Engine Exhaust System problems of the 2002 Nissan Altima - part 1

The pre-catalyst on the exhaust has failed, and caused damage. There is a recall for certain VIN #'s but mine is not coming up. Nhsta campaign 03v084000.

The contact owns a 2002 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the engine was consuming oil rapidly and every two weeks, he would have to add oil to the engine. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who advised the contact that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The mechanic was unable to replace the component. The dealer was notified of the failure who advised the contact that there were no recalls for the failure. The manufacturer was also contacted who confirmed that there were no recalls for the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 100,000. The dealer didn't know the exact cause of the problem. However, the dealer recommended replacing the catalytic converter and the entire exhaust system at a cost of $2000. The consumer was informed it was not a guaranteed fix.

The contact owns a 2002 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled without warning while sitting at a traffic stop. The vehicle was towed to a local mechanic who diagnosed that oil was leaking into the catalytic converter and as a result, became clogged causing the engine to blow. The mechanic stated that the engine, catalytic converter and the exhaust system needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN was not available and the vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 109,000.

My VIN should be included in the below recall as my mechanic diagnosed and recommended I bring to Nissan to fix. But per there recall my car VIN is not included even though be as campaign # 03v084000. Please see campiagn notice below to reference. What can I do to make Nissan do the right thing and fix under recall. Recall number: 03v084000 summary: on certain vehicles equipped with the 2. 5 liter engine, the exhaust pipe hanger pin may catch debris from the road that could be ignited by contact with the main catalyst. Consequence: this condition could result in a fire. Remedy: dealers will remove the protruding portion of the exhaust pipe hanger pin. In addition to the corrective action, in order to reduce the risk of fire in the event of poor or improper maintenance that could result in oil spillage, heat shield(s) will be installed on the pre-catalyst and exhaust tube. Owner notification is expected to begin during may 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261. Notes: also on 2002 Altima and sentra vehicles, certain engine operating conditions may cause the pre-catalyst to overheat and damage the catalyst substrate. If substrate particles enter the combustion chamber, they could score the cylinder walls, resulting in increased oil consumption. If the engine oil level is not checked on a periodic basis and drops below the low level, and the driver continues to operate the vehicle ignoring noticeable engine noise, engine damage may occur which could result in a fire. Nissan is still developing a remedy for the pre-catalyst problem. Customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).

I have a 2002 Nissan Altima with a 2. 5 engine. At 66,000 miles I was told the convertor was bad. Since that time, I have replaced the engine, the pre-convertor and the convertor on my own dime. After six months the new convertor failed, it was replaced. Six months later I am in the same boat. I'm told that the convertor is bad again.

I purchase the car on 03/29/2011 from a used car dealership,on June 27, 2011 while on vacation the car quit running checked fluids and found oil reservoir had no oil in it. Had oil change performed before I went on vacation. Never had an oil leak or sign of oil burning. Had car towed to a private mechanic whom told me the catalytic converter was clogged due to high oil consumption. Did some research on the car and found it had a problem with the pre-catalytic convertors coming apart and sucking the carbon into the engine causing cylinders being scored and causing the high oil consumption causing the secondary catalytic converter to become clogged and in turn causing the engine to blow up. I went to the local dealership and told them my catalytic convertor was clogged which called my enigne to blow up and they told me I was on my own cause it was out of warranty and when I pushed the issue the head service tech said it is what it is and walked away. I left and called Nissan north America,they told me the recall was taken care of on 01/08/2004 and said that they would open a claim on this vehicle,she also told me that if it was repaired properly in 2004 the I would still have 1 year warranty on the convertor since they place a 8 year 80,000 miles on the convertor,she advised me to have it towed to the local dealership to have them look at since she opened a claim. The following Monday I recieved a call stating I have to call Nissan good faith program number. I called and expressed my feeling on how I thought Nissan should cover all damaged parts since it was a previously recalled part that caused the problem,they informed me they would call me back by the end of the next business day with their answers. I recieved a call and was informed they would not be covering anything on the repair because they said their was never a recall on this vehicle. I would like to know how 1 person at Nissan north America could say their was a recall and they other say there wasn't,ridiculous!!.

My family has owned my 2002 Nissan Altima since it was originally driven off the lot. We have maintained the vehicle and have completed all recalls. In July 2005 recall 03v084000 was "supposedly" corrected, but I have been informed that my catalystic converter and engine needs to be replaced due to particles from the converter being inhaled by my engine. I have 143,582 miles on my vehicle. Due to this design defect I fear that driving the vehicle is a hazard, due to the chance that it will catch on fire. I contacted Nissan consumer concerning this issue, but was told that the issue have been resolved. Through my research I've learned that thousands of 02 Nissan Altima owners are experiencing this issue. Please help Nissan customers get justice, when Nissan is obviously aware that the corrective action does not stop the potential hazard of fire.

The catalytic converter disintegrated and the debris clogged the system, causing back pressure and my vehicle stopped running on a dangerous 2 lane road; drifted as far to the right as possible and called a tow truck . Car towed to nearest mechanic and it was determined the converter had failed and clogged the system and the backpressure probably damaged the engine. Excessive oil consumption is now observed after the converter was replaced. Mechanic reports the ebris coud have damaged the cylinder walls causing the oil consumption.

My car is 2002 Nissan Altima with 77,000 miles on it. My car has failed emissions and the reason is the catalytic converter need to be replaced. I have performed all the recalls related to the catalytic converter. Nissan does not provide any information.

This is a formal request petitioning NHTSA to open an investigation for an inadequate remedy of recall 03v-084 (Nissan # ntb03-070d) 3/8/11-material from a damaged pre-catalyst enter the engine causing internal damage which increased the oil consumption to 1 qt of oil per 100 miles. 1/20/11-oil change at 74,243 miles, in perfect running condition not consuming any oil. 3/8/11-875 miles later, heard engine noise and scheduled service inspection. Engine noise due to low oil level. Filled oil and the engine noise stopped. Car smokes at higher rpm’s. Mechanic asked if recall number 03v-084 was performed. Nissan claimed there was no such recall. Later admitted to a recall but claimed our car was not included, and this was normal wear and tear for the age and mileage. 8 year/80,000 mile emissions warranty expired 10/5/10, 3/10/11-sent email to NHTSA. Nhtsa said, from VIN listings, our car should have been included, and sent a requested for recall history to Nissan. 3/15/11-NHTSA said recall service was performed 3/2008, at 54,000 miles. The recall owner letter states, “there is a possibility that certain engine operating conditions may cause damage to the pre-catalyst. Material from inside the damage pre-catalyst could enter the engine and result in increased oil consumption…. . The Nissan dealer will reprogram the electronic control module to prevent any future damage to the pre-catalyst. €� the recall service performed in 3/2008 did not provide adequate protection against premature pre-catalyst failure which caused enough damage to require engine replacement. The recall performed on my vehicle at 54,000 miles should have protected me more than the 21,118 miles. The life expectancy of the pre-catalyst should be longer than 75,118 miles, or at least addressed under the recall inspection and corrected while under the original emission warranty period. It is for these reasons I am petitioning the NHTSA to open an investigation for an inadequate remedy of this recall.

Marilyn requarth 805 674-5336 2002 Nissan Altima VIN#1n4al11d12c170250 I took my car to morin brothers automotive on 2/7/2011 to have the 'check engine light' looked at . Diagnosis revealed a failed pre-catalytic converter. Upon removal the cat was found to be physically damaged. Bot were replaced. Subsequently I discovered that Nissan of north America has an active campaign or recall covering replacement of the catalytic converter. (recall #'s r3007, r3014, r3015, r3016, r3017) I contacted the serviced department at coast Nissan in person and was told that since I already had the converter replaced, there was nothing further they could do for me. I contacted Nissan corporate offices and was told that there were no open recall campaigns on my car. This is what I want Nissan to do for me: reimburse me for the expense of relacing my catalytic converter and oxygen sensor. Verify that the current programming in the electronic control module will prevent this from happening again. Verify that the programming in the control module has also been updated to address stalling issues (recall 0712) assure me in writing that should my engine begin using oil as a result of the failure of the converter, Nissan will repair it free of charge.

I have owned a 2002 Nissan Altima 2. 5s since 2003. I bought vehicle with 11000 miles as a short term lease turn back. I have doneall regular service work; oil changes,tires, brakes ect. Recently took to dealer for inspection on engine noise. Vehicle has 113,000 miles on it at present time. Service writer informed me that the catalytic converter is disintegrating and causing the materials that this is made of to be ingested into engine. Consequently, the engine now needs to be replaced. I have discovered thru some online research and inquireis, with other Nissan service departments, that this is a common problem on this vehicle for the model years 2002 & 2003. There was a TSB forthis car for the dealer to do a visual inspection on the converter in 2003. I feel that a vehicle should not need an egine replacement due to a defective factory part. The advertisement for the manufacturer displays the vehicle being tested for prolonged driveing . This is a serious issue with the amount of these vehicles that are on the road. A car owner should not be subject to extensive repairs due to a factory defective part. There are alot of complaints posted on the intrenet concerning this fault.

2002 Nissan Altima with only 80,000 miles. My complaint is the same complaint you have received from others, regarding their Nissan Altima 2. 5l engine. Excessive oil consumption/catalytic converter issues, where the Nissan dealers say we need total engine replacement at a cost of over $4,000. On vehicles that have been maintained according to service requirements. I am amazed that Nissan continues to get away with this. Just look up Nissan Altima engine problems, smoking, excessive oil consumption and you'll see all the complaints, with people from various states amazed that nothing is being done about it. Especially, since this condition could cause a fire which was noted in Nissan recall id# 5449.

I purchased my Nissan Altima in August 2003, I have maintained my car for 7 years at 111,000 miles my engine went on my car. I was going through 3 quarts of oil in a week, I had a mechanic look at it and could not find anything leaking. I have my sensors change twice in period of 6 months. My sparks plug kept going bad after six months. I would started it up and would get a rattling noise, then I would hear water coming from my front dash. My car was being maintained very well. Until it started to put oil every week, I had it looked at several times and was told needed my oil flushed, then my I had to replace spark plugs. I did everything I needed to do but the issue was still happening. My engine light kept coming on, 2 cylinder misfire, 02 sensor, cat converter. I took it to a mechanic and replaced the censor engine light went off came back on 1 week later had it replaced again. I would come to a stop and would jerk put in neutral and stops, get home check my oil bone dry. I had an mechanic look at so many times that I was throwing money away enduring this for one whole year and no mechanic can find the solution. I was told to keep oil in my car. This was just unacceptable. On August 27th 2010 I went to leave from work and saw a cloud of smoke took it the mechanic only to be told I need a new engine I was appalled. Because my engine should not have went this soon. Well I reviewed complaints on the 2002 Nissan Altima and what I come to found out many consumer all over the u. S. A. Had the same issues I experienced. This very upsetting. I feel Nissan should take responsibility for there products. I have went to many website and found many consumers have made attempts to have there engine replace and to no satisfaction Nissan has turned the other ear. This is just unacceptable business practices. I should not have to put out $4800 dollars when it very clear that there is a problem with the Nissan Altimas made in 2002.

We have a 2002 Nissan Altima that has about 132xxx miles on it and it is burning oil at about 5 quarts in a week. We have changed the oil regularly prior to this problem starting, which was about 6 months ago. We took it to the dealership and were told we had a catalytic system failure and it was going to cost $900 to fix, then we were told that the engine would have to be replaced costing upwards of $4000. I have looked into this problem and found a ton of other people have had this problem just outside of the "warranty".

Car shuts of while driving. Car will start immediately after engine has shut off. Very dangerous almost wrecked. My 2002 Nissan Altima doesn't feel safe. There are several problems with this vehicle that should have been recalled. All which could cause potentially fatal and or severe accidents. The head gasket blew on my 2002 2. 5 s qr25 4 cylinder engine. I had the head gasket replaced and it blew again. Upon further inspection the head had been cracked and there were thousands of marks in cylinder 1. One of the power valve screws located in the intake manifold of the engine came loose and shot through the engine, ruining engine compression (in turn destroying the engine) and it also destroyed the exhaust manifold, O2 sensor and power valve intake and power valve plates. The estimate to repair this is over 6000. Apparently one of power valve screws had gotten loose and was banging around the engine. Apparently this can ruin these engines. I experience power loss because of this. My car has stalled several times nearly causing a severe accident each time. The vehicle starts right up immediately after it stops. Besides the cost to repair these issues it is very concerning driving this vehicle. It is definitely unsafe and should not have been allowed to be mass produced in my opinion . I believe many others would agree. The is a voluntary service campaign on the 04 and 05 models, but 02 and 03 owners have the exact same engine and are experiencing the exact same problems. Are not included in these recalls? it's ridiculous and someone will get hurt or killed if these issues aren't addressed. Nissan should be required by law to fix these issues. T he results are very similar to toyotas recent problems which killed several. Apparently Nissan is trying to use some kind of loophole by volunteering a service campaign. But this needs to be fixed.

After reading hundreds of complaints about the 2002 Nissan Altima 2. 5 l engine failures, I've decided to write. Car began running rough. Mechanic said an oxygen sensor was out, but was probably the cat. Converter. Paid for both, and car is still running rough and using 2 quarts/oil per week. Mechanic said when the cat con went, it blew refuse into the engine, requiring a new one. I've joined the ranks of the 1000's who are getting no help from Nissan corp. In rectifying this expensive problem.

The contact owns a 2002 Nissan Altima. The contact took the vehicle to a local mechanic because the check engine light illuminated. The mechanic stated that the failure was within the exhaust system and catalytic converter, which was related to NHTSA campaign id number: 03v084000 (engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe). The contact spoke with the manufacturer and was told that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was unknown, but the current mileage was 82,590.

There were no significant events leading up to this failure. Vehicle has been meticulously maintained. Failure was recognized by cel p0420. Catalytic converters were replaced. Now engine has lost power and is emitting smoke. Coolant and engine oil are dropping at increasing rates requiring constant attention but have never been allowed to be "dry. " now engine needs to be replaced. This appears to be consistent with many other claims which Nissan denies.

Check engine light came on 2/5/10, next morning (Saturday) went over car looking for issue, found low oil level in engine, added oil, Monday scheduled with dealer for soonest appointment, Wednesday dealer checked out the car. Found that the pre-catalyst had crumbled into dust which was pulled in to the engine. Engine is ruined and needs to be replaced. Have contacted Nissan and they will do nothing. There is a related recall (Nissan r3007) - this had been done by the dealer in January 2004. All other maintenance has been done. My statement to Nissan was a. Recall was not actually done (dealer says it was - have no reason not to believe them) b. Recall was not done properly or c. Recall did not fix the problem completely - I believe it was c that the problem was not really fixed, just delayed. Understand that the catalytic warranty was 80,000 miles, but should a catalytic breakdown actually be able to ruin the engine? if Nissan knew it did not totally resolve the issue, they should have notified owners to replace the catalytic at xx miles, or at xx years. Never heard of this with any other vehicle that the catalytic failure can ruin the engine. Now rather than $700 or $800 for the catalytic, facing that plus another engine (estimate $3000 to $4000) for a used, salvage engine. But then would still have the same problem waiting to happen again. Recall states that this can result in engine fire. I believe it is faulty design.

I made a complaint by phone regarding my 2002 Nissan Altima and have yet to hear back or get a copy as promised of my complaint. Due to the many complaints, concerns and problems related to this year ,make and model ,you would think Nissan would be a little bit more concerned and wanting to remedy the problems that exist to avoid legal action for ignoring a potently dangerous problem that could be deadly . All though I have not been hurt physically ,mentally I am beside myself thinking if you cant get Nissan to step up to the plate then who can???? I had a engine replaced by Nissan dealership and it did not last 20,000 miles before the catalytic converter fell apart and got sucked up in the engine. . Nissan is aware of the recalls for this year/make/model???? its time to do something as you have pages and pages of complaints regarding this exact thing and it is obvious Nissan will do nothing because they get away with it time and time again. . They are worse than Toyota, at least Toyota admits there is a problem. . . Please let me know what and when you intend on doing something to get Nissan to do what's right?/?.

2. 5 engine the same as all the others, this engine should have been replaced or repaired by Nissan. If Nissan would have recalled them before the damage was done.

I have a Nissan Altima 2002 model . I have been calling 1-800-333-0829 for Nissan recall campaign from last two and half weeks. I have a reference number for my case . This recall is with reference to campaign I. D. # r3007, r3014, r3015, r3016, & r3017. I had taken my car to great neck Nissan dealer, new york for routine servicing. I came to know that pre-catalyst was damaged and the dealer also informed me about the chances that the particles from the catalyst converter might have already entered the engine. I went through the national highway traffic safety administration website which clearly states that this is a manufacturing defect and it needs to be rectified by Nissan. Nissan has also taken responsibility for the same and hence released the recall campaign bulletin. However, Nissan are declining my case based on three reasons on three different occasions at 1st they said I am not a loyal customer , however when I insisted then they said my VIN no. Does not fall in the category and then on the 3rd call after too much of perseverance they said they decline because I am the second owner of the vehicle and I do not have maintenance record from the first owner. As a proof of maintenance I have already faxed them the car fax report which shows the car was properly maintained. However, I do not understand that the make and model will not change with the ownership my concern is that even if I change the catalyst converter and continue to operate the vehicle then there are chances that if my engine catches any particles due to precatalyst damage there is a possibility that my engine will catch fire and I might be blown out while driving. I have spoken to Nissan and they don't want to take any responsibility and refuse to give me an answer in writing. . Read more...

I bought a 2002 Nissan Altima in November 2005. The last two years I have been having several problems concerning the vehicle including, jerking, stalling on highway, over heating and smoking. I have a the oc sensors replaced, spark plugs, Cadillac converts, coils. . . The list goes on and on. I noticed my oil light always coming on and the need to always refill the oil but I could not see where it was leaking from. The same problem was with the coolant---I kept pouring it in the place for coolant and in 2 days it would be gone. At the end of August my infant and I were in the vehicle and it began jerking and cut off right in the middle of the highway. A tow truck was called to pick up the car. I took the car to Nissan and they told me that the converter needs to be replaced again and the engine. After researching it looks as if this problem has been going on with several Nissan Altima's. I just want my engine and converter to be replaced the Nissan corp to take responsibility.

I purchased a 02 Altima 2. 5 (automatic) on Thursday, July 16, 2009. On Friday, July 17, I had to take it to the mechanic because it was making a terrible sound coming from the engine. Upon arrival, it was found that the oil tank was bone dry. After adding 3 quarts of oil, the noise was gone. Throughout that day when driving I smelt something like exhaust or burning oil or something. I just thought oil was spilled on the engine and it was simply burning off. I put approx 30 miles on the car that day. On Saturday, July 18, I put approx 20 miles on the car (same smell). On Sunday, I noticed smoke coming out of my muffler when I would hit the gas. It would go away when I was at a steady pace but if I put gas in it, the smoke would come out. I took the car to a friend of mine and had him check the oil. To my surprise, there was not a lick of oil left in the tank. . . Where did it go????????? there was no sign of leaks underneath the car and no spot on my driveway. We went and purchased 3 more quarts of oil and added it to the car. When we checked the dip stick, the oil was pitch black. The car was also blowing black smoke. I am a single 27 year old mom, working and going to school. A Nissan is what everyone told me to get. . Why??? I have just forked out every dime I had (7800. 00) in savings to purchase this car so what was I to do now? on Monday, July 20, I took it back to the mechanic which then told me the engine needed to be replaced. I then took it to another mechanic which verified the same thing. After 2 weeks a 05 model engine was put in the car and I picked it up on August 7. Shortly after being on the road, the check engine light came on and it was making a loud squeaky sound. After taking it back on August 18, they said it now needed a catalytic converter and they replaced a belt. On August 23, the car started going dead with no warning while driving; once I was on the interstate and thought I was going to die! it also acts as if it doesn't want to crank now.

I began to burn about 1 quart of oil per 1000 miles that I drove at the beginning of 2009. There was also a strange growling noise when starting my car. Eventually the check engine light came on. The oil usage also began to increase. I brought my car to a local mechanic and they said that my catalytic converter needed to be replaced and there were some engine issues that was beyond their capabilities. They recommended taking it to a Nissan service department. I dropped my car off on 8/15 and within less then 2 hours they service technician told me that I not only needed a new catalytic converter but I also needed a new engine. He told me that because of a faulty design the front catalytic converter was to close to the engine causing it to over heat. Once it overheated it would break down and because there is no egr valve on the cat the particles of the converter would get sucked back into the engine which ended up scoring the cylinder walls. They told me that because the recall campaign # 03v084000 was "performed" at 13,208 miles Nissan would not cover the cost of a new engine and catalytic converter even though it is direclty related to the defective part that Nissan is already aware of. The service advisor quoted me 4586. Oo plus tax for my out of pocket cost and the parts and labor would only be covered for 12 monhs or 12,000 miles even though the engine that comes with the car when it is new is covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. I am currently filing a complaint with Nissan and consluting a lawyer.

I recently purchased a 2002 Nissan Altima. Since I've had it, it uses oil and has a bad catalytic problem due to manufacturer defect. This 2. 5s is under a recall. The ecm was replaced on the car to avoid this problem, but it still persists. Nissan refuses to acknowledge the recall even though its never been fixed. . . . . . The recall number for this catalytic converter is 03v084000.

7/21/09- check engine light came on brought it into dealer and they tell me that my engine is shot and it needs to be replaced, $5,100 plus tax and labor. The parts from the pre-catalyst have be sucked through the exhaust and back into the engine scoring the cylinder walls, which increases my oil consumption and could result in a fire. After some research I discover that this has been a problem with hundreds of other people with the same model year as me. Nissan did a recall back in 05/03 (recall 3007) to try to fix this issue but proper measures were not taking. In national highway traffic safety administration action number- pe02078, it states that "Nissan is still developing a corrective action to address the pre-catalyst. " I have found no record that this work has ever been done, since 05/03 !?!?. My problem with Nissan is they have known about these problems with model year 2002 2. 5 liter Altimas and still after over six years of releasing this information to the public they never address any issue that would prevent this from happening. I have contacted Nissan and have been told that they have done all they can for me. With the issue of potential fire and sudden engine seizer I have not been able to drive my car since this issue has occurred. I would like Nissan to pay for all repairs that are needed due to this issue.

Design flaw with engine causes excessive oil consumption. The burning oil then makes the converter start to fall apart and be sucked into the engine. This made the engine stall in heavy traffic on the highway. Numerous complaints on this flaw throughout the internet. Contacted Nissan I they said to bad. Dealer strongly suggested that I sell the car since it would only get worse due to this issue.

My car has been at lebruns Nissan dealership 3 times they detected three different problems, the last resort was my blown headgasket. I have a 2002 with 60,000 miles on it I should not be having a headgasket problem!! I have researched different problems and concerns with other owners online and have come across the same problems. Problems containing oil consumption, engine failure, head gaskets, catalytic converters, not starting, service engine light on. Now to me if this is happening to more than a few cars same exact year and model this is a defect on Nissan and they are not stepping up to the plate. I have contacted Nissan again and have gone further into this and have spoken to Nissan north America, I which my specialist returns my phone calls every three days, they have accepted to fix my catalytic converter which is appreciated, but that still does not fix my problem as others have experienced. I feel I have been purchased a lemon vehicle and I am not satisfied, and I will continue to go further until Nissan steps up to the plate and takes fault on there product.

In oct of 2002 a investigation was made by (odi) concerning 2 potential fire hazards on 2002 Nissan Altima( NHTSA)action # pe02078)according to your report Nissan would remove portions of the exhaust pin and apply a heat shield. Over the precat. You also stated Nissan is developing corrective actions to address precat from overheating . What corrective action were introduced to fix this precat problem? after reading pages of Nissan customer complaints concerning the precat destroying their motors I would say Nissan did not do anything to fix this problem . These 2 manufacturer defects are not the same and should be treated differently if your car had a heat shield applied years ago what was done to correct the faulty precat. Now a few years later your motor is shot and Nissan will tell you they already had it in for the recall I ask once again what was done the fix the faulty precat?? if you have the answer please include it in corrective actions taken so myself and every other dissatisfied Nissan customer can make some sense out of their statement when they tell us they fixed the problem when they put a heat shield on it.

I have a concern involving my 2002 Nissan Altima it is a 4 cylinder engine my check engine light has come on and its burning large amounts of oil (1 quart every 1000 miles) I bought this car in 2004( second hand)the cars burning of oil was strange to me because I always changed my oil approximately every 3000 miles,so I started to do some investigating on the web and came across a recall campaign in 2003 ( #03v084000) I read were fire may be caused by the catalytic converter and of 3 instances of fire to date of closer of NHTSA report in 2003. Also Nissan acknowledging a problem with the 2002 Altimas converters and engine failers from this catalytic con. Being that NHTSA has closed there report in 2003 will that affect Nissan responsibility to fix this problem. I did not receive any type of recall for this issue and know finding out about potential fires and engine failures is starting to scare me this is a family car and I do have children can you please advise on needed actions on my part.

At 112,000 miles the ses light on my 2002 Nissan Altima 2. 5l came on. I had it diagnosed and was told that I need to have the catalytic converter replaced a $1500 repair job. After consulting many mechanics in the area, viewing many, many websites this is an extremely common problem with this car for this same year, make and model. The problem is by the time ses light indicates there is a problem it is too late as the damage has already been done to the engine and those that have paid the $1500 to have the catalytic converter replaced ended up having to replace the entire engine just a few months later!!! this cost up to $5000 to have done, bringing the total cost for this repair to $6500 dollars for something that is an ongoing issue, but not detectable during regular scheduled maintenance and often times has occurred after the car's warranty has expired. This can cause the car to stop in the middle of a highway and just shut down, as I've read from other owners that have experienced this same problem. I have a 3 year old, a 2 year old and newborn and I no longer feel safe driving them around in this car. Please do the research and I feel rest assured that you will see the commonality of this problem. Thank you from a very distraught 2002 Nissan Altima owner.

This complaint is in response to Nissan recall r3007 which covers heavy oil consumption which leads to low oil level, catalytic converter damage, engine damage and eventually an engine fire. I've been having this problem for sometime where I need to add oil on a biweekly basis. My check engine light has been on for some time. I've had two diagnostic tests performed and showed code p0420 - cat. Efficient low, needs exhaust manifold/catalytic converter/gaskets replaced. Based on internet research (type: Nissan Altima 2002 - heavy oil consumption or catalytic converter) I found that thousands of other consumers with the same car are having the same problem and have filed complaints with Nissan corporation. Nissan refused to remedy the situation. Please advise what recourse I can take.

I have a 2002 Nissan sentra se-r with the 2. 5 liter (qr25de) engine I purchased new. This is the same engine that the problematic 2002 Nissan Altima has. My car has had numerous serious recalls, originating within the first year and a half I purchased it. Two years ago, my ses light went on. My car was still under warranty at this point as I'd purchased Nissan's "gold plus" warranty coverage. I was told it was a loose gas cap, they'd checked and performed all outstanding recalls, and all was fine. 8 months later, the ses light went on again. The car began to also exhibit signs of increased oil consumption. I had it checked, was told it was a cracked oil pan by an independent mechanic. Finally, I took it to Nissan. I was told I needed a new catalytic converter, the exact part that has been mentioned in several recalls on my vehicle, and since the car was out of warranty they would not pay for it. Estimate was $1200, which I got in writing, for the catalytic converter. I asked for records of what they had done to inspect and repair the recall previously. They had no record of it. I called Nissan north America, who told me the dealer kept the records, and to ask them. . Finally, an independent mechanic replaced the part. The ses light went on two weeks later. The independant mechanic said the pre-catalytic converter was damaged/falling apart, also listed in my recall explicitly. The dealer had misdiagnosed the car. Called dealer, wrote letter, bbb complaint, Nissan complaint, no response. Had pre-cat replaced for $600. Ses light came on again. Eventually, my car stalled and wouldn't start. I had it towed to a repair facility who informed me my engine was blown, replaced for $4k. A screw had been found in the third cylinder. This is also listed in some of the 'bulletins' Nissan distributed to their dealers. I've tried a demand letter, no response. Obviously, no one inspected my car for recalls, or repaired the faulty parts.