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.

7.9

pretty bad
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
5,403 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 #3

Nov 052002

Altima 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 16,208 miles

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

: the contact stated the vehicle shook when the brake pedal was depressed. The service dealer determined that the front and rear brake rotors and pads were worn and needed to be replaced.

- Reading, PA, USA

problem #2

Oct 192004

Altima 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
At 2 years of ownership and 37,000 miles my rear brakes have failed completely; calipers, pads, rotors, etc. All need replacement. Front brakes are "ok" for now and only half as worn as the rear brakes. This doesn't seem right to me. Of course, it is not warrantied since it is over the 36,000 miles or 3 years. I have read numerous other complaints from consumers about this happening to them too. I bought my car new in 2002 and have driven mostly highway miles. What, besides defective parts in the first place, would cause this kind of parts failure?

- Herkimer, NY, USA

problem #1

Jan 312004

Altima

  • miles
I experienced warped rotors on my 2002 Altima after driving for less than 18 months. This was a premature failure that is not covered under warrantee. Pads were also replaced.

- Troy, MI, USA

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