2002 Nissan Altima Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,000.

THE FRONT TWO WINDOWS IN MY NISSAN ALTIMA ROLL DOWN, BY THEMSELVES, EVERYTIME I TAKE MY KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION! I HAVE TRIED TAKING THE BATTERIES OUT OF BOTH OF MY KEY FOBS, THINKING MAYBE THERE IS A SHORT OR SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY KEY FOBS, BUT MY FRONT TWO WINDOWS STILL ROLL DOWN. I CALLED NISSAN TO ASK THEM ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, AND THEY SAID, THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE NOT TAKEN THE CAR TO NISSAN YET TO GET IT REPAIRED, BECAUSE HONESTLY I CAN NOT AFFORD TO PAY 100 DOLLARS AN HOUR TO HAVE THE CAR SIT ON THE MACHINE TO TEST IT, THEN HOW EVER MUCH IT IS TO FIX THE PROBLEM, WHICH COULD RUN INTO THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. *TR

ODOMETER ERROR 5% FASTER, SPEEDOMETER ERROR 5% FASTER. *TR

SPEEDOMETER REGISTERS 5 MPH FASTER THAN CAR IS ACTUALLY DRIVING AT. I HAVE VERIFIED THIS WITH A GPS SYSTEM, ALONG WITH A POLICE RADAR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE THE WINDOWS ARE IN THE UP POSITION, THE DOORS WILL AUTOMATICALLY LOCK AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS REMAIN ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 55,000. UPDATED 01/03/08. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED 5-10 MINUTES AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS LOCKED, THE WINDOWS WOULD AUTOMATICALLY ROLL DON AND THE INSIDE LIGHT WOULD COME ON. WHEN THE CONSUMER EXITED THE VEHICLE, AFTER 5-10 MINUTES THE DOOR WOULD LOCK ON ITS OWN. UPDATED 12/31/07

2002 NISSAN SENTRA SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. CUSTOMER STATES THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION WITH THE LIGHT ON. OXYGEN SENSOR WAS REPLACED AND CODE STILL REMAINED. CONSUMER FOUND A RECALL FOR THE ECM. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS AN ERROR AND WANTS TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIRS SINCE HE EXPERIENCED THE EXACT FAILURE AS STATED IN THE RECALL. *TR

I COULD HARDLY BELIEVE THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS I HAVE READ REGARDING THE 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA. ONE WOULD THINK THAT NISSAN WOULD RECOGNIZE THESE COMPLAINTS AND SIMPLY RECALL THE ENTIRE VEHICLE. WHEN WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN LATE 2001 IT WAS CALLED THE CAR OF THE YEAR. WOW! MY ALTIMA HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP MORE THAN IN MY GARAGE IN THE LAST MONTH. THIS TIME THEY HAVE HAD IT FOR MORE THAN A WEEK AND STILL CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHY IT WON'T START. YOU NAME IT -- EVERYTHING THAT CAN BE REPLACED, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE MOTOR ITSELF HAS BEEN REPLACED. FROM THE FUEL PUMP TO THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR, THE ECM, THE THROTTLE POSITION ASSEMBLY -- AND STILL IT WON'T START. IT BEGAN WITH A "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" AND NOW THAT DOESN'T EVEN COME ON. THE VEHICLE HAS 152,400 MILES AND UNTIL SUCH TIME AS WE CAN GET IT STARTED WE CAN'T EVEN GET RID OF IT. I AM TERRIBLY DISAPPOINTED AND WANT TO REPORT THIS TO THE TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL AND WHOEVER ELSE WILL LISTEN. NISSAN NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING!!!!!! *JB

TL* - THE CONTACT TOOK HER 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA IN FOR MAINTENANCE SERVICE ON 01/18/07, WHILE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP THEY STATED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAD THE RECALL (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V084000) WORK DONE ON HER VEHICLE SOMETIME IN 2006 AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO PREVENT THE PROBLEM SHE PRESENTLY EXPERIENCING. *JB

TL* - THE CONTACT HAS A 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA THAT HE TOOK TO THE DEALERSHIP (ANDERSON NISSAN IN LOVES PARK, IL) ON 01/12/07. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE CONTACT HAD HIS VEHICLE INSPECTED FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V084000 ON 08/21/03 AND THE DEALER(MOLADI'S NISSAN CRYSTAL LAKE, IL ) STATED THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM BY RE-PROGRAMMING THE COMPUTER. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE DEALER DIDN'T PERFORM THE PROPER WORK WHEN THEY WORK ON IT FOR THE RECALL. THE CONTACT CAN PROVIDE COPIES OF INVOICE REPAIR. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED LESS THAN TWO MONTHS AGO AND OIL HAS BEEN ADDED 8 TIMES. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, #03V084000, REGARDING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.*AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER PARKED FOR FOUR HOURS, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS SUMMONED AND THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. IT WAS DETERMINED THE FIRE STARTED IN THE DRIVER DOOR AND COULD BE ELECTRICAL. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE.

IN 2003, NISSAN CONDUCTED A RECALL OF 2002 ALTIMA'S, REF #03V-084, IN WHICH THEY WERE TO CORRECT A FIRE HAZARD RESULTING FROM ENGINE DAMAGE CAUSED BY A FAILURE OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR. ON 9/8/03, A NISSAN DEALER COMPLETED REPAIRS UNDER THE RECALL. OVER THE LAST YEAR, MY VEHICLE HAD VERY HIGH TEMPERATURES UNDER THE HOOD AND BEGAN CONSUMING EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL. IN AUGUST 2006, THE 'SERVICE ENGINE SOON' LIGHT CAME ON AND AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ADVISED ME THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR HAD FAILED AND WAS THE PROBABLE CAUSE OF THE EXCESSIVE OIL BURNING. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO A NISSAN DEALER WHO PERFORMED AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST. THE VEHICLE BURNED 2 QUARTS OF OIL IN 600 MILES AND ADVISED ME THE ENGINE WAS MOST LIKELY DAMAGED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. I CONTACTED NISSAN AND THEY REFUSED TO COMPLETE ANY DIAGNOSTICS OR REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. I HAVE HAD THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR REPLACED AGAIN AND THE INTERIOR SURFACES OF THE CONVERTOR INSTALLED AS A RESULT OF THE RECALL ARE CLEARLY DISINTEGRATED. I HAVE THE OLD PART AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION IF NEEDED. THE REPAIRS NISSAN COMPLETED IN ITS RECALL DID NOT RESOLVE THE DEFECT AND ARE A CONTINUING SAFETY HAZARD. *JB

MY 2002 NISSAN ALTIMA STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF A RESIDENTIAL AREA FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE ENGINE LINE, BATTERY LIGHT AND ALL OTHER LIGHTS INCLUDING HEADLAMPS, AND HAZARD LIGHTS WERE BLINKING ERRATICALLY OR STOPPED WORKING ALTOGETHER. I CALLED FOR A TOW AND ASKED THE TOWER TO CHECK THE BATTERY AND SEE IF A "JUMP" WOULD FIX IT. THE CAR STARTED AGAIN AFTER THE JUMP. I HEAD OFF TOWARDS HOME. THE CAR STARTED LOSING POWER. LUCKILY, I MADE IT HOME AS THE CAR STALLED WHILE IN MOTION. IF THAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY, MY FIANCEE AND I WOULD HAVE PROBABLY SUFFERED AN ACCIDENT. THERE WAS SOMEWHAT OF AN UNUSUAL SMELL LIKE BURNING PLASTIC. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION, THE LOW BEAM HEADLAMP WAS BURNED THROUGH, BUT THE SOURCE OF THE BURNING SMELL WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THERE APPEARED TO BE A SMALL FIRE, JUDGING BY THE AMOUNT OF SMOKE COMING OFF FROM UNDER THE CAR, THAT MAY HAVE STOPPED SHORTLY AFTER THE CAR STALLED. *JB

DT: THE WIRE TO THE ALTERNATOR LOOSENED TWICE. CONSUMER WAS NOT DRIVING WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, AND FIRST SUSPECTED IT WAS THE ALTERNATOR AND LATER DETERMINED IT WAS THE WIRING TO THE ALTERNATOR. HAS NOT BEEN TO THE DEALER FOR THIS PROBLEM. AAA WAS CALLED , AND NOTED THE LOOSE WIRING. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. CONSUMER SIMPLY PLACED/PUSHED WIRE BACK INTO TO PLACE. *AK

2002 ALTIMA WITH 54 THOUSAND MILES ON IT JUST DIED TODAY WITH A BATTERY LIGHT AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT ON THE DASH. DEALER IS ACTING LIKE THEY DONT COVER THIS...BUT I BOUGHT THE CAR IN FEBRUARY 2003....THIS IS STILL A NEW CAR AND I TAKE EXCELLENT CARE OF IT!

NISSAN ALTIMA 2002, HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY HAS A LATENT DESIGN DEFECT. *BF THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY HAD MELTED WHICH WAS CAUSED BY ELECTRICAL POWER SURGES. *JB

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE LOST POWER BETWEEN 10 TO 15 SECONDS. DEALERSHIP INSPECTED VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, AND THEY DIDN'T FIND NOTHING WRONG. THE LAST INCIDENT WAS ON FRIDAY AUGUST 7, 2004, AND TECHNICIAN INDICATED THEY WILL REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR. *AK

MY CAR STALLED ON RT 9 AT A LIGHT AND DID NOT START RIGHT BACK UP. 6 WEEKS LATER IT STALLED ON THE MASS PIKE GOING 70 MPH HR. BOTH TIMES I BROUGHT IT TO MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALER WHO HAS TOLD ME THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT. I AM SCARED FOR MY FAMILY (MY INFANT) AND I. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED! THEY BUILT THIS CAR THEY REALLY SHOULD KNOW MORE ABOUT ITS MECHANICS!*AK

INTERMITTENTLY IGNITION WILL NOT START. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. AS RESULT, CONSUMER ALMOST LOST CONTROL. NO INJURIES REPORTED. *AK THE CONSUMER RECEIVED TWO RECALL NOTICES RELATED TO PROBLEMS WHICH COULD RESULT IN A FIRE (RECALL 03V-455 AND 04V-251). IT IS UNCLEAR IF THE CONSUMER HAD THESES RECALL DONE AND IF THE CONSUMER RECEIVED THESE NOTICES BEFORE OF AFTER THE FAILURE. THE CONSUMER HAS RETAINED A LAWYER. *NM

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART, BUT WAS UNABLE TO START VEHICLE. DRIVER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

OCCASIONALLY WHEN IT RAINS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. ALSO, AT ANY GIVEN TIME (DAY OR NIGHT) THE HEAD LIGHTS WILL FLICKER ON AND OFF. SOMETIMES NOT EVEN COMING ON AT ALL. THIS IS MY SECOND NISSAN ALTIMA PURCHASE. I WAS SO PLEASED WITH MY FIRST PURCHASE I DECIDED TO GET ANOTHER ONE. I FEEL THAT IS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE THAT I MADE. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS CARE TO ANOTHER CONSUMER. WHAT BOTHERS ME THE MOST IS THE LACK OF CONCERN THAT I RECEIVED FROM THE DEALERSHIP. THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN WRECKED THEREFORE, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHERE THE PROBLEM LIES. *JB

ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, 08/07/03 BEING THE LATEST, MY CAR HAS STALLED, OR SHOWN POOR ACCELLERATION WHILE DRIVING. IT HAS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING OVER 65 MPH, SOON AFTER STARTING THE CAR AND PUTTING IT INTO DRIVE, AND A SMALL TIME PERIOD AFTER DRIVING IT. ON ONE OCCASION I EXITED OUT OF A PARKING LOT ONTO A BUSY TWO-WAY TRAFFIC ROAD, TO CROSS TO THE OTHER SIDE AND IT STALLED WHILE THERE WAS ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I WAS VERY RELUCTANT THAT THE TRAFFIC SPEED WASN'T HIGH, FOR THEY MAY NOT HAVE HAD THE TIME TO SLOW DOWN. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT TIMES TO MY DEALER, AND OTHER CAR MAINTENANCE SHOPS, AND THEY SAY THAT THEY CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM, AND IN ORDER TO FIX THE PROBLEM, THEY MUST DUPLICATE IT. BUT THE PROBLEM THAT COMES FROM THAT IS, IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ON A RECURRING BASIS. IT CAN HAPPEN HOURS APART TO 2 MONTHS APART. IT GIVES NO WARNING, AND IT GOES BACK TO RUNNING NORMAL AS IF NOTHING HAS EVER HAPPENED. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS AFTER.*AK

COLD MORNING, CAR WOULD NOT START EVEN AFTER TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE REACHED 45 DEGREES. DEALER INDICATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A FAULTY CRANK ANGLE POSITION SENSOR AND REPLACED IT UNDER WARRANTY. THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME THE CAR WOULD NOT START DURING "COLD WEATHER", FIRST TIME THEY'RE WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE A DIAGNOSIS. HOPE THEY WE'RE CORRECT THIS TIME!*AK

WHILE DRIVING INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WOULD BLINK AND SHUT OFF INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER REPLACED THE CLUSTER ON 4 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. *AK