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.

4.6

definitely annoying
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
23,869 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 electrical problems

electrical problem

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2002 Nissan Altima Owner Comments

problem #11

Nov 062006

Altima 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 90,000 miles

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

: the contact stated the vehicle had problems turning the ignition on. This occurred on a regular basis. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who determined that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The dealer checked the VIN # to see if it was covered under recall and stated that their system showed that vehicle part had been fixed on a previous recall. The contact stated that the vehicle was never brought in for any recall work in regards to this matter, nor did the contact receive a recall letter on this matter. The vehicle was currently at the dealer, no repairs were made.

- Passaic, NJ, USA

problem #10

Nov 102004

Altima

  • 60,000 miles
Intermittently ignition will not start. Dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem.

- Wesley Chapel, FL, USA

problem #9

Nov 102003

Altima 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 11,564 miles
Cold morning, car would not start even after temperature outside reached 45 degrees. Dealer indicated that the problem was a faulty crank angle position sensor and replaced it under warranty. This was the third time the car would not start during "cold weather", first time they're we're able to make a diagnosis. Hope they we're correct this time!

- Sterling, VA, USA

problem #8

Jun 092003

Altima 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 25,000 miles

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

No start - car towed for third time - Dec. 30, 2002 ; Feb. 19, 2003 and June 9, 2003 - each time given a different reason--rented car2 times-reimbursed once. On 12/30-told problem due to cold damp weather;2/19 charged $113. By legend Nissan--said no start my fault because I moved car for plow and did not run long enough before turning off; 6/9-returned from 4 day vacation-again no start.

- Bethpage, NY, USA

problem #7

Aug 072003

Altima 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 34,500 miles
On different occasions, 08/07/03 being the latest, my car has stalled, or shown poor accelleration while driving. It has happened while driving over 65 mph, soon after starting the car and putting it into drive, and a small time period after driving it. On one occasion I exited out of a parking lot onto a busy two-way traffic road, to cross to the other side and it stalled while there was oncoming traffic. I was very reluctant that the traffic speed wasn't high, for they may not have had the time to slow down. I have taken my car in several different times to my dealer, and other car maintenance shops, and they say that they can't find the problem, and in order to fix the problem, they must duplicate it. But the problem that comes from that is, it doesn't happen on a recurring basis. It can happen hours apart to 2 months apart. It gives no warning, and it goes back to running normal as if nothing has ever happened. The first time it happened was approximately 3 months after.

- Alvin, TX, USA

problem #6

Nov 102002

Altima 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 10,000 miles
Car would not start after sitting overnight. I had the car towed to the dealer who had no solution. They used a cold start and told me not to let the gas go below 1/4 tank and not to park on an incline. Two incidents happened in November 2002. In April 2003, the car would not start again after sitting one day and night. I took my car to another Nissan dealer who gave me the same answer. Anyone with a similiar problem?

- Norfolk, VA, USA

problem #5

Jan 162003

Altima 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 7,500 miles

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

I depressed the clutch then the brake, the brake peddle seemed stiff like something was preventing from going down.

- Rockledge, FL, USA

problem #4

Jan 062002

Altima 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 13,000 miles
This evening I went out to start the car. The temp. Was about 32 degrees. The car would not start. Since this has happened before, I did what the service dept. At the dealer suggested and pushed the gas to the floor and tried again with no luck. I was told before that this could be a problem with the air being cold. Why would they sell a car where it snows if it won't start. My wife is expecting a baby in 8 weeks and we need a reliable car. The dealer does not seem anxious to help solve the problem. Today is Jan. 6, 2003 and I cannot register below as 2003 because it is not offered on the drop down box. Therefore I am registering as 2002.

- Owings Mills, MD, USA

problem #3

Nov 112002

Altima 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 11,000 miles
Went out in the morning and the car would not start. Tried all day to get it to start and finally had it towed to the dealer. The next day the car started without problem and the dealer says they could do nothing as long as the car started. We were told it could be the air temp., which was about 40 degrees the morning that the car wouldn't start. If we would have dreamed of having problems with this car we would have never bought it!!

- Owings Mills, MD, USA

problem #2

Jun 092002

Altima

  • miles
On 06-09-02 and 09-23-02 engine would turn over but would not start.

- Westfield, MA, USA

problem #1

Oct 112001

Altima

  • miles
Airbag warning light goes off - dealer orders new airbag module and combination must be replaced. Has happened at 600 mile and again at 3700 miles, still not repaired- parts are on nation wide back order - major safety factor: Ignition noise and static in radio from coils.

- Mays Landing, NJ, USA

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