One problem related to camshaft position sensor has been reported for the 2002 Nissan Sentra. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2002 Nissan Sentra based on all problems reported for the 2002 Sentra.
Early March, I noticed on consumer reports website that there were recalls associated with my 2002 Nissan Sentra. Engine sensors. Nissan did not send me a recall notice even though they had my name and address. I registered the car when I bought it used. March 16 2006 my Nissan had 115754 kms on it when I took it into Nissan victoria for the recalls. They replaced the crankshaft/camshaft position sensors (3 in total) recall r86. Removed ecm case holder foam r87. June 20, 2006 I was heading to the highway when my engine started racing and jerking, I drove it home. The car died and I had it towed to an automotive shop around the corner from my house. I was so lucky I wasn't going down the highway with lots of traffic! the mechanic came to the conclusion fairly quickly that it might be the computer and he called the Nissan dealership. They told him that they had no problems with the computers. I rented a car in the meantime to get to work. The mechanic got a used computer from the auto wrecker and the car started right up. Apparently the foam on the ecm damaged the computer (some kind of gas-fumes) while it was curing. This is why Nissan removed the foam. Maybe they are trying to avoid another recall like for the sensors. . . Too late. . . I have since discovered that a lot of people have had the same problem with the ecm. I don't trust the used ecm I have in the car because I don't know anything about it. But I feel that Nissan should either rebuild or give me a new computer. If this happens at 123,000 kms what can I expect further down the road? I have the old computer, not sure what to do with it.