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.
The short version... The fuel line FELL OFF.. and soaked a 1/4 tank of gas into my back seat..
The long version:
06/29/07 My car sputtered through the intersection of 33rd and Highland drive. I then pulled into a bakery on 3100 south and Highland drive when I got out of my car I was over whelmed by the smell of gas. There was a trail of gas behind my car and a large puddle under my car. At this point I did not know what to do, I was afraid to start my car so I asked a gentleman at Big O to come and look at my car to see if I could start it. They said they would not start it not knowing where the gas leak was at.
I then called the dealer ship and they did not suggest driving the vehicle but having it towed down to the dealership. They gave me the number to Associated Towing Company. They picked me and my car up at about 8:50. The gentleman (Rob) turned on my car and backed it out of the parking spot to put it up on the tow truck. The moment my car was turned on it began to leak gas. It looked like someone had turned on a water faucet and it created another large puddle of gas in the parking lot.
Once at the dealer ship. I explained to Shane and Nick what was going on with my car when Nick said, " I know what is wrong with it. It happened to another car this week." He took my car back into the shop and about 20 minutes later come back out of the shop and showed My Grandfather Evan and Myself what had happened. The gas line had "Fallen off and the gas was soaking into my back seat." It had created a tar like substance on the tank and on the foam of my seat and the seat was soaked from the gas.
I left my car with the dealership all day for them to attempt to clean the seat and get rid of the gas smell.
Around 6pm that same night I went to pick up my car with my roommate Melissa. We were about 10 feet from my car when we both could still smell the gas. She also pointed out while we were waiting in the service area that the power washer was not working, and that is what they were going to clean my back seat with. I told Shane that it was unacceptable to me and that Nissan need to fix or replace my back seat. Shane then spent two hours scrubbing my seat to attempt to get the smell out.
06/30/07 That afternoon I went to Pick up my car from the dealership. As I drove by all my windows were down and the seat was in place. Nick this time followed me out to my car to look at the seat and the smell of gas. It was a complete improvement from the night before. But it still had a hint of gas fumes. I did take my car from the lot at that time and noticed I had lost a fourth a tank of gas.
I first spoke with someone from Nissan Consumer affairs on 06/29/07. I felt they needed to know the defect I had with my vehicle. I spoke with Ahanjahla at extension 57878. My case number is 5765968. After explaining what occurred and my concern that the dealership told me that it occurred with another vehicle this week. She stated that someone would call me back with in 8 to 48 hours. I waited patiently those 48 hours.
07/3/07 I called consumer affairs again wondering why no one had called me back about my car and that I was extremely concerned about the situation. I was then told the rep was on vacation. I asked to speak with a manager and they told me that it would be another 8 to 48 hours before anyone would return my call. I did not get the name of this individual that I spoke with. But I did agree for the manager to call me back.
07/05/07 I spoke with Bobbi Davis at extension 57808. I explained my frustrations with my car and he was going to talk to the regional rep for our area and get back with me. When he got back to me he stated that because my car was out of warranty they were denying my claim to replace my back seat and the towing charges. I began to explain that it has nothing to do with my car being out of warranty and that it is a manufacturing defect and engineering defect, and that I wanted to speak with someone hire than him. During this conversation Bobbi stated that the dealership told him that it was a small leak and that it did not soak into my back seat.
0705/07 Called the dealership and spoke to Lloyd the Manager of the used cars. I explained to him what the situation was and that I was upset that his dealership had lied to Nissan Consumer Affairs about what really happened with my car. I then left a message for Frank the manager of the service center. I did not hear back from him so on my way home I stopped at the dealer ship and found out that he had left town for the weekend. I spoke with Shane about the lie and that I was very upset and that I needed my back seat replaced. We removed the seat from which fumes came out and the smell was worse under the seat. I asked him if he would put his kids or his wife in this car in this kind of danger. He agreed and said he would not. He left Frank a note to call me on Monday.
07/09/07 I received a call from Geoff Booker. Who stated that the decision stands with Nissan that the car is out of warranty and they would not replace my back seat. I argued with him that it was a hazard and that my car could start on fire or what if it was to Fall off again. He stated it was wear on my car because I had 85000 miles on my car. It went back and forth and he did not understand where I was coming from and he stated " That after he got off the call the case was closed and that he would not speak to me again, and it was a waste of his time." His number is 615-725-7852.
I then spoke with Frank about the situation and asked him about the other vehicle that it occurred to that same week and he informed me that, the car I was referring to caught on fire. I told him that could have been mine also. I am frightened every time I turn on my car. Every time I smell the gas that it is leaking again. I am afraid that my car is just going to start on fire because of how hot it is outside. All I wanted is my seat replaced. So I felt safe again. He stated that the regional rep had contacted him that morning and they were playing phone tag and he would get back with me as soon as he had spoke with her.
07/11/07 Called and left Frank a message to get an update.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
The short version... The fuel line FELL OFF.. and soaked a 1/4 tank of gas into my back seat..
The long version: 06/29/07 My car sputtered through the intersection of 33rd and Highland drive. I then pulled into a bakery on 3100 south and Highland drive when I got out of my car I was over whelmed by the smell of gas. There was a trail of gas behind my car and a large puddle under my car. At this point I did not know what to do, I was afraid to start my car so I asked a gentleman at Big O to come and look at my car to see if I could start it. They said they would not start it not knowing where the gas leak was at. I then called the dealer ship and they did not suggest driving the vehicle but having it towed down to the dealership. They gave me the number to Associated Towing Company. They picked me and my car up at about 8:50. The gentleman (Rob) turned on my car and backed it out of the parking spot to put it up on the tow truck. The moment my car was turned on it began to leak gas. It looked like someone had turned on a water faucet and it created another large puddle of gas in the parking lot. Once at the dealer ship. I explained to Shane and Nick what was going on with my car when Nick said, " I know what is wrong with it. It happened to another car this week." He took my car back into the shop and about 20 minutes later come back out of the shop and showed My Grandfather Evan and Myself what had happened. The gas line had "Fallen off and the gas was soaking into my back seat." It had created a tar like substance on the tank and on the foam of my seat and the seat was soaked from the gas. I left my car with the dealership all day for them to attempt to clean the seat and get rid of the gas smell. Around 6pm that same night I went to pick up my car with my roommate Melissa. We were about 10 feet from my car when we both could still smell the gas. She also pointed out while we were waiting in the service area that the power washer was not working, and that is what they were going to clean my back seat with. I told Shane that it was unacceptable to me and that Nissan need to fix or replace my back seat. Shane then spent two hours scrubbing my seat to attempt to get the smell out. 06/30/07 That afternoon I went to Pick up my car from the dealership. As I drove by all my windows were down and the seat was in place. Nick this time followed me out to my car to look at the seat and the smell of gas. It was a complete improvement from the night before. But it still had a hint of gas fumes. I did take my car from the lot at that time and noticed I had lost a fourth a tank of gas. I first spoke with someone from Nissan Consumer affairs on 06/29/07. I felt they needed to know the defect I had with my vehicle. I spoke with Ahanjahla at extension 57878. My case number is 5765968. After explaining what occurred and my concern that the dealership told me that it occurred with another vehicle this week. She stated that someone would call me back with in 8 to 48 hours. I waited patiently those 48 hours. 07/3/07 I called consumer affairs again wondering why no one had called me back about my car and that I was extremely concerned about the situation. I was then told the rep was on vacation. I asked to speak with a manager and they told me that it would be another 8 to 48 hours before anyone would return my call. I did not get the name of this individual that I spoke with. But I did agree for the manager to call me back. 07/05/07 I spoke with Bobbi Davis at extension 57808. I explained my frustrations with my car and he was going to talk to the regional rep for our area and get back with me. When he got back to me he stated that because my car was out of warranty they were denying my claim to replace my back seat and the towing charges. I began to explain that it has nothing to do with my car being out of warranty and that it is a manufacturing defect and engineering defect, and that I wanted to speak with someone hire than him. During this conversation Bobbi stated that the dealership told him that it was a small leak and that it did not soak into my back seat. 0705/07 Called the dealership and spoke to Lloyd the Manager of the used cars. I explained to him what the situation was and that I was upset that his dealership had lied to Nissan Consumer Affairs about what really happened with my car. I then left a message for Frank the manager of the service center. I did not hear back from him so on my way home I stopped at the dealer ship and found out that he had left town for the weekend. I spoke with Shane about the lie and that I was very upset and that I needed my back seat replaced. We removed the seat from which fumes came out and the smell was worse under the seat. I asked him if he would put his kids or his wife in this car in this kind of danger. He agreed and said he would not. He left Frank a note to call me on Monday. 07/09/07 I received a call from Geoff Booker. Who stated that the decision stands with Nissan that the car is out of warranty and they would not replace my back seat. I argued with him that it was a hazard and that my car could start on fire or what if it was to Fall off again. He stated it was wear on my car because I had 85000 miles on my car. It went back and forth and he did not understand where I was coming from and he stated " That after he got off the call the case was closed and that he would not speak to me again, and it was a waste of his time." His number is 615-725-7852. I then spoke with Frank about the situation and asked him about the other vehicle that it occurred to that same week and he informed me that, the car I was referring to caught on fire. I told him that could have been mine also. I am frightened every time I turn on my car. Every time I smell the gas that it is leaking again. I am afraid that my car is just going to start on fire because of how hot it is outside. All I wanted is my seat replaced. So I felt safe again. He stated that the regional rep had contacted him that morning and they were playing phone tag and he would get back with me as soon as he had spoke with her. 07/11/07 Called and left Frank a message to get an update.
- cassrae56, Salt Lake City, UT, US