engine problem
9.9
really awfulTypical Repair Cost:
$4,856.00
Average Mileage:
84,867 miles
Number of complaints:
15 complaints
Most common solutions:
- replace engine (9 reports)
- not sure (4 reports)
- replace pre-cat with heat shield and replace engine if bad (2 reports)
Helpful Websites About 2002 Nissan Altima catalytic convertor failure caused engine damage
2008Aug 01
Altima 2.5S 2.5L I4
- Automatic transmission
- 47,000 miles
Fuck these motherfuckers! 47,000 miles on this piece of shit and it needs an engine! Oil changed every 6000 miles, I drive like my grandma who is dead, and NISSAN fucks up a recall, then tells me I have to pay for this ECM reprogram and a fucking heat shield? I am pissed as you can tell. This car is nice, but if Nissan can't be reasonable and pay the $6000 for an engine, then they're fucked.
This is a DESIGN DEFECT that these fuckers refuse to be accountable for. Class action?
2008Jul 01
Altima SL 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 56,000 miles
Same problem as every one else. Cat failed and took out the engine. Nissan wont help. If any one know about a class action suit please contact me!
2008Jun 30
Altima S 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 65,000 miles
I have had nothing but problems with this car since the day I got it. I took it back within 30 days of purchase to complain it was running rough, they told me it was fine. A couple months after buying the car I need a new cat. A Cat?!? What the hell is that? Its brand new! Don't worry its under warranty under 8 years and 80,000 miles. Ok I was happy! Then I noticed that my headlights were always pointed at the stop signs and not toward the ground, I was always replacing them. Buying better bulbs everytime. Telling myself that maybe it was just a cheap bulb. After awhile I just started buying the cheapest bulb because now I'm just wasting on bulb after bulb. I get a recall in the mail for my rear subframe. When I take the car in for that they tell me that my headlights have been recalled also. Leave the car overnight and the next day I pick up my car I'm very happy. Very short lived when I get a call from my husband saying my car just died in the middle off the road. EXCUSE ME? MY CAR DID WHAT? Take it back to Nissan they tell me I need an alternator. How do I need an alternator, when my car cools down it starts right back up? If I need an alternator my car wouldn't start at all! I quit that dealership, I respectfully decline the work. I drive my car from Philadelphia to Charleston SC on that alternator. Crazy! I take it to place after place everybody says it doesn't sound like an alternator, but we don't know what it is either! Whatever I don't care its not doing it anyway! I forget about it until about april.When I get a recall on ECM, which may cause you car shut down while traveling at high speeds.WOW THAT MAKES SENSE! I also have my check eninge light on which is I know is my Cat again. I take it in for my new cat(which at this point I know what it is) and my ECM reprogramming and an 100 point inspection that Nissan is offering for free! This is great maybe my car will finally be back to what its supposed to be! OK get the car back its not quite right. Can't quite figure out what is wrong but somethings isn't right! Burning oil like crazy and gas more often. I think that might me driving more and maybe the guy who did my oil change last didn't do it right! Screw that I'm never taking my car back there again. Fill it with oil get my oil changed at the dealership to make sure its right! (That's a laugh now) At my 100 point inspection, they told that I should get my throttle body cleaned and adjusted and my fuel injectors flushed.I happened to be talking about to my friend who was at the time working on my husbands car( acura with 250,000 miles on it). He told me he would do it for 70 bucks instead of 300 the dealer wanted. Great take it in get a phone call saying your car is idling crazy we put a idle speed sensor, a new throttle body and its still crazy. He told me take it back to the dealer because there is something wrong with the computer and since they just reprogrammed it they should be responsible. They reprogram the computer again(at my expense$400.00). Hey this is good now finally I can have my car back great!(yeah Right) A week later its acting up again. Take it back like I have been saying for three weeks I needed a new computer! Great I get the new computer.I pick it up on Thursday I'm driving home could it be I finally have my car back? NO! Friday I'm going to drive to work and I turn the car on and the car is vibrating! Like a dog who is trying to dry off after a bath! I turn the car on and off a couple times and it stops. I do this for a week, CAUSE THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL I WANT TO LEAVE MY CAR AGAIN! I call I tell them my problems and I don't want to leave the car, he was super nice bring it in. I'll have my most senior tech look at it, I drive all the way there. I was told there is nothing that they could do because its not happening now and if you LEAVE IT we can look at it, and get it fixed for you. NO YOU CAN'T HAVE IT AGAIN! I finally cave after my car just don't want to start at all! After alot of trying I get it on, I figure I better just give in and take it back to the dealer. I leave it the next day I get a call I need a engine. I call Nissan NA, I am still waiting for a return call. To see if they will give me a engine. An engine that is rebuilt from somebody else who was already broken that probably had 200,000 miles. I have contacted a lawyer. If anybody else wants in contact me back!
2006Jan 04
Altima 2.5s
- Automatic transmission
- 85,000 miles
I am really pissed about this 2002 Nissan Altima. I have had nothing but problems since I brought this damn car. The first problem was the engine light came on and when I had a diagnostic done on it, they told me that I needed to replace the catalytic converter which cost me $1200.00. The very next day the engine light came back on. I took it back to Tristate Nissan in Winchester, VA and told them what was going on they tried to tell me that I needed to do a diagnostic on the car. I told them they must be crazy because I just had one done and they stated it was the catalytic converter and I was not going to pay another $95.00 to have another one done. They told me that they would do it for free. That is when they came back and said that it was a cylinder misfire and that there was a head gasket blown. And that I needed to replace the head gasket. I asked them why didn't the dignostic pick up on it, and they had the nerve to tell me that "sometimes you have to fix one thing in order to find out what else is wrong with it". I told them they have lost their mind. I then asked them if the head gasket is blown how do I know the engine is not messed up. They had the nerve to tell me that they would have to take the engine apart in order to see if it is messed up. So they wanted me to replace the head gasket and to pay them for taking the engine apart to see if it was bad. I told them absolutely NO. I ended up getting a used engine put in the car for $1500.00 for the used engine and another $500 to put it in. Which I had the work done somewhere else. Now it seems like the transmission is going, which I am getting ready to have that checked. I think we should all get together and get a law suit started regarding these 2002 Nissan Altima's. I had contacted the Nissan Consumer Complaint, and needless to say it was a waste of my time. They were no help at all. Nissan does not look after their customers. I guess they are only concerned with people buying their piece of junk cars. They have the WORST customer service.
2008Mar 25
Altima ES
- Automatic transmission
- 115,000 miles
Purchased the car in 2005 with 52,000 miles. Spent $2,000 last year to replace cat, gaskets, etc. 5000 miles later, the cat went bad again and engine needed replacing, another $4,800.00. Complaints to Nissan Corporate and the dealership went unanswered. From what I've read, there are hundreds if not thousands who have had or are having the same problems. We are all screwed as there are no recalls or pending recalls that address these issues. If you see white smoke, this is the beginning of your steps to Altima Hell.
2008May 05
Altima SL 2.5L
- Manual transmission
- 88,000 miles
NISSAN WILL BE BUYING ME A NEW ENGINE FOR THIS B.S!.--THIS WAS NOT MY, OR ANYONE ELSE WITH THIS PROBLEMS FAULT, SO THEREFORE WE SHOULDN'T BE THE ONES SUFFERING FOR IT! THIS IS FREAKIN RIDICULOUS! A NEW ENGINE??? A WHOLE NEW ENGINE??!! A WHOLE NEW ENGINNNNNNNNE???????????????????? ARE YOU SERIOUS NISSAN????????!!!?
2007Dec 21
Altima 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 67,000 miles
There is hope, Nissan replaced my pre-cat and my engine free of charge, with absolutely no hassle, believe it or not. I was totally amazed myself.
2007Oct 23
Altima S 4 Cy
- Automatic transmission
- 85,000 miles
Altima 2002 The PROBLEM CAR
Purchased used 07-2006 with 50,000 miles. Taken to Nissan dealer in my town and gone over to repair, fix, replace everything and anything that was needed for the next year of so. No word from the dealer on any recalls or tech news reports that needed to be addressed.
I pulled up all dealer recalls in Oct.2006 and brought the car in for the replacements of known problems. Car runs super, plenty of power, great gas mileage, not a hitch. THEN
10/23/2007 LOSS OF POWER IN 2002 ALTIMA WITH 85,000 MILES
10/29/2007 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. AUTO LEFT ME STRANDED, WOULD NOT START.
11/02/2007 MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR REPLACED AT AUTO REPAIR SHOP RUSSELLVILLE, KY.(NO NISSAN DEALERSHIP CLOSE) AFRAID TO DRIVE CAR
ANY DISTANCE. ENGINE LIGHT STILL ON AFTER REPAIR.
11/02/2007 CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED AT RUSSELLVILLE, KY.
SAME REPAIR SHOP.CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STILL ON ( REPAIR SHOP DID
NOT KNOW HOW TO RESET CODE SYSTEM. AUTO PARKED AT 88651 MILES.
11/21/2007 OIL CHANGED AND NOTICED OIL LEVEL LOW. CONTINUED TO
CHECK OIL AND ADD 1-2 QUARTS FOR 700-1000 MILES.
12/25/2007 HOME FOR HOLIDAYS. 12/27/2007 STARTED RESEARCH ON AUTO RECALLS AND DOCUMENTED PROBLEMS.
12/27/2007 CONTACTED NISSAN FOR INSTRUCTION AND DIRECTION.
COMPLAINT FILED.
12/28/2007 APPOINTMENT MADE WITH NISSAN DEALERSHIP, PARIS, TN.
FOR SERVICE AND REPAIR ON 01/02/2008.
01/03/2008 I CONTACTED DEALER FOR VERDICT OF PROBLEMS
(SPOKE WITH CHUCK). TOLD CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS NOT REPLACED
AND THE DASH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS CODED TO THE CONVERTER.
BUT ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE AND EXHAUST PIPE HANGER WERE
ON RECALL AND BOTH REPLACED BUT DASH LIGHT WAS STILL ON.NEEDED NEW CONVERTER, AT MY COST. INSTRUCTED TO CHECK VOLUNTARY
RECALL CAMPAIGN FROM NISSAN FOR SERVICE TECHNICIANS DATED 03/18/2003.
01/03/2008 CONTACTED NISSAN FOR DIRECTION. NO RETURN PHONE CALLS UNTIL 01/09/2008 (HAVE CALLED DAILY). AUTO AT PARIS, TN.
DEALERSHIP.
01/11/2008 PICKED UP CAR, PAID MY BILL, AND LEFT DEALERSHIP. DROVE HOME, CHECKED THE OIL, AND PARKED IT. NISSAN HAS BEEN CONTACTED SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY STAND BEHIND THEIR ORIGINAL DECISION
OF THEY HAVE NO RESPONSIBILITY IN THE OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM.
I am now looking for an attorney to pick these cases up as a class action against Nissan. They already have 2 other class actions against them for other major issues.
All the people with a problem need to get a consolidated effort going to force a
positive conclusion to this problem. It is not fair to consumers to know about the problems and let the public take the fall. They have the #1 selling car on the roads today.What will happen to the Nissan dealers in the next years with this kind of
press when word gets out? You reap what you sow!
2008Jan 25
Altima S 4 cyl. 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 132,000 miles
SES light was on and had fuel tank and filter all replaced, light went off for about a week.
Light was back on, had oil changed and after 2 weeks, had no oil in the engine...did not understand. Added 4 quarts and then 2 more quarts a week later. The engine never hesitated or ran rough or any clue that they was a major problem..Took the car to the dealer last week,...engine is blown...catalytic converter was sucked into the engine and now it will cost $5000.00 to fix it. My husband who is a mechanic said I was mistaken - the catalytic converter is on the exhaust system, not the engine. He called the service manager and was told same thing, my husband said that must be a design fault. The manager
said to take it up with 1 800 USA NISSAN...I WILL FOLLOW THRU WITH NISSAN
2007Apr 03
Altima 2.5 4 cyl
- Manual transmission
- 110,000 miles
I've had the same problem that hundreds of other Nissan Altima owner's have suffered through. Catalytic converter failed, caused excessive oil consumption and eventual engine failure (on the highway at 60mph!). However, my case is a little more extreme. At around 60,000 miles I had this happen to me and had the engine replaced thinking the problem was fixed. Now at a 110,000 miles THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN!!!. I don't' understand how Nissan is allowing this continue on. With as much competition as there is in the auto market all automakers have is service and reliability. If someone on national news runs this story will get as much press as all of the Chinese toy makers. If the executives at Nissan were smart they would come in and try to settle this issue before it hits class action status and destroys their reputation for having reliable cars. Just think why Toyota is so successful.
2005Jun 17
Altima SL 2..5
- Automatic transmission
- 50,000 miles
Same problem as everyone else. Catalytic Converter gone bad. SES light has been
on since 06/2005. Purchased this car NEW in 2002/Feb. 2007/March bad catalytic
converter plus other problems. Extended warranty, but this was not covered. Now
I am trying to take care of the 2007 recall and Nissan (StateLine) in Kansas City,
MO says they can't perform the recall without me taking care of the catalytic
converter. What kind of crap is that? Evidently, there is some type of problem that
so many people are having the same problem. Please include me in the class
action suit. My email address is syd02syn06@hotmail.com. If this situation is not
resolved, I will never purchase another NISSAN and let everyone know how unfairly
they treat their customers!
2007Nov 13
Altima 2.5 S 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 111,000 miles
I was told to contact Nissan Consumer Affairs so they could assist with paying for the problems because it is a factory defect. They informed me because it would be about $7,000.00 and my mileage was at 111,000 they would not, should it have happen at 85,000 miles they would have! That is nice! I have bought 4 cars from Nissan spending well over $90,000 to $100,000 with their company and this is the treatment I receive! I have had on going problems since the day I purchased the vehicle! They said oh well it is your problems now and I still owe $4,500 for a car that doesn't run properly!
2007Jun 29
Altima 2.5
- Automatic transmission
- 100,000 miles
Since I bought the car in 2003, I've had nothing but problems. I didn't care because
I trusted Nissan and I was under warranty. I've had radiator's repaired had it flushed. I even had one catlytic converter repaired. The heat has never worked properly, NEVER. Now the killer is that in June of 2007. They told me my engine sucked up my catalytic converter and it would 5,000.00 to fix. I think this is some kind of scam Nissan is running, because I am the 20th person i've heard this happening too, "Remeber the Headlights scam" a couple of years ago, Nissan had to pay dearly for that one. In any case Nissan has been less than cooperative in resolving the issue. Next step class action suit and media attenion. If I get enough people to jump on board, I'll get this story out. I promise I will. So if you have the same problems with Nissan, the problem being Engine replacing, please get in contact wtih me and I will add your name to the list. It might not happen over night but I am going to pursue it and Never, NEVER, EVER buy another Nissan again.
2007Oct 17
(reported on)Altima SE 3.2L
- Automatic transmission
- 85,000 miles
I bought my car last year a 2002 Nissan Altima for $13,000 cash. In September I noticed smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. I took it to the Nissan dealership to have it checked out, they told me it would be $75 to put it on the rack to check it out. well when i went to get my car they told me the problem was fixed and that it was only steam and it was fixed no charge. I had not made it home and noticed smoke still coming from the exhaust pipe i took it back the next day they told me it would be $75 to put it on the rack which was suppose to have taken place that same day it was smoking but they said it was only steam. The next day when i went to go pick my car up they told me i had major problems and it would cost me $11,000 that's right not $1,000 but $11,000 for a car that i have not had but a year. I called Nissan 20 times but to no avail they refused to fix it i bought it as-is, no warranty. I called my local attorney general office and they told me there was nothing they could do since i bought it as-is, called the lemon law no help also bought it as-is. I have a car that i paid $13,000 cash for had 1 year and nobody will help me, i am mad as hell. Nissan will not return any more of my calls. The Nissan dealership in my home town told me that it was a factory defect but they still refuse to help. I have a car that I drove for year and nothing is being done about it.
I want to be in on the class action lawsuit please don't leave me out this is a major case and if an attorney sees this it should not be hard to find an attorney.
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2008May 14
Altima S 3.5L
Purchased this P.O.S. because we heard good things about Nissan. After replacing pre-cat and then the rear cat, motor blew after about 100 miles. Had dealership tear down motor and they stated that rod went through the block due to engine starving for oil...We just had the oil changed! They went on to say, due to the cat. failing, the debris from the Cat. was ingested into the motor sending debris throughout the motor scoring rings, piston and clogging up oil pump. I am still waiting to find out the results...It is BS that if the Cat. fails you have to replace the motor.
firecapt58
Apple Valley, CA, USA
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