I have replaced the water pump, the belt, the thermostats, the rotors, the brakes, the fuel pump, the evap vent valve solenoid, the spark plugs, and fuel injectors and my car is STILL throwing the codes P-0462 and P-447. I've checked the wires and they are good. My car keeps misfiring and stalling now and my fuel pump doesn't have a fuel level sensor. The float bar is brand new as well as the fuel pump. And my dashboard speedometer is 10 miles off. I've tried everything and it's still throwing the same codes.
Nissan Altima misfire problems
102 of the 15,497 owner complaints about the Nissan Altima describe misfire or rough idle, most of them for the 2002 model year.
- owner complaints
- 102
- worst model year
- 2002
- typical repair cost reported
- $1,000
- typical mileage
- 89,000
Is there a fix? There are 7 recalls for this area of the car. See below
By model year
Often reported together
Check engine light 40Stalling 31Engine failure 13Oil consumption 12Overheating 10Loss of power 6Jerking 5Won't start 4
Trouble codes mentioned
P0304 4P0420 3P0301 2P0300 2P2004 1P0725 1P0507 1P0430 1P0345 1P0303 1
What owners say
The contact owns a 2019 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 MPH, the vehicle suddenly decelerated and went into LIMP Mode. The vehicle was towed to the local mechanic and was diagnosed with engine failure due to a blown head gasket. The head gasket was re-machined, but the vehicle continued to experience engine failure, which included cylinder misfires and coolant leaks. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V437000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 108,000.
1) What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The cylinders are constantly misfiring. 2 )How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Yes. 3) Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. 4) Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Yes, by a private auto service center. 5) Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No. 6) Problem description: The service technician from the repair shop tried replacing the plug, coil, injector but it still misfires. Later the technician reported that this is a problem listed as recall (Recall Reference number : NTB13-056a, Campaign ID: PC131) for 2007-2008 Nissan Altima, but the same problem exists in 2009 Nissan Altima and is not listed as recall. Links for references are given below. The technician is sure that it is the same problem and NISSAN should fix it by recalling instead of asking the Owners to pay for this known recall issue. Repairing this issue by owners, would cost them several thousand dollars and is definitely not worth for a 2009 car. So I request the authorities to enforce this known issue as a recall to 2009 NISSAN ATLIMA as well as it has been done for 2007 and 2008 NISSAN ALTIMAs. Thanks and Regards. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I need to preface this by stating I fundamentally don’t understand how an issue that directly results in the failure of inspection which dictates road safety/emissions quality and was identified by two mechanics as a part known to fail cannot be under a recall. The part addressed is #14001-3TA1E but more specifically it is an issue with the value position sensor. It is a small part which dicates whether the Swirl or tumble control activates which triggers the P2004. If you look up the code it’s common side effects are as follows: Decrease in low-end engine torque: You may notice a decrease in acceleration, particularly at low RPM levels. Engine surging or sputtering: The engine may run unevenly, particularly when starting up. Sluggishness: The vehicle may feel less responsive to the throttle. Difficulty reaching higher speeds: You may find it challenging to accelerate quickly or reach your desired speed. Rough idle: The engine may run unevenly and potentially stall at low speeds or while idling. 2. Decreased Fuel Economy: The IMRC system's primary function is to optimize the air/fuel mixture for different driving conditions. When it's not functioning correctly due to being stuck open, it can negatively impact fuel efficiency. 3. Check Engine Light (CEL) Illumination: The Check Engine Light (or Service Engine Soon Light) will likely illuminate when the P2004 code is triggered. This is often the first indicator that something is wrong. 4. Potential for Severe Engine Damage: This is the most critical side effect. If the hardware for the IMRC butterfly valve plates becomes loose and falls into the engine, it can cause severe engine damage or even engine failure. This being said you would think it would be an easily replacable part. Not in the slightest you have to buy an entire manifold 1300 msrp through nissan with no gurantee of it fixing the light. I have had instances of stalling / sluggishness since it has come on. This seems imparitive to vehicle safety.
Received engine malfunction reduced power service now message while driving (received message 6 times so far). Error goes away when I shut car off and restart it, no code is found when scanned at nissan dealership. Car seems to shift weird during a stop and feels like it runs rough but nothing is ever found at dealership to be the cause.
Car was misfiring for a while. Got spark plugs and coils changed. Two days after they were changed car still kept misfiring and jerking and wouldn’t change from the first gear and takes a minute to accelerate after a complete stop. Has white smoke coming from the muffler. Two days ago it stalled to start and would not drive or reverse. Dash board keeps saying system malfunction and LDW (lane departure warning) and BSW (blindspot warning) and check engine light stays on.
What is the deal with this engine? This car has less that 120k miles. It seems I get a lot of interference when I'm driving it. The car will randomly force speed causing me to swerve on the highway. When my phone is plugged in it seems to misfire and check engine lights come on. H2o sensors come on, cache files about the fuel system lands on my phone. Samsung has submitted tests on my spen that are affecting my safety. Fcc id a3lejpn970 fcc id a3lsmn970u. I have had several car accidents since buying samsung phones. The cars will increase speed as if I am ready to run into a brick wall. This car doesn't have a lot of mileage but something is going on with the timing and engine. I can be in motion or stationary, it is constantly affecting the fuel system.
Something is wrong with the crank shaft. It runs rough it stalls and the gas mileage is very off
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 nissan altima. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the engine would misfire and the oxygen sensor would remain illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The oxygen sensor was replaced and the oxygen sensor light shut off. The cause of the catalytic converter failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer was not notified of the failures. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 251,000.
The vehicle was having a hard time getting past 2nd gear being told it was an electrical misfire and causing the car to jerk until it was able to hit 2nd. That was repaired by our local auto repair shop. The other issue is the dashboard. The dashboard is literally melting away and has become slimy and sticky. It is working it's way down to the steering wheel area and air vents. I'm sure that is some sort of hazard.
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling: engine: hard parts internal/mechanical
- What is wrong
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Rogue, 2019-2020 Altima, 2019-2022 Infiniti QX50, and 2022 Infiniti QX55 vehicles equipped with 3-cylinder 1.5L or 4-cylinder 2.0L variable compression turbo (VC-Turbo) engines. The engine bearings may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine failure.
- Risk
- Engine failure increases the risk of a crash. A bearing failure may cause a breach in the engine block, allowing hot oil to be discharged, increasing the risk of an engine fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will reprogram the engine control module (ECM) software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed April 8, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800‑647‑7261 or Infiniti's customer service at 1‑800‑662‑6200. Nissan's numbers for this recall are R25A8/A9 and R25B1/B2.
Recall number 25V437000 · Recall details
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 vehicles, if a sufficiently hot object enters the air filter housing through the engine fresh air intake system and contacts the engine air filter, the flammability characteristics of the air filter material are such that the filter may ignite.
- Risk
- If the air filter material ignites, a fire may occur.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the air filter with a new one that has improved anti-flammability material characteristics. The recall began on july 3, 2007, and will continue through october 1, 2007. Owners may contact nissan at 1‑800‑647‑7261.
Recall number 07V267000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.5l engine, the crank angle sensor is affected by temperature variations. Under certain driving conditions, these variations in temperature can be large enough to cause a brief interruption in the signal output from the sensor.
- Risk
- If the interruption in the signal from the 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. The recall began on august 21, 2006. Owners may contact nissan at 1‑800‑647‑7261.
Recall number 06V242000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling
- What is wrong
- Certain passenger vehicles equipped with 2.5l engines may experience excessive engine oil consumption as a result of improper performance of the piston rings.
- Risk
- If the oil is not maintained at least at the minimum level, engine damage can occur and in extreme cases result in an engine fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will reprogram the electronic control module (ECM or engine computer). Your vehicle will also be inspected to determine if it has been consuming engine oil at a higher than normal rate. In a small percentage of vehicles, engine replacement will be needed. On june 9, 2006, nissan notified owners of the possibility of excessive oil consumption and the importance of maintaining the oil at a proper level. Follow-up letter to owners advising them of the status of the recall was sent during august 2006. Followup letter to owners was sent on november 15, 2006. Owners may contact nissan at 1‑800‑647‑7261.
Recall number 06V223000 · 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 Nissan Altima misfire
Which Nissan Altima years have misfire or rough idle problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2002 (34 complaints), 2001 (14 complaints) and 2003 (12 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix misfire or rough idle on the Nissan Altima?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $1,000 (median of 27 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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