There are 15 owner-reported steering complaints for the 2002 Nissan Altimain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
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.
CAR WOULD NOT START. TOWED TO MECHANIC AND FOUND OUT IT WAS CRANK SHAFT POSITIONING SENSOR. AFTER REPAIR WAS MADE I FOUND THE RECALL ON THIS WEBSITE. ACCORDING TO NISSAN SERVICE DEPT. LOOKING IN NISSAN DATABASE THIS REPAIR WAS MADE AT 28K MILES BEFORE I BOUGHT THE CAR. I HAD TO HAVE THE SAME THING REPAIRED AND NISSAN WILL NOT REIMBURSE ME FOR THE REPAIRS. ACCORDING TO THE SAFETY INFORMATION POSTED ABOUT THIS RECALL THE SENSOR CAN OVERHEAT AND CAUSE LOSS OF POWER TO THE ENGINE AND CUT OFF THE ENGINE COMPLETELY. THIS HAPPENED TO ME A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND LUCKILY I WAS IN A PARKING LOT DRIVING AT A SLOW SPEED, BUT PRIOR TO THAT I WAS OUT ON A COUNTRY ROAD AND IT WAS GETTING DARK. IF IT HAD HAPPENED THEN I MAY HAVE BEEN HIT BY ANOTHER CAR. SINCE THIS PART IS STILL DEFECTIVE OR NOT REDESIGNED IT IS PUTTING OTHER NISSAN OWNER'S AT RISK OF THIS HAPPENING AGAIN. THERE SHOULD BE A SECOND RECALL TO REPLACE THIS PART AGAIN. THIS IS NOT A SIMPLE "SENSOR" THAT CAUSES YOUR CAR TO NOT START, THIS IS LIFE THREATENING! I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE ANY DISTANCE FOR FEAR OF THIS HAPPENING FURTHER FROM HOME AND EITHER CAUSING ME TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT OR HAVING A HUGE TOWING BILL. NISSAN WAS VERY UNCOOPERATIVE IN NUMBER ONE, NOT WILLING TO REIMBURSE ME BECAUSE I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND NOT A DEALER, I'M PSYCHIC LIKE THAT, AND TWO, NOT ISSUING ANOTHER RECALL WHEN THE NISSAN SERVICE REP TOLD ME THAT THESE HAVE BEEN REPAIRED MORE THAN ONCE AFTER THE RECALL. I HOPE THE NHTSA DEPARTMENT CAN SEE THE URGENCY OF THIS COMPLAINT TO ISSUE A SECOND RECALL. THANK YOU.
MY CAR WON'T ACCELERATE BEYOND 20 MPH, THEN ENGINE WOULD STALL WHILE IN DRIVE GEAR. TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO TURNED OFF THE ENGINE SERVICE LIGHT WHICH ALLOWED ME TO ACCELERATE TO NORMAL SPEED. HOWEVER, THE ENGINE KEEPS STALLING WHILE I'M DRIVING. I NEARLY HAD SEVERAL ACCIDENTS WHILE DRIVING ON THE STREET AND EXITING THE FREEWAY. LUCKILY I CAN NOTICE THE ENGINE FAILING BEFORE IT COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN SO I HIT MY HAZARD LIGHTS EACH TIME TO AVOID ACCIDENT AND NOTIFY MOTORISTS BEHIND ME SOMETHING IS WRONG. SEVERAL TIMES CAR HAD TO SWERVED SUDDENLY AROUND ME TO AVOID REAR ENDING MY CAR. THEN YESTERDAY WHEN MY ENGINE STALLED WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT MY ENGINE STALLED AGAIN AND THE STEERING WHEELS LOCKED WHICH ALMOST CAUSED MY CAR TO ROLL STRAIGHT INTO A BRICK WALL. I HAD TO QUICKLY TURN OFF THE ENGINE PUT MY GEAR TO PARK THEN TURN BACK ON THE ENGINE TO GET POWER TO STEER AWAY FROM THE BRICK WALL JUST IN TIME. I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO MY MECHANIC TODAY WHO RAN DIAGNOSTIC AND SAID THE CAR'S CRANKSHAFT AND CRANKSHAFT NEED TO BE REPLACED. I SEARCHED ONLINE AND READ ABOUT THE RECALL FOR SIMILAR INCIDENTS WITH MY MAKE AND MODEL. HOWEVER, WHEN I CONTACT THE LOCAL NISSAN DEALER THEY SAY MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. SOMETHING IS WRONG HERE IF SO MANY 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM BUT ONLY A SELECTED VEHICLE ARE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND FINE NISSAN FOR THIS FAULTY PARTS ENDANGERING PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE DRIVERS. *TR
STEERING PROBLEM WITH NISSAN ALTIMA 2002 THE STEERING COUPLING IN THE STEERING COLUMN CORRODED MAKING THE STEERING VERY DIFFICULT. POWER ASSIST WAS NOT AVAILABLE AS FAULT WAS IN COLUMN. STEERING CONTROL WAS LOST WHILE DRIVING CREATING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR
STEERING WHEEL LOOSE, COMES OUT OF STEERING COLUMN. THE STEERING WHEEL IS NOT BOLTED INTO THE COLUMN AND THEREFORE THE TILT DOESN'T STAY LOCKED AND GRINDS. THIS IS A DAILY PROBLEM THAT RESULTS IN EITHER THE STEERING GETTING STIFF OR THE STEERING WHEEL COMING OUT FOR THE COLUMN. THIS IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE AND NISSAN NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS TURNING THE VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, SHE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING ABILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE ENTIRE RACK AND PINION SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY STEERING THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 156,000.
DRIVING ALONG COUNTRY ROAD AND THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY CHANGED POSITION, I.E., I WAS DRIVING ON A STRAIGHT ROAD WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY TURNED 30 DEGREES BUT THE CAR CONTINUED STRAIGHT. I WAS SUBSEQUENTLY ABLE TO RETURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE PROPER POSITION BUT THE OCCURRENCES CONTINUED UNTIL THE STEERING WHEEL WAS REPLACED (NOT UNDER WARRANTY) BY THE DEALER. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE A SECOND REPAIR WAS PERFORMED TO THE STEERING COLUMN. ADDITIONALLY, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING ON A SEPARATE OCCASION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *TR
STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TIGHTENING MAKING IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MOVE. TURNING BECAME ARDUOUS , SLOW AND SCARY. WE WENT TO THE NISSAN DEALER FOR SERVICE. THEY TOLD US THEY CORRECTED IT. BUT, THE PROBLEM RETURNED SHORTLY THEREAFTER. SO WE RETURNED THE VEHICLE FOR REPAIR. THEY TOLD US THAT THE ORIGINAL REPAIR DIDN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM (OBVIOUSLY). THEY NEEDED A NEW STEERING PART. THE AGENCY CALLED THAT THE PART ARRIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED AGAIN AND LEFT ALL DAY ONLY TO LEARN THAT THE PART DELIVERED TO THEM WAS WRONG. THEY 'JERRY-RIGGED' IT AND TOLD US THEY WOULD CALL WHEN THE NEW PART ARRIVED. THE STEERING IS OK BUT THEY WARNED US THAT IT NEEDED TO BE CORRECTLY REPAIRED. THE AGENCY HAS NOT YET CALLED BACK . IT IS ODD THAT A VEHICLE WITH ONLY 35,000 MILES WOULD HAVE SERIOUS, SEVERE STEERING PROBLEMS. IT IS DISMAYING THAT WE PAID TO REPAIR A PROBLEM ONLY FOR IT TO IMMEDIATELY RETURN. THEN IT IS ANNOYING TO WAIT ALL DAY TO LEARN THAT THE DELIVERED PART WAS THE WRONG PART. AND, I AM SUSPICIOUS THAT MAYBE THE PART WASN'T WRONG, BUT THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO CORRECTLY FIX THE PROBLEM. IS IT ENOUGH FOR THEM TO TELL ME THAT THE PROBLEM ISN'T CORRECTLY FIXED? SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY SEVERAL TIMES FOR A PROBLEM TO BE CORRECTLY FIXED? *JB
WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH STEERING WHEEL SHOOK, AND CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD, AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER. ONE MONTH LATER THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK
VEHICLE WOULD BOTTOM OUT WHEN DRIVING OVER SMALL BUMPS IN THE ROAD, AND LOST STEERING CONTROL. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK
SCHEDULED RECALL WORK ON CAR ON FRIDAY, WAS NOTIFIED THAT THERE WAS ACTUALLY THREE RECALLS ON MY CAR (WHICH I HAVE OWNED FOR ABOUT A YEAR, PURCHASED USED) THET NEEDED TO BE DONE AND THAT I NEED MY 30,000 MILE SERVICE DONE. $476 AND LATER THAT AFTERNOON, IGOT MY CAR BACK. I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKED SEEM A LITTLE TIGHT, BUT FIGURED THAT WAS PART OF THE SERVICE. THE NEXT DAY, SATURDAY, WHILE MERGING FROM ONE FREEWAY TO ANOTHER AT ABOUT 65 MILES PER HOUR, CAR SOUNDED LIKE IT CAUGHT A PIECE OF THIN METAL UNDER FRONT RIGHT QUADRANT OF CAR, AFTER ABOUT 15 SECONDS NOISE STOPPED AND NOTHING IN ROAD BEHIND ME. I NOTICE MY BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN I TRIED TO CHANGE LANES, I REALIZE I HAD LOST THE POWER STEERING FUNCTION, THE BRAKES LAD LOOSENED UP (BUT FUNCTIONING) AND THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS NOW BLOWING HOT AIR. I REALIZE I HAD NO IDEA WHERE THE HAZZARD LIGHTS SWITCH WAS AND NIETHER I NOR MY PASSANGE COULD FIND IT. AFTER 2 MORE MINUTES PASSES GOING UP A SLOW INCLINE, THE CAR STARTED JERKING AT ROUND 55 MPH. AT THIS POINT THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON, AS WELL AS, THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON". WELL NO KIDDING, SERVICE ENGINE SOON! PULLED INTO THE EMERGANCY LANE AND DROPPED MY SPEED TO BELOW 25 MILES PER HOUR AND THE CAR STOPPED JERKING. FORTUNANTLY, I WAS JUST ONE MILE FROM HOME AT THIS POINT. LIMPED HOME AND CALL DEALERSHIP. THE CAR HAD BEEN TOWED TO CROWN NISSAN IN BIRMINGHAM. I WAS ANNOYED THAT THE SERVICE MAN THAT TOOK MY CALL SHOWED NO EMPATHY WHEN I TOLD HIM WHAT HAPPENED ON THE FASTEST FREEWAY IN TOWN . ADDITIONALLY, I WAS ANGERED BY THE RECEPTIONIST WHEN SHE CAME BACK TO ME FROM BEING ON HOLD AND KNOWING MY PERDICTMENT, LAUGHING AND ASKING WHO I WAS ON HOLD FOR. *AK
MY CAR WAS UNATTENDED WHEN IT WAS STRUCK, MORE LIKE SIDESWIPED. THERE WAS A CREASE APPROXIMATELY 3/4 OF THE WAY OF THE LENGTH OF THE CAR. I AM NOT SURE HOW IT HAPPENED BUT THE ANGLE THE CAR WAS HIT, PERHAPS AT THE WHEELWELL SENT THE CAR ONTO THE SIDEWALK. I EQUATE THE "INCIDENT" WITH HITTING A POTHOLE. AFTER THE POLICE LEFT AND I TRIED TO REMOVE THE CAR FROM THE SIDEWALK POSITION AND PARK IT I HAD NO STEERING WHATSOEVER. THE STEERING WHEEL JUST WENT AROUND AND AROUND AND AROUND. I LEARNED THAT A KNUCKLE WAS BROKEN, A BEARING WAS BROKEN AND THE AXEL WAS BROKEN. HOW? I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR. WHAT IF I HIT A POTHOLE, WILL THE CAR LOOSE ITS STEERING AGAIN? *LA
I WAS DRIVING WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, THE VEHICLE SKIDDED AND STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. I WAS DRIVING AND MY 14 MONTH OLD WAS IN THE BACK SEAT. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP. I FEW HOURS LATER I WAS CONTACTED BY THE ASSISTANT MANAGER OF THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHERE I WAS INFORMED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT POSITIONING SENSOR HAD GONE OUT. THE PART HAD TO BE ORDERED SO I WAS TOLD THAT I COULD BE WITHOUT MY VEHICLE FOR A DAY OR MAYBE EVEN A WEEK. I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE OTHER VEHICLES IN THE SHOP WAITING FOR SIMILAR PARTS. MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR 20 DAYS NOW AND I JUST KEEP GETTING THE RUN-AROUND. THIS IS PROBABLY A PART THAT WILL EVENTUALLY NEED TO BE RECALLED BUT I GUESS NISSAN IS WAITING FOR A TRADEGY TO OCCUR BEFORE THEY TAKE ACTION. *AK
PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S STEERING SYSTEM.*MR SIX DAYS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED THE CONSUMER RETURNED IT TO THE DEALER BECAUSE OF VIBRATIONS IN THE STEERING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED ON FIVE OCCASIONS TO REPAIR THE VIBRATIONS WHICH RETURNED DESPITE THE REPAIRS (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT). *NLM
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026