CarComplaints.com Notes: Here's a disturbing trend for the 2002 Nissan Altima: the engine starts burning oil like crazy, the catalytic converter goes bad, the head gasket blows and eventually the entire engine needs replacement. Sound familiar? Like a script from a horror film, these Altimas seem doomed to fail around 95k miles.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
79,724 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2002 Nissan Altima brakes problems

brakes problem

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2002 Nissan Altima Owner Comments

problem #8

May 042018

Altima

  • 35 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The car keeps stalling while I drive

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #7

Apr 032015

Altima

  • 18 miles
Nissan Altima 4 door. My daughter [xxx]. while driving the vehicle ignition switch, oil, cooling, coil pack cause a major crash, totaling a complete wreckage. [xxx] sustained, serious medical attention, taken to the hospital by ambulance. I started a series of complaints which Nissan failed to comment or investigate. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Margate, FL, USA

problem #6

Jun 032017

Altima

  • 167,850 miles
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!

- Ramseur, NC, USA

problem #5

Sep 252016

Altima

  • 73,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Camshaft and crankshaft sensors have failed again though supposedly replaced per recall in 2005. Now my car stops and turns off multiple times in a short quarter mile trip. Just spent $700 on clutch master cylinder & slave cylinder. Dealer says I must pay again for the sensors though they have failed. Nissan must cover this. It is unsafe to drive my vehicle. Many documentations from owners denied the recall to be performed a second time and outraged Nissan will not take responsibility. Want Nissan to fix.

- San Dego, CA, USA

problem #4

May 202016

Altima

  • 96,000 miles
The vehicle stalls while driving which could cause an accident. It has happened many times and we have been lucky other drivers are paying attention. The vehicle does start back up. We have found a recall but when we've checked the VIN # it comes up with no recalls. There is a sensor issue recall that describes exactly what the car is doing. It has stalled on off ramps, city streets and Suburban roads. I have found the following online: On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.5L enginethe crankshaft position sensor can overheat causing a brief interrupion in the signal output. If the interupption of the signal is so brief that the ECM electronic control module dose not have time to diagnose the condition, the vehicle may shut off creating the risk of an accident. The dealer will reprogram the ECM free of charge. The Nissan recall # is R0606 Nissan is no help the vehicle only has 97,0000 miles and was bought used from a lot in nh who was also no help

- Stoneham, MA, USA

problem #3

May 222015

Altima

  • 134,000 miles
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.

- Monroe, OH, USA

problem #2

Mar 162010

Altima

  • 76,890 miles
While driving my car the day before, engine suddenly stopped on a five lane hwy in center lane during heavy traffic at speed limit of 70mph. My son and I were stranded helpless in the midst of cars heading right towards us. An hour later geico sent a tow to take us to the Nissan dealership where I purchased my car. The stall was due to a recall on the engine sensor issued in 2006. Dealer had denied recall multiple times prior but had finally recognized it. Left the car overnight to have ecn reprogrammed and was told that it needed diagnostic for $192.14. I stated I wanted to take it elsewhere and was called the next morning to come pick up my car. Got there car was running, asked if there had ever been any other problems with this model and told no. Got 1/2 of mile and loud noise and loss of power. Engine completely died while driving and lost steering and brakes while in traffic. To avoid going into next lane oncoming traffic, I swerved other way into telephone poll. Engine completely dead since then and has been proclaimed as totaled due to locked engine. Engine qr25de was taken off sales floor in 2006 and I received no information at all. Dealer told me he never heard of any problems with my car. On receipt from dealer it states car is unsafe to drive but dealer never gave me receipt to sign and never even eluded to car doing same thing it had done less than 24 hours prior. Said he put oil in car and it started up and was ready for me to pick up. I had just had oil change and had no oil leaks whatsoever. My son is traumatized and can't sleep nights from first incident and I have no vehicle and can't get to doctor for my back, leg, and knee injury I suffered in the crash. Nissan says 6 weeks until they send an inspector to see car and I'm paying for each day it sits on the lot of mechanic. Still have not even dispatched orders and it is now 9 days later. My life and my son's were knowingly put in danger twice due to Corp & dealer negligence.

- Austin, TX, USA

problem #1

Apr 012006

Altima

  • 90,000 miles
2002 Nissan Altima with various check engine light with catalytic converter breaking up and pieces destroy engine. Ongoing battle never resolved can't get help still owe 3700 on vehicle without vehicle now. Engine won't crank have to pump gas pedal even then like not getting gas but mechanics all say the same you got a bad car, defective catalytic converter. Plus Nissan refuses to do recalls never even done that were ECM related and rear suspension. All ongoing since April 2006. Have records/evidence.

- Jacksonville, NC, USA

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