine for this car is roughly $2900 + taxes, manifold $500 installed, not sure of the cost for the converter. I am not bashing the company, I have owned a nissan for 16yrs with no problems other than normal wear and tear. Replacing the engine is something they know they should have done but only choose to address a part of the problem. I plead that you investigate this as there are many people upset and angry because they did not get a full and proper resolution from the company. Again this problem is directly related to the previous issue. The debris from the cat gets sucked up into the engine and damages the cylinder wall causing excessive oil consumption and eventual engine failure. I had to refill (not add) my car with oil every 200 miles driven.
Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. While driving approximately 15 MPH the vehicle suddenly stalled. The failure occurred twice. The contact stated the failure also occurred while it was idle. The check engine, battery and oil lights illuminated on the instrument panel when the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The federal safety agency recall campaign id number: 03v455000 (engine and engine cooling) was related to the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 173,683.
Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. The contact stated the catalytic converter broke and damaged the engine. The engine also burned oil weekly causing the contact to add oil every two weeks. The check engine light illuminated constantly. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who performed a diagnostic test. The contact was responsible for paying $105. The dealer and the manufacturer were not contacted. The failure mileage was 140,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled while driving 25 MPH. He was able to immediately restart yet the failure recurred three times. The contact referenced the federal safety agency campaign id number: 07v527000 (engine and engine cooling) and inquired with the dealer to determine if the vehicle was included in the recall. The dealer advised that the vehicle would first need a diagnostic test at the contacts expense. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact called the manufacturer for assistance who only referred him back to the dealer. The current mileage was 128,138 and the failure mileage was approximately 127,000. Updated 07-06/11 *bf updated 3/1/12
Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. The contact stated that the check engine light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who stated that the catalytic converter was defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was previously repaired under recall the federal safety agency campaign id number: 03v084000, engine and engine cooling exhaust system manifold header/muffler/tail pipe). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 140,000.
I have a 2002 nissan altima, bought new, after 93,000 miles it burns excessive amounts of oil, and coolant. I've taken my car to nissan dealerships for regular maintenance, recalls, etc. I've taken my car to several mechanics to find out why my car is doing this and a resolution has not been determined. Never have I been informed by nissan of the issue at hand though it's a known issue. I have read and researched on the federal safety agency website as well as other online mechanical forums and have seen multiple results of customers with the same complaint. The resolution for the majority of complaints was to replace the engine due to a catalytic converter recall/failure resulting in damage to the engine, continuously add oil as needed, sell/trade the car. I would like to know if there is a formal investigation that is ongoing or has been resolved. If resolved, what solution(s) have been determined to hold nissan responsible for lack of informing consumers, not doing more to prevent further engine failure. Will nissan provide a replacement engine, catalytic converter, and such as needed.
Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. The contact stated that the check engine light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who was unable to diagnose the failure but advised that she should contact the dealer because there was a recall related to the failure. The dealer stated that the federal safety agency recall campaign id number: 07v527000, engine and engine cooling had already been repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 126,761.
No real warning. Engine starting knocking one day and found out it was 2 quarts low after changing it the previous week. Put 2 quarts of oil more in and drove 300 miles to only find that it was low again. I have to put oil in around every 200 miles now to prevent my engine from making loud noises. The mechanic I took it too said the cat converters and motor needed replacement. I am a college student and cannot afford a replacement engine or a new car so am stuck dumping 2 quarts in every 200 miles.
Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. The contact stated that the check engine light illuminated while attempting to start the vehicle, but the vehicle would not start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who performed a diagnostic test listing the failure within the catalytic converter manifold. The manufacturer would not assist with the repair; because the vehicle warranty expired and it was not included in the federal safety agency campaign id number 03v084000; engine and engine cooling exhaust system manifold header muffler tail pipe. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and the current miles were 79,000.
My car is 2002 nissan altima with 77,000 miles on it. My car has failed emissions and the reason is the catalytic converter need to be replaced. I have performed all the recalls related to the catalytic converter. Nissan does not provide any information.
Vehicle experiencing some hesitation at speeds of over 40mp but was intermittent. Eventually it would stall frequently at low speeds. Regular mechanic could not diagnose the problem - no engine light. I looked up recalls and found two recalls for my make , year and model. One related to ECM sensor - which caused the stalling. Recall indicates that sensor would be reprogrammed. I took it to nissan dealer - they reprogrammed it and sent me off on my way. Same day the car was running worse than before - RPM racing and could not get the car over 40 - then it would run ok and then start up again. The stalling continued. I took the car back to the dealer and was told the reprogramming would not fix the problem and would actually cause the car to run worse. I was never told this when I walked out the first time. The car is not safe to drive and the dealer is telling me to look at it they need to charge me $120 plus what ever it cost to fix.
When driving the vehicle in warm weather for over 15 minutes, the engine will stall in traffic or refuse to start after engine is turned off briefly (ex: at the gas pump.) the dealership serviced the recall for the crankshaft sensor, and we had another put in by an independent mechanic since then. Diagnostics gave consult code po420 catalyst sys-b1. Gave us an estimate to replace the catalyst. Heard about a recall of some nissans for a similar problem in fall of 2010, but I guess this car did not fall into this category. We are also told that the heater core needs replacing, but do not want to put any more money into a vehicle that has a stalling problem that cannot be fixed.
At 85,000 miles, the car began to shudder and had difficulty accelerating; the diagnosis was a blown head gasket. At around 130,000 miles the car started feeling rough and making rattling sounds. The dealer replaced the right and back engine mounts, leaking valve cover gaskets, front lower control arms, and left front hub and bearing but the sound still exists. At 141000 miles the "check engine light" came on and the dealer replaced the catalytic converter. At 144,000 miles, the car suddenly would not go more than 10 MPH. After turning the car off, the engine initially would not turn over; after a few minutes, the car started again but still could not go more than 10 MPH. The second stop seemed to temporarily revive the car because it could be driven at normal speeds (at least long enough to make the 1 mile drive home) but it emitted a strong burning smell. At this point the diagnosis is irrelevant - it's time for a new, more reliable car.
This is a formal request petitioning the federal safety agency to open an investigation for an inadequate remedy of recall 03v‑084 (nissan # ntb03-070d) 3/8/11-material from a damaged pre-catalyst enter the engine causing internal damage which increased the oil consumption to 1 qt of oil per 100 miles. 1/20/11-oil change at 74,243 miles, in perfect running condition not consuming any oil. 3/8/11-875 miles later, heard engine noise and scheduled service inspection. Engine noise due to low oil level. Filled oil and the engine noise stopped. Car smokes at higher RPM's. Mechanic asked if recall number 03v‑084 was performed. Nissan claimed there was no such recall. Later admitted to a recall but claimed our car was not included, and this was normal wear and tear for the age and mileage. 8 year/80,000 mile emissions warranty expired 10/5/10, 3/10/11-sent email to the federal safety agency. The federal safety agency said, from VIN listings, our car should have been included, and sent a requested for recall history to nissan. 3/15/11-the federal safety agency said recall service was performed 3/2008, at 54,000 miles. The recall owner letter states, 'there is a possibility that certain engine operating conditions may cause damage to the pre-catalyst. Material from inside the damage pre-catalyst could enter the engine and result in increased oil consumption'..the nissan dealer will reprogram the electronic control module to prevent any future damage to the pre-catalyst.' the recall service performed in 3/2008 did not provide adequate protection against premature pre-catalyst failure which caused enough damage to require engine replacement. The recall performed on my vehicle at 54,000 miles should have protected me more than the 21,118 miles. The life expectancy of the pre-catalyst should be longer than 75,118 miles, or at least addressed under the recall inspection and corrected while under the original emission warranty period. It is for these reasons I am petitioning the federal safety agency to open an investigation for an inadequate remedy of this recall.
[xxx] [xxx] re: 2002 nissan altima VIN [xxx] I took my car to morin brothers automotive on 2/7/2011 to have the 'check engine light' looked at . Diagnosis revealed a failed pre-catalytic converter. Upon removal the cat was found to be physically damaged. Bot were replaced. Subsequently I discovered that nissan of north america has an active campaign or recall covering replacement of the catalytic converter. (recall #'s r3007, r3014, r3015, r3016, r3017) I contacted the serviced department at coast nissan in person and was told that since I already had the converter replaced, there was nothing further they could do for me. I contacted nissan corporate offices and was told that there were no open recall campaigns on my car. This is what I want nissan to do for me: reimburse me for the expense of relacing my catalytic converter and oxygen sensor. Verify that the current programming in the electronic control module will prevent this from happening again. Verify that the programming in the control module has also been updated to address stalling issues (recall 0712) assure me in writing that should my engine begin using oil as a result of the failure of the converter, nissan will repair it free of charge. *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. While the contact was driving approximately 65 MPH, the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The warning light remained illuminated until the vehicle was turned off. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing and they detected a faulty engine warning indicator. The vehicle was not repaired and the failure continued to occur. The vehicle was taken back to an independent mechanic where the catalytic converter and oxygen sensor were replaced. There was a recall associated with the federal safety agency campaign id number 03v084000 (engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe). The manufacturer was notified and informed that the vehicle was not eligible because the vehicle exceeded the warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000. ` updated 5/2/11 *cn updated 1/11/11
Tl*the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. While having the vehicle serviced by an authorized dealer for the check engine light the contact was told that the engine needed to be replaced due to catalytic converter failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact also stated that there were no other signs or any failures other than the check engine light. The failure and current mileage was 133,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. The contact stated that when first starting the vehicle, it would drive rough and would sputter abnormally. In addition, the vehicle would stall sporadically without warning. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer several times where they replaced the head gasket, radiator and the timing belt cover but none of the repairs corrected the failure. The contact finally took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was told that the failure was caused by the crankshaft position sensor. The mechanic advised the contact of the federal safety agency campaign id number: 07v527000 (engine and engine cooling) but was advised by the manufacturer that the VIN was not included in the recall. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 72,000 and the current mileage was 76,000.
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