engine problem
8.7
pretty badTypical Repair Cost:
$3,857.00
Average Mileage:
89,037 miles
Number of complaints:
75 complaints
Most common solutions:
- not sure (28 reports)
- replace the engine (27 reports)
- new engine (9 reports)
- replace block (5 reports)
- nissan should replace the engine for the 2nd time (3 reports)
- warranty will not cover no oil change records (2 reports)
Helpful Websites About 2002 Nissan Altima excessive oil consumption
2008Dec 02
Altima SE 2.3L
- Automatic transmission
- 108,000 miles
Starting and running inconsistent. Smoking sometimes like blown rings and other times not so bad. (strange) Had oil changed one day. Son took car out that evening. Wife takes car to work next day and calls me telling me the car sounds funny and oil light is flickering But I'm heading home. I get home and the frigging car had no oil or water it it! Now I'm told it needs a motor. Have not contacted any body yet. Went on line a found I'm not the only one with this trouble. O-yea No heat and electrical light flicker! Other then above.Nice car! Ha.Ha. Any help from any body?
2008Jul 25
Altima 2.5S 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 91,000 miles
Nissan Altima - Worst car from a Worst company. Pathetic consumer service. Is there a class action lawsuit being run. I am all for it. Please if someone has already started one, please let me know. I am terribly depressed, especially in a economy like this with a pathetic car, all i can do is crib.
Excessive oil consumption, i have to fill in oil every 300 miles of at least 1-2 quarts. God save me. I am not even sure if i will be able to sell the car to anyone else.. worst is the dealer says that replace the engine for 5k. Nissan USA says they are not responsible
CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT - if any one is already started one, let me know.
2008Sep 01
Altima 2.5S 4 cyl 2.5s
- Automatic transmission
- 89,000 miles
well the nissan dealership is trying to say my warranty won't cover my problem...WHICH IS A FREAKIN LIE!!! they say i need a new cadalic(sp?) converter and a new engine. it's my converter is what is making my engine burn oil. which is a lie. it has nothing to do with my engine...i have heard from 4 different car service owners. they are trying to get over on me. my warranty covers a new engine but since the cad. converter needs replaced thats what they say caused the problem so my warranty won't cover it. LIES ALL LIES I WILL NEVER IN MY LIFE BUY A NISSAN EVER AGAIN!!!!
2003Nov 12
Altima SL 2.5L Sl
- Automatic transmission
- 70,000 miles
I have read all of the complaints of the Nissan Altima. My engine light would come on when the car was well under 100,000 warranty. Also, my coolant would run out and the heat would not work. I brought the car into to dealer several times and of course nothing was every fixed. The dealer would also indicate to me I had no oil in the car. Of course, I was very diligent with oil changes. Literally I brought the car in a 99,500 miles and nothing was ever fixed. As soon as the car his 100,500 miles I brought the car into the dealer and they indicated I needed major repairs. I tried for several months to work with Nissan Customer service to get the engine fixed. Nissan denied the repairs even though I had significant documentation of engine problems years before the warranty expired. Since then I had my own mechanic replace head gasket, radiator, etc. The car still burns significant oil and I have to fill it several times a week. NISSAN SUCKS!
2008Nov 17
Altima SL 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 120,000 miles
This is not right if Nissan really knows about this they need to do some about it i just bought my 2002 Nissan altima October and i already spent 2500 to fix the catalyst converter and a lot of other stuff after the check engine light came on a week after a paid for the car i have only put on 40 miles on the car and its consuming oil like made i had an oil change at Nissan and on the third day the oil was down to the lowest level i went back and they added more oil and told me to bring it back if it goes down and i am going their tomorrow because the oil is so low i could not go any were . this serious i spend any more on this car then i will spent more than i paid for the car if only i new would have gotten a Volvo s 80 or a maxima but i am sure the Maxima will have its on hidden crap waiting to hit you in the face and i am only a student i just turned 19 were do they expect me to get $4000 plus to change an egine
2008Jun 01
Altima S 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 80,000 miles
I think I'm at the early stages of the problems. Mostly, the car is going through too much coolant, and a little too much oil. We replaced the spark plugs after getting misfire codes when the engine light came on. It wouldn't start at all one morning and then it miraculously started after we had it towed to the shop. I feel like I'm driving a ticking time bomb!
2008Nov 01
Altima 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 118,000 miles
I STILL OWE QUITE A BIT OF MONEY ON VEHICLE THE ENGINE IS BAD GOING THROUGH 3 QUARTS OF OIL WITHIN A WEEK NISSAN WILL NOT RECALL BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A SOLUTION I THINK THEY SHOULD RECALL OR COMPENSATE CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE THESE BAD ENGINES IN THEIR ALTIMAS.
2008Oct 31
Altima SL 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 116,000 miles
i've been getting regular oil changes/maintenance for this car... I went to the dealer because of a strange noise 1 1/2 month after my recent oil change. To find out i was almost 4 quarts low....(how could that be?) so I got the oil changed again.. and two days later I had the same noise again but this time I was told i have no oil... My car was burning oil and now I have to get the engine replaced.
2008Aug 11
Altima 2.5sl
- Automatic transmission
- 62,000 miles
I am up for a CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT!! I have a 2002 Nissan Altima and had the same excessive oil consumption problem as most of you on here. I was going through 4-5 quarts of oil every 5-600 miles. Eventually my service engine soon light came on and when I went to have the engine looked at the local Nissan dealership they told me my engine was shot. They told me that my bearings were blown and that I needed a new engine. I ended up paying about $4000 for a new engine with only 62,000 miles on my odometer. Ridiculous!
I was told that that is occurrence was rare until I went on here. Obviously this is a lot more common. I have tried to go to the top at Nissan Corp. HQ and all I get is un-returned phone calls and the run-a-round when I do get through to someone.
How can Nissan deny this. This is obviously more than a recall situation, I deserve some answers and total ENGINE reimbursement from Nissan and their crappy engine-eers. I guarantee you that I will never buy another Nissan again!
2008Oct 20
Altima SL 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 117,000 miles
Just got the vehicle 3 weeks ago and we already experienced almost all that has been written. It's very DISAPPOINTING and GRRRR!!! NISSAN should fix these problems to clear their name or nobody will gonna buy their cars anymore. At this point of time, every dollar should be spent wisely, but what happened to us, IT'S CLEAR THAT WE WASTED OUR HARD-EARNED MONEY FOR A PIECE OF JUNK!!! Do you think our government should act or get involve on this problem to protect us consumers?
2008Oct 31
Altima 2.5L 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 70,600 miles
Engine is burning excessive oil. I have read about many people with the same make and model having this same issue. Is this a defect in this model? If yes, we should all get together and take action against Nissan
2008Oct 28
Altima SE 3.5L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 168,000 miles
Hello to everyone who had problem with the oil consumption . The really bad problem is how people are stupid to do not understand what really the problem was . I'm gonna start with 1. If you are equipped with the 3.5L engine ,you are okay (if you had problem with that engine ,it's because you are too idiot to do a good maintenance on it,mine had 168000 miles on it and having no problem) 2. If you are equipped with the 2.5L engine ,the thing are going to be complicated .First you go to the dealer and you said to him that the PRE-CAT(Front catalytic converter just after the manifold) are broken ,told him that because of that s*?%@@& s#?* gonna broke your engine soon (the dealer from Nissan ,friend of mine ,told me that they change altima engine 2 times in a week,and the best solution to stop changing engines all the time is to replace the MANIFOLD by a HEADERS) .Change that part cost 2000$ (part+labor) and you gonna have a great reliable car for years ! Lesson number 1 Before blaming Nissan to do crap ,get yourself the RIGHT INFORMATION to fix that problem .Yes this is a problem that nissan hide and not gonna pay for the conception problem !Long live to Nissan
2008Sep 24
Altima 2.5S 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 116,748 miles
This Nissan is already on its 2nd engine, was replaced at 84,500 miles from hummels Nissan, at the present time, the car has 116,748, I add a quart of oil once a week to this car, being the replacement motor has around 30k miles on it, ive done all the maintenance changed the oil every 3k miles, drive the car like a grand mother very slow, 55mph on the highway. right around 100k miles, was told by the dealership the motor needs to be replaced, since a bolt dropped into cylinder 1, which a fuel injector was replaced, some how it damaged the cylinder wall, Ive called Nissan they will not do anything about this, i like the car, but their are some other serious issues, some may not know about, will post them shortly with photo's which are being supplied to the media and will plaster the internet with these hoping they will get the hint to fix this piece of junk.
2008Oct 17
Altima SL 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 106,876 miles
Purchased the 2002 Altima on a Thursday in October 2008, had the oil changed the following day (Friday), drove 180 miles (300km), and the all the oil was consumed to the point I could hear the valves or lifters tapping away and the oil light was flashing.
I obviously was not aware of this problem prior to buying this car as it came certified and emission tested. The good news is I pulled off the road immediately and didn't drive till I topped up the oil. The bad news is, I drove 40 miles and a quart of oil was consumed. The PCV, air filter and plugs were replaced when I bought the car.
Looks like I purchased a lemon although close to 90% of the reviews on this model were positive. NISSAN, if you're reading this, the consumers have spoken with a unanimous voice, "WE HAVE A PROBLEM HERE".
Do the recall for the 'EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION" problem, it's the honorable thing to do, after all, the Altima's are great cars.
2007Jan 30
Altima 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 80,000 miles
It's time for me to join the frustrated 2002 Nissan Altima 2.5 S owners!!! No heat (except occasionally while accelerating; non-existent when idling or at a red light), burning oil, coolant leaking into the #3 cylinder. I have seen all of these problems all over the internet posted by owners in different forums having the same problems, and, yes, I am also wondering why Nissan refused (or still refuses) to do anything about them. I have been told the same things other owners have been told - maybe a head gasket would work, but, in all probability, a new engine is needed. This runaround by Nissan is sickening! Whatever the costs of our vehicles were, Nissan made the money. It doesn't matter that we didn't purchase vehicles costing $40K or $50K, we have all had problems (and have gone through many recalls), but Nissan still has not come up with a way to either get us heat, stop oil from burning, or prevent us from having to add coolant weekly. Typical of a greedy auto manufacturer, I guess.
2008Jul 14
Altima SL 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 100,000 miles
Add another Nissan owner to the list!!!!!
I purchased my '02 Altima used with 53,000 miles on the engine. At about 80,000 miles my engine started consuming quarts per month. I am not having to get my oil changed once per month to ensure my engine does not seize.
My oil change company stated that they have seen this exact problem in numerous Nissan Altimas.
I can't believe that a company such as Nissan who is known for building quality vehicles would allow this problem to sit "dormant" in the public with no attempt to resolve.
I am going to be escalating this issue with Nissan and add yet another name to the I'm sure HUGE lists of Altima owners who purchased a car with expectations of reliability to only have those expectations flattened by the reality of the Nissan Altima's design flaw!!!!!
2008Jan 01
Altima 205
- Automatic transmission
- 63,000 miles
This is our 6th Nissan since 1981. Always have been happy. Driven them past 250K miles on 2 occasions. We leased 2002 Altima from OH dealer, Fred Martin Motors. then bought it, in 2006, after lease was up. Started having anit-freeze, oil consumption problem. Dealer says we need a new engine for $3800-$4000, estimate. Car beautifully maintained by wife, constant oil changes and maintenance, garaged and in mint condition. Driven less than 10K a year! I think, after reading about other 2002 engines with similar problems, I think the dealer is responsible for a lemon! We want t keep the car another 4-5 years.Any other problems like this in NE OH area.
2007Nov 01
Altima 2.5S 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 83,000 miles
bought this car used in 07, Had car checked out by mechanic before I bought it. after 2 days of driving the oil light came on. checked the oil and it was 2 quarts low. called place where I bought it and they sent me to 3 different places over a few months to have it checked out. I contacted Nissan North America and they admitted that some of the 2002 Altimas were having this problem using oil. Said they hadn't recalled them because they don't know how to fix problem yet. I'm still waiting on problem to be fixed but no one wants to do anything about it. I'm sure other problems are on the way with this car because of the oil problem. Nissans number is 1-800-Nissan-1. Its ridiculous and I think we do need to file a class action lawsuit and get the news channels involved. This car uses 2 quarts of oil every week. I bought this car to save on fuel. I didn't know I'd be spending so much on oil!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2008Jan 01
Altima S 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 87,000 miles
'02 Altima was purchased new. The first 6 years were fine; some recalls, but handled quickly. Now the car is consuming oil and the car won't heat, and the dealer and the manufacturer are acting as if they never heard of this problem. A friend who owns a used car dealership informs me that he sees this problem on half of all the Altimas, and a Google Search returns hundreds of results. My QX4, Infinity made by Nissan, is better, but rusting quicker than expected. Maybe I was wrong about the cars made by companies from Japan. The Japanese car manufactures should all be upset with Nissan for destroying their image. If you have this problem you should call Alex at Nissan 18667991690 X1662--he'd love to hear from you. Make sure you go on the Nissan web site and complain: http://www.nissanusa.com/apps/contactus, have your VIN number ready.
Maybe they just don't understand yet that ignoring everyone will cost them more than correcting their manufacturing errors.
2006Jun 30
Altima SL 2.5L V4
- Automatic transmission
- 70,000 miles
I do not want to sound redundant but my car has had all these problems and then-some. I hate the fact that I bought this car, its only been a burden of over $28,000 (car cost + repairs, excluding future cost of money over time).
- Excessive Oil Use
- Excessive Coolant use and over heating
- Broken seals due to over heating from Excessive Coolant use
- Coolant must be refilled once per week
- Replace of both catalytic converters.
- Multiple sensors broken
- Moisture in headlights
- Car shakes on start up (intermittent)
- Car is difficult to turn on (intermittent)
- Multiple electrical issues, blown headlights, blown rear lights, blown interior lights, Random speaker and radio failures and so on.
- Bad oxygen sensors
- Blinking Red Airbag light (possibly broken airbag system)
- Bad Engine pressure
- Bad gas pressure
- Check Engine light never goes off
... and so on.
2006Jun 02
Altima 2.5L V4
- Automatic transmission
- 80,000 miles
The substrate of catalytic converter is breaking apart and causing excessive oil consumption and possible engine failure. The low oil light will not come on if you have proper oil pressure letting you run the engine with little or no oil. The Nissan Corp has been aware of this problem for some time and continues to let the consumer foot the bill.
2008Aug 01
Altima 2.5S 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 72,500 miles
have read the many, many problems on this website about the 02, 03 Altima's engine consuming excessive oil, then failing. The solution, so I hear, is a whole new engine. Well, this same exact thing has happened to me. Has anyone contacted Nissan Corporate Public Relations? How about the press? Cartalk? Edmunds? The Consumerist? Bloggers? They might be more effective than hiring a high priced lawyer for a class action lawsuit. If we could get the word out the public, and tarnish the reputation of this company, the corporate communications execs will have to pay attention. It is their job! So now I am going to contact the dealer and consumer affairs, get a case file started, although I am sure it will do no good.
2008Jul 27
Altima 2.5S
- Automatic transmission
- 105 miles
I am having the same problem as everyone here. I bought a Nissan (always had a Ford) in April 2008 cause I heard they were really good cars. I have had 2 professional oil change and both companies have said they don't see any leaks and everything looks great. One month ago I just looked at my oil dip stick and there was nothing on it. I have 105,000 miles on it and I'm not due for another oil change until 108 miles. I am having to put in a quart to 2 quarts a week. I have called Nissan and they tell me that they haven't heard this complaint and that I need to take it to a Nissan dealership. I think I might just go back to my Ford (FYI I sold my Ford Expedition because of the gas rise. I'm really starting to miss it.) What is sad is I have 2 kids and I have to make sure before I take them to school, Zoo, ect. that I have to tell people to hold on I have to check my oil before I start my car.
2008Jul 10
Altima S 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 132,000 miles
My car is having excessive oil consumption, got my oil changed and 2 days later not registering on dip stick, only drove the car about 100 miles, Now problem is still occurring, have 133,000 miles and have to add between 1/2 qt. and 1 qt. daily. cannot see any smoke and it is not leaking oil from anywhere. This is ridiculous. have had nothing but problem after problem since i bought the car and no one wants to take responsibility for the crappy engines in these Altimas. I'm soooo frustrated at this point. reported the problem to Nissan and they say they have not received many complaints of this. I've explained that I have seen several on line and many people are having the same exact problems. If you are having a problem it is really important that you call Nissan and report it. It's obvious this is a common problem.
2008May 28
Altima 2.5S 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 109,000 miles
I have a 2002 Altima with 109000 miles on it. The precat failed in May 2008. After it was fixed under warranty the motor started using a qt. of oil every 700 miles. I took it back to the dealer. The said it needs a new motor. I asked if Nissan will cover it? They are checking with Nissan. I have read this is a result of the precat failing. The insides of the precat get sucked back up into the motor and score the cylinder walls. This seems to be a very common problem. If Nissan doesn't cover it, I will be contacting an attorney. This sounds like it could be grounds for a class action lawsuit.
2008Jul 30
Altima
- Automatic transmission
- 100,000 miles
My husband and I have had the EXACT same problems that pretty much everyone on here has listed for the Nissan Altima - excessive oil consumption, blown catalytic converter, engine had to be replaced, rattling engine, etc. I've researched these problems a lot and there are seriously HUNDREDS of us out there. Nissan has to fix this. Here's a petition. Please sign it and I'll send it to Nissan once we have enough signatures. They can't stick it to so many Americans and just walk off scot free.
http://start-a-petition.com/showPetition.asp?p=MakeNissanTakeResponsibility
2008Jan 06
Altima 2.5L Sl
- Automatic transmission
- 85,000 miles
COULD NOT FIND WHERE THE NISSAN ALTIMA WAS LEAKING OIL - I WAS PUTTING IN 3 TO 4 QUARTS EVERY 3 WEEKS - NO SIGN OF CAR LEAKING OIL, ONLY BURNING OIL - EXCESSIVE OIL USE
2005Mar 25
Altima 2.5L
- Manual transmission
- 70,000 miles
Will never buy another NISSAN product again. Had 3 no starts within first 6 months of purchase. Incompetent dealership techs never identified a problem. Eventually engine failed at 104K miles. Should have stayed with Toyota.
2008May 20
Altima SE 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 110,000 miles
I cannot believe I am not the only one having this problem. Excessive oil consumption, needs new catalytic converter, and also a new engine because this problem has been occurring who knows since when so the damage to the engine has already been done, (the defect began before the warranty was to expire)
However, Nissan won’t take responsibility because the car is over the warranty miles, unless I provide them with records on paper of every oil change the car has had. Which is absurd for a 6-year-old car.
SO I AM URGING EVERYONE TO COME TOGETHER FOR THIS COMMON PROBLEM. LETS DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
What Nissan is doing is outrageously wrong.
You may email me at klarunaa@yahoo.com
2008Apr 04
Altima S 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 63,000 miles
I was reading about the guy who wants buy the billboard. I really think that is a good Idea. Honestly I can't afford a billboard, or let alone my car and all it repairs. I want to make flyer's and start by going to malls and circling my neighbor putting flyer's on peoples car, telling them to list there complaints here. Who knows somebody might just know what to do, or maybe we can get enough people together to get something done. I stop people on the street who drive this car and ask questions. Maybe somebody will know how to get ahead in this crazy world. This is just crazy we did do something. I made friends with somebody who just called to tell me there engine just died on them yesterday! Maybe if we can't get it taken care of, at least we can support each other when our cars finally die!
2008Jan 15
Altima LS 2.5L V4
- Automatic transmission
- 70,000 miles
I have had this car for almost 7 years - it has been recalled several times but for nothing major. Since January, it has been constantly running out of oil. There are no oil leaks. It has been looked at by my local mechanic and also my Nissan dealer- each found no evidence of what is causing the problem. The car has been flushed and tested at the cost of a few hundred dollars- no solution. I then read on line that many people have had this problem making it evident there is an inherent defect with the car's engine. I expect cars in this day and age to last well over 100,000 miles and have owned several that reached over 120,000. This car's problem at minimum should be fixed at no cost to me by the dealer. When I have gone there they acted as if they knew nothing of this type of problem with many Altimas. Hard to believe they are completely unaware of the defect existing in so many of these cars. I am trying to resolve with them but not counting on success particularly after reading what others with the same problem have gone through.
2007Nov 01
Altima 2.5sl
- Automatic transmission
- 59,000 miles
Same problem of needing a new engine because of the precat issue. After patiently waiting for 1800nissan1 to tell me they won't give me goodwill assistance, I found a technical service bulletin online. TSB 03-070c outlines the criteria for which Nissan will give customer a replacement engine free of charge. There are three things that need to occur. First, the computer diagnostic must spit out the P0420 code for three way catalyst failure. Second, the ECM must be reprogrammed. Finally, a visual inspection of the pre catalytic converter must be done. All of these must be performed at a Nissan dealership. If the pre catalytic converter is determined to be cracked, the TSB clearly saya that the engine will be replaced at no cost to the consumer. Once I took this document to the dealership, and they contacted Nissan, it only took them a day to decide that they would give me a new (rebuilt) engine. I hope this information will help some people out there.
2006Jun 09
Altima SE 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 85,000 miles
Car followed the altima typical path--bad cat, blown head gasket, oil pressure light on, blown main bearings. Car is done !!!!!
2007Sep 07
Altima
- Automatic transmission
- 100,000 miles
2002 Nissan engines and Nissan not giving a damn. CLASS ACTION HERE WE COME!
i have found the lawyer that handled fords class action lawsuit! i am contacting them asap. if anyone wants to join by all means e-mail me.
pudgycity22@hotmail.com
2008Jan 02
Altima ES 2.5L V4
- Automatic transmission
- 103,000 miles
After reading the many complaints about this model Altima, I am compelled to add my voice to this issue. As all of you, I've had many garages and dealer tell me that the excessive oil consumption has damaged the engine and must be replaced. This is absolute horse-shi*!! There is no way that cars of this type and "reliability rating" should have this type of problem at 103,000 miles. These days this is not an excessive mileage count. Nissan is a big, rich car maker and when they say they can't afford to recall and replace engines that are a result of a design flaw, they are lying to our faces and BREAKING THE LAW!! I don't know what else to do but keep filing complaints with Nissan, but something legally must be done to help us!! Anyway, I will continue to read complaints and maybe one day (before my engine blows up) we will be compensated for a breach of customer service rights.
2008May 07
Altima SE 2.5L
- Manual transmission
- 89,998 miles
My car has been consistently maintained by the dealership. In March 2008 I brought the car in because it was rattling. The oil was all gone. They told me I needed a new catalytic converter, which cost me over $1,300 and to bring it back in to test the oil consumption. I brought it back in May 2008 and they told me I needed a new engine, which would cost about $4,000. I took it somewhere else and they did some things to it for a few hundred bucks and told me to bring it back if there were any more problems. A month later the oil was all gone again. They told me today that indeed the engine is burning oil and going bad. They are pricing a used engine for me. I'm really angry that even with all the dealer maintenance of this car the engine is going bad after only about 90k miles. And why did I have to pay that much to replace the catalytic converter only to find out my engine was gone????
2006Mar 04
Altima 2.5L
- Manual transmission
- 78,000 miles
I have respectfully requested that Nissan North America replace the engine in my 2002 Nissan Altima, VIN 1N4AL11D52C222544 Case#5865538.
The very public and well-documented problems with oil consumption in the 2002 and 2003 Nissan Altimas warrant your immediate attention. I have spent over 18 months and thousands of dollars trying to fix my car. I first noticed an oil consumption problem at about 75,000 miles. I keep up with the required services on my vehicle and I make oil changes at the recommended intervals at a minimum, so I tried additional oil changes and oil refills. These efforts did not seem to work; so I replaced the catalytic converter, the two crank position sensors, the PCV valve, four coil packs, two oxygen sensors, and the spark plugs. Many of these items were on recall and Nissan should have paid for them, but I paid for them. Even after all of this time and money � the problem persisted, so I began to suspect a defect in design and/or manufacture.
With this in mind I started researching to see if others shared my frustrations. To my surprise, I found countless numbers of Nissan Altima owners were having the exact same issues. In fact, there are now reports of the 2002/2003 Altima�s engines catching on fire because of this oil consumption problem. This risk of engine fire presents a risk for injury or death to vehicle occupants, especially since part of the problem includes no warning that the engine is running dry. My surprise stems from the fact that I bought a Nissan based upon Nissan�s outstanding reputation for quality vehicles
As previously mentioned, my exhaustive research has uncovered countless numbers of Nissan Altima drivers with these exact same complaints. Many are involved in class action lawsuit steps against Nissan. However, it was my sincerest hope that Nissan North America will professionally stand behind their products and take ownership of this extremely pervasive Nissan Altima defect and acquiesce to my humblest request just to have my automobile and its engine perform as I and Nissan intended when I purchased their product.
Nissan North America has it within their power to turn this apparent failure into a public relations and customer satisfaction and loyalty success story. Nissan North America has denied my request for a new engine. They also denied and assistance if I purchased a new engine. I have done everything they asked, which included multiple oil consumption tests. When these tests were being performed, I was told that if they cracked the engine and did an engine inspection to prove the engine was well maintained, I would receive a new engine. The local Huntsville dealership cracked the engine and stated it was the cleanest they ever saw. When Nissan North America was informed of this they declined my request for a new engine or any assistance. After pressing the Nissan agent as to why, he said it was a business decision and Nissan North America could not afford to replace everyone�s engine.
2008Jun 13
Altima 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 97,000 miles
i just had my car at the dealer 2day for oil change, new brakes, and a rattling sound that it was making, the dealer called me b4 performing the work to tell me that the reason my car was rattling is because i only had 1 quart of oil left in it. There is no oil leak, the engine is burning oil. She explained it to me as the piston rings are shot and i need a new engine. conveniently enough my extended warranty expired 2 months ago. but to really understand my pain i have to go back to 90,000 miles when the warranty was still in effect and explain that the car was losing coolant and the head gasket was blown. Causeway Nissan replaced the head gasket and the warranty covered it. BUT they couldn't see the faulty piston rings at that point?? Cmon. The manager of the service department explained the problem to me as a DESIGN FLAW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! how can that not be covered under a recall? i just don't understand. i bought this car brand new, it has had SEVERAL RECALLS and problems. THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL I AM PAYING TO REPLACE THE ENGINE OF A CAR WITH ONLY 97,000 miles on it. Of course i have opened a complaint with Nissan corp. and have yet to hear back from them. I am all for a class action lawsuit. These corporations just keep getting richer while i am out thousands. there is no word to describe how pissed off i am right now.
2008Apr 29
Altima 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 92,000 miles
b s for bad catalytic converter to trash engine- lets seek restitution
2008Jan 06
Altima 2.5s
- Automatic transmission
- 77,500 miles
I have been in and out of the country throughout the 2007 year and for the first three months of 2008. The day before leaving Nevis, West Indies (March 12,2008)to return in the States, my mother-in-law called me to tell me that my 2002 Altima did not have in oil in it. That was pretty shocking knowing that I had serviced my car about a week before I left for Nevis. I was very mad because I believed that the Service Station (Mount Holly Car Wash, NJ) did not put enough oil in my car. When I came back, I went there the next day to complain. The owner on the station was very surprised also and refilled my engine with oil.
A week later, the oil was gone. I brought the car to the dealership for check up, oil change and transmission flush. Upon explaining to them the situation I was facing with the car, they told me that I have to come back in a month for them to check the level of the oil. I responded by letting them know that the oil is not even lasting that long. After that, they were willing to have me back there a week later.
When I went back at the dealership (Classic Nissan, Mount Holly, NJ), I was surprised to hear that I needed a new engine. I knew that I maintained my car extremely well all of this years and I was and still am paying for it. At first they told me that I was covered with my extended warranty for a new engine only to be denied because I was out of the warranty 18 days prior to me going back at the dealership. I was asked to pay $4,700 for all the repair needed for my car to run normally. I could hardly accept this. I was very disappointed at Nissan as a manufacturor because I barely drove that car yet I maintained it very well.
The next thing I did was to contact Nissan North America to let them know of my situation. The customer service was simply horrible. They barely responded to my calls and messages and it took them almost two weeks to come up with a dismissal of my case saying that they could not find the record of all the servicing of my car from one of the dealerships--Devon Nissan, PA--because the previous dealer "A" sold the place to the current dealer "B". According to them, the dealer "A" erased all the record and did not transfer all the record dealer "B". I was so furious that I yelled at the regional specialist for about 30mins. I was very hurt by the fact that Nissan did not even want to recognize this engine problem as normal. They made it seem as if it was my fault that the engine was burning oil out of no where.
It was even hurting to me when I went on the internet just to find that so many people have the same problem all at the same time, yet Nissan does not want to do anything about it. I really do not know what it takes to get this engine recall but I would like to see Nissan pay for all of this deception.
I am definitely sure that I will not buy any more Nissan in my life. I gave them (Nissan) a chance to help the situation and they lied to me and many other out there.
So if you are planning a law suit, I am there with you!!!!!!
2008Apr 26
Altima 2.5S 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 60,000 miles
One more instance of the engine giving up in the 2002 Altima. No more Nissan's for me.
I was taking a long drive and the engine started making a clanking noise. I took it to the dealer, who said the engine needs to be replaced.
I wish I had read this website earlier. No more Nissan's for me.
I am all up for a class action lawsuit against Nissan for doing nothing about this problem.
2008Apr 02
Altima 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 98,000 miles
I say that all us 2002 Nissan Altima owners get together and file a class action suit against Nissan for willfully knowing about this problem and doing nothing to fix it. And now they want the customer to foot the bill to replace the engine. This is pure bull crap and they need to own up to this problem.
2008Apr 19
Altima SL 2.4L
- Automatic transmission
- 112,500 miles
We regularly take our 2002 Nissan Altima for servicing at the dealer and have the oil and filter changed every 3000 miles. Over the past year we noticed unusual oil consumption within oil changes. We mentioned this to the dealer and they asked us to check for oil leaks. No oil leaks whatsoever. We had the oil changed again last month, March 08 and drove from Canada to Myrtle Beach on April 6. We started to hear a knocking sound and took the car to a mechanic who couldn't find the problem and unfortunately no one thought of checking the oil as we had the oil changed within the past month. The oil light did not come on on both occasions.The mechanic said he thought that it might be the timing belt and we could have that repaired when we returned to Canada. But, we had the timing belt and water pump replaced in late 2007 so that couldn't be the problem. On our way back to Canada, we heard a loud sound, smoke and the car died on us. We are now stranded in PA and had tp pay $200 to tow the car to the nearest nissan dealer which is closed until Monday am. We are stranded here and are at a hotel with our dog and are frustrated after reading all the complaints about the altima problems. Any suggestions from anyone while I wait for the dealer to open tomorrow morning? I am from Toronto and I plan to contact Nissan Canada when I return to Toronto...but in the meantime any ideas on how long it takes to have the car repaired and the costs involved? The tow truck driver took one look and said that there is hole blown out on the side of the motor. HELP!!!!
2005May 15
Altima SE 3.5L V6
- Manual transmission
- 56,500 miles
i bought my 2002 Nissan Altima V6 mt used with 46,000 miles on it and at 56,500 the top end started to chatter from lack of oil. i realized my engine was burning oil and i was adding a quart or two after only 1,500-2,000 miles after an oil change. i took it in to the dealer when it was chattering and they tore the engine down and found blue scaring from to much heat,caused by lack of oil. as soon as i would hear this noise i would add oil so they said it was probably from the previous owner running it with lack of oil. after 2 and a half months,the dealer got fought to get the whole engine replaced and did covered by factory warranty.great right! well my new engine after about 50,000 thousand miles is doing the same thing.no factory warranty or extended so till i finish paying it off i just add oil.Nissan never said why this was happening but the catalytic converters coming apart and getting sucked back into engine could have been the issue on the first engine but this one, i don't know.hope to hear of other problems like mine. peace!
2006Aug 01
Altima 2.5S 2.5i4
- Automatic transmission
- 105,000 miles
i bought my Nissan Altima in march of 2003 it was an 2002 with 20000 miles on it. it was a very beautiful car when i looked it and i couldn't afford the insurance on a mustang so i got it. had no problems till 2006. my converter was stopped up and i don't know why but the converter caused my car to burn oil and then when i had the head gasket replaced it got worst. since 2006 i have replaced my converter 3 times and im so sick of it i have to pay payments on a car that i cant really drive unless im going to the store.
2007Dec 26
Altima 2.5 S 2.5L 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 96,268 miles
Got this car Used in July 06, from reputable local dealer I've bought from before.
It was a Japanese car, and I've had great success in the past with used Japanese cars. I've had Nissans, Toyota, Datsun, Subaru's and Mazda's...never had to do anything with any of them but change the oil regularly and occasional tune up and put gas in them, and they were small enough the when I did have to put tires on them - the tread would last forever and I never paid more than $1500, for any of them....so when they asked me about an extended warranty on this car, I thought a little bit then broke into a laugh...thought that didn't make any sense.
Got the car for my daughter that was about to get her license, and it sat in the garage most of the time for the first 4-5 months. Then we started driving it...got around 4K miles on it - [well after the 30 warranty on the used car had expired], and get a check engine light! - took it to the dealer, they said it was the cc, ...and it was 3 qts low on oil, ...and with consumption like that, it would probably need a new engine, and cc. for $4500 and may need a couple of new O2 sensors also that would bring it up to around $4900! ....I thought he was joking!...then I started researching it on the net - I had when I bought it - typing in 2002 Nissan Altima - and everything showed up great, but when I added the word "complaints" to the search word group - all the problems with this year's altima's started showing up on the search. It didn't even show up on carfax! As I started to read the issues I started seeing all these engine, oil consumption, cc exhaust problems AND read the recalls. There was a recall on this issue back in 2003, I thought maybe is wasn't done - there was no mention of it in car fax and nothing in the maint records I'd got with the car. So I called Nissan America, they confirmed that all the recalls that were supposed to be done on it had been, and that they had all been done by Van dyn Hoven Imports in Appleton - which is where I'd just got this list of problems and the $4900 estimate from. I ask NA if there wasn anything they could do to help me out here - but they said that if I had any problems with the work I'd have to take it to them. OK - so I called the Nissan dealer again - to try to get copies of the maint records on the car, from their previous work done for previous owners of the car. I figured it's my car now, I should be entitled to the maint history on the car....NO - they've got a company policy...probably coached from some corporate lawyer, that prohibits them from giving out the maint records of any maint done for other owners.....So I was back to square one ...been recording the oil consumption, to get a good base line and drive it modestly, at slow speeds, while I did more research on the problem and yesterday it finally started making a lot of noise, and now I'm taking it to the dealer again next week, for more diagnostic eval and expecting for them to tell me it needs a new engine, cc, and probably a couple of sensors. I've got less than 6,000 miles on this car and it's turning out to be the most expensive Japanese car I've ever owned and feel like I've learned some expensive lessons - first and foremost - I'll never blindly expect Japanese cars to be maint free again. 2nd - I've learned the hard way to be sure to include the word "Complaints" in the search when checking out data on a prospective car/truck I'm interested in buying...3rd - Getting an extended warranty on the vehicle ASAP after you drive it off the lot is still a good deal - even it the car already has 100K on the car, ...the $1500-2000 you spend on it - beats $5K on an engine any day.
2004Mar 19
Altima 2.5S 2.5L I4
- Automatic transmission
- 45,000 miles
Always changed oil every 4-5k with quality oil. At about 45K miles, car started drinking oil- 4 quarts between changes. Found out that recall with heat manifold/ECM reprogram was not completed after I paid $700 to have the dealer re-do it. Service tech recommends engine replacement to solve oil consumption- $4500. I say F*ck Nissan, I will buy anything else before I fix this piece of sh*t. Contacted Consumer affairs many times via letter and phone. They do not return phone calls or letters. They state that the improperly done recall that probably ruined eng. is not their fault because I took over 12 mos to find out that the recall was not done.
2008Feb 14
Altima 2.5S 2.5L
- Manual transmission
- 10,900 miles
Oil is just disappearing, had an oil change at Walmart and the next day it was very low and began to knock. Walmart replaced the oil and gave me my $ back. I am still having this problem and will be going to the dealer. But, after reading these complaints it looks like I'm going to spending a lot of $$$$$$$$
2006Nov 02
(reported on)Altima 2.5S 2.5L V4
- Manual transmission
- 83,000 miles
I started consuming oil thought there was a leak. Drove for 1 week. Took into Nissan they could not find the problem. did an oil consumption test. in 100 miles my Altima went threw 9quarts of oil. Took it back to Nissan the warranty company had them tear down the engine with my consent. The piston rings failed leading to the oil consumption. The warranty company would not fix the engine due to no records of oil changes. Thats f*ckin bullshit i change my own oil. The car is still not fixed this problem occurred 4 months ago. i contacted corporate Nissan a number of times. No one ever called me back. Thats f*cked up. I will never buy another Nissan again nor would i recommend it to any one else
2007May 08
(reported on)Altima SE 2.5
- Manual transmission
- 89,000 miles
After nine documented trips to two different dealerships, countless phone calls, and an unimaginable amount of my time wasted, Nissan refuses to fix my car. I was putting 3 quarts of oil in my 2002 Altima every 2 weeks which is "acceptable oil consumption" according to Nissan. I knew I had to fix the car for fear of being sued by the new owner if I didn't disclose the problems and knowing I couldn't sell the car if I did disclose the problems. I even spoke with an attorney about it and he said Nissan covered their ass with the wording of their service agreement so I didn't have anything to stand on. Nissan knows this is a problem and won't do anything about it. Meanwhile we are the ones getting screwed.
2007Apr 26
(reported on)Altima 2.5 SL V4
- Automatic transmission
- 98,500 miles
I guess I wasn't the only one having this problem.
I drive about 120-150 miles a day, so I really need to have a reliable car. Because of that, I've been taking the car into STS Tire and Auto for oil changes about every 6-7 weeks. I also put coolant into the car pretty regularly. In March 2007, my check engine light came on for the hundredth time (since 70,000 it comes on and off) so I took it to get it checked out. Turns out my catalytic converter had melted!! After getting that fixed, along with my spark plugs (and of course Nissan uses the laser cut ones $$$), the light came back again because the engine was overheating. Around this time, we also noticed that the car was burning up oil. I got stuck at work one day because it ran out of oil. Had to run to ShopRite with someone else to buy some. Took the car in to get the last service engine light looked at, STS added more oil and coolant and that was pretty much the beginning of the end. Car started shuddering really badly in the Home Depot parking lot, and the next day, it never made it out of my garage.
Nissan is saying the engine's pretty much shot. They also said that the catalytic converter lost some debris into the engine. How does that even make sense!!! I'm not even going to let them fix it. See if I can find a used engine and have it put in by a private mechanic and then sell the car to a dealership.
Next car I buy will be an Acura/Honda. No way will I ever buy another Nissan ever ever again. And I'll be sure to tell everyone else the same thing!
2008Feb 27
Altima ES 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 75,000 miles
I bought this used car from a dealer early last year for my son. From Day 1 it seemed to
be consuming an unusually large amount of oil, so much so that my son was putting
oil in on a regular basis between oil changes. It all came to a head a couple of
weeks ago when my son returned home for the weekend and said the oil light was
coming on. I was totally shocked to find that there was virtually no oil left, especially
since it had only gone 1700 miles since the last oil change. It was all downhill from
there.....after filling with oil, it continued to get worse....trouble starting it...rough
running.... and the check engine light was on....brought it to the local dealer who proceeded to replace the catalytic converter and said my problems should be over.
They also changed the oil again. Not even a week later, it would not start, so I had to tow it to another Nissan dealer. After flushing the system and replacing the spark plugs
the tune of $300 (not to mention my rental car charges for both) they ran some additional tests to check on the oil leak. Now they tell me that 2 of the cylinders are misfiring and I need a new engine....another $3700. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER NISSAN AGAIN!!!
2007Aug 15
Altima 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 100,000 miles
Don't buy Nissan if you need your time and like your money.
2007May 09
(reported on)Altima
- Automatic transmission
- 131,000 miles
Ok guys. My heart bleeds for everyone on this site. I have been through the mill with this car and have had it. I finally received confirmation today from my service tech, off the record of course, that Nissan has known full well that this model car had major problems. At 97000 miles, my check engine light went on. Like any good car owner, I took my car to the dealership to find out the problem. I trusted them and did no research on my own when they told me that my catalytic converter went. I had it replaced and went on my way. At approximately 124000 miles that pesky check engine light appeared again. This time when I took it, it read that cylinder 2 was misfiring. After 2 days of testing it was reported to me that cylinder 2 was filling with coolant signaling that my head gasket was blown. This time I decided to research this on the Internet finding out all of the horror stories of converters breaking off and pieces going into the engine. When I asked my tech about this, I was assured that this was not the case and gave my car a clean bill of health after replacing the gasket to the tune of 1200 bucks. One month later, I heard an awful noise from under the hood. It sounded like a motor boat. I called my tech. As I was on the phone with him the oil light went on and off. He told me to immediately go to a gas station and have the oil checked. To my surprise, my car had no oil in it what so ever. It took 4 quarts of oil and I brought the car into the shop again. This time they changed my oil for no reason since I just put 4 new quarts in at the gas station. They charged me 32 bucks for the oil change and started an oil consumption test.640 miles later I went through 2 quarts on oil. I reported this to my tech. The next day that check engine light came on again. After bringing it back, My tech alerted me that I now need a new engine. He also told me that Nissan knew about these problems and did nothing about it. He told me to contact Nissan NA at 1800nissan 1. I sat on hold for 1 hour before finally talking to a service rep. He took my info and started a case file that will be reviewed. When I told him the amount of miles on the car it didn't seem like he wanted to help. It wasn't until I told him that I knew of these issues and that my converter was replaced once before. I asked why I wasn't told about this when my converter first went bad to which he didn't have an answer. My only hope is that this post will help other people. If they do nothing to help me I will get rid of the car and do everything in my power to make sure that no one that I know buys a nissan. It is a travesty. Hopefully if more people complain and know about this we can start a class action suit against nissan NA
2007Mar 01
Altima
- Manual transmission
- 60,000 miles
We bought our used 2002 Nissan Altima in March of 2007. I drive about 65 miles to work roundtrip 5 days a week. After driving it a couple of months we started to notice we needed to put oil in it the start of every week if not the engine would make a terrible noise. When we purchased the car we got an extended warranty for it. We decided we needed to take it in to see what the heck is going on. We took it to our Nissan Dealer figuring they would be the best to handle it. At first they just couldn't figure why we were having to put so much oil in every week. They said we would have to pay for the tear down of the engine but that if it was something under warranty then we wouldn't have to pay but if not we would have to pay for tear down and the cost to fix it. UGHHH we really didn't have a choice so we consented to the tear down. They sent a warranty adjuster out and after a couple of days they agreed to give us a refurbished engine and pay for everything. I know it sounds good, however after about a month with our refurbished engine it's doing the same thing our old one did, the oil seems to be vanishing into thin air. How is that even possible. With this refurbished engine they gave us a 12 month 12,000 mile warranty guess we are taking it back to Nissan again ! ! I will never buy another Nissan
2008Jan 03
Altima LS 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 105,000 miles
I have a 2002 Altima with 105,000 miles. In Oct 2007 started hearing engine knocking noise. I noticed that my oil was very low and began adding oil every few weeks. But it was not enough. By the end of Nov 2007 the engine had been damaged so badly that it had to be replaced at a cost of over $4,000. What is Nissan doing about this problem ?
2007Mar 02
Altima SL 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 90,000 miles
Problem with the excessive oil consumption. Adding oil at least every 2-3 days. I
am very annoyed and disappointed in Nissan. I am also having a problem with my
catalytic converter, which this is the reason why the car is consuming so much oil.
I had an extended warranty at the time I took the car in 02 or 03 of this year. Nissan
does not want to correct the problem on either case. Did I also mention that the
SES light is still on after 2 years. If my problem is not corrected. I will NEVER
purchase another NISSAN and I will let everyone know I come in contact with how
horrible they are!
2007May 29
(reported on)Altima
- Automatic transmission
- 120,000 miles
Well it seems that this is an ongoing problem with the Altima and Nissan has done NOTHING. I've brought my vehicle in at 17K miles because it was losing oil from the beginning. The car was still under warranty at that time and they couldn't find the problem. They changed the catalyst converter (at my expense) and still no fix. A few months ago I brought my vehicle to Pinehurst Nissan in NC to have one of Nissan's finest mechanics look at it. I'm still having to put oil in it every few 100 miles. When I returned to pick up the car I was told that I needed a new engine. I asked to see how they came to that conclusion and not one person was able to show me. They also told me that they sent in my request for a new engine (on my behalf) and it was declined. Of course it was. There was no documentation to back it up. I really feel that I’m in good hands knowing that Nissan puts their mechanics through such extensive training so that they can diagnose a problem by just looking at it. After doing some research on my own this is a big problem – Nissan’s problem. It’s all over the internet. I've been in contact with Victor Lancaster (Regional Rep for this area) and nothing has been done. All I get is the run around. He told me that they would look at it but I would have to cover the breakdown of the engine. If indeed it was Nissan's recall problem then they would reimburse me. Who has $4000 to just lay out. Not me! I’ve taken it upon myself to send letters to ALL Nissan personnel, even the president Carlos Ghosn. 27 letters in all. I’ve also sent a complaint to the Consumer Affairs department (www.consumeraffairs.com/php/a_report. php). I hope this will help all of us get this resolved. If you would like to do what I did here's the website to get all the information of employees – www.nissannews.com/corporate/bios/index. shtml. Please start sending letters. If everyone does this maybe we’ll break them down. I won’t stop until I do!!!! Steve, Let me know if you do call the news. I'm not that far from you! We'll go at it together!
2007Jul 19
Altima 2.5L
- Manual transmission
- 80,000 miles
NISSAN IS A HORRIBLE COMPANY!!!!!
I have been a lifelong Nissan fan,prior to this last purchase of the 02 Altima, I have purchased approx 12-15 cars within my family and I could not have been happier. I had been reporting an engine noise & high oil consumption since I bought the car in 2006. The noise was associated with, what eventually became, an extreme engine consumption problem. When the consumption problem became obvious, Nissan Consumer affairs said that I had to bring it to a Nissan dealership every 500 miles to have them monitor the oil and change it. I took it to Nissan. They wanted me tto pay out of pocket for my diagnostic before they could even address the problem or see if it was a covered expense. Well it wasn't & now my warranty was up. NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS WILL NOT HONOR MY WARRANTY!! They said that it expired, and even though I had been reporting this for years that they would NOT be able to help me!! Now I am stuck with a car that has a bad engine. I will never ever buy Nissan products again. This is a rip off & legal action should be taken.
2007Nov 05
(reported on)Altima 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 86,992 miles
My 2002 Nissan Altima check engine light came on and then this past week I have been adding 1 quart of oil almost every 450 miles
Compression seems fine and lots of power and really no smoke or burning smell. So it is really scary when you keep adding oil, where is all the oil going? I had a choice to buy a domestic car or foreign.I picked the Nissan because they don't fail you and usually the engine is the best. Nissan has lost my sense of security. I will most likely buy a GM/FORD or DODGE/CHRYSLER PRODUCT. Someone suggested a pre cat problem what is that?
2007Oct 25
(reported on)Altima SE 3.5L
- Manual transmission
- 98,000 miles
i havent seen anyone really complain about the 3.5 which is what i have. just wondering does anyone here change their own oil. its a know fact that the places who do the quick oil changes dont really car about your car the way you do. i have heard many stories about people who dont change thier own oil and end up needing a new engine. i change my own and have never had any problems. i use royal purple high preformance full syntheic oil and a k&n high preformance engine oil filter. just wondering if the problem may not be with nissan maybe its who changes your oil
2007Oct 18
(reported on)Altima 3.2L V6
- Manual transmission
- 103,000 miles
I own a 2002 Nissan Altima that seemed to be running rough in between oil changes. I had the dealer run a diagnostic test to confirm the car was burning oil and imagine my surprise when I was told my car would need a new engine! It was insinuated by the dealership that I had not taken very good care of my car (I have all the synthetic oil change receipts in the glove box) so I was made to feel this was my fault, not a manufacturing defect in the car. I will be spending the $9,800 I was told it would cost for a new engine but it will not be going towards that car. I am going to use it for a down payment on ANYTHING that is not in the Nissan family.
2007Oct 10
(reported on)Altima Limited 3.2L V6
- Manual transmission
- 51,000 miles
NISSAN IS A HORRIBLE COMPANY!!!!!
I had the extended Plus Gold warranty, and had been reporting an engine noise since I bought the car new in 2002. The noise was associated with, what eventually became, an extreme engine consumption problem. When the consumption problem became obvious, Nissan Consumer affairs said that I had to bring it to a Nissan dealership every 500 miles to have them monitor the oil and change it. Which meant I was to pay for an oil change every 500 miles for them to figure out more about the problem. That was at 45,000 miles. I took it to a liscenced mechanic, and when it got really bad (no oil after 1500 miles, which was around 57,000 miles) I took it to Nissan. They said I needed a new engine, but then found my warranty was up. NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS WILL NOT HONOR MY WARRANTY!! They said that it expired, and even though I had been reporting this for years that they would NOT be able to help me!! Now I am stuck with a car that has a bad engine. Oh, did I mention that I have been in Nissan hundreds of times for multiple other problems, recalls, and defects with my car! NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS has 9 files that I have reported regarding PROBLEMS with the car! I will never ever buy another Nissan anything!!!
2007Aug 17
(reported on)Altima SE 3.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 75,000 miles
EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION: FILL UP WITH OIL, CHECK THE GAS
2007Aug 12
(reported on)Altima 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 91,177 miles
i bought a used car with high mileage, but did purchase an additional 100,000 mile warranty. found out my car has precat failure which means part of the first converter has been sucked back into the motor. this has scored cylinder walls and damaged all internals. the car uses a qt of oil per tank of gas and the warranty company has refused to cover damage since it is powertrain only and does not included "due to exhaust" i wouldn't have known the car had this problem as dealers don't let you test drive a used car for 700 miles. please see thenissanfight.com if you have this problem too.
2007Aug 05
(reported on)Altima S 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 110,000 miles
I too have an 02' altima and I've been dumping in a quart and half every other day, I get about 60 miles out of a quart of oil. I had the pre-cat replaced at 63,000 miles and now after 50,000 miles the same check engine oil is on. With a code p0420 and I've talked to Nissan North America and they won't help me, and the only answer I could get out of them is I'm out of warranty. Its apparent they didn't fix the problem the first time the light came on. I've owned the car for two yrs and have had nothing but problems since I bought it. The air bag light has been on ever since three weeks after I got it and the dealership said they didn't know why it was flashing so they turn it off and as soon as I left the dealership it came on again, gggrrrr. When will Nissan own up to their mistakes and fix these cars and get that damn pre-cat off that engine. Its clearly does not work but they keep replacing them with the same thing that came off the engine in the first place. I think they should put headers on them and leave out the pre-cat, and if you own one of these cars and don't have this problem yet, you will.... REPLACE YOU EXHAUST WITH AN AFTERMARKET STARTING WITH THE EXHAUST HEADER NON PRE-CAT. This should prevent the oil consumption issue, and someone said the butterfly screws from the intake come off and go into the engine? If so put a little locktite on them and it should hold them.
2007Jul 24
(reported on)Altima 2.5S 2.5L I4
- Automatic transmission
- 91,000 miles
Like many of the other users on this site, I have had extensive engine problems with my 2002 Altima. At about 70,000 miles, the check engine light began illuminating periodically and an overheating code would be displayed when the vehicle was taken to the dealer. At about 80,000 miles, the car began using excessive amounts of coolant (about one gallon of antifreeze and water mixture every two months) and the car began rattling when the oil got low. Now, 11,000 miles later, I have been using at least three quarts of oil per week to keep the car functioning. The car rattles excessively when starting up and while accelerating. After having taken the car to a local repair shop, I was quoted almost $5,000 for an engine rebuild. The owner of the shop advised me that he had another 2002 Altima in the shop for the same problem. He told me that an area Nissan dealership technician advised him that this was a commonly known problem and that he would definitely not recommend another Altima, especially after requiring an engine rebuild with less than 100,000 miles. I'm doing the smart thing--trading mine in for something reliable.
2007Jul 22
(reported on)Altima S 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 110,000 miles
I have a 2002 Nissan Altima 2.5 S. I have recently had problems with my service engine light coming on, my car running rough and consuming a lot of oil. I have my oil changed every 3000 miles and still have to add 2 quarts of oil myself in that time. I recently took my car to the dealership to have it checked and I was informed that my car had less than a quart of oil in it and that there were metal shavings in my oil pan. I have never had any problems with visible oil leaks or blowing smoke. They charged me $300 dollars just to drop my oil pan and at this point, all that they can tell me is that I need to replace my engine to the tune of $4000 and they can't tell me what caused the problem or if there are any other problems that contributed to this so that I can make sure that it doesn't happen again.
2007May 01
(reported on)Altima 2.5S
- Automatic transmission
- 83,000 miles
I bought my 02' Nissan Altima brand new. I have 83000 miles on it and all of a sudden it is comsuming a lot of oil. I took it to the local Nissan dealership and they told me, without a reason, that I needed a new engine and it would cost between $3400-$4000. I called Nissan Corporate to find out why I needed a new engine and they said that the dealership told them that I did not give them my approval to take apart my engine to find out the problem. My question to him was why would they tell me I needed a new engine if they needed to take it apart to find the problem and of course he did not have a answer. So my next question to him was who will pay for them to take my engine apart? He said that if they find something that they can not assist me with then I would have to pay. I can't afford to take that chance. I feel that I shouldn't have to pay for them to take my engine apart or to replace it. The reason I feel this way is because I went to there website and printed out all the recalls for my car. One of the recalls(Altima Exhaust Pipe Hanger and Pre-Catalyst) was actually for this problem. On this recall they state that the reason for this recall is to prevent these incidents from occurring. WELL IT DIDN'T WORK. Nissan knows of these problems but are unwilling to accept responsibility. The reason I know they know is because the guy at the local dealership told me that it is not the first time they've seen this. In the last month and half, I have had 3 oil changes and have had to add at least 10qts of oil on my own. I will never buy another Nissan again and will do everything in my power to make sure nobody I know buys one. You never know, I might even put a call in to action 9 news.
2007Mar 24
(reported on)Altima LS 2.5
- Automatic transmission
- 91,000 miles
Once again, another problem with this crap car... It is using a considerable amount of oil. I have to put a quart in the car every single week. It is not leaking, just burning out of the tail-pipe. I took the car to the local Nissan dealership and told them about this problem during the time my car was still under warranty, and they did nothing about it. I did leave the shop that day only to have my catalyst converter go out the very next day. After several calls to Nissan Headquarters, still no repairs done. I now look forward everyday to commuting 25 miles to my job each day, praying that I make it okay, because the car stalls even traveling at 70+ mph. It is not a very good feeling to have to quickly put my car in neutral and re-crank the car while being surrounded my eighteen-wheelers. Needless to say I will never in life purchase or refer this lousy peace of $^#%&# to anyone. NISSAN is a crap company with @#%%@# merchandise, and they don't give a flying @%#$@# about their customers.
2007Apr 09
(reported on)Altima 2.5 S 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 155,000 miles
I purchased my 2002 Nissan Altima with 10 miles on it. To date I have over 150 receipts from Auto repairs and/or maintenance. Out of all the repairs and numerous recalls... I can not get Nissan Consumer Affairs or any Nissan Dealership in the Northern VA area to take my complaint seriously. I have to put 3-5 quarts of oil in my vehicle every 2 weeks. I did learn that Nissan did recall some of the newer Altima models for this issue and repaired the oil leak issue. The dealership went as far as installing wrong parts in my car, to the engine light coming back on causing a head gasket repair, new exhaust system repair twice.... to now the engine light is back on for the same exhaust engine code comes up and the oil leak issue is out of control. The back of my bumper is constantly black from the oil burning out of the tail pipe. I have had new gaskets put on, a new oil resending unit and no solutions work. The part that really sucks this Friday I will be paying off my car and I have a car, note free with no oil. So either I bite the bullet and push out more money to replace the engine or I bit the bullet and buy a new car..... and trust me it will not be a Nissan.
2007Apr 01
(reported on)Altima 2.5 S 2.5
- Automatic transmission
- 58,000 miles
Engine loses 2 Qts of oil every 3 weeks. There are no visible leaks. It has 58,000 miles. It is a Nissan Altima 2002, 2.5 S
2007Jan 30
(reported on)Altima 2.5 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 74,604 miles
This problem was suppose to be repaired but it seems that we were duped. The head gasket was supposed to be replaced but I still have problems and I constantly have to replace oil which has become expensive. You get tired of going back and forth to the repair shop only to come home and a few days later the car is doing the same thing.
2006Nov 06
(reported on)Altima SL 2.5L
- Automatic transmission
- 95,000 miles
My 2002 Nissan Altima has been consuming about 1 quart of oil approximately every 450 miles. I was first told that it might be a sensor that is gone. That was replaced but the problem still exists. We can't seem to get any satisfaction as the vehicle is now gone of warranty. Can anyone out there tell me what is causing this problem.
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2007Jan 01
Altima S 2.5L V4
We would certainly join a class action law suit if there is one. Nissan are washing their hands of this issue. Every Nissan Altima owner I have met has exactly the same problem. They are just taking advantage of owners by recommending and most times, convincing the owner to replace the engine. Our "service engine soon" light has been on for about 2 years now, the car eats oil and she intermittently stalls at inconvenient times, like in the middle of rush hour traffic usually on a green light. We replaced the catalytic converter with headers but we feel some engine damage has already been done. Coincidentally, in the last 6 months two major Nissan dealerships in the Cincinnati area have contacted us by mail and phone saying they have customers looking for 2002 Nissan Altimas. Our suspicion is that Nissan knows they have a problem and this is the most cost effective way to get them off the road. Why would they pay you top dollar as trade in for a worthless car? They can't resell them. As we see it, Nissan is going to have to either replace all the engines under a recall or settle a class action lawsuit at some point. Heaven forbid, but it will only take one fatality to get either ball rolling. This is our first Nissan purchase and it will definitely be our last. I would not recommend Nissan to my worst enemy.
Elaine S.
Batavia, OH, USA
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