2002 Nissan Altima Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2002 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power with the traction control warning light illuminated. The vehicle hesitated to restart. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 03V455000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 133,000.

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.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY I PROCEEDED TO TRY AND REACH THE SPEED LIMIT BUT THE CAR LOST POWER TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE CANNOT GO PAST 55 MPH, IT LOSES POWER DURING ACCELERATION.

MY ENGINE IS DESTROYED BECAUSE A SCREW CAME LOOSE FROM THE THROTTLE BODY IN THE PLENUM, GOT SUCKED INTO AN ENGINE CYLINDER AND DESTROYED THAT CYLINDER. THIS WOULD COST SOMEWHERE BETWEEN $3K TO $5K TO REPAIR, MORE THAN THE CAR IS CURRENTLY WORTH. IN TALKING TO A NISSAN MECHANIC AND DOING ONLINE RESEARCH, THIS IS APPARENTLY NOT AN UNHEARD OF PROBLEM FOR NISSAN CARS. THERE HAS BEEN AT LEAST ONE RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM IN THE PAST FOR SOME NISSAN 4 CYLINDER CARS BUT THERE WAS NEVER A RECALL FOR 6 CYLINDER NISSAN ALTIMA CARS (MY CAR IS A 3.5L 6 CYLINDER MODEL) THE CAR WAS RUNNING FINE. I PARKED IT AT MY GYM AND WHEN I CAME OUT, STARTED IT UP. I WAS REWARDED WITH AN AWFUL NOISE AND ENGINE VIBRATION ALL OF A SUDDEN. I ONLY LIVED 1.5 MILES AWAY, SO I SLOWLY LIMPED THE CAR HOME. AFTER SOME MECHANICAL SLEUTHING AND BRINGING A MECHANIC TO MY HOME, WE DETERMINED THAT A SCREW HAD COME LOOSE AND GOTTEN SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE. I CALLED NISSAN USA TO EXPLAIN THE PROBLEM AND SEE IF THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. BUT ALL THEY OFFERED WAS THAT THEY "WOULD TAKE A LOOK " AT THE PROBLEM IF I PAYED TO TOW THE CAR TO A DEALERSHIP. THEY WOULD NOT MAKE ANY GUARANTEE THAT THEY WOULD THEN HELP ME IF THE PROBLEM TURNED OUT TO BE AS I HAVE DESCRIBED. IF THEY DIDN'T AGREE TO FIX THE PROBLEM, THEN I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR TOWING THE CAR BACK TO MY HOUSE. HERE IS ONE URL THAT LISTS 10 COMPLAINTS FOR THIS PROBLEM WITH NISSAN PATHFINDER AUTOS, WHICH USE THE SAME 6 CYLINDER ENGINE AS MY CAR. HTTPS://REPAIRPAL.COM/LOOSE-SCREWS-INSIDE-INTAKE-MANIFOLD-CAN-CAUSE-INTERNAL-DAMAGE-IF-THEY-FALL-OUT-448 WHAT MAKES THIS SO AWFUL IS THAT I HAD A RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE OLDER CAR (2002 WITH ONLY 95K MILES) AND THIS PROBLEM MAKES THE WHOLE CAR A JUNKER NOW DUE TO NO FAULT OF MY OWN WITH NO RECOURSE FOR ME!

MY VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH THE 2.5L 4 CYLINDER CONSUMES EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL. I HAVE HAD TO ADD ROUGHLY 1-2 QUARTS OF OIL EVERY 200 MILES. ENGINE HAS NO EXTERNAL OIL LEAKS. NEW VALVE COVER GASKETS 500 MILES AGO, NEW SPARK PLUGS EVERY 10,000 MILES DUE TO OIL FOULING, NEW PCV VALVE 500 MILES AGO. THE CAR DOES MOSTLY CITY AND COUNTRY, 55MPH DRIVING AND UNDER.

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 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V4855000 (ENGINE). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE LISTED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT CRACKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER (ANKER NISSAN IN NORTH SMIETFIELD, RHODE ISLAND) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT AND ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 183,605.

TOOK OUR 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA IN TO NISSAN FOR A RECALL REPAIR (2003 RECALL FOR EXHAUST / CATALYTIC CONVERTER ISSUES) - RECALL STATES IF ENGINE IS DAMAGED, THAT IT WILL BE REPLACED. ENGINE HAS BEEN DESTROYED DUE TO CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILURE. NISSAN HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE RECALL AND DAMAGE AND INDICATED THE ENGINE WOULD BE REPLACED. THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED LAT YEAR BY MY DAUGHTER, WE WERE UNAWARE OF THE RECALL UNTIL INCREASING OIL CONSUMPTION BECAME EXTREME. I CONTACTED STEVEN'S CREEK NISSAN AND THEY CONFIRMED THE RECALL REPAIRS HAD NEVER BEEN COMPLETED. I WAS TOLD TO BRING THE CAR IN FOR THE REPAIRS. I WAS VERY EXPLICIT IN THE DESCRIPTION OF THE OIL CONSUMPTION AS WELL AS METALLIC RESIDUE ON COMPONENTS - (I HAD REPLACED THE CAM / CRANK POSITION SENSORS WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH - THEY BOTH HAD A GREY PASTE RESIDUE ON THEM). NISSAN ACKNOWLEDGED THE ENGINE WAS INDEED DAMAGED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER HAVING THE CAR FOR NEARLY 2 MONTHS, I RECEIVED A CALL ADVISING THEY DID NOT HAVE THE PARTS ANYMORE AND WOULD NEED TO USE AFTERMARKET PARTS. THEY GAVE ME A PHONE NUMBER TO THE NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS, WHO AUTHORIZED THE AFTERMARKET PARTS. MULTIPLE TIMES, NISSAN CALLED TO SAY THEY HAD THE PARTS AND THE REPAIR WOULD BE COMPLETE BY THE END OF THE NEXT WEEK. THIS NEVER HAPPENED. AFTER ANOTHER MONTH PASSED, NISSAN CALLED TO SAY THEY DIDNT HAVE THE PROPER TOOLS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. I WENT TO NISSAN AND OBSERVED THE CAR HAD NOT MOVED OR HAD ANY WORK DONE AT ALL SINCE IT WAS DROPPED OFF IN JUNE. NISSAN HAS CALLED BACK AGAIN AND ADVISED THEY ARE UNABLE TO DO THE REPAIR AND THAT I SHOULD COME PICK THE CAR UP AS IS AND TRY SOME OTHER DEALERSHIP. NISSAN HAS HAD THIS VEHICLE SINCE 06/09/17. NISSAN HAS HAD THIS CAR FOR 5 MONTHS AND HAS NOT BEGUN THE RECALL REPAIR.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER LANE AND CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND FILED A REPORT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 225,440.

RECALL CAMPAIGN R3022 / 03V455000 DUE TO DEFECTIVE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER CRANKSHAFT / CAMSHAFT SENSOR, THIS CAUSED MY ENGINE TO COMPLETELY STALL AT 65 MPH ON THE CALIFORNIA 57 SOUTH FREEWAY. EXTREME DANGEROUS DRIVING EXPERIENCE HAD OCCURRED AND CAUSED UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION FOR THE SURROUNDING VEHICLES. VEHICLE HAD DIFFICULTY STEERING AND BRAKING WHICH LUCKILY AVOIDED ANY ACCIDENT. THE RECALL CAMPAIGN WAS CONDUCTED ALONG WITH OTHER RECALLS IN THE PAST, BUT WHEN INSPECTED, THE CRANKSHAFT AND 2 CAMSHAFT SENSORS WERE NEVER REPLACED UNDER THE SAID RECALL. HOPEFULLY THE NHTSA CAN CONTACT NISSAN ON MY BEHALF TO CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION ON WHY THE ORIGINAL SENSORS DEEMED DEFECTIVE IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN WAS NOT PROPERLY REPLACED.

LETTER FROM SENATOR FRANKEN ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE A RECALL 03V-084 REPAIR THAT YEARS LATER SEEMS NOT TO HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE RECALL, #03V-084, WAS PERFORMED ON OR ABOUT 01/15/04 BUT, WAS NOT EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING ENGINE DAMAGE. THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE FOR THE VEHICLE TO REPAIRED AGAIN UNDER THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE CONSUMED ABOUT ONE QUART OF OIL PER TANK FULL OF GAS. *JS

2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO POWER VALVE SCREW ISSUE. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS QUOTED A PRICE OF $1,000 FOR A CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND $5200 FOR A NEW ENGINE WITH LESS THAN 90,000. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FRACTURED AND WENT INTO THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT WAS REPAIRED PER AN UNKNOWN RECALL IN 2003, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.

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.

MY 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA STARTED TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR ENGINE SHUTTING OFF WITHOUT ANY WARNING. JUST 98000 MILES ON IT DEALER CHARGED ME $900 FOR SET OF SENSOR AND LABOR. CAR WOULD STALL IN TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY, NO WARNING, WE WOULD LOSE ALL POWER. WENT TO NISSAN AND THEY SAID NO ONE ELSE HAD THIS PROBLEM.

THE PRE-CATALYST ON THE EXHAUST HAS FAILED, AND CAUSED DAMAGE. THERE IS A RECALL FOR CERTAIN VIN #'S BUT MINE IS NOT COMING UP. NHSTA CAMPAIGN 03V084000.

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.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CONSUMED EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT DEBRIS ENTERED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND DAMAGED THE ENGINE. THE MECHANIC REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V084000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) IN 2005. THE RECALL REMEDY DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200,000.

PURCHASED VEHICLE PRE-OWNED,SELLER APPEARED HONEST & TRUTHFUL ABOUT THE VEHICLE,HOWEVER AFTER ABOUT 2 WEEKS OF OWNERSHIP I NOTICED HIGH OIL CONSUMPTION,PROBABLY ABOUT A QUART A WEEK,,DIDNT THINK MUCH ABOUT IT,EXCEPT THAT I PROBABLY HAVE BAD RINGS,OR LEAKING INTAKE VALVES/SEALS AND WOULD REQUIRE COSTLY ENGINE REPAIR.MY DAUGHTER CAME HOME ONE DAY AND MENTIONED THE CAR WOULDNT GO OVER 15 MPH,SO I TOOK IT FOR A RIDE & AS SHE SAID,INTERMITTANTLY THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY GO 15-20 MPH,RENDERING THE CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE,,WHEN I GOT BACK WITH THE CAR I OPENED THE HOOD ONLY TO SEE THE FRONT CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS GLOWING BRIGHT ORANGE AND NO EXHAUST EXITING THE TAILPIPE,,,I KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT CARS TO KNOW THAT CAN ONLY MEAN THE CONVERTER IS CLOGGED SOLID,,,,INQUIRED AT A LOCAL NISSAN DEALER WHAT THE WARRANTY WAS ON THE THE CAT AND THEY SAID IT WAS 8 YRS,80K MILES,,,DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE WEB AND FIND OUT THERES A RECALL ON IT,THE CAT COMING APART & PIECES OF IT GETTING SUCKED UP INTO THE INTAKE CAUSING CATASTROPHIC ENGINE DAMAGE,,,NISSAN WAS REPLACING THE CATS,INSTALLING HEAT SHIELDS,AND REPLACING ENGINES TO TO THE DEFECT OF THE CAT,,,,,DEALER SAYS HE CANT HELP ME,,,,,CHECK THE WEB,ITS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE ALTIMAS AS WELL AS THE SENTRAS,,,THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NISSAN KNOWS IS AN ISSUE AND SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS..