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.

8.7

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$3,380
Average Mileage:
117,100 miles
Total Complaints:
64 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (31 reports)
  2. replace engine and cat. converter (31 reports)
  3. remove the pre cat (2 reports)
2003 Nissan Altima engine problems

engine problem

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2003 Nissan Altima Owner Comments (Page 4 of 4)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #4

Nov 012005

Altima SE 3.5L V6

  • Manual transmission
  • 24,855 miles

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

Consumes about 1L per 1000 km. So that means I add more oil BETWEEN oil changes than I do when the oil is changed.

Nissan will not help you with this problem, despite postings all over the net about Maximas/Altimas/350Z etc consuming oil.

They will tell you it is in the "normal" range and deny you until your warranty is up.

Will not buy another Nissan. Will not recommend one to anyone. Will suggest to anyone to pay a bit extra and get a Honda/Toyota. My 95 Civic does not consume a drop of oil between changes and has not had one interior piece of trim break/fall off like the Altima but thats another complaint

Nissan will learn like GM/Ford/Chrysler that once you get a reputation for building $@%, that reputation will stick to you like %%$@#

Shame because the car looks and drives great but thats not much consolation

- nomore nissan, Toronto, ON, Canada

problem #3

Feb 012009

Altima 2.5S 2.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 60,000 miles

I am a used car dealer and I have to say Nissan surely has gone down hill. This oil consumption problem is nothing but a bunch of BULLSH-T. I'm taking it in the you know what for the second time this year so far because of this problem. I can tell you that there will never be another Nissan on my lot for sale ever again! Every single 2002 to 2006 2.5 Nissan Altima and Sentra should have been recalled. Don't bother calling Nissan for help either, all you hear is that the warranty is expired or there is too many miles on the vehicle. I'm so angry about this flaw that clearly should have been corrected from the beginning. And this oil consumption test that Nissan requires the dealer does is a joke too. They know whats wrong why bother going through the hassle of wasting customers time and money. I urge anyone who has had this problem to spread the word to stay away from these vehicles. I would love nothing more than to see this company go bankrupt right now! They sure have cost a lot of people a lot of money and aggravation such as myself.

- travispa, Montoursville, PA, US

problem #2

Mar 102009

Altima 2.5L

  • Manual transmission
  • 127,000 miles

The real problem is that my car burns oil. It has been burning oil since the time that I bought it. I bought the car from a dealership with 80,000 miles on it. It now has 127,000 on it and it won't pass inspection because of a crack in the manifold. $1400 to get it to pass inspection. The real problem is the engine and how it sucks up pieces of metal that breaks off near the manifold. I'm no mechanic, but I can tell you that pieces of metal floating around in your engine isn't a good thing. I can replace the manifold to get it to pass inspection but my mechanic said that the engine will just damage the manifold/catalitic converter again. You need to replace the engine. GREAT.....I only owe another $5000 dollars on the piece of sh*t and I have to replace the engine. THANKS NISSAN.

- riendeau, Concord, NH, US

problem #1

Dec 192008

Altima 2.5S 2.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 95,000 miles

I have owned Nissans for 20 years and raved about them to anyone who would listen. I had a Sentra that ran for 10 years and cost almost nothing to maintain, outside of the usual items.

This 2003 Altima is a hunk of crap. It's not old enough to be such a problem. It burns so much oil that it looks like someone lit a smokebomb!! I paid $500 3 months ago to have the sensor fixed--a recall item (I was not told this by the service station)--and one month later the engine is the problem. I have heard opinions that the fix will cost $3K. Forget it. I agree with other gripers, this is my last Nissan too.

- Dawn A., Hartland, WI, US

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